GEORGE: So.....for our final week in SE Asia (Boooooooooooooooo!), we decided we deserved a relaxing week on a beautiful Thai island (yeeeeeeeeeeahy!).
ALEX: Being the seasoned travellers that we now are, we decided to 'leave the city as soon as we can man' and jumped on an equally, if not more luxurious coach for the overnight trip to Chumpon, where we caught the high speed (complete with blacked out windows and go very, very faster stripes) catamaran to Koh Tao. It was the perfect way to arrive and despite a sprinkling of rain when we got off the boat, it was all we could have asked for - the sea was crystal clear, the sun was shining (five minute shower a thing of the past!), the sand was white, the palm trees were 'just like in the movies!'........ Will give you a minute to wipe your eyes/run to the loo to be sick.
Right, now you're back, I'll continue.
We stayed in a fantastic beach hut which although it had sand at the front of it, 'technically' wasn't on the beach but in my mind 15m away is as near as damn it. After spending a few days relaxing and getting used to doing even less than we have been doing for the last two and a bit months (took five, maybe six minutes and we were away) we took the plunge (see what I did there?!) and did our first two scuba dives of the week. The visibility wasn't as good as in Vietnam, although there was definitely more marine life to see which was great.
So after another day sitting on our backsides with me trying to stay evenly tanned and George trying to stay evenly not that red, I did my first wreck dive which was at the site of a merchant ship which sank about 20 years ago. In all honesty once we got down there, it wasn't actually all that great! It was so dark, I could just about see a bit of rope and what looked like er, something, but the exciting bit was that fact that we went down to 45m which is very humbling to say the least - especially when you realise that there is 44m of water above you and it's just you with a few pipes and a bit of air strapped to your back!
GEORGE: I added a few more 'fun dives' to my log book and went down to 23m this time. They were pretty cool. The best bit was chilling with a large sea turtle. I followed him (or her) for a little while which was magic!
ALEX: Being the adventurous types we also hired a couple of quad bikes (in truth, I was too much of a wimp to hire a scooter having never riden one before) to explore the island in style, and dedicated one afternoon to trying our best to look like the lead roles in a Club Med promotional DVD as we raced around the island laughing and joking like the ridiculously content young lovers we are - had it not been so bloody hot, I would have completed my outfit with a nice light knit merino number knotted over my chest. Still, it wasn't to be so a small damp patch on my back was far more fitting.
GEORGE: I know in the picture the road looks pretty flat, but at times, to get to the other side of the island, the roads were very bumpy and at 45 degree angles.
ALEX: So all in all, Koh Tao was AMAZING and definitely a great destination for a relaxing beach break with a few fun activities thrown in for good measure.
Well it's goodbye from SE Asia......
GEORGE: Nooooooooooooo!
ALEX:... and (as I write) hello India in less than 24 hours time!
GEORGE: OK then....
ALEX: With phase one as near as finished, we are both looking forward to the next chapter in our little jaunt around the globe and hope to send you all many more envy inducing emails and pictures which I'm sure you can't wait to receive!
GEORGE: XX
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