Similan Isalnds!

Before leaving Bangkok for probablky the l;ast time I had one more thing I wanted to do.  To visit the neighbourhood I went to on my first day where I was trying to meet my couchsurfing host.  As that failed (her sister was sick) I left the area and always wanted to go back without my big bag to explore.  The area has no white people and seemed like fun to walk around. 

I hoppedon the metro thinking I remembered the station to get off at, it had been alost 2 moinths, and sure enough it was the wrong neighbourhood where I ended up.  I was on a big street and I picked a direction and started walking.. I went through a small market and after 20 minutes I thought I recognized an intersection... Somehow I stumbled on the right place!  I was thrilled and walked on... The area was not full of hirises but small apartments and stores and it was great to see an area that is the type that I am guessing most people in Bangkok live in.

There were lots of stalls with many things...

Here is some dragonfruit...

The sidewalk...This is why I wanted to come back without my bag!

Similan Islands!!

An hour boat ride form the town of Kao Lak takes you to the Similan Islands... Divers paradise and travellers too.  I hear you could camp with your own tent on the 8th out of 9 Islands and the boat I took which was also a snorkel tour boat was going to drop me there.  I got out all excited and the tour operator went to help me get a tent site.  The man incharge of the park didn't seem to open and started telling me I couldn't put my tent and I would have to rent theirs.  Then I said the website said it was ok, and he and the woman started talking and their voices raised...This is veryunusual for Thai people who never raise voices even when very angry...  Then he pointed at me and then to the ocean..."get off my island"...  This was getting very weird... I asked what was happening and he put his wrists together in the "I will have you arrested" sign.

At this point I didnt want to stay anyways and felt very akward.  I had barely said more than two words to this man.  The tour lady was also furious and told me to wait.  She called Island 4 which is the only other Island where you can stay and said I could stay there but in one of their tents.  I said ok as I had already paid 30 dollars to get out there.

We went to Island 4 and the people were frinedly.  It was 400 Baht, ~$12 to rent their tent, and I jsut decided to mention I had mty own...They said ok, just for me I can put my tent for 80 Baht, ~$3.50... Somehow I was very lucky and my stay in paradise began...  Everyone who works on the diveboats or other tourist places says they never heard of someone else being allowed to put up their own tent... 

This (above) is the view form the lookout of Island 4... On the bottom is the back beach where the sun rises, a 5 minute walk from the tents on the other side.  The dark patches in the water are corals...

On one of the days I went for a dive and I snorkelled on all the others...The water is incredibly clear, visibility as good as a brand new bathtub!  I saw a sea snake, thousands of fish (including a lion fish) hard and soft corals and much more! 

I didnt realize how popular this area is... There are many families and 'rich' tourists, I am the only one with a backpack...Its fun to be in a different atmosphere but not as relaxing.

One night I went for a swim and the ocean was phosphorescent! Every tme you move the water around you lights up!  A crazy experience!

Here is the view from Island 8

And the famous rock on island 8

A crab on the beach in Kao Lak

I went here after the Similans to get to my next destination.  This is one of the areas that was it hard by the tsunami and there are now warnign signs all over.

Here is a pitcher plant!  It eats insects!  You can see them being dissolvedin a liquid if you look into the pitcher!