Dave's ridiculous (half) world tour

Liveaboard dive cruises are awesome. There are three things you do for the four days you live on the boat: dive, sleep, eat. The trip involved diving Thailand's best reefs off the west coast - the world-famous Similan's and Surin Islands - the water is warm and the visibility is from another planet. Our first dive I could see the another group dropping into the water from about 35 meters away. That's very far for diving...

Unfortunately, nothing big appeared other than a large leopard shark. The dive sites have the reputation for large animals such as manta rays, and whale sharks. Not this time to all the divers' disappointment. Got a hell of a fright actually as the dive guide motioned shark underwater (place hand like a fin in front of your face!) and all I initially saw was an ominous large sillouette of a shark above the shipwreck we were diving (adding to the eeriness). Luckily it was just a leopard shark, a very beautiful and peaceful shark.
The night dives were the best for me - its completely surreal entering the water with the boat lights illuminating everything beneath it and then searching the reefs with underwater torches. We surfaced in the middle of a torrential downpore the one night - very cool! There was a really sombre mood as the boat headed back to land, we all had a great time out there.
I also snorkeled with a greenback turtle on the second day - that was amazing. It was completely unfased by being close to people in the water. It even pushed me with one of its fins when it got really close at one point.

So I've seen 7 snakes in the last few weeks, a couple of them very close. The first one was at Ko Pha Ngan - I saw some movement in my bungalow as what appeared to be a lizard shot under my mattress. Nope, not a lizard - it was a little snake!... I called the bungalow owner and he sorted it out (brutally smashed it with a broomstick). Didnt sleep too well for my last few days there!
About a week ago, I was walking at night through the campsite at the remote island of Ko Tarutao when I almost stepped on a long green snake crossing my path. The next day, went to a remote beach on the island and there was a python hanging from a tree on the beach.
Then the last few days - I've been diving off the Similan Islands in the Andaman Sea and saw three sea kraits... one of the world's most deadly animals! Apparently you're fine though - their fangs are too small to puncture a person's skin (urban legend??). Would have been good to know before I saw it...
Then yesterday, another snake sneaked past my feet in Khao Lak.
Anyway, enough of this nancy-boy talk...

Ko Tarutao was just the medicine I needed to get away from the resort crowds. Its a beautiful and virtually untouched strip of islands run by the National Marine Parks board. Totally remote - we'll see how long that lasts - one of the islands is already being developed by resorts. Anyway, it was good.

Spending one night in Khao Lak led me to investigate the effects of the Tsunami on the area. Khao Lak was the town that made much of the news from Thailand in December 2004, having suffered more than half the casualties for Thailand. I think about 4,500 people died. There is a significant flatland extending behind the town towards some hills a few kilometers from shore. Evidence of the strength of the tsunami lies in a 25 meter Thai Police cruiser, which lies almost 2 km's inland from the water. It was literally pushed that far by the waves and makes it easy to see how impossible escaping the wave must have been for people staying/wprking close to shore. It was pretty heady stuff. I also went for a walk on the main beach, and came across a completely deserted and destroyed resort. It was also quite heart-breaking walking through the broken bungalows and beach bar, realising that many people never could have escaed in time. It's a huge resort and occupies a large part of prime beach. I didn't hear why it still hasn't been re-developed, most of the other resorts have been rebuilt now.

So... now the real traveling begins. This time tomorrow I'm in Nepal and will be making plans for the Annapurna Circuit in the Himalaya's. Wish me luck, and don't expect news back for at least three weeks - the circuit takes at least 17 days to complete.

Travel days in Thailand are both pretty frustrating and amusing. Mostly amusing though. You often have to just sit back and go with the flow. Eventually you'll get to your destination! After a long 14 hour trip I arrived in Railay (various spellings) late at night. The trip swayed between interesting/amusing/frustrating/'some level of crazed madness' by a number of factors:
- Full Moon party the night before and arriving back to my bungalow at 04:30 (early for Ko Pha Ngan, I hear)
- The endless ocean swells on my boat back to the mainland at 08.00 that morning
- the Thai travel operators, reminiscent of dictators in their continual and unabated commands ("You do dis!", You come here!", "You eet now!", etc.)
- Two little German girls in my bus who attempted to break some sort of decibel record - earphones were no match for them
- five hour bus ride with another lunatic driver
- deluge similar to monsoon season on the 15 minute long-tail boat ride from Krabi town to Railay

Travelers start to feel sorry for themselves on travel days! I guess the day taught me to just laugh it off and sit back and enjoy the ride! However, it was all worth it. Railay is surrounded by four beaches - three of which are completely stunning. The beaches are all surrounded by massive cliffs and pinnacles. The water must be close to 30 degrees and if you open your eyes underwater it's similar to swimming in a pool, if not clearer. One of the beaches is Phra Nang Cave beach - without a doubt, this is (in my opinion) the most beautiful beach I've ever been to. I rented a kayak today and did some awesome paddling between the various bluffs and cliffs that jut out of the water. On the way back, I cruised past Ton Sai beach, home of the rock climbers. Its big wall climbing there and the view 200 meters up one of these rock faces must be absolutely amazing and terrifying at the same time. One day perhaps (Haig, Waterman, Millar - we'll have to talk...)...

Maya Bay at Ko Phi Phi Ley island is where The Beach was filmed. I did the mandatory speed boat visit of course. It's well worth it - it comes a close second to Pranang Cave (and my hometown favorite of the great Nahoon beach, of course) on my beach ratings. It's full of tourists, but you still marvel at the beauty of the place. Some amazing snorkeling as well, with reefs all over the place and full of life, with schools of little fish often surrounding you. I also registered about 8.2 on the Burner Scale that day. Think I added a few thousand freckles. It's nothing compared to the 9.9 I registered a few years back.

So Ko Pha Ngan is great for hammock swinging. Luckily, my spot was a few km's away from Haad Rin - the island's 'capital' - constantly partying for some shape or colour of moon. Lazy days - I read the first of my el-cheapo re-cycled 'travel guru' classics on a hammock for a few days - Tom Sawyer - going back to basics. When you're not chilling out, you're at Haad Rin or renting a scooter and cruising the island. And on the topic of scooters, Ko Pha Ngan has more than its fare share of Thai tattoos. That's big, bandaged injuries from scooter wipeouts - it seemed half the tourists had them there. Probably a combination of late nights, dodgy roads, suicidal local 4X4 drivers.

The full moon party puts pretty much any party to shame. No new years bash I've been to is like this. Picture a wide beach, with clubs/restaurants each throwing their own party via booming music and fire dancers, and at least 10,000 revelers. It's Khao San Road all over again, and anything goes. They actually hosted the party two days later than initially planned due to elections. Plus, it rained, so no one saw the full moon anyway!

Next - thinking of heading further south to see Ko Turatao National Park - these are almost untouched islands according to some locals I've spoken to. Pictures to come soon... (monthly picture limit still too high)

Right, so as promised, here’s my first blog.
As I write this, I’m still preparing for the trip in London, so I can’t report back yet on what it is like diving with leather-backed turtles in some tropical paradise, or trekking up some giant volcano
I’ve bought a round-the-world-ticket from London going east, via fourteen countries, back to London, and cash-permitting, I think I’ll be on the road for about 8 months. I’ll probably be posting blogs and pics every couple of weeks, depending on accessibility to internet café’s.

HIGHLIGHTS

- Diving in Sipidan in Borneo, Blue Corner in Fiji, and the Similan Islands in Thailand are probably top of the list.
I’m taking an extra BIG bag for diving – some might say its madness to drag such a large extra burden around for the better part of a year, but if you’ve dived, you’ll know that using familiar equipment can really change the enjoyment and down-time of your dives. So, when Im cursing this extra bag, I’ll hopefully still see it that way!

- Trekking in Nepal is going to be awesome. The mountainous views, the clean air, the Nepalese cultures – its all going to be very different to what I’m used to. I’m doing the Annapurna route – a 3-week mountain trek.

- Cambodia – Boeng Leak Yaom crater lake – came across this while researching my travels and it sounds and looks ridiculously amazing.

- I also think the 2 – day climb on Mount Kinabalu in Malaysia should be pretty awesome.

- Lastly, but it’ll take precedence very often – chilling on a remote beach with a cool beer in hand, hammocks making some guest appearances!

TOP TRAVEL FEARS (the ones I’ve been having feverish nightmares about)

- Cambodian bus drivers
- Malaria again
- unfriendly king cobras
- Running out of air at 32 meters down
- Circus folk
- Polio
- 8-foot Fijians on a boys’ night out.
- Koala's

THE ROUTE:

Thailand
6th Feb – 15 March 2008

Nepal
13 March – 08 April T

Cambodia, Vietnam
09 April – 30 April

Singapore, Bali, Komodo
30 April – 23 May

Philippines and Palau
23 May – 24 June

Borneo (Malaysia only)
24 June – 24 July

Australia
25 July – 22 August

New Zealand
22 August – 13 September

Fiji (& surrounds)
13 September – 29 September

California & NYC
29 September – 11 October 2008

For those of you meeting me here and there along my travels, see you soon.

Until I post a ‘real’ blog… Cheers!