The time has come; the planning, preparation, saving and anticipation has ended and I’m out of New Zealand. The initial port of call is Thailand, for a couple of weeks of beaches, beers and thirty degree heat.

Following a 12 hour layover in Melbourne due to a technical fault, I landed in Phuket at 2.30am where I was picked up by my pal Phil, who’s been here for a month or so and is in South East Asia for another. We cruised on the scooter to our Phuket accommodation, which was deceivingly a little out of the way but provided all the essentials.

The next day I got myself a scooter ($8 a day – take an expired passport along to use asba bond instead of your current one) and we spent the next couple of days by the pool, beach hopping and checking out Phuket.

Phil being pulled over for not wearing a helmet – the chap told us to follow him to the station then promptly took off at pace. We didn’t know where to go, so we continued on to the next beach.

The new force in drag racing.

A delicious selection of crickets, cockroaches and maggots.

The classic, “Want to touch my lizard? …No Photo! YOU PAY!” gimmick.

The Thai just hang on to the support straps when you go paragliding. Safe as mate.

On boxing day we caught an overfilled boat to Koh Phi Phi, a small island about 2 hours ferry from the east of Phuket. We’ll be here until just after New Years. The island isn’t what I’d call secluded or exclusive in any way, but it’s a very cool place. It’s lined with bars, restaurants, markets, and tourists. Lots of people from Europe and Russia. Different parts of the island seem to cater for different age groups. Prices here are generally higher than the mainland but there are still bargains to be had.

Fresh coconut. About 40 Baht ($1.30 NZ)

This place tends to get wild at night, well, any time after midday really. They know it too.

A Koh Phi Phi ambulance.

For 200B you get the dead skin removed off your legs and feet by doctor fish. Not sure of the validity of this method but it’s worth it to see what it feels like. Definitely one of the weirdest feelings over ever had.

A cat playing with a small snake. Or is the snake playing with the cat?

I’m having a rad time so far! We’re headed around a few of the islands tomorrow on a longboat to see some sights and do some snorkelling.
Will update this again in the new year; I’m doing this on my phone at the moment as my laptop has already shit itself. Have a good New Years all!

Damo