Koh-ping with the islands of Thailand

Koh Phi Phi
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I woke up in after a night of pulsating heat from overexposure to the sun.  My first thought was 'I am so done with this town.'  I met Elisabeth at 8am and she agreed immediately as her room was much worse than mine.  As she ate breakfast I hopped down to the dock and found out I could buy a ferry ticket to Koh Phi Phi, the island made famous in the Leonardo DeCaprio film The Beach. We would have to leave in about 15 minutes.  I bought tickets and dashed back to tell Elisabeth.  She had left her table and was waiting on the street.  I was coming from the other direction and for about 5 minutes I was thinking 'Oh shit, where is she?'.  Luckily we managed to both dash to our rooms get our gear get to the pick-up point and I even managed to retrieve my camera left at the restaurant.  All that hurry up and then wait as the tide was out and we were shuttled to the ferry in small boats a few at a time.

Another Phi Phi picture
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Underway about an hour later we passed some lovely isles and then landed on Koh Phi Phi.  That is pronounced Pee Pee.  There is a nearby Island called Koh Pu, pronounced as you would guess Poo.  Yesterday Elisabeth was looking at the map saying I cannot decide between Pee Pee or Poo.  I just turned to her and said I think this conversation needs to be recorded for posterity.  Not that it doesn't happen here dozens of times a day.  This place is so crowded with tourists and they are all looking for their own bit of paradise untrammeled by the masses.

crazy looking shack on Phi Phi
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Koh Phi Phi is picture perfect pretty and it is also a resiliant survivor of the tsunami.  The island was hard hit and now is full tilt busy.  There are piles of rubble all about and much construction going on as signs of the destruction of the past.  Evacuation signs are common and in English.  There is also a Rasta world here with driftwood structures and party atmosphere serving the global dreadheads.

About 2 hours of this and we got on another boat for Koh Lanta.  I had been told by some Brits I met that Kho Lanta was much more the end of the world type place where the flotsam and jetsam of the planet end up.  It doesn't seem that much different than the other islands except less crowded and less pretty.  The sea is not so clear and the beach stretches for a vast distance with rattan bungalows scattered all up and down with restaurants, bars and yes internet right on the beach.  I can hear the very slight waves of the ocean and bar music as I type this.

little fishes near the dock
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I am staying in one of those bungalows and Elisabeth because there were no other rooms has chosen to stay in a tent that was offered by the fellow running the place we landed.  Our driver thought that very inappropriate that I would stay in the room and she in the tent.  She is a Scandi and they are a tough lot always up for an experience.

We had a pizza on the beach and a lovely sunset.  and tomorrow more beaches await.

ps.  I apologize about lack of pictures.  I am taking them but my USB cable is fucked and will not work.  I need to find a card reader and until then I'm afraid I will just be posting words.  When I do get back with pics I will let you know so you can look back and see them.