Thursday, August 2, 2007
Ao Nang, Thailand
Finally we made it to the beaches. As we rolled from Hanoi to Bangkok to Karbi then by taxi to Ao Nang, we were wondering if we would make it there with enough energy to enjoy a Friday night at the beach. Well, we did! Upon arrival after almost being dropped off at the wrong hotel, we donned the shorts and went for a walk on the beach. STUNNING scenery is what I would describe it as. Genius me left the camera behind this day so without Gino’s pictures we will have to wait until we are home to get his photos up. Picture a half mile beach about 400 yards wide and good clean sand. The water was the bluest of blues and the limestone clifs climbed straight out of the water all over the place. Sometimes in a single finger sticking out of the ocean in the distance, but also right behind the main strip in town.
We saw some monkeys in the trees at the end of the beach and then noticed what looked to be a stairway to nowhere. Being the intrepid explorers that we are, an often heard phrase was heard again “What else do we have to do!” and off we went.
After climbing up the stairs and down the other side of a jungled filled ride we arrived at a georgous resort snuggled in a cove on three sides and the ocean on the other and an even nicer beach than the one we just left. Well, the beach bar was calling our name so we stopped to have a beer. For those frequent readers of this blog, you know this is the start of all trouble …. and this was no exception. After about two drinks, my shy self struck up a conversation with the French travelers who were parked on the bar stools next to us. I mean they clearly had the look of well seasoned Thai bar monkeys so there was no doubting we’d be fast friends. Well, two beers turned into 10 and then the time was there to return to our town and find some eats.
Well, thinking we’d be returning to a thriving little resort town with lots of action going on as it looked like when we arrived, we found nothing. Barely any resturants were left open and the ones that were had at most 4 people in them. So we scarffed our new favorite spring rolls and I had some Pad Thai and Gino had Yellow Curry and fried rice, quite tasty if even westernized for our pallets. Wanting to continue having a little fun, we stopped into the Irish Rover and had a few more beers and called it a night.
The next morning it was time for the jungle.. pachyderm time! Yes, I kept hearing looney tunes saying that word. We were picked up in the famous two bench pickup truck and took the ride out to the jungle. I’ll admit I wasn’t sure how much fun I’d have riding an elephant for an hour but it was quite grand.. maybe even lovely! (Hannah, thats for you from Gino) Lots picture taken but you’ll have to wait as I forgot to bring my camera with me tonight.
From there we decided to ditch Ao Nang and head for Ko Phi Phi (pronounced pee pee)… yes.. good thing there are not 13 year olds with us as they’d be gigling the whole time! Ko Phi Phi .. to be explained in its own blog.
FACT FOR THE DAY: Elephants can swim and run faster than humans and in the wild can live up to be 150 years old.
Bill & Gino
http://Bill%20Niester
Water logged on Aug. 4, 2007 @ 09:46PM saidI think I hear a song title in this one.Water logged on Aug. 4, 2007 @ 09:46PM saidGoofy computer!Water logged on Aug. 4, 2007 @ 09:46PM saidMaybe a cheer?! Ko Phi Phi, Go Phi Phi!Water logged on Aug. 4, 2007 @ 09:46PM saidI think I hear a song title in this one.