Thailand
2nd Leg - "Send Lawyers, Guns, & Money" Tour 2001

Go Home
 
After a day in Melbourne, we headed to Bangkok.  And, yes, one night there does make a hard man humble.  Hint...if you hear the words "Amazing Thailand!" or "Today - special Buddhist holiday!", you can be pretty sure that you're going to get screwed.  We stayed a block from Khao San road in the Banglampoo area, which had tons of bars and restaurants; it's definitely the place where young westerners gather.  Other than tons of wats (temples) and the Pat Pong night market, there isn't a whole lot in Bangkok other than pollution and tuk tuk drivers.

We headed off to Phuket, which is sort of the Cancun of Thailand.  I guess there are nice areas like Kata Beach, but Patong where we were was pretty seedy.  The only bright points were the guy with the satay cart and watching Tariq dance, ahem "grind", with a cross-dresser.

After that, we went to Ko Phi Phi, two islands halfway between Phuket and Krabi.  Phi Phi Le, which is uninhabited, is the island where they filmed a lot of "The Beach".  Needless to say, just about every bar was playing that.  Both were beautiful, though.  For diving, I'd recommend Viking Divers or Island Divers.  Also tourist kick-boxing at the reggae bar is not to be missed.

Leaving Phi Phi, we took a ferry to Krabi and made our way to Railay, a peninsula only accessible by longtail boat.  Absolutely amazing!  Great climbing, beautiful beaches, and wonderful food.  And villas on the beach for $10.

When Tariq went back to Bangkok to head to London, I intended to make a trek up in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, but due to weather this was called off, and I went to Cambodia instead.


 
James Bond Island, for you "Man With The Golden Gun" fans.  This national park of islands was pretty beautiful.
Tariq bet me that I couldn't eat 17 satays.  Never go against a skinny Italian when food is on the line.

 
Ko Phi Phi.
Yeah, it's brutally hot up there!
Looking toward Phi Phi Le (in the background).

 
Phi Phi Le.  This is the island where they filmed "The Beach".
One of the bays on Phi Phi Don.
Some Swedes I went diving with.  This is on the ferry to Krabi/Railay.

 
East Railay Beach (low tide).  Phra Nang and West Railay are the nicer ones.
 
Someone needs to teach Tariq how to use a camera.

 
Some beach shots from West Railay and Phra Nang.