Heading down south

Hey folks

Since leaving Ko Phangnan, we have been making our way further down south. We rocked up in Surat Thani on Monday and we were promptly introduced to an array of funky smells, including the restaurant below our hotel....after Adam's recent recovery, this was a real test - so pizza hut it was for tea. The place was very built up and commercial to asian standards but we found salvation in a park where a market was booming.
Moving on from here by bus to Nakon Si Thammarat - the local bus was suprisingly decent, 80 baht for a 2hour journey not bad. In Nakon we were the only westerners in the whole place, we were welcomed very well and strangers offering to be our tour guides. Here we checked out 'the souths most important temple' pretty impressive with a museam attatched, also the remains of the old city wall. Every place we walked, local school kids were shouting 'hello! hello!' and we felt like posh and becks. On this mammoth day of touring we lastly checked out an old shadow puppet theatre - met the grand master himself and watched how the puppets are made.
Our journey from Nakon onwards was ....... difficult. Nobody seemed to be able to explain how to leave Nakon, where the bus station was......a bit like Royston Vasey. So at 8am we made our way, blindly, to find a bus station with our packs on, randomly a mini bus appeared from no where, offering cheap travel to Trang, we accepted. The bus was absolutley rammed full and the two seats were at the very back. I almost hyperventilated before getting on, being claustrophobic and all, but the opportunity was to good to miss. On this bus ride i invented a good way to pass the time, a game i like to call temple bashing. It really just involves having your head repeatedly bashed against the window. Personal space is non exsistant, as adam found out from the lady next to him, using his body as a rest for herself and small child. We were booted out in Trang, found a really cool guest house and thats where we are currently laying our heads. Earlier today we walked around the locals celebrating an important buddhist icon coming to town, we felt like celebrities again as all the people in the procession cheered at us as they marched past, great stuff. Got our photo taken by the newspaper and met some really cute little kids dressed up as all the countries in S.E.A, got a picture with them too.
Shall be heading down to Satun n next few days and entering Malaysia by next week.
Amy : feat-Adam x