In Ammendium

Just in addition to my previous post...

!) 1 hour on the internet at standard Koh Phagnan rates is equivalent to about 6 beers in NZ. So hopefully you appreciate every word, in much the same way as I appreciate each and every drop of that delicious golden nectar.

2) On the train down to Surat Thani, Michelle had an allergic reaction to something. Shes fine now, but it meant that we got to visit our second hospital in SEA. (Rash and swelling on her face, the poor thing! Probably caused by something she ate... great help) Unlike a NZ Hospital, we were in and out in about an hour an a half, the nurses were attentive and it only set us back about $60. Yay for second world medical care.

3) I kinda skimmed over our Ha Long bay trip, and it deserves more... We did a 3 day/2 night trip, one night staying on a beautiful and fairly new Junk in a cute wee cabin. We were served fresh fish, beautiful fresh squid (which tastes kinda like NZ Calamari, but pretty much melts in your mouth) various stir fries and soups and it was really very good. We explored a huge cave (really, HUGE - the little things in the middle are people!)
...kayaked into a hidden lagoon, then on Cat Ba Island, we climbed a muddy, trecherous path up a mountain (where the video from an earlier post was taken) stayed in a rather upmarket hotel and generally just awed ourselves with Ha Long's mystical, mythical history and absolutely stunning scenery.

Ok... back to present... Koh Phagnan is a great place to wind down from all the long travels (although getting back to Bangkok from here is one heck of a mission!) chilling by the beach drinking cocktails (and beer), swimming in the pool, spoiling ourselves with Air Con, renting a moto and exploring the hard to reach, but beautiful eastern beaches and just psyching ourselves up for the UK.

Jeepers but the time has flown for us, its hard to believe that 5 months ago we were in Auckland with all this before us, it seems to have whizzed by... even the epic bus journeys.

Will do more of a wrap up of this leg in the near future, then it will be all on for our UK and Europe adventures!!!