Rivers, streams, mountains.....

A few more photo's of Koh Sok National Park and Chlewlam Dam

Park accommodation..............

Jai...found hanging over a river. Ah, Thai gals, eh?

Boat Taxi in the morning mist.................................and, above right, showering...Thai Style

Mountains................lakes............scenery.............

CHEOW LAN LAKE

The Cheow Lan Lake was formed in the 1980's when the Khlong Saeng river was damned to power a new H.E.P. Now this enormous 28 km long lake is dotted by over 100 islands and its forested shore provides sanctuary to many species of birds and some primates, especially gibbons.

The lake also contains 8 floating villages with a range of accommodation within each. It was our intention to go right back to basics....and we did!! Here's our floating shack with the Grand Shack Master, Mr Gary Chard presiding over his new Kingdom.

Our morning lake safari started at 0600. After a gentle hike through densely jungled mountaineous terrain, we ended up standing on a pile of bamboo poles lashed together and called a raft.

This was to be our craft to take us to the famous Cheow Lan Cave.

Our guide, Khun Lac, kept a wary eye on The Gary who threatened to knock her overboard everytime he stretched.

One of the rafts was in for repair. Here's a Lakeside Mechanic tying it back together.

Our raft Captain had the latest in Hydraulic Seats....a set of scales. The scales indicated that he weighed 11Kg. When asked where he got this fine set of inaccurate Salter top price scales from, our Captain explained they came direct from Weyfish and had not been tampered with since leaving Weymouth. (??????)

Early morning scenery at the lake is very impressive with low lying cloud shrouding the Karsts.

Nice, eh?

The Karsts have small cavelets along the current water line....but dramatic caves have been carved out by water action and have produced some pretty amazing natural sculptures inside....

Every culture sees different things in Nature. In Thailand everything is either a monkey, an elephant, a naga (serpent), a garuda or some other strange creature from Thai mythology. Not too sure what this particular one is other than a spectacular bit of water carving on limestone deposits.

This sculpture was so thin that a light held behind it made the whole structure glow. This fragile waterfall like carving was over 50' high....an amazing sight.

Here are two of the intrepid explorers with our cave guide. This gives an ideas of the scale of the formations.

Our two Hollywood stars chill out on the way back across the lake to the dam.

The whole area is very photogenic and, as is the case with digital photography, we have at least 11 million photographs by now....but these are just a few to give a general idea of this little adventure.

I can see this becoming a favourite place to take you all if you have time!!! Very nice!

Pigeon Pie

The Thai word for Adventure is Pajonpai. Gary refuses to accept this and calls it Pigeon Pie...so here is the latest 'Pigeon Pie'!

It was about time we left the 'lap of luxury' and return to basics and Nature. So we set off to the Koh Sok National Park which is about 120 miles north of Chalong and 100 km north of Phuket.

The park is enormous and is set in the heart of one of the last remaining rain forests in Thailand which features imposing Karst mountain formations running through it. According to the literature, these mountains are the remains of an enormous coral reef formed 250 million years ago. The 'reef' runs from China, then through the north eastern section of Vietnam in the famous Halong Bay and southwards into the Gulf of Thailand. The Karsts break out of the sea all down the eastern coastline of Thailand heading southwards and then heading to the south west across to Phuket and down to Krabi.

The accommodation in the park consists of 'tree houses' set right in the forest. It's nice to sit out on the balconies and listen to the many sounds of nature as the forest is full of various species of birds and monkeys especially gibbons.

As in all nature watching, it's all about being quiet and still and keeping a sharp eye out. The house balconies are good view points (this is the view from our our balcony) so it is possible to see animals especially early morning.



Some of the park has been replanted for rubber trees. The resin runs down the tree into the little cups and collects as the white, smelly stuff that will become rubber.








The forest is full of bamboo. It is a known fact that if a Thai person does nothing for 17 seconds they will fall alseep. The Jai can sleep anywhere.....here she is the land of dreams (Thais dream of elephants, snakes, monkeys and spirits) whilst we were enjoying a swim in the river.






Aha....The Jai is now awake and supported by two park visitors.








Food was available in simple little resturants which offered Bar B Q'd fish and chicken dishes. Our evening meal (which was delicious) cost us £15 for the four of us....and that included the beers!




Koh Sok was just a stopping point for us as our main adventure was yet to come at the Cheow Lan Lake about 50km further east......tomorrow's Blog will be about that as we are now off out to Wat Chalong, the nearby Temple, which is holding its annual festival this week.

Chase away those winter blues

Some sunny type photo's to chase away the Winter Blues


I've looked at the UK forecast today and it ain't pretty, so I know you all need cheering up with a few photo's of a nice little resort we have discovered near to the house and which is open non residents.

Friendship Beach....nice name....is right on the sea with clear views to the nearby islands. There's a good pool which non- residents are also welcome to use, a resturant with a cheap but very good varied menu and, in the evenings, live music.

Here's Mandy posing with the sea and an island in the background...........

If you are reading this and cursing away 'cos of the weather you are suffering....then come here next season!! There's really no excuse or reason to suffer the cold.....you cannot get a cheaper holiday than this!!!

Patong is stacked with clubs playing live music...and it's very high quality stuff. Last night we visited Rock City and stayed for three hours of very loud, hefty rock...brilliant. Guns and Roses, AC/DC, Metallica, Rage Against the Machine....even a bit of Seal!


For those of you who cannot stand adrenelin creating, all action, get on your feet stuff then there is a Line Dancing Bar down the road or even some of that soppy Stick-Yer -Finger- in -your- ear type folkie music stuff nearby.

Molly Malone's Irish Bar will be our next visit. They have some great Irish bands there.....violins, mandolins, Irish Pipes etc....all electrified of course and played at the sort of volume required to froth up the head of yer Guinness.

And what's this I hear you ask???? This is a new project which 'The Jai 'is doing. There is a new Marina to be built in Chalong which is the town 2 km away from us. Jai bought a plot of land one minute's walk from the sea and this is the first of two houses she is having made. She hasn't got enough dosh for the second house so that will have to be done in a couple of years. This will be up for long term rate at a very cheap price.....about £400 PER MONTH!!! It will have air conditioning, TV and Internet facilities and be fully kitted out with two bedrooms and three bathrooms.

So, if any of you wanted a real cheap deal...you could have two of you renting with a room each which = £50 per week for your accommodation...then you cannot get cheaper than this!!!

Simon Cabaret Show

IT'S SHOW TIME!!!!!

Simon Cabaret Show, Patong, Phuket. Photo's courtesy of Super Snap Saranwalai Chansongsri, known in Paparrazi circles as 'The Jai'.

Mandy and Jai went to the Simon Cabaret show last night. This is a 90 minutes non-stop musical extraganza with the Ladyboys taking the audience on a musical tour of the world via the hits of famous female singers. The Introduction to the show tells you that this is going to be the best show of its kind you'll ever see.....and judging by the crowds the show pulls in with many people returning time and again.....then I guess they've got it dead right. There is no chance of getting in without pre-booking so that says a lot for the shows immense popularity.



After the show, there is the opportunity for the audience to meet and be photographed with members of the cast (note I choose my words well).

Here we have a charming visitor from Sweden flanked by two strapping Ladyboys.

And here (above) the gorgeous creature in pink is kindly pointing the way home to a bemused local lady.

C'mon, me dear, stop mucking about and get yer cash out...it's expected that 100 Baht is handed over to have your photo taken with any of these 'Ladies'.

Aha......Belles of the Ball....and the chap on the right (above) is in a Heaven of his own making with a magnificent replica of Lady Ga Ga on his right. Thailand has a reputation for Reconstructive/Plastic surgery second to none....judge for yourself, lads!!

And, as you say your farewells, the cast come out to wave you off.............

The Thai way to travel...into the Tuk Tuk and off to the depths of Patong to meet the lads for a Heavy Metal/Ear-drum numbing session in Rock City.