Round The World With A Fridge

After a night with the fridge in Rock Bar, I had one hours sleep before Vinnie picked me up to go to Ko Lao Liang - a deserted island south not too far from Ko Lanta and Trang where I'd be staying for the next 5 days.

On arriving, I realised all the hype and speil Vinnie had come out with over the past few days wasn't bullshit - this was the real McCoy. Thailand, untouched by tourism, not full of backpackers or drunken tourists. Walk into any tourist information in Thailand and you'll see hundred of pamphlets full of photos of amazing beaches and resorts, but they're rarely as good as the photos. Ko Lao Liang was everything promised and more - the tents were great (they had power, fans, lights), the toilets and showers were really decent and all the climbing, kayacking and snorkelling gear was top notch.



The 19 strong crew consisted of Matt (the lone Aussie traveller), Sandra (the attorney) and Lou (the blind elephant balloonist), the Spanish couple, Tom and Amy ("the hairdressers"), Nikki ("the ant eater") and Nadia, Billy and Zak (the best Aussie guys), Noah ("the bullrider") and Donna ("the fearless"), Michael (and Zach - his son), Vinnie (say no more), Doug (our barkeep), Pawn (the funky Thai) and of course myself.



On the first day we went snorkelling and although I've been snorkelling and diving quite a bit before, this was the best snorkelling I've ever done. Not only was the water crystal clear so you could see for about 25 meters, but the coral was untouched and full of huge fish, urchins, star fish, lobsters, crabs and a whole lot more. Unfortutely I couldn't film any of it because unlike Helen, I didn't have a waterproof case for my camera - but the guys who run the trip have a few photos here.

I started a few challenges - like building my shelter - and did some new ones like eating ants, having my head shaved (a number 2 - a lucky escape from Tom, who was hell-bent on using his Mach 3 razor on my head!) to start my cult (I did get 2 members - Matt and little Zach), raid a nearby island for booze in our Kayacks dressed as ninjas. All coming up in the next video. Unfortunately though, I had a little accident...

I saved the last day entirely for filming. Waking up early, I go for a kayack around the island with Matt (in my kayack) and Noah and Donna in the other kayack. It wasn't long before me and Matt are showing off going through caves and getting ourselves through really tight squeezes. Arriving at the last cave before heading back, it's blowing water out like a whale blow hole - of course we had to rush in to get soaked before paddling back... only we get in there and a huge wave crashes into us from behind and tips us over! As the boat tips over, me and Matt are laughing and we're still laughing when we come up from air - only to be hit again by another huge wave and pulled about 5 meters into the cave by the undercurrent. Then I feel this sharp stabbing in my foot - I look at Matt and he's looking worried, the current is too strong pulling us away from the enterance - we're stuck in this fucking cave!!

I yell at the other kayack, "what the fuck are you waiting for?! Get us out!!!!", and Donna, who's in front and seen everything unfold, doesn't want to venture in. Noah on the other hand starts paddling, thank God, and before I know it he's right next to us. Donna and Noah offer us their paddles to grab on to so we can turn our kayack the right way up and eventually we get back in the kayack. Donna is the first to see my foot and starts screaming - I look down and see blood everywhere. When the current was pulling us back and forward, it was dragging me against a rock covered in barnacles and it took a chunk of the top/side of my foot out. So, we get back to the tents as quick as possible and Noah and Matt syringe it (despite the rumours, I didn't scream - lol), get it covered in Betadine, and bandaged up.



Guess I'll have a gnarly scar :) And the worst thing, the camera was in my dry bag the whole time! DAMN.

(more photos in my flickr account)