Thailand
Koh Chang - Pajamas Hostel, Siam Beach Resort, Paradise Hotel - 21/12 > 29/12

Picturesque beaches with crystal clear water, Yeeha!

- It was amazing to finally feel my feet on the warm sand, I had been waiting for this moment for the full trip - I’m definitely a beach person.
- Myself and Will hired scooters to tour the island, the sense of freedom running high as we rode through the countryside, palm tree after palm tree. We hung up our helmets and took a walk through a local area where we discovered an amazing little café run by two Thai people from Bangkok, they wanted a change of pace in life away from the 9-5 rat race. We had coconuts, coffee, and cake, I also got some fantastic photos of the woman cutting open a coconut while she soaked me in coconut water.
- Snorkelling in the sea next! Took a boat trip south to the small islands between Koh Chang and Koh Kood. We snorkelled around these islands seeing an abundance of fish and other sea life, especially the long-spined black urchins (Diadema antillarum - if you want to google). The captain stopped in 3 different locations allowing us to discover multiple areas where we came across sea cucumbers.. yes, have another google. They do not look attractive by any means but our guide picked one up and let us touch it. A splendid day!
- So picture the scene; I’m staying in a 2-story hotel terrace block on the beach, where both the ground floor and upper floors have a large balcony with table and chairs, pretty basic stuff right? Well, I woke up to the clatter of beer bottles, and the scurry of food wrappers being wrestled with. I open the curtains to reveal a troop of monkeys working their way along each balcony helping themselves to leftover food. Others within the troop were on the lookout for hotel staff appearing with long sticks. Was very amusing playing peek-a-boo with a monkey behind the curtain, must have thought I was crazy.

- Christmas came quicker than expected, I spent the day drinking beer on the beach whilst looking out to sea and appreciating the moment.. where I am, the adventure, and thinking of those who aren’t with us today; a part of the reason I’m taking this time out.

- Astrophotography - You will see a couple of photos below of me trying to take pictures of the stars in the night sky, making the most of the island’s minimal light pollution. Whilst at the beach we played around with some long-exposure light paintings. A great laugh and let me learn more about my camera.