After checking into our next abode, we sidled our way very slowly to Long Beach, a beautiful stretch where Lily had a record breaking nap of 6hrs until a tropical storm set in and we were soaked to the skin! We scrambled back through the soggy jungle and the mosquitos began their onslaught. A Singha and an episode of Planet Earth later and we were ready to hit the town we had heard so much about.
The view from our jungle hut to Phi Phi Don town
We had booked an island boat trip the following day, on a vessel sized for 70-80people. We were joined by six others, it was an intimate affair. We visited monkey beach, shark point, maya bay and bamboo island, ticking off the must see sights of the Phi Phi islands.
As a birthday treat, we decided to make the trip to the other side of the island to stay in a swanky hotel. Despite being anxious about not having my diamanté sandles with me, I brushed my hair and pretended I knew what I was doing as two chaps carried our bags, we got our sandy toes rinsed off for us, and we were handed cold towels to mop up our ever ‘glowing’ brows. The scenery was beautiful and utterly romantic, the turquoise sea and white sands looking a picture!
Maya Bay (where The Beach was filmed)
I was woken with birthday messages, cards and gifts from some of my brilliantly thoughtful friends and family including an array of Percy pigs. I am a very lucky girl indeed. My birthday breakfast was a sight for sore eyes as I loaded my plate up with the extensive buffet, knowing I would be doing my dad proud. We waddled to the pool, which was fully equipped with water foundations in the shape of whales and it’s very own water slide. After a very busy day of tanning and reading with intermittent swims and naps, we headed to the beach side restaurant for a seafood BBQ. Although Lily failed to drop down on one knee, she did something arguably worse and managed to arrange the whole hotel management team, the other customers in the restaurant and the band to stand around the table with instruments to sing happy birthday to me..five times. Thoroughly mortified, I made my wish as I blew out the candles. Sadly, said wish did not involve us not waking up a few hours later with food poisoning, fighting over the bin and the toilet. Cheers to the next year!
Birthday bed decorations, complete with Thai spelling
Just about recovered, and after making a very poor effort on the buffet breakfast, we took the boat back to krabi for our penultimate evening, spent in another Thai-style hotel with a pirate ship and waterfall in the middle..
The view from our swish hotel, ready for a postcard!
After a short flight back to Bangkok, we headed out for Lily to experience a bit of he city life. Boating (very slowly) past some temples and museums, we made it to the legendary Koasan road. Ticking a few of the boxes, we had a bucket (im still not entirely sure what it was, let’s say a ‘cocktail’), and Lily proceeded to make a dent on the ‘Chang’ vest market before we had a huge dinner (our stomachs now well and truly recovered). We had it in our minds to visit a famous rooftop bar for a view over Bangkok but having previously read up on the dress code, we tried to correct our outfits and smooth down our unbrushed-for-weeks hair and stuff the bargain thirts into a bag as we fell out of our tuktuk. It was more Ab-Fab than Kate Moss. But confidence is key..
Lily with her ‘cocktail’ bucket, me trying the various classy tshirt designs and a view of the Bangkok skyline
After more food and a rather emotional farewell the following morning, we each went our separate ways, Lily to China and me to Indonesia..onto the next phase.
Sarah vs the world 