Koh Chang

Our travel to Koh Chang went alarmingly fast, our driver really wanted to make good time!
Well on the ferry over to Koh Chang we started to relax, but fools we were!
Well on the other side the journey continued and now we didn't fear for our own lives, but those of the many people on motor bikes sharing the single, very narrow, road running along the coast of the island. But at last we reached our destination, Bailan Beach resort on the south west coast of Koh Chang. This was the vista meeting us together with calm, polite hotel staff bring us fresh juice and helping us to our bungalow.

...the day after

We had a proper lie in on New Year's Day since we didn't get to bed until 4 the night before. We went for beakfast in Lumpini park, bringing Coffey and sandwiches.
And we were not disappointed this time either. First we saw some very straight backed birds we've never seen before and soon the first dragon showed, walking lazily a few feet in front of our bench. All of a sudden I see him stopping, looking intently up in to a tree, I look the same way and see a squirrel jumping around. BAM the dragon climbs the tree like he is Spider-Man (didn't know they could
climb like that!)
Unfortunately for him but fortunately for the squirrel the later got away so the dragon decided to pretend he just went up the tree to have a rest on a branch.
A few minutes later an even larger dragon comes swimming, hungry eyes on the doves, but he has no luck either.

After the adventures in Lumpini we thought we should try some proper touristy stuff so we went to Jim Thompson's house. He was a former CIA agent who fell in love with Thailand, started a silk business but mysteriously disappeared at the age of 61, to never be heard from again. He built a magnificent house in Thai style and we took a tour around and into it. This was the first time we saw a lot of western people. After the tour we had some food and for the first time I was disappointed, lesson: stay away from the tourist traps.

In the evening we went back to Asiantique
where we spent NYE to have a look in some of the 1500 little shops there.
We found so many beautiful things and brought some of them back with us.

On the 2nd of January we had an easy day and met up with Erik and Isa and 2 of their friends for drinks and some food, it was nice to meet them again after several years.

Today (the 3rd) we're now sitting on a minibus on our way to Koh Chang where we will spend our last week, will write more later!

"One night in Bangkok..."

NYE in Bangkok...but first things first...

The day started out beautifully, we had a look in a big shopping mall and then we headed for Lumpini Park, its a big park situated more or less in the center of the city, a place where the thai people go to get a rest from the buzz of the big city. While sitting by the water on a small stone bench we saw lots of birds and all of a sudden 3 turtles came swimming, only their little heads popping up now and then. We were smiling at these cute creatures but the surprises were not over yet, all of a sudden the pigeons close to us flew a way in a hurry and as I turned to look why I saw a dragon, not more then 3-4 meters from us. Photos will come soon.
We got to see one more, as a larger one soon came swimming, sure didn't expect this!

After a long day and A LOT of walking we went back to our hotel for a nap to gather energy for the evening that we planned to spend at Asianique, a huge shopping/entertainment area a 15 minute boat ride from our hotel.

People, a lot of people...we spent the evening eating great food and watching beautiful fireworks, having a great time.
It seems we have managed to pick the right spots since we rarely see any other tourists and this evening was not an exemption, smiling thai faces were everywhere!
 Happy new year!

Second day in Bangkok...

Hello, didn't find the time to write yesterday.
The second day in Bangkok we went for a stroll in the Thong lor district around our hotel. It's a very interesting area, a nice mixture of old and run down, together with luxury and cool boutiques, bars and restaurants. We had and amazing lunch (we managed to pick the right place, we were the only tourists there) which cost us less then 80 SEK for the two of us.
I picked up a pair of jeans and a new belt in one of the local stores, and I must tell you one thing, sales people in Thailand rock, they are extremely helpful and nice, love this place.

In the afternoon we moved to our second hotel and was pleasantly surprised by the standard. We got our bags carried up to our room, a big continental breakfast also containing some thai dishes and a very nice roof top pool with a beautiful view (and of course we got a room on the top floor), all this for 325SEK/ night for the both of us...