New year

In Phuket I still can find to my surprise accommodation for a decent price. I delay the search for the departure time of the ferry to Ko Lanta till the next day and on this Christmas evening I just roam through the streets, eating and drinking at the various food stalls and cafe's. The next morning I find out that the only boat to Lanta has already left, still I head to the port to see for my self, very often public transport does not leave at it's designated time. After being sent in the wrong direction a couple of times I finally reach the port, with no hope the ferry is still there. All is not lost as at 10:30 another ferry leaves for Ko Pipi from where I can take a ferry to Lanta. The water in Pipi harbour is exceptionally clear, I can see colourful fish and long and pointy snouted ones. After 2 hours I leave for Lanta. Although the beach is beautiful, Lanta seems to be a place predominantly visited by Swedish families and couples. At the same time accommodation is expensive. I find a quiet place on the beach and pitch up my mosquito net. I intend to stay only 1 night but I end up staying 3. The main reason is that I am able to get my hands on some new secondhand books, which I read almost non-stop, only interrupted by a quick dive in the water. The first night I sit in a little restaurant at the beach talking to a couple Australian girls and just when I raise my hand, something sticky falls on my pointing finger. At first I think it is bird dropping, but when I look closer I notice it is a little gecko. When it has recovered from the shock it takes off leaving me behind wondering how it could survive a drop of about 4m.

On the 29th I finally manage to get my lazy ass of the beach. I end up in Trang a reasonable sized town with a nice evening market with again nice snack opportunities. Apart from that, I cannot find anything interesting, so I leave the next day for Thungwa, only about 70 km away, which means a short easy ride. The Belgium couple on a double, that I meet at the beginning of the afternoon, tries to convince me I should cycle another 30 km further to the coast, but I am determinedly lazy and stick to my decision. On the last day of the year I head to Satun where I will say goodbye to 2006 and to Thailand. On the road south I am overtaken by scores of breath taken beautifully dressed beautiful women on scooter, either accompanied by similarly dressed friends or paraded by their proud boyfriends(?). Next to my hotel is a bar where I find a few westerners and locals to celebrate the end of the year and the beginning of the new year with. A couple of French are already wasted at 10 o'clock and fortunately leave. In the end only a Belgium guy, the French bartender and I remain. It could have been a worse night, could have been a lot better also. The next morning I only wake up at 8:22, with the ferry to Langkawi leaving at 9:30. I pack my stuff as fast as I can, cycle the 8 km and go through customs and just make it. Not long after departing I fall a sleep, I am awaken by a passenger as we have arrived on Langkawi, when most already have left the ship.