Koh Lipe ... life is tough

Ok, I warn you now, this will be a long one. I have plenty of time for a change while we wait for the ferry to take us to Langkawi, Malaysia and also the Wasssssss.

Ko Lipe is lovely, very much like Zanzibar in some ways. Its remote, there are bugger all Farangs (tourists) here, the infrastructure is just basic enough to be comfortable. There are a handful of sand pathways across this little tiny lsand, with beautiful green waters, white beaches and fringed by reef. Rustic bungalows are scattered between bars made from driftwood, and even the best internet cafe in the world. Its right on the beach, with a sand floor and the PCs just up on benches... with the best view of any internet cafe every, fullstop.

The island closes in 3 weeks for the monsoon season, so we are sharing this island with about 20 other backpackers and a handful of thai and Malay holidays... It is bloody hot...but we are yet to find a bit of thailand that isnt. We took a bungalow at one end of the beach, up on stilts with views of the best beach, Pattaya, and its from there we usually watch the evening storms roll in, full of thunder and lightning...and hopefully cooling rain. Power is limited from 6pm to 6am and I can tell you its a killer when that fan swicthes off then and you are left sweltering... A quick swim though, and then a lovely walk down to one of the cafes on the beach.

Of course the place is overrun with dogs and cats, which only makes Josie happy and she will be leaving a few friends behind here. The big black dog and tan puppy that live at our resort, the mum and 6 week old puppies half way up the beach and the 2 dogs that come and sleep next to us while we watch the night movie at the Banana Cafe (and not to forget the cat who occasionally visits). Josie wasnät game to pat the pet Otter of the lady owner... yes, you read that right, pet otter. It even swims with them in the surf....and I WANT ONE. What a cool pet.

We settled down into our new rythym on the island...morning walk, breakfast, swim, walk back along the beach to get books, more swimming, sunbaking. A banana or mango shake and a bit of lunch before repeating in the afternoon. A quick shower and then down to the cafe for the movie, some great thai food and then a walk home a long the beach at night, with the thunderstorms lighting the place up like christmas...

I even went for a couple of dives. Josie bought a lilo...but it needed to be broken in I think...as she could not get on it without getting thrown off for the life of her. I swam off to not be associated with someone so embarrassing...reminded me (and I apologise for the picture) of one of those humping small dogs... hee hee. She is still battling with the lilo, 3 days later !

Well thats about it...now it is time for another country and hopefully more good times....the holiday is nearing finishing, the bank account is battered and brusied and we wish it would never end....