Hi all!
I am sort of going to try and keep a diary of my travels on my laptop and post it in here as I go.
I might keep it up or I might get lazy and let it slip, but we will see... so here goes!
11.01.09
Sawat Dii!
Well after months of saving money and planning I am finally here relaxing at Tonsai Beach in Thailand!
The first few days so far of my trip have been an absolute blast. I stayed in Sydney with Chris and Teegan for a few days just hanging out with them and Matty J in Teegans sisters apartment in Randwick. I got up at 4.30am on the 9th and got a taxi to the airport at 5.30am, checked in and had breakfast with my mum then it was on the plane and out of Sydney to Bangkok at 9am.
The 9 hour flight was pretty good, watched movies, drank scotch and chatted with some nice Thai girls that were sitting with me. When I landed in Bangkok I was feeling a little grimey but couldn't get changed out of my sweaty clothes as all my luggage was being transfered to my flight to Krabi. I then had to spend nearly 5 hours hanging around Bangkok airport waiting for my flight... ghey... I felt dirty, and got bored as hell riding the travelator's around the terminal to pass the time, but soon enough I was boarding my flight to Krabi and turned around to see Seong Jae boarding the same flight, which was awesome as I didn't know where we would be meeting up.
We flew to Krabi, taxied to Ao Nang pier and caught a longtail boat at 10pm in the dark to Tonsai. After 22 hours on the road I had arrived!
We went to Andamans Bungalows and got a tiny shitbox of a room for the night, then went to the famous Freedom Bar for a beer then it was sleep time.
The next day we went and found a good bungalow at Dream Valley for us (and only 400 baht each including buffet breakfats every day.. score!) then headed of to have our first taste of the climbing.
Walking down to the beach for the first time in daylight gave me my first proper view of the place... amazing... beautiful black, white and orange streaked limestone cliffs strewn with jungle towering over perfect sandy beaches and an azure blue sea dotted with islands and boats... such a great sight.
We went to Dum's Kitchen and jumped on the 3 star 'King Lion' 6c+. Seong Jae sent it 2nd shot and I fell from the very last hold twice taking a massive 8 metre whipper both times haha... gotta go back and finish it soon.
In the afternoon I moved our stuff into our new bungalow and relaxed. Shortly after I bumped into our next door neighbours Jack and Steff who happened to be from Sydney so we all went to Freedom Bar For drinks and to watch the sunset over the ocean for the first time. The sunsets here are the best I have ever seen... it was amazing seeing it for the first time. At the bar I met two nice people Kris and Clara who both were out to party for their last night at Tonsai and seeing as it was a full moon and there was massive full moon parties on (what a stoke of luck, full moon party on my first night here... booyah!) we decided a big night was in order to celebrate my first night and their last in style!
We hung out mainly at Mambo Bar drinking cocktails then a completely obnoxious amount of buckets (Thai Whiskey, lime, soda and red bull in a big bucket haha... so nice and sooooo deadly!). Then some girl who was having her 21st bday came round with 'very' happy birthday cake for everyone that the bar staff had made for her, I asked why it was 'very' happy birthday cake... silly really... fairly obvious... chocolate hash cake, so good, and we got so wasted haha. Needless to say I stumbled the long way home, half lost, completely wasted at 4am... such a fun way to kick off the trip :-)
I slept in past breakfast, went and lay around Freedom Bar watching people climb, had a swim and watched the monkeys playing on the cliffs above the beach then went for a great hour long massage then relaxed the afternoon away. Tomorrow is all about the climbing now that I have partied and relaxed for a bit!
12.01.09
Today saw me up at 6am with Steff and Jack for an early session at Dum's Kitchen. On the way we saw a squirrel looking animal for the first time :) We did a 6a, 6b and a 6c, all great little routes climbing up great pockets, tufa's and stalactites.They were super polished from the amount of traffic they see but still great routes non the less.
There are so many animals around here, which is cool, I am keen to get some great photo's of them all... monkeys, squirrels, amazing birds... plus all the local dogs and cats that come and play with you at the bars haha, and one little pet rabbit that lives at the climbing shop at Freedom Bar.
After our early morning climb we got back to Dream Valley for our breakfast... unlimited fresh fruit, crepes, pancakes, eggs, omlettes, bacon, toast and coffee... I will be making breakfast my main meal each day seeing as its free with our bungalow, might save me some cash by stuffing my gills after a morning climb every day :)
About midday we jumped in a longtail for the short boat ride to Railay West, such a pretty beach! We walked through to Railay East and climbed at 'One Two Three' crag. We climbed 5 great routes from grade 5 to 6b including possibly the best pitch of climbing I have ever done, a 6a+ called 'We Sad'... amazing huge hanging stalactites to start, past a massive chandelier that you stem off then up a great head wall of tufa's to the top... fantastic!
We walked back through Railay, got cash from the atm and walked the low tide route all the way back to Tonsai. Now its of to have a beer at Freedom Bar while watching the sunset then have dinner :)
13.01.09
Today was another early start, 6.30am we were off to the Dum's Kitchen to warm up then back to the Tonsai Overhang for a flash attempt at 'Babes In Thailand' 7a... I fell off the tufa at the top throwing for the jugs at the top... argh! Oh well, back to try it soon for sure.
Today we are going to chill the rest of the day and swim then go do some easy routes at 'Fire Wall' in the evening then an early night before going on a Deep Water Soloing trip with Wee's Climbing School tomorrow! Cant wait!!!
I am sort of going to try and keep a diary of my travels on my laptop and post it in here as I go.
I might keep it up or I might get lazy and let it slip, but we will see... so here goes!
11.01.09
Sawat Dii!
Well after months of saving money and planning I am finally here relaxing at Tonsai Beach in Thailand!
The first few days so far of my trip have been an absolute blast. I stayed in Sydney with Chris and Teegan for a few days just hanging out with them and Matty J in Teegans sisters apartment in Randwick. I got up at 4.30am on the 9th and got a taxi to the airport at 5.30am, checked in and had breakfast with my mum then it was on the plane and out of Sydney to Bangkok at 9am.
The 9 hour flight was pretty good, watched movies, drank scotch and chatted with some nice Thai girls that were sitting with me. When I landed in Bangkok I was feeling a little grimey but couldn't get changed out of my sweaty clothes as all my luggage was being transfered to my flight to Krabi. I then had to spend nearly 5 hours hanging around Bangkok airport waiting for my flight... ghey... I felt dirty, and got bored as hell riding the travelator's around the terminal to pass the time, but soon enough I was boarding my flight to Krabi and turned around to see Seong Jae boarding the same flight, which was awesome as I didn't know where we would be meeting up.
We flew to Krabi, taxied to Ao Nang pier and caught a longtail boat at 10pm in the dark to Tonsai. After 22 hours on the road I had arrived!
We went to Andamans Bungalows and got a tiny shitbox of a room for the night, then went to the famous Freedom Bar for a beer then it was sleep time.
The next day we went and found a good bungalow at Dream Valley for us (and only 400 baht each including buffet breakfats every day.. score!) then headed of to have our first taste of the climbing.
Walking down to the beach for the first time in daylight gave me my first proper view of the place... amazing... beautiful black, white and orange streaked limestone cliffs strewn with jungle towering over perfect sandy beaches and an azure blue sea dotted with islands and boats... such a great sight.
We went to Dum's Kitchen and jumped on the 3 star 'King Lion' 6c+. Seong Jae sent it 2nd shot and I fell from the very last hold twice taking a massive 8 metre whipper both times haha... gotta go back and finish it soon.
In the afternoon I moved our stuff into our new bungalow and relaxed. Shortly after I bumped into our next door neighbours Jack and Steff who happened to be from Sydney so we all went to Freedom Bar For drinks and to watch the sunset over the ocean for the first time. The sunsets here are the best I have ever seen... it was amazing seeing it for the first time. At the bar I met two nice people Kris and Clara who both were out to party for their last night at Tonsai and seeing as it was a full moon and there was massive full moon parties on (what a stoke of luck, full moon party on my first night here... booyah!) we decided a big night was in order to celebrate my first night and their last in style!
We hung out mainly at Mambo Bar drinking cocktails then a completely obnoxious amount of buckets (Thai Whiskey, lime, soda and red bull in a big bucket haha... so nice and sooooo deadly!). Then some girl who was having her 21st bday came round with 'very' happy birthday cake for everyone that the bar staff had made for her, I asked why it was 'very' happy birthday cake... silly really... fairly obvious... chocolate hash cake, so good, and we got so wasted haha. Needless to say I stumbled the long way home, half lost, completely wasted at 4am... such a fun way to kick off the trip :-)
I slept in past breakfast, went and lay around Freedom Bar watching people climb, had a swim and watched the monkeys playing on the cliffs above the beach then went for a great hour long massage then relaxed the afternoon away. Tomorrow is all about the climbing now that I have partied and relaxed for a bit!
12.01.09
Today saw me up at 6am with Steff and Jack for an early session at Dum's Kitchen. On the way we saw a squirrel looking animal for the first time :) We did a 6a, 6b and a 6c, all great little routes climbing up great pockets, tufa's and stalactites.They were super polished from the amount of traffic they see but still great routes non the less.
There are so many animals around here, which is cool, I am keen to get some great photo's of them all... monkeys, squirrels, amazing birds... plus all the local dogs and cats that come and play with you at the bars haha, and one little pet rabbit that lives at the climbing shop at Freedom Bar.
After our early morning climb we got back to Dream Valley for our breakfast... unlimited fresh fruit, crepes, pancakes, eggs, omlettes, bacon, toast and coffee... I will be making breakfast my main meal each day seeing as its free with our bungalow, might save me some cash by stuffing my gills after a morning climb every day :)
About midday we jumped in a longtail for the short boat ride to Railay West, such a pretty beach! We walked through to Railay East and climbed at 'One Two Three' crag. We climbed 5 great routes from grade 5 to 6b including possibly the best pitch of climbing I have ever done, a 6a+ called 'We Sad'... amazing huge hanging stalactites to start, past a massive chandelier that you stem off then up a great head wall of tufa's to the top... fantastic!
We walked back through Railay, got cash from the atm and walked the low tide route all the way back to Tonsai. Now its of to have a beer at Freedom Bar while watching the sunset then have dinner :)
13.01.09
Today was another early start, 6.30am we were off to the Dum's Kitchen to warm up then back to the Tonsai Overhang for a flash attempt at 'Babes In Thailand' 7a... I fell off the tufa at the top throwing for the jugs at the top... argh! Oh well, back to try it soon for sure.
Today we are going to chill the rest of the day and swim then go do some easy routes at 'Fire Wall' in the evening then an early night before going on a Deep Water Soloing trip with Wee's Climbing School tomorrow! Cant wait!!!
Beer at Randwick the day before leaving
Seong Jae waiting at Ao Nang pier for the longtail boat to Tonsai
Steff & Jack at Freedom Bar for sunset over the ocean
Dum's Kitchen
Our bungalow at Dream Valley Resort
Jack beside Freedom Bar and Tonsai Overhang at sunset
4 comments:
Duncan its justin me and your mum are having a argument are Kris and Clara two girls or a guy and girl?!?!?! NEED HELP!
I'll field this one for you duncy dunc.It was actually two dudes. true to form duncan attracted the guys. Glad i could help clear that up
yeah. . .im not suprised :P
so. . .that means you didnt pick them both up?
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