Yesss, Koh Chang, we love it ! - Tambon Ko Chang, Thailand
Tambon Ko Chang, Thailand
Around 3 we got of the ferry at Koh Chang and got a taxi van to our hotel Bailan Hut Resort. Pretty basic but anyway we wouldn't stay there for to long. Got ourselves a motor bike for a day do we could get around and look for a better deal. We drove to Nature Beach Resort our favorite place, perfect of course and so cool to be back ! We had a drink, phoned Maria and Claudio to arrange dinner tonight and watched the perfect sunset. We than went back to change and met M&C in the little village of lonely beach. First we showed them around a bit as there's quite a lot to see and we went to see Long the tattoo artist who did my tattoo last year. Claude had told us he wanted to recover the old tattoo he had on his back and maybe Maria wanted one. He told us it was possible but had to make an appointment the following days. Than we went for lunch at a place we had been before with life music and coffee at an other place. Than we went back as tomorrow morning we had to get up at 7 to get picked up at 8 for a day of trekking in the jungle. 30th As foreseen we got picked up at 8 after breakfast and picked up Maria and Claudio a few minutes later in Kai Bae. We drove for about half an hour and we arrived at the little wooden house of the guide. We got Mike a young nice Englishman who lived here for almost 3 years as a guide. After about half an hour of going up the first hills Maria started having problems and she told us this was to hard for her. As the guide told us it would get much harder and steeper the next 7 hours it was a good moment to decide. Maria had to wait for ten minutes for another guide to pick her up and bring her down which happened as we found out later. We went on and on and on and on and up real steep until around 1 when we stopped for lunch and a swim at a waterfall. We were all completely drenched with sweat and it was great to fresh up. Of course it was all real beautiful as the nature is in the jungle here. Saw some interesting trees and vegetation and a big spider. The 4 other people were 2 young Dutch girls and a young Dutch guy and it was a friendly bunch so we had some funny and interesting conversations. After another 2 hours we arrived at 4 o'clock back so after 7 hours and having drink 2 big bottles each in our bag packs later at the guide's house absolutely dead with heavy legs. Maybe Maria had been the smartest one :-) we got dropped of at our resort and jumped on the shower. Than drove to Nature and had a drink, dinner and more drinks and relaxed until we went back, reallllly tired. 31st Around 5 am a group of French twits thought it was a good idea to run around and make noice around the bungalows till I got up ****** of, opened our door and shouted to shut up. We slept till half 8 and than drove to Nature's for breakfast. It was great, still quiet and the water beautiful so after breakfast we jumped in and stayed on the beach. Around 10:30 Maria phoned to tell us they had managed to reserve our dinner on the beach tonight so that's great. They would go to Long around 3 and we would probably join them there after lunch. When we got there Long was already working on Claudio and it was looking great. We hang around for a bit and after two hours it was finished and looked as new or even better. Claudio was happy, so than we went to have a shower and get changed and met again at Family's where we Maria had reserved us a table on the beach. Lots of people there of course and a good atmosphere with music next door at a fancy hotel. People with lampions or sky lanterns for sell or ready to go and everyone waiting for midnight ! At 12 the fireworks started and hundreds of these lanterns were freed into the starry sky. What a lovely peaceful sight ! About an hour later we left, Maria & Claudio went to get a taxi van and we got on our motorbike. When we past lonely beach we stopped and walked into the mass of people dancing and cheering away. Real fun to see, we looked around for a bit and than drove of back to our bungalow. A fun night ! 1st of January 2015 HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!! To our family and all our friends !!! Thank you so much for all the cards and best wishes we received, we wish you all a fantastic 2015 with all the love, happiness and good health that we can send you ! We love you guys, and so happy to have you as family and friends ! Wherever we are you are always in our thoughts and we miss you !!!! We got up around 10 and wanted to go and have breakfast at Papa's a Swiss bakery at Kai Bae. Sadly it was closed so we went to Siam Cottage, where we used to have breakfast quite often last year. We saw that all the cottages had been changed and renewed. Looked a lot better, the staff and the food was still the same so really good. We had our breakfast in front of the little beach with beautiful water and just as we had finished Maria and Claudio walked towards us. Funny, we hadn't made any kind of appointment or anything but we had told them that this place was near their bungalow, quite good and that we used to go there. We had another drink with them, than Claudio went for a massage as his legs were still hurting and we went to Nature. We would meet at Long's as Maria was going for her tattoo. It was a beautiful day again and the water extremely clear. We had lunch and some people had their breakfast :-), at 4 Maria phoned us that Long was feeling to good and with a hangover, so it was't for today but probably in 2 days. We met them in the village as we wanted to FaceTime with my mother, brother, his wife Corinne and daughter Zoë, so we did but the line was terrible. Probably cause lots of people were using Internet around that time. Anyway, it was nice to see their face and talk a little. What was not nice was that Corinne told us that her mother went to hospital last night with a respiratory infection. Let's hope she get's well soon ! We had a coffee and than went back to get ready for dinner, we met at 7:30 to go and eat at a Greek which was ok. Than we got invited for a coffee at "The Chill", probably the fanciest and certainly the most design hotel of Koh Chang. If ever I had to design a hotel it would be like this one. Pure and design ! We stayed until 11 there in front of the beach in this beautiful place and had fun and than said goodnight. 2nd After breakfast we took our motor bike and drove to Golden Beach where Maria & Claudio joined us around 2 o'clock. Golden beach has become pretty fancy and is getting popular. It is indeed one of our favorites and today it was fantastic, a little breeze and crystal clear water. We stayed at the Belgian part of the beach where the owners are from Antwerp and with whom we had a chat first of course. Around half 4 we all went to Bang Bao to have a drink at the Buddha View, a beautiful cafe/restaurant/guesthouse where we enjoyed the sunset and had dinner afterwards. It had been a real nice day and we went back to our hotels and said goodnight. We tried to watch an episode of true detectives but couldn't keep our eyes open so quickly fell asleep ! 3th Today we had to move hotel, so after having breakfast with a big bowl of fruit, muesli and yoghurt we packed our bags. I took the motor bike and Andrea a taxi van and arrived at 11:30 at Kai Bae at our hotel Seabreeze. As we had to wait we went in front at Papa's the cafe/bakery for a latte and tea. We checked in at 12:30, got organized and walked to Siam Cottage where we had lunch in front of the beach, stayed there, walked along the sea and came back to phone M&C to arrange to walk to Porn's, another beautiful place along another beach to be for a gorgeous sunset. We had a great time, the sunset was more than gorgeous and had a good dinner, though Claudio's food was too spicy and he couldn't finish it. We walked back over the beach where the water had drown back because of the tides. It had been a great evening. 4th It was Sunday so we went for breakfast at Papa's, had a nice baguette, a croissant and a latte and enjoyed this before going to the Siam Cottage beach and stayed there. Maria joined us later, while Claudio stayed in his room as he had a migraine. We all met at 5:30 again to walk back to Porn's as we had really enjoyed it yesterday. Right when we got on the beach we saw elephants going for a bath in the sea which is always a great sight. We than had a drink and dinner and again a beautiful sunset. Than we invited M&C for a last coffee at Awa, a real fancy new hotel next to the Chill where we chatted and sat on a big sofa in front of the sea. Than it was time to get back as they had to finish packing and say goodbye with a big hug !! It had been so nice to spent this time together, this week went much to fast and we will miss them !! 5th We got up at 8 so we could catch M&C before they left. They were having breakfast in front at Papa's and were pleasantly surprised of course to see us. Ten minutes and some kisses later they got in their taxi that they had arranged for their drive of 6 - 7 hours to Subvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok. We walked to our now usual breakfast place Siam Cottages and than walked back to the little sports club 50 m further up. We trained until 1 and than went for a walk and something to eat afterwards. Than we took our bike and went to Nature Beach resort where we stayed until about 4:30 than went into Lonely Beach where we had a coffee, spoke to my mother by facetime and than the Thai phone rang and it was Maria and Claudio who were arrived at the airport and waiting for their flight. We wished them a good flight back home. We than went back for a shower and thought to try out the BBQ with fish at Siam Cottages. We were just on time and got the last white snapper which tasted real good. We than walked through the village, had a cuddle with the ten little baby dogs and the sweet mother that were on the way back, had a tea at. a place we hadn't tried before and went back. 6th Today after breakfast we did some sports, had a shower at felt like driving to White Sand. It is the biggest village on the island, we quite like it but it is a little far to everywhere else if you stay there. We stayed on the beach for a couple of hours bought dome guitar for lunch and than went for a walk. We walked right to the beginning of the beach where there's some real cute rooms and bungalows which are the last remaining originals of probably the 60's. We had a banana shake in one of the café's and than walked back to our motor bike. We drove to Lonely Beach which took us about 45 min. where we decided to have half a chicken with salad for dinner from one of these little restaurants where you see them turning all day. It was real good, afterwards we went to our Italian speaking Thai :-) who makes pretty good latte's for a .. Yes latte. Walked a bit around the village, spoke to Long and than went back. 7th Today we had breakfast at Dang seafood to try and it was real good, a big bowl of fruit with muesli and yoghurt and a tea. Than we drive to Golden Beach where we had lunch and stayed until 2 pm, as the weather changed and there was a breeze we felt like driving to Klong Prao, where we could go for a long on the beach there. Just before we got a message from Maria with a funny picture of her walking into her office, poor Maria at work already ! Big kiss to you and Claudio. After we arrived and parked we walked about an hour and a half when we saw it was time to get near our hotel as some dark clouds were slowly gathering. We got back to our bike and drove quickly back to Kai Bae. We just made it on time and sat at Papa's for a latte and tea when heaven opened it's gates !! It was one of those times that it took a few hours, in fact from 5 till 10 a curtain of rain and the road was a river. Lucky we were just in front of our hotel and next door we had a restaurant, so we had dinner there and than ran back to our room where we watched tv for the rest of the evening.