Hop, skip and a jump

We had an early morning reunion at the pier in Koh Phangan at the end of beach week. Resuming the trip was quite accurately described as like returning to work on a Monday morning! Whilst crossing back to the mainland on the ferry, calmer this time thankfully, stories were regaled and all the gossip from the week apart caught up on.

There were blustery days, tropical storms and hot sunny days in equal measure meaning it wasn't all lying about sunbathing. A few were sporting the “Koh Phangan tattoo”, a graze from coming off a moped. Jody was struck with panic as Cher careered off on her bike, up a steep hill, totally out of control on the wrong side of the road having never ridden before! Pip is now the owner of half a bike on the island too after donating her savings towards a small repair! Here follows a selection of photos from everyone's week off which we think covers from everything from sunsets to beaches, bikes and buckets.

Another idyllic beach

On the ferry

A new business venture for Hels on beach week?

Buckets...

Betsy the biker

Laura, Jim, Pip and Julia - the biker gang

Boat hotel

Cake time

Cher enjoying the beach

Swimming and reading

Fishermen

G Rod getting UV'd up

G Rod meeting an elephant

Gill relaxing on her beach

Hels catching some rays

If you don't fancy the sea...

Jody relaxing at sunset

A bit of culture on Koh Samui

Mummified monk, Koh Samui

Koh Samui Wat

Laura looking classy on a moped

Morning coffee for Jody

Nang Yuan Island

Nick getting in touch with his inner Tarzan

Rogs wading out from his private beach

Stunning snorkelling in the Ang Thon Marine Park

Stunning sunsets

Topping up the bikes

Watching the kite surfers

Storm incoming

That's more like it

Even the animals are laid back

This dog hated the airconditioning but loved the cool fridge, seen here every day

More delicious Thai food

After the ferry we piled into a couple minivans, of which the drivers seemed to have a miraculous ability to see through a windscreen in torrential rain with wipers on the intermittent setting. Crossing from Thailand to Malaysia we encountered our simplest and quickest border crossing since Europe. We were immediately struck by the order in Malaysia. The roadsides all well maintained with plants and topiary and a surprising and refreshing lack of neon signs and bars aimed at backpackers with cheap booze offers. Returning to a Muslim country we adapt once again, dressing more conservatively, covering shoulders and knees. Enough on Malaysia for now, it was just a quick night stop en route to Sumatra, the largest Indonesian island, our destination for the next two weeks and an exploratory mission for Odyssey. We will return to see more of Malaysia after our time here.

The following morning we did something we didn't think we'd be doing for some time yet and took a flight! From Penang over to Sumatra, we know it's not really overlanding, but there were no other options, ferries having stopped running due to the rise of the budget airline. We battled our way through air fare bookings online, and only came up short when the flight was full and there was no room for Rogs. Luckily another airline had a flight just ten minutes earlier so all was well.

Rowan & Cindy on a plane

On arrival in Sumatra at Medan airport and giddy from the unexpected flight we were faced with our third currency in as many days. Jim, Gareth & Laura all managed to withdraw the equivalent of around £6 which wouldn't have got them much past lunch and went back to have another ago after doing their maths. Nothing like soaking up the culture in the form of the local cuisine. Arriving in Sumatra in time for an early lunch and feeling a bit peckish, we all trotted over the road to KFC. Shameful, but tasty, quick and easy.

After our gourmet lunch we hopped on yet another bus, winding our way up ever narrowing roads, passing huge palm oil plantations and gum trees, then seamlessly onto the last ferry of the day, just in time, don't you love it when a plan comes together. The short boat journey took us from Parapat over to Samosir Island, the largest island within an island in the world and about the size of Singapore. Stunning scenery surrounds and engulfs us as the sun sets. We'll leave you here, in the caldera of a collapsed volcano, let's hope it stays silent beneath us.

Boat to Samosir

First view of Lake Toba, Sumatra