Railay

 When is an island not an island?

Railay, a mere 10 minute longtail trip from Ao Nang is accessible only by sea, yet it isn't actually an island. It's connected to the mainland by mountainous jungle, but no road.

It might not technically be an island, but it covers everything on the tropical island checklist.

Soft white sands?   Acres of them

Obviously taken during Covid, as there's no one on the beach (see below)

Palm trees?  A coconut lover's dream

Enormous cliffs (some suitable for climbing on) ?   Definitely.

NB. This isn't JB. He only climbs really hard stuff......

It's also got mangroves, laid back monitor lizards and, best of all, a population of monkeys that all seem to have been prescribed sedatives.

Monitor lizard enjoying a fag.

Don't do drugs kids. Leave them for the monkeys. It's safer for all of us.

Railay is also home to the rather questionable (and there's no other way of putting this) Todger Temple.

Nestled in a cave (ironically named Princess Cave), it's  a celebration of all things knob shaped.

Feel free to make up your own caption for this one.......

Cave smut aside, Railay is a really lovely spot. One that JB and I have visited many times over the years.

 A minor gripe is that it seems to be much busier than it used to be. Lots of tourists. Not like us, we're travellers (!) .

Well, at least until tomorrow when we board the plane bound for Manchester......

Noppharat Beach

 As I've already alluded to, we're here in Ao Nang for some quality beach time before our return to the UK.

We've taken to beach life exceptionally well. 

In fact, three months of eating out constantly  has virtually assured that I am, without doubt, the 'Biggest Beach Bum ' here......

Following our somewhat mixed day out to Pai Plong, we ventured to the other end of the bay  to the much praised Noppharat Beach.

On paper, it's a long long stretch of white sand, fringed by palm trees and framed by a couple of small islets accessible on foot at low tide.

Eagerly, we set off, passing various sea-themed sculptures and a couple of (unmanned) tsunami lookout posts.

The beach was, as promised, a palm fringed, white sand delight.

Apart, that is, from the overwhelming pong.

Having checked that neither I nor JB were responsible for the whiff, we pushed a little further on.

I couldn't fail to notice a rather jaunty scum at the waters edge and I presume that this was the source of the stench.

Through streaming eyes and with hankies clasped to our faces we stumbled away.

IMPORTANT UPDATE.

We went back again today (there's a restaurant there that serves a really great fresh garlic omelette. No, really.) and were thrilled to find no trace of the previous days stink.

In conclusion, I'd have to say that the beach is definitely worth a visit, (if only for the omelette), but at the first scent of rotting haddock, retreat. And try not to inhale.

R&R in Ao Nang

 Exhausted from the rigours of Central Java (enforced partial sobriety, UNESCO swizzes), we were sorely in need of a break

Where better to rest up than Ao Nang?

A favourite destination of this blog, its got all you need for a relaxing few days.

Plentiful (cheap) beer, great food, marvellous sunsets.

Today, feeling  quite buoyed up by the holiday atmosphere  we ventured further afield to the next beach along, Pai Plong (No, I haven't made it up).

It's reached by following the ominously and sadly accurately named 'Monkey Trail'.

Unsurprisingly it was keenly patrolled by the banana scented burglars. 

Not only that, but the 'Trail' consisted largely of flights of steps constructed mostly from bamboo and driftwood.

Your reward for completing the obstacle course is the lovely Pai Plong beach:

Lovely as it undoubtedly is, we didn't stay long. 

 Hairy paws could soon be seen in the palm trees above us, occasionally lobbing half chewed branches with devastating accuracy.

Foreign Pie News

 Pastel Ayam: Yogyakarta Airport 

This pasty shaped offering was small, but perfectly formed.

A good attempt at shortcrust pastry, its filling resembled desiccated coconut.

Surprisingly, it tasted like chicken. 

And tasty chicken at that.

I preferred not to dwell on which bits of the chicken had been disguised in the mincing process.

Served up with a garnish of two incendiary chillies, it guarantees that the memory will linger.....

All in all  a fine effort.