SHORT AND SWEET- Ko Fruitopia, Andaman Sea

......previously, handling the heat in Penang, Malaysia.........

We considered not writing a post about our recent time on Ko Fruitopia- there have been many such blogs over the years, and we didn't want things to get repetitive. However, considering how long ago our previous post from Penang was, we thought some readers might enjoy a mini update. So, here's a short synopsis of our November, December and January 2022 to 2023.

A special Fruitopia sunset, with campfire on the beach

Having been away from our favourite Thai island for more than three years, we honestly didn't know what to expect when we returned to Ko Fruitopia. The welcome was warm, yet surprised from Queen D- she hadn't been sure which of the regulars visitors would come back again and when. The bungalows and grounds at our place on the beach were neglected and had fallen into disrepair after so long with few guests and little money coming in. We moved into one of our favourite old huts and immediately began cleaning away months of sand and dust, fixing the plumbing, the rotten floor and a hole in the roof. Organizing shelves, extra nails, and clothes lines for drying were next on the list, and lastly hanging the all important hammock. Finally, the bungalow was comfortable for our couple of months stay. 

Our simple little home for a month or two, Ko Fruitopia

On our first night, after a spicy dinner of stir fried squid and fish curry, we slept well under the mosquito net, listening to the exotic sounds of deafening croaking frogs, pouring monsoon rain and the waves of the Andaman Sea.

The restaurant at the "resort" was unfortunately shut. Early in our stay, there were only three guests, and it would have been too much trouble. Instead, we all ate at the house of Queen D, with delicious Thai food appearing every night at sunset. As more regulars arrived at the resort and our group grew in size, more tables were put together and extra food was cooked, but the restaurant mysteriously remained  closed. In a way, this was easy. The food was authentically Thai and we didn't have to think about what we wanted to order. But sometimes we ate elsewhere on the island, to avoid the commitment of eating at the same time every day with the same people. 

We had the use of a motorbike for a day, and explored the one fully paved road which now runs from end to end of  Ko Fruitopia. It was extremely quiet, and we were happy to see what seemed to be improved living conditions for many people further away from the tourist areas. Lovely wooden houses and gardens complete with pretty flowers were common place in many small villages. Fishing has always been the main industry on the island, and it appeared to be thriving. The Fruitopian people are lucky not to have to rely solely on tourism for their income, unlike many other Thai islands. 

Pretty northern beach, Ko Fruitopia

Ko Fruitopia long tail fishing boat

For the first time, we wandered from our "resort" to Ko Fruitopia village on the beach at low tide, surprised at the beauty, and wondered why it had taken us 18 years to get around to the walk! A bay with giant red starfish washed up was curious and the Buddha statue sitting on the beach looking out to sea in front the temple was a unique island take.

Early morning on our beach, Ko Fruitopia

Washed up starfish, Ko Fruitopia

In front of the Buddhist temple, Ko Fruitopia

Ko Fruitopia fishing hut

A fishing village on Ko Fruitopia

Other days we re-acquainted ourselves with favourite haunts and old friends. People seemed happy to see tourists again after such a slow three years, and as we were some of the first of the season, we received many smiles and good vibes. 

Beach bar view, Ko Fruitopia

Inside the Sea Gypsy temple, Ko Fruitopia

Best of all was in late December when familiar faces and some good friends started to arrive, just in time for the dry, sunny weather (up until then it had been humid and damp). Christmas was the usual Sea Gypsy affair, with the locals having a whale of a time dancing and singing traditional songs. People from all over Fruitopia turned up to join in the festivities and masses of food was spread out on tables, including the famous goat curry.

Lovely friend and special guy

Christmas, Sea Gypsy style, Ko Fruitopia

Those ladies love to dance! Ko Fruitopia

We were glad we were able to return, and spend some time on Ko Fruitopia, and in'shallah, the time will come again when we will be able to visit once more. 

One of many many beautiful sunsets, Ko Fruitopia

Us on the quiet beach, Ko Fruitopia

.......next up, a real adventure in Uzbekistan, Central Asia......

HAPPY HIPPY VORTEX - A few months around Thailand

....Richard's beautiful post of man hole covers.....

A very last minute change in plan saw us choosing a route back to Penang from Kuching instead of to Sumatra. We had more offers of work for the last portion of Indian Summers filming, and we decided to grab the chance for a few more weeks of wages. It was an extremely fortunate decision, as in the following months the entire area of west Indonesia and Malaysia was covered in a thick smoky haze much of which originated from the exact region we had been planning on visiting. Although the smoke was unpleasant in Penang, it would have impossible to stay in Sumatra.

In October we were at last free from Indian Summers, and Penang, after having been there on and off since the end of April. It was WAY too long in one place for us, but we agreed it had been worth it to save some extra money for our trip to UK/Europe this year.

We took an unusually long break from each other when Sal flew off to Oz to see family and partake in yet more work for a couple of weeks and Rich was forced to return to the beach on Ko Fruitopia in Thailand (poor baby!). They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and after about a month apart, our reunion was heartfelt!

We used the time on our favourite Thai island to settle back and take a breather. The weather was perfect- sunny and dry, a rarity in December, and only got hotter as time went on. A few events broke through the hammock/reading time- the usual Christmas in the sea Gypsy style and live music on New Year's Eve were joined by the dazzling new activity of swimming in the moonlight with phosphorescent plankton, a well worth it early struggle out of bed for sunrise, and a day exploring the island by motorbike- only the second time we've done that in 12 years!! With most of the "old" gang back, as well as some new blood to add to the mix, the highlight was, as usual, catching up with a year's (or more) worth of news and gasbagging.

Dawn breaking, Ko Fruitopia

Ko Fruitopia sea gypsy village

Fishing vessel, Ko Fruitopia village

Offerings at the sacred tree, Ko Fruitopia

By January, we were chomping at the bit to embark on our new adventure, and after a practical stay in Krabi (dominated by having our netbook wonderfully fixed, cleaned up and tuned up by our computer wizz friend, and eating copious amounts of delicious and varied food), we headed to Bangkok by bus for a week-ish of last minute organizing and shopping.....and managed to squeeze in a bit of sightseeing.

The lights of Khao San Rd, Bangkok

Backstreets of Banglamphu, Bangkok

Flat ducks, Chinatown, Bangkok

While we were in Bangkok, the temperature "plunged" to 17 degrees for a few days, seeing locals and backpackers alike rugged up in jumpers, wooly hats and boots- quite a funny sight to see here! News of very cool temperatures at our next destination therefore has us a bit worried, but after so long in tropical and humid temperatures we are actually looking forward to some fresh and cool air in the UK. The novelty may not last too long once we get there, though!!! Stay tuned.........

PS. If anyone happens to be following this blog closely enough to care, there won't be a Best/Worst List for 2015, due to a fairly unvaried and work dominated year in Malaysia. Although we managed to travel a little here and there, the year isn't worthy of it's own Best/Worst List.

.....next, off to the UK!.....

CHINESE REMEDIES AND JUNGLE MELODIES- South Thailand and Central Malaysia

......previously in Australia and Thailand, magical lands......

“Tourists don’t know where they’ve been, travellers don’t know where they’re going.” – Paul Theroux

The break from Ko Fruitpoia was not as painful as might be imagined after such a long rest there. We were revived by the wonderful experiences this season, and ready for more, in places further along the road.

Bye bye till next time.....

KRABI / TRANG / HAT YAI

Although Krabi is a particularly busy tourist town at this time of year, with tourists constantly arriving and leaving for the various islands, we appreciate the casual vibe of the place, varied food (now with five different food night markets to choose from!), cheap prices (compared to the relatively expensive islands) and of course one of our favourite guesthouses, Swallow. We indulged in all the things we crave to be away from while on Fruitopia- electricity, internet, movies and 7-11 to name a few.

The fresh morning market held our attention, with some unusual offerings....

Shellfish, any ideas on the name? Krabi fresh morning market

Dried fish, Krabi fresh morning market

Mountains of mussels, Krabi fresh morning market

Skinned frogs- at least these ones were dead, Krabi fresh morning market

Vivid blue crabs, Krabi fresh morning market

We visited nearby Railey and Ao Nang beaches after an absence of several years, and were dismayed at how ugly such once beautiful places have become- Ao Nang the worse. They are no longer the perfect picture the travel agents all have on their walls. Grey concrete paths, rubbish and rubble everywhere, noisy and polluting long tails boats lined up for miles, not to mention the inevitable mass building of restaurants and hotels, have nearly spoiled the naturally gorgeous beaches and limestone scenery. Nevertheless, we made the most of the days out, and found ourselves amused by the feeling of being on another planet, with sun worshippers, glamour pusses (one in a tiara and sequinned bikini!), in a people watchers delight.

A bit different from what we're used to!! Railay beach

Trang and Hat Yai were short stopovers of a couple of days each, and we tried to see at least one new thing in each place, having visited these towns dozens of times. In Trang it was the Thungkai Botanic Gardens, where a forested area full of butterflies has been set up with walking paths, a canopy walkway, and is surprisingly well organised and signposted......and free. We also stumbled across a fabulous new hotel in Trang which, as well as oozing character (an old building very recently and beautifully renovated), had the bonus of a Trang street view from the wraparound verandah, was spotless, friendly, and only a few dollars more than the dive we usually stay in at 300 baht/AU$12! Trang's other huge draw is the new night market near the train station. We certainly felt we were entering in to the real south of Thailand, with the many different Muslim/southern Thai style foods on offer, such as kopi (strong, black, local coffee, sometimes served with condensed milk), biryani (flavoured yellow rice) and roti (see here on more on these brilliant breakfast foods!).

Thungkai Botanic Garden, Trang

Gorgeous peacock, Trang

Handsome devil on the balcony of our Trang hotel

Chinese temple, Trang

Southern treats for dinner, (chicken biryani, coconut juice, guava and our fav pumpkin custard)

In Hat Yai, we followed the advice of a fellow traveller, and stayed in the alternative guesthouse area around the bus station, instead of in the town centre, which, once we eventually communicated what we needed to the non English-speaking hotel workers, was much more convenient considering our short stay. The new places for us to visit in Hat Yai were a) the unexpectedly impressive Wat Mahapanya Vidayalai, a Chinese Buddhist temple with a huge, golden Buddha statue surrounded by dozens of lines of life sized Buddha statues, some containing the ashes of deceased monks, and b) the Hat Yai Municipal Park, a boringly named, but rather charming, shady garden with a large lake in the middle, and it was too tempting not to take a pedlo out on the water and feed the frenzied fish! Unfortunately, we didn't make it up the 1000 steps to see the various religious statues at the top of the hill, as Richard's recurring back problem flared up again, in a nasty fashion, and we decided the best thing to do was temporarily quit our plan for a slow trip back to Kuala Lumpur, and rush back to arrange some visits to the Chinese therapies hospital in KL.

Wat Mahapanya Vidayalai, Hat Yai

Wat Mahapanya Vidayalai, Hat Yai

Hat Yai Park

Yes, that's Sal asleep on the bus, under all that clothing!

THE MAGICAL LANDS OF OZ AND FRUITOPIA

.....previously, our Best/Worst List for 2014.....

It had been a while since we've spent time in Australia, and I realized, unexpectedly, that I really missed it! Being in Asia for so long, we had forgotten the intense beauty of Oz, especially the gorgeous colours and smells of the bush, particularly the outstanding wildflowers, and the vibrancy, diversity and arty nature of the cities. For 6 weeks, we were taken in by generous friends and family in Cairns, Brisbane, Nanango, Sydney and Melbourne and experienced funny and varied little snippets of Oz life and culture- bush walking, a live cricket match, birdwatching, uniquely Aussie BBQs, picnics in parks, op shopping, fantastic markets, garage saleing, vineyards, city cafes, opera, the Archibald Prize, rugged beaches, pubs, Dandenong rainforest, a Melbourne Cup sweep, and even lawn bowls! The highlight, though, was catching up with Sal's fabulous family and our best buddies, and it was difficult each time we had to say goodbye.

Beautiful waratah flower

Sal in the bush

Large insect on large flower

Gorgeous grevillea

Spectacular colours

Australian bushland

Wild parrot in our friend's garden

Dessert delights

Sri Lankan feast thanks to my brother and sister in law

Enjoying a beverage at the cricket, Brisbane

Rich trying his hand at bowls, Melbourne

Catching up on sleep on the plane in between hectic schedules!

Sal's beloved Melbourne

People sometimes scoff when we say we need a rest from all our moving around the place. But as wonderful as traveling is, the fact is sometimes we have a hectic and energetic schedule (as in the last year and a half) and we feel the need for a break. For us, the perfect place for this, is our old favorite, Ko Fruitpoia. Much has been talked about this place on other posts, but this year was particularity fantastic, so much so we decided to stay longer than usual, and ended up there for several months. It was the people, really, that made it for us this year, and from the time we arrived in early November when there were only a handful of guests, right through to the busy, more populous high season, we met so many hugely entertaining and brilliantly unique new friends as well as many from previous years. They were all there in all their glory: The Long Time Travelers, The Inexperienced Newbies, The Drunks, The Potheads, The Aging Lotharios, The Keen Young Pups, The Schedule Keepers, The Time Wasters, The Socially Awkward, The Extroverts, The Yoga Fanatics, The Beachbums, The Chilled Out Families, The Musicians, The Princesses, The Young, The Old and everything in between!

Tai Chi on the beach

In a dream

Great friends

Enjoying the serenity

Queen D getting creative

R's new look

Getting artistic

A lonely beach

By far, this year was the time for music. We were so privileged to have many first class musos amongst the guests, and many an afternoon and countless evenings were spent listening to, and joining in with songs and laughter. A hugely special added bonus was Queen D at her very best, with her happiness manifesting in some amazing sea gypsy song sessions, including some written just for us!

Feeling inspired

Full of energy

Hard working hands

In her element

And, of course, there were the sunsets......I tried to choose just a few, but every day is different and beautiful, so I've been indulgent!

To say these last few months have given us great happiness and inspiration would be an understatement! We've truly been revitalized and rejuvenated by the good energy of so many uplifting people, and ready to take on the world (or at least some of it!)

Happy and healthy

.....next up, back to Malaysia for Chinese remedies and jungle melodies.......