Day 12
Trip Start
Feb 19, 2010
1
12
15
Trip End
Mar 07, 2010
Where I stayed
Phu Pah Ao Nang Resort & Spa
Ao Nang, Thailand
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
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I got a bit freaked out in the middle of the night when a large animal came into the cabin and I woke as it sniffed my hand. It was dark and I couldn't figure out what it was at first. It turned out to be the hotel dog - a very docile german shepard.
After breakfast in the morning we got a minibus to Krabi, and then another short minibus ride (with an angry Thai driver - scary boy!) to our hotel in Aonang, our last stop of the holiday.
The hotel is very nice (Phu Pah Aonang Resort & Spa) - probably even nicer that the Lanna Mantra. It is beautifully designed - everything in carved wood - only opened a few months ago. It's so nice to have AC after 3 days of sweating in the jungle! All around the huts, and around the pool and bar, is a tropical garden of palm and banana trees, with the cliffs rising up above everything, as a backdrop.
The girl at the desk was very nice but couldn't help us with our dilemna. This is the glaring planning error I mentioned at the beginning. Basically, our flight to Bangkok is booked for 19 hours after our flight to London leaves! The confusion is because our flight leaves at midnight - causing my PA book the wrong day - don't worry, she has been fired (but I will keep as my wife since she's so cute!). BA/Quantas are all booked so we can't change, Thai Airways is also all booked so we're on standby to change that! There are flights to Bangkok we could book on Air Asia and we'll do that tomorrow if the Thai Air standby is not resolved by then. Worst case scenario; we have to get a train/bus to Bangkok on saturday. Best case scenario; we get stuck here for another week!
Aonang is a pretty touristy beach town - albeit without the size and hyperactive fame of Phucket. It is a popular jump off point for boats to the many islands. The beach is very pleasant here and picturesque with the cliffs on the east end. After lunch we spent some time on the beach, dodging the calls of "massaaage?" and actually mostly dodging the sun as the majority of people here look quite burnt! The cool breeze off the ocean deceives you into thinking that the sun is not as searingly hot here as it really is - a 2 min walk in town reminds you!
The sunset here was one of the most amazing I have ever seen. I don't remember seeing so much of the sky, plus reflection in the wet sand, be such a deep shade of red. After the sun went down we sat and had a mojito and a mai tai in a beachside bar. I felt the need for a cigar but none was around. We walked around town looking at all the shops and restaurants but decided to eat from the street stalls - very good pad thai, fresh mango shakes, and crispy pancakes, all for less than £1.50!
Tomorrow we go on a boat to the 4 islands.
