April 6

April 6th 2002

Woke late and decided to have brunch at Lee's Kitchen as I have a guilt complex over her being upset that I couldn't eat chillies. How weird am I? She comes to greet us wreathed in smiles, "I remember you" she says, "No chilli". We ate her exceptional pork on toast, followed by Chicken "Doodle" Soup, and beer, all delicious.

Half the world is at Koh Chang this week end, there are tents on every available inch of the beach and the place is heaving with people. Students are in groups on the beach playing guitars and having sing songs. Danger of not finding a table to eat at anywhere on the island.

Hired a bike again, we've decided to go and see the Fishing Village. Andrew says it's not far, when we reach Lonely Beach we are about half way. We do the roller coaster ride again, surely the roads will not be like this all the way? No - they got worse! Hurtling down hills again, and chugging up the other side, both praying and leaning forward in the hope that this bike will reach the summit rather than reverse back down. We find 2 lots of road works to contend with then there are 3 rickety bridges, drops of 20 feet if the bike goes through the gaping holes, or our combined weight makes the bridge collapse James Bond stylie! Where the hell is this place, we've already travelled 4 times the distance from Lonely Beach, did we pass it with our eyes shut, or has it fallen down one of the larger holes? We reach a road sign "DANGER SLIPPERY ROAD." A pick up truck overtakes us. It slides, tries to brake and skids to a stop side on. The driver tries to turn and eventually manages to bring the pick up back up the hill, he hasn't even got an eighth of the way down this 45 degree slope when he changes his mind!

I meanwhile, am off the bike on terra firma again, knees wobbling, chain smoking my second cigarette while watching this poor man. Bugger that for a game of soldiers. I have seen enough of the slippery road and am not going there - Andrew agrees so we turn back and head for Lonely Beach and a drink. Never did see the fishing village. We stayed long enough to watch the sunset, a very beautiful one, also took some vid of the beach, this place is idyllic.

We parked up on way back to film the coastline and the Blue mountains, amazing panoramic view at the tops of these hills. Then returned the bike, relieved that we didn't come off and thankful to be still wearing skin! We order 2 large Blue Bave cocktails and tried some weird German dish that was Dao's special this evening. Had vegetable tempura and crab patties too they were yummy. We sat with our cocktails just people watching and listening to the sea and the Gecko's, then walked along the beach and to bed.