Getting to Ko Lip-eh - the clothes are STILL wet

Well, our speedboat (capacity 25 or so) journey to Ko Lip-eh started off relatively well considering having to board the boat by way of a one by six and a helping hand. I have never been on a boat so fast (3 X 225 hp motors). I could have sworn we were on a water roller coaster with continuous stomach tickles that left me gasping for air. I thought that I was the only one noticing this as everyone else stared blandly forward. One woman ahead of us actually read the entire time, even when the boat caught big air. Once the rain started, everyone helped up their lifejackets, which no one was wearing to sheild themselves from the drips. A woman behind Kev opened her umbrella and continually poked him with the pokey thing. When the water started coming on heavily, her umbrella nicely bathed Kev's entire back in water. We arrived at the boats first stop, the opposite side of the island to where we were staying and were told that everyone would have to get out here because the water was too rough. In groups of 15-20 we transferred into longtails again with a hand to help as you straddle boats in rough water (I'm really getting my sea legs these days). The rain started coming down in buckets - no joke - and we were absolutely drenched as we made our way to shore. When we arrived on shore, we were dripping from head to toe, so the best way to get out of the boat was to jump into the water, which I did. However, my flip flops (which despite what you might think are actually the best thing to wear because you have to take them off 84 times a day for every building you go in, etc) did not like this. My feet buried in sand, I took one step and broke a flip flop, pulling it off my foot, holding it up in the air and laughing, I took another step. The second one broke too. By this time, I'm laughing uncontrollably, trying to get my second shoe and drawing a fair bit of attention to myself as Kev tried to shut me up. As we made our way up the beach still laughing, a waiter ran down with a beach umbrella to sheild us from the rain. This was our breaking point - we couldn't have more water on us if we tried. The cackles continued.

We then waited at the resort we'd arrived at to await news about a boat to our side of the island. None came, eventually we all decided to trek across the island (about a half hour's walk). Three German couples and us started our journey once our bags were delivered, half soaked. At least we were able to put our rain jackets on and change shirts before we left. We jimmied a garbage bag over Kev's bag but mine had no cover. We waded through knee-deep water, mud, sand and garbage through a village and past 6 resorts or so before reaching our own half an hour later. Coming around the corner to ours was breathtaking though even in the rain. The sand was so white and the water so green we couldn't believe it. Our resort up on the mountain side was a spectacle (simple in accomodation just beautifully set) to be sure. Too bad we had to climb 80 stairs with a waterlogged bag to get there. Thank goodness for handrails.

We checked into our room and set to the task of checking for wetness. Nearly everything in our bags was wet and we spent an hour hanging clothes inside and outside, scouting for the best vantage points. Only now, two days later after many rotations, two loads of laundry and finally some sun today are most of our clothes dry. Though the laundry we received this morning was still wet, as they had no sun to dry it with either. This morning I was cranky about it all, but we since had a six hour snorkel tour that was incredible. I've never seen anything like what I saw today, and playing with fish is almost as good as cats and dogs. We came back to a beautiful evening and are about to have some dinner on our last night here on Ko Lip-eh. Tomorrow we make our way to Ko Lanta, a little more of a hotspot. Another speed ride away.

Still peeling...