In its South around the Krabi area you can experience Thailand from its travel brochure perspective – untouched beaches, karst rocks and an astonishing underwater world – every island in its slightly different way.

While Ao Nang and at Rai Leh is package tourists paradise at Koh Lanta island farangs (Thai name for white foreigners) are naturally cruising around with their scooters trying to avoid wild monkeys and big monitors.

After the Tsunani Koh Phi Phi turned into a kind of Mallorca-ballermann for backpackers – free shots and vodka buckets with sprite for just 4€. In the mornings you sleep late, snorkelling or diving around lunch time, dinner at the beach and party at night.

In the meanwhile I also turned into my backpacker mode, got a favourite restaurant (“Papaya”), made friends in Indonesia, Chile and Argentina, got sunburn and survived stomach issues as well as numerous stiches and bites. I lost clothes, bought new ones and become faster everyday in packing my backpack.

After a brief stopover at Phuket I have to change my shorts to trekking trousers and woolen socks as I am heading to Kathmandu – at least 30 degrees less than here – brrrrr.