Heaven on Earth

My good friend Viv Ventress asked me on an e-mail recently a very tricky question: "If you had to go to any of the places you've been to on a one week holiday, where would it be?"
Chris and I where having dinner and he asked me the unanswered question once more. I found it hard to answer because for a one week holiday I'd choose a beach, but for all the amazing places we have been so far I couldn't think of a place that I would have classed as Paradise.
Having been to some stunning beaches in Greece I was convinced that this was the closest to Heaven on Earth.
My ideal is crystal clear water, pristine white sands, stunning lush mountains, shear cliffs dropping into the sea, a coral reef you can snorkle to right off shore, great chilled out bars (but not too many)...I found that place today...it's called Koh Phi Phi.
It's STUNNING!!! The water is so clear that when you go out a mile on a boat you can still see the bottom as if it was a foot in front of your face. Chris and I saw dozens of different fish: clown fish (nemo), trigger fish, angel fish, box fish, parrot fish, sea snake (I swam very quickly when I saw it rear up!), LOADS of the most beautiful colourful fish. Even when you first get into the water there are hundreds of little fish that curiously come up & swim with you.
We're staying in a resort with an infinity pool, I'm going diving (adventure dive course), oh and it's sunny again (35c), life really couldn't get better!!!!
The tsunami is obvious still though. Coca-cola sponsors the signs for the evacuation route (arrow points up at mountain). Half of the town has been wiped out, the government have a hold on building so many can't re-build their businesses yet.
Will tell you about the dive later.

Take care,

Sam in Heaven