Farewell my Lovely

 Ton Sai was are little climbers paradise. The climbing was hard at first. It was real steep, often over-hung (more than vertical), with huge very polished holds. It is interesting when you move to a different type of climbing how you think about climbing changes a little. On this stuff you know where the next move is -most of the time- and you just have to make it. Sometimes it will play tricks on you. What seems a big old fat hold is really just some smooth as glass sloping rock. All the chalk on it a testament to previous climbers mistakes. Its been fun climbing in Ton Sai similar to the Red River Gorge but different too. To use the Thai phrase its same same but different.
In other news we came across a truly hilarious shrine. The story goes that a princess from one of the islands was coming over to marry a king on the main land. En route their ship sank just off the coast of Raileh and she died. Later she became viewed as a fertility god by the local fishers. Fisherman continue the long tradition of placing huge wooden penises in the Goddess' cave to please her, calm the storms and bring them many children. This practice transcends religion both Muslims and Buddhist alike both pray and bring offerings to this shrine. I have certainly never seen anything like it and don't think that I ever will again. The cave is located on Phra Nang Beach which is truly one of the most spectacular beaches I have every seen. It was particularly awesome at 6 30 in the morning before all the fucking Russian showed up.
The Limestone really does do spectacular things, forming caves and stalactites hanging at impossible angles with lush ever green forest on the tops. There is so much climbing here that has never been done we are just going to have to come back in a couple of years with some aid gear and put up some first assents.

Well now we are off to Phuket to have some R&R with Elliot (a family friend living in China) his wife Flora and unknown to us half of Russia.