We had a 7am start to get ready and pack so we could catch an early bus to Laem Ngop. We got a metered taxi to the Eastern Bus Terminal which was conveniently right on the outskirts of the city centre. The traffic was immense and I had to hold my breath on a number of occasions as the mental taxi driver whizzed in and out. We got the best tasting waffles for breakfast, mine was stuffed with chocolate, whilst we waited for the 'Government Bus #999' to Laem Ngop. The journey took just over five hours but it went so quickly for once. I thought we were in for a right treat when we both got a box off the bus conductor, but the biscuits and tea and coffee weren't that exciting, especially without a cup or any hot water! We dropped all of the other passengers off at the Ko Chang pier, bar us and one other Westerner. We drove a few more minutes down the road before reaching the Ko Mak pier, where there was literally nothing in sight but a lighthouse and the sea beyond! It was a bit random getting dropped off at the side of the road with nothing around but a kiosk to buy a boat ticket. After we had bought our ticket we made a visit to the public toilets that were in a pretty white building looking out to sea. The urinals were even attached to the outside wall of the building! However, the stench and view was not such a pretty sight as the sinks were full of vomit!
 
A songthaew came to pick us up from where we bought our boat ticket . We had to pay to get to the right pier even though we had just paid up for our boat ticket. I wasn't impressed at all and made it clear! They certainly packed the boat full, not only with people but with supplies for the island. We saw a few bags of coconuts, pineapples and the odd moped seat being packed onto the speedboat. One passenger was clearly a bit too squashed for his liking as he shouted, "Captain the boat is full!!!" but they just piled on more women and children! The scenery was unreal on the way, as we passed tiny rocky outcrops and white sand beaches on deserted islands at every angle. We arrived at Ko Mak and got picked up from the pier by a Thai man, who according to Andrew looked like 'Ming the Merciless', whoever that may be as I have no idea! When we rang to book the room we gave the name Andrew, but at the pier 'Ming the Merciless' asked if our name was Duncan! I guess it was close enough as his English was not the best! We got into a very low ceilinged, rusty pick-up truck and set off for our bungalow .
 
We arrived at a red dirt track five minutes later, with a rather sore bottom after a bumpy ride. The place consisted of very simple wooden huts, albeit it with idiosyncratic stripes painted on the front doors, as noted by the Rough Guide. There were gaps in the wooden floor boards so you could see the ground below. There were also gaps in the roof and there wasn't a door between the bedroom and bathroom. The bed was a mattress on the floor with a mosquito net to cover it. It all felt very primitive and I was only a little worried, to say the least, about creepy crawlies and the like torturing me in the middle of the night. We were starving so went to the restaurant to eat. The Pineapple Curry I ate made my nose run a lot! I had to watch in awe as Andrew had a Chang, as I was still taking my antibiotics. We watched a pretty awesome sunset, as it sank behind an island in the distance.