[Ru]

Popping out for a couple of weeks tomorrow to the usual bit, Tonsai etc etc.
Anyone reccommend me anything nice (I've read the other thread) up to 8b/+ ish (ie nice 8a/+s mostly), don't think I'll bother trying anything harder. Thanks!

[StuM]

Tantrum (right of tidal wave) looks awesome, i belayed a brazilian guy on it last year, 8a+ i think with lots of footless action. You get a polite applause from the freedom bar crowd if you wait 'til late afternoon for the send. Have an awesome time, word about is that this may be the last year Tonsai will be in its current way.

[Bonjoy]

word about is that this may be the last year Tonsai will be in its current way.

What does that mean?

[StuM]

There are apparently plans for a big hotel on tonsai, the land 'inside' the crescent road is where its going to be (its owned by a swedish guy if i remember correctly), so it'll affect most of the bars on the front but not so many of the huts. It does mean that fat american tourists wont look SO out of place anymore.

[Daniel]

There were rumours of this a few years ago when I was there...

Are they still rumours, or is there anything more concrete?

It would be such a shame...

[StuM]

Aye, there were rumours wwhen i was there last year. My mate heard it last month from a bar owner who has been given their notice. It's not good news at all.

[hongkongstuey]

the grapevine in HK was that things have shifted on a bit too and that most of the people will get booted off their land in the near future - what I heard is that the climbing etc would all be unaffected but you can pretty much say goodbye to all the cheap accomodation.

Ru - if you read this in time, my recommended list in the high 7's / easy 8's would be the usual suspects of :

>=F8a
- Tantrum (low crux to get out of the corner and onto the roof - then time for awesome displays of footless power)
- Old Chicken Makes Good Soup
- Seefood Monas Frita
- Cream of Sum Yum Kai (one hard move low down then steady away to the top)
- Helmut something or other on Tyrolean Wall - my mate Bon did it and he's only really a 7b climber so make what you will of that

F7c/7c+
- The thing on Tonsai that used to be everyones first F8a till it got downgraded - name escapes me
- Definately Makes You Whinge
- K1
- Hang Ten
- Baby Gorilla

F7b/7b+
- Orange Juice
- Knights in White Satin
- Long pumpy thing on Cat Wall
- Cafe Andaman
- Tidal Wave
- Lord of the Thais

P.S. I've only been on one of the 8's and the stuff easier than that, so if this lots a bag of s#*t I'll approtion the blame onto my stronger friends...

[Bonjoy]

 To that list i'd add the 8a on tonsai to the right of Tantrum. Goes through a roof. Was given 8a+ when I did it, but felt more like 7c+, nice climbing.
 Didn't get on them myself but the long crimpy leaning walls on the RH side of Tonsai beach look really good, especially if you fancy a break from short steep and slippery.
 The 8a/7c+ you are thinking of Stu is probably Phet Mak. I think it would struggle to get 7c+ in the UK (unless I was just stronger than I thought when I was there).
 Of the routes Stu listed my favourite has to be Definately Makes You Whinge at Low Tide Wall. Well worth watching the tides and the very pleasant boat trip to get there.
 My advice Ru would be get up V early (can of Red Shark for breakfast) to catch cool conditions for anything hard. Then shower and lounge about midday, then if you are feeling re-energised go do some onsighting in the eve.

[Ru]

Cheers Stu and Stu and Jon. Leaving in a little bit so just caught this - have some wad points for your replies!

[hongkongstuey]

There are apparently plans for a big hotel on tonsai,

was thinking about this earlier and Tonsai would make a crap place for a resort - the beach (if you can call it that) is plain damn awful so unless they intend to import a shed load of sand....

[Control freak]

Just Call Me Helmet at the far end of Tonsai towards Railay is an absolute gift at 8a too

[hongkongstuey]

Just Call Me Helmet at the far end of Tonsai towards Railay is an absolute gift at 8a too

that's the one I was on about...

[Adam Lincoln]

When will we start to see the end of cheap accomodation? I am there for 4 months in April... Should i be worried?

[chappers]

im sure that there will always be someting cheap about somewhere, even if you stay in railay. bear in mind in samui there are spa resorts on the same beach as little tee-pees made of palms for about 2 quid a night.

ive not heard anything about the possible building of new hotels apart from the it will happen rumors.

take your insect repellent!!!

[dave]

bearing in mind that you can go there and stay in a blinging aircon bungalow outfit with minibar, satelite TV, marble tiled bathroom, pool etc for about the same price as a second rate B&B in blighty I woulnd't be worrying about cheap accomodation. OK its not cheap as in cheaper than pint of ale back home, but its still cheap in the grand scheme of things.

[Houdini]

take your insect repellent!!

Insect repellent?!  I borrowed a BB gun to take care of the rats in the rafters of one gaff!

[andyh]

on the thai theme i'm in pai at the minute - anyone know if theres any bouldering hidden away in the jungles anywhere or am i stuck with elephant rides an white water rafting??

btw - just heard from a mate who was in tonsai - apparently its hideously rammed with non climbing / hippie tourists (ie fat americans) and all the prices have really been jacked up

[chappers]

i'm in pai at the minute.

O-P-I-U-M






there is a guest house in Pai that has a sign of rules that says: "no kiss in the public." 

[andyh]

i'm in pai at the minute.

O-P-I-U-M

i hear that

i'm in pai at the minute.

there is a guest house in Pai that has a sign of rules that says: "no kiss in the public." 

there's a sign in min that says no drugs