Patong Resort

Slept in and loved it! We were on the road by 11am with nicely packed suitcases and carry on luggage. The flight to Bangkok airport was good and on time but killing five hours in Bangkok airport is tough with only overpriced meals and insufficient seating. The flight to Phuket was about 20 mins late then it took a while for the luggage to come through. But it did so once we had that we then found our contact and settled in for the hour-long drive to Patong Beach. Checked into the hotel, dumpe...

Woke up at 6.55am, the pool opens at 7am, so did a few laps as the fitness is definately suffering with the time away from the gym. Had breakfast, then went through the dirty washing getting it sorted before our tour chappie visited at 10.40am and see what tours (if any) we wanted to partake in. Once the tours were booked we took the washing in, exchanged some money and then paid for the tours. Once done our tour agent, Mr Pom, dropped us off at the dive centre and I booked myself in for an o...

Up for a 7.30am pick up which arrived at about 8am and off to Chalong Bay. Onto the dive boat, got the briefing then into the books and tests. Got to Homerun Bay at Racha Yai for our first dive and were into the water at 11.30am. The second dive was at Staghorn Reef, also at Racha Yai. The highlights of todays dives was seeing three Moray Eels, one black one was completly out of its hole, whereas the first two were just poking their heads out. Unfortunately I forgot my camera... Back to the h...

Day two of the Open Water Dive course. 7.30am start and the ride arrived at about 8am. It was a three hour boat ride to the Phi Phi Islands so I used the time complete my knowledge reviews and exam. Got 100% - EXCELLENT!!! Completed the next two dives (Bida Nok followed by Bida Nai) with the highlights being sitting next to a Leopard Shark and swimming under an overhang along with excellent coral and sea life. Got back to the hotel at about 8pm (the same time that Silla and Eli did after gett...

Slept in till 9am, had breakfast and then off to the pool for a swim with the underwater camera, followed by showers before lunch. Went to lunch at the same place as dinner last night due to the free Internet as I needed to find a new picture of Roger Moore for the media room pictures. Nice lunch then to the paint shop. Turns out that I did not need the additional pic as they can resize it with the existing, however as it's already been done we can choose another one and pay for that. So it l...

Silla was up at 7am to take the washing to get laundered...she's good like that :) Once she was back we went for breakfast then back to the room for a chill. Out at 11.30am to check out the main commercial mall in Patong. It was nice but pretty pricey, better off going to the bargaining shops. Walked back in the hope of getting the pool and free internet lunch but they were closed so we headed back to a place near where we got the laundry done that offered free pool. Had a game or two of pool...

Woke up at 8am, it was overcast and cloudy and a bit chilly for a swim but we went anyway. Turned out to not be so chilly once we were in the water so all good. Silla and Eli went to get the laundry while I was swimming as Eli did not want to get up for a swim. Once done we had breakfast then attacked the bags in preparation for the flight home. It's looking good, should come in under 60kgs or close to it. Went out to change some of yesterdays clothes that did not fit exactly right and had a ...

Up at 6am for a snorkling trip around the Phi Phi Islands. Got picked up at 7.30am then off to the Royal Phuket Marina to catch our speedboat. The ride out was fast, albeit a bit bumpy and wet from the spray. Got to Phi Phi Don and Maya Bay where "The Beach" was filmed. This area is beautiful but won't stay that way as it was over run with tourists who have no idea about being eco-friendly; dropping rubbish and standing all over the coral is spelling disaster for this otherwise idyllic area. ...

Silla woke us up at 8am for breakfast, we got to breakfast at about 9am. Once done it was back to the room for the second to last bag check and carry-on luggage organisation. Finished at about 12 noon, then into town with the cameras for some last shots. We finally took up the offer of a foot massage - and it was awesome! We so should have done this earlier! So will go again tonight for a full body Thai massage. Got photos of all of our key people and places, had lunch and scored a couple of ...