Kelly'S Hotel Patong

Phuket (29/4 - 3/5) Bangkok (4/5- 5/5) We figured out the public transportation and hopped on a (red) public bus to Phuket town. Once you arrive in Phuket Town you then have to take another bus or songthaew (back of pickup truck with roof overhead) to one of the several nearby beach towns. We normally try to steer clear of the obnoxious tourist towns but we figured since we were in the area we may as well spend a few days and see what all the hype is about ...

... but the motor scooter was due. Luckily, I brought a spare load of cash and travelers checkes for Myanmar. I decided a few weeks ago that there was just not enough time so that money is freed up. I can also get an advance on my credit card if worse comes to worse. We'll See. The beaches are nice down inthe south. Just enough tourist stuff to keep things interesting and the beaches are excellent. The beach ...

Well....over the last three days we have been doing our PADI Open Water Diving Qualification - which certifies as divers to 18 metres anywhere in the world - and today we completed it! First of all we had to do a morning of intense theory and quizes, and then we had to do loads of practical exercises in the swimming pool (which was at a really posh hotel, which was fun for us to have a nosy in!). Then ...

... waterfalls for over 30 minutes, which was significant also because an elephant is one of the most significant symbols in Thailand. That was probably one of my favorite parts, besides the delicious Pad Thai of course. If you're looking for a place to go with cheap hotels, delicious cheap food, and shopping, as well as a cultural experience, Thailand is a great place to visit. As we wandered up and down the streets looking at the ...

... a great people-watching exercise and a colourful eye-opener into another side of life. That can only be a good thing. Anyway I'm writing this in bed. This all happened last night and today I've finally come down with the lurgy that's been trying to take a hold of me over the last few days. Liam had it in Krabi, Nick in Phi Phi, so it was only a matter of time before I was bed ridden. Lucky for me I'm in a decent pad. Did manage to get out for a ...

... through beautiful karst scenery like that of Halong Bay. The main event was James Bond Island. It is a beautiful sheltered beach protected by an encircling cove. Out in the cove is a very distintive rock rising out of the water. It tapers almost to a point at the bottom end, making it look as if it's about to fall over. This bay was used in "The Man with the Golden Gun." He comes in on a personal underwater vehicle ...

... crummy! Especially after an all-night flight from Perth!!! We arrived in Singapore hot and sweaty and cramped. We had 5 hours there and managed to find a bench to stretch out on and have a sleep before we caught another Tiger Air plane to Phuket. This was a shorter flight so we didn't really notice the lack of space. At Phuket, we had pre-arranged a taxi to our hotel, figuring that we would be tired and cranky after 12 hours in transit (soooooo ...

... tis gewoon een vleesmarkt hier. en erg duur ook, in heel Thailand is het nog niet zo duur geweest, zelfs niet Ko Phi Phi. 12 febr: nou, dat hotel zag er aan de buiten- en binnenkant helemaal super uit en je dacht dat het aan een winkelstraat lag en 's nachts dus rustig zou zijn. NOT!!!!! hahaha, wat een "mistake" was dat zeg! blijkt dus dat die hoofdstraat (Banghla Road) 's avonds verandert in de thaise versie van de amsterdamse wallen met allemaal ...

... poking their heads out. Unfortunately I forgot my camera... Back to the hotel at 5.30pm, then out to get my passport photo taken for the dive course, dinner at a place called "Angel Delight" which has a pool table that Eli can play on and free Internet for customers. Checked on the Bond pictures and they are progressing well. I am very, very impressed. Bed by 10.30pm but sleep by 11.15pm due to Eli watching a movie.

... picked us up, and we discovered that we had been down for 65 minutes. The longest I have ever dived. Back in the boat, we found a secluded beach on another island where we had lunch. It was a really nice place to hang out. A few people had some J's and beers, but as we were diving, the three of us did not partake in any of the substances that were flying around. Remember, we were diving safely !!! As we went around the island, we found a place where all the dive boats were. In we went ...