Sudala Beach Resort Phangnga

It's a pretty innocent title, you wouldn't really think much of it other than a nice little museum of arts and crafts. It is a nice little museum, but there's more to it than that.

Yesterday, Charlotte, Julie Ann, and I (they're the Project Trust girls) went with a teacher to Bangsai Arts and Crafts Centre by Ayutthaya. It was more like a school where students can learn to do Thai handicraft. It blew any expectations that I might have had. You see baskets, bags ...

... learned two English words. They actually helped teach me Thai, they kept bringing all these signs with the days of the week written in Thai and I'd sound them out. They're so cute. They all follow me and call my name. Being a foreigner has its advantages.

There's going to be a big Sports Day presentation at the end of the month. I was just informed that I'll be doing a Muay Thai and a sword-fighting demo in front of the whole school. I can't even remember what they want to ...

Ayutthaya is a famous, historical city that was once the old capitol of Siam. I went there yesterday and as you can see, I took a million pictures. Even the pictures don't do the city justice to the marvel I found in it, it's truly fascinating. I went to 3 different wats that are now ruins; that's where most of the pictures are from.
I rode a freaking elephant. It was awesome. I saw a bunch of elephants just walking down the street and I asked if I could ride one. The teacher ...

... the reward
-- Photographing whole rows of stone Buddhas, orange robed and quintessentially Thai. A cat decided to sleep in the arms of one - beautifully apt
-- Being able to eat dinner (unlike at the Buddhist temple)and sit on a bed that was neither a mat on the floor or a moving upper birth on a train!

Next stop, Bangkok, and the last (island hopping) tour
G

... pours in the boat. All of our gear is getting wet and all try our best to keep it dry---but it is impossible. The waves are bad enough in the harbor, but as soon as we hit open sea it is like a roller coaster ride from hell. For a few minutes it is like fun-"Woooo Hooo ride 'em cowboy"! But the fun ends when the guy next to me says, "It is a 1 ½ hr ride out to the islands on a good day, and it's over 60KM away". I am like, what?!!!!! I don't ...

... wake up early just to give alms to the monks, the food they receive in the morning is all they have for the entire day. It's a very selfless society in this aspect, the townspeople ensure the existence of the sangha institution by supplying for their most basic needs. The first temple we visited was a newer Chinese style temple. Inside the temple is one of the largest indoor Buddha statues i have ever seen. The temple has a mix of Chinese and Thai style shrines. I have noticed that Thai ...

... get up at one point and allow the lady and her little girl to sit with me. One monk motioned to the "monks and disabled sign" for me. I guess as long as he has a seat, he is not going to trouble himself for a woman and child. Thankfully she came to my defence and I did not have to stand too. I had to sit all scrunched up with my head in my book for the next 1 1/2 hours because women are not allowed to touch monks and there were 3 sitting across from me. I have ...

... get into my hotel! They had sectioned off the roads and there were police lining the street. Some young dudes walked passed who were apparently the Thai prince and princesses. Ah well.

Next I was off down to the train station to catch the sleeper train down to Phuket. This should be an experience! Getting through the packed streets with my backpack on certainly was!

... the months prior to the holiday. I introduce myself and she pretends she knows who I am and welcomes us to the Resort (on our last day, how ironic). I ask if it would be possible for her to arrange for us to see the 3 Private Beachfront Villas - and she does immediately! We're escorted to the Villas by the lovely Reception girls. Needless to say the Villas are spectacular. Gorgeously furnished with private pools and gardens, right on the ...

... is a queue 3 people deep at this particular stall. The balls come with a salad, large whole chillies (of course) and a stick. I hold up a THB10 coin and he gives me 10 balls. I bypass the salad and tuck into the balls which are very strange, even to me. They are stuffed with ground rice and what seems like somesort of offall - could be liver, could be brains, could be testicles. It has that floury consistency. I give Henry 1 to try and Rob eats ...