Diary - Phuket

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  Singapore, Singapore
Tuesday, December 19, 2006

OK diary update time.  Last time I wrote we had booked the PADI course and then I gave a full report on that, so I'll take it up after the end of the course. 

We had planned to move on from Phuket after the end of the course, but the night before it ended we decided to have a look at accommodation prices in the places we were thinking of visiting and discovered that they would be three or four times the price of the YHA hostel where we have been so happy since we arrived in Phuket.  Within the blink of an eye we decided to stay on at the hostel and do day trips to the places we had intended to visit.

Tuesday 12 December
-Spent three hours typing up the PADI course report.  Went to post it online and there was a problem with the Internet.  Tried rebooting the puter and it had lost the report!  Tried to be philosophical about it but that wasn't easy! -Hired scooter from the hostel -Went to Patong, the main beach resort on the island.  If you're looking for a lad's party place, this is the resort for you.  We're not, so we had some lunch (steak for me and gammon for AD - yes, European food is more common in Patong than Thai food, which says it all) and then decided to go elsewhere. -Stopped at a viewpoint with a fantastic view of three bays and offshore islands -Found a beach called Nai Harn, much less populated and with an inlet leading to a lagoon.  Snorkelled by the rocks and saw lots of fish. -At sunset had a cocktails on the beach.  As we watched the sun go down a group of fishermen and women came along and we were fascinated to watch how they cast a very wide net from a small boat and then pulled it in from the shore.  We didn't leave until the catch had been examined, although they told us that the catch was "nit noy" which means little bit. -Got rained on while on the scooter on the way home so pulled over to a restaurant and spent an hour or so there while waiting for the rain to stop & got chatting with an English bloke.

Wednesday 13 December
-Had the scooter for 24 hours so used it in the morning to go to the nearest area, Chalong, a couple of km from the hostel where we got a few things done that needed doing -For lunch decided to try a place that had been recommended to us close to the hostel called Baan Kiki.  There we met Jimmy, the Glaswegian owner, who is a lively character, and enjoyed chatting with him as he was able to give us more of an insider's understanding of Thailand and Phuket.  He turned out to be a most valuable friend, as well as having the only restaurant on the island which serves PROPER chips! -Went home and RE-typed the PADI course report *sigh*! -Back to Baan Kiki for our evening meal and a few drinks and got to know Jimmy some more

Thursday 14 December
Day trip to Phang Nga which is a marine national park.  After an early pickup we were driven over the Phuket bridge to the Monkey Temple, a temple set in a massive cave with many monkeys hanging around the entrance waiting for tourists to feed them bananas.  Then on to Phang Nga pier where we boarded a motorised longtail boat.  We were taken along the mangrove-bordered channels marvelling at the limestone karsts which jut out at impossible angles from the water.  Past the muslim fishing village, complete with gold-domed mosque, which is built entirely on stilts and on to Koh Ping Gun, affectionately called "James Bond Island" because part of the film "The Man with the Golden Gun" was shot there.  After some free time to explore the tiny island we were taken back to the Muslim fishing village where we had a tasty lunch.  Again a little free time to explore the (tourist trap) market although I was fascinated to poke my nose around some of the less populated "streets" and get an idea of their way of life.  Back to the pier and then on to a cashew nut factory, which was really more of a salesroom with all sorts of different cashew products.  At least we got to have free tastes of all sorts of differently prepared cashews!  Finally on to a gem factory.  We could tell as soon as we entered the place that we were going to get the hard sell, but having watched a short information film and seen where the jewellery is produced, we didn't expect to be personally accompanied ALL the way round the huge showroom by a saleswoman who, after a while, could no doubt sense that we had no intention of spending any money.  It was embarrassing.  Oh well.  We were dropped off at the hostel, AD with his can of Casheway - fizzy cashew juice!

Friday 15 December
-Went into Chalong to sort out a few bits and pieces, and then went to Baan Kiki to see Jimmy.  Had some food at his place and then he took us around for the rest of the day.  -To the Sea Gipsy village.  They call themselves "Mogen" and they are the indigenous people of the Pacific islands who continue to lead a simple life.  Jimmy has become a friend of theirs and he introduced us to them and showed us around their village.  They told us that they would be going out on their boat the next day and invited us to join them.  -To a beach further on from Nai Harn which we had discovered ourselves, but for the first time on the island we saw a beach with no deckchairs and umbrellas, no hawkers and only a small restaurant.  We sat and chatted there looking out over the most peaceful beach we have seen in Thailand and we're planning to go back there today to do some snorkelling as there is a coral reef very close to the shore.  -To the elephant trekking park where, I was glad to hear, the elephants are treated very well.  Fed them with bananas and then met the local gibbon and his partner who are tame enough to shake hands with!  -Back to Baan Kiki where they cooked up the huge fish that the Mogen had given Jimmy as a gift - they put some in a stir-fry and baked the rest with lemongrass - delicious!

Saturday 16 December
Just about the best day of the trip so far!  We made our way to Baan Kiki at 9 o'clock and had some eggs and bacon with Jimmy.  Then he took us to the Mogen village and we got the two cases of Chang beer for the gipsies which was their fee for taking us out!  We boarded their longtail and set anchor a little way out to sea where we fished - AD caught the first of the day and I caught my first ever fish!  Then we went over to a nearby island where we landed on a deserted beach.  The boys built a barbeque and put the fish on to cook and while we were waiting for it I went snorkelling and we chatted in Pidgin English which was enough to get by on.  Once the fish was cooked the boys delighted in watching our reactions as we tasted it and they showed us to eat parts of the fish that they consider delicacies but that we normally wouldn't try, like the brains, the gills and the eyes!  One of them scaled a palm tree in the blink of an eye and gathered coconuts which they then split and offered us to drink.  Once we had eaten and the Chang started taking effect we all started singing, using empty cans, sticks and pieces of broken coral from the beach as instruments.  We laughed and laughed together and I can't remember seeing AD so relaxed.  Eventually we made our way back to the village and as we had nothing to get home for we hung out in Three Trees House, one of their communal huts, laughed lots more, and then they dragged us off to have a go on their Kareoke machine - yes, a village in which their is practically nothing more than the basic necessities and they have a Kareoke machine!  Eventually we had to go but we really didn't want the day to end - I can't remember ever laughing quite so much.  They are such a friendly, smiley and welcoming group of people and we now consider them our friends.

Sunday 16 December
We had booked a day's diving with Sea Bees on Sunday - we were due to do four dives at Koh Phi Phi, including a night dive, which is supposed to be very different from a day dive.  Unfortunately I woke up in the night and realised that the tickle I had felt in my throat the previous day was in fact a mild chest infection.  AD woke up and I told him that I didn't think it would be right to dive the next day, as one of the first rules of diving is that you shouldn't dive when you're even slightly unwell.  Gutted.  I called Sea Bees early the next morning to cancel and tried hard not to feel too sorry for myself.  That morning we went into Chalong and got some meds then I went home and had a sleep.  Nothing more strenuous than a go on the Internet for the rest of the day, and chicken soup for dinner!

Monday 17 December
Koh Phi Phi was one of my must-sees for Thailand, and having been deprived of diving there the previous day we booked ourselves onto a tour there.  Although I still wasn't feeling great I decided to take things as easy as possible.  We were picked up from the hostel and driven to Phuket Town Port where we boarded a sizeable boat which took us just off the coast of Koh Phi Phi Leh, the smaller of the Phi Phi islands, which is where the film "The Beach" was shot.  Although we didn't stop there we were taken all around the coast and then we had some time to snorkel just off shore.  The coral was pretty spectacular and there were a LOT of fish, some of which nibbled at our fingers and the hairs on AD's legs!  Then we landed on Koh Phi Phi Don.  We were taken to a restaurant where we had a buffet lunch and then we had over an hour free time so we explored the beaches on either side of the Phi Phi isthmus - the narrow strip which separates the two highland areas of the island.  Back to the boat by 2.30 and a boat ride of almost two hours back to Phuket Port.  After we were dropped off at the hostel we decided to go to Baan Kiki for some food, but I had to leave after we finished eating because I was tired after doing a day trip whilst still not feeling my best.

Now actually in Singapore in an Internet cafe so I'll do another update some time after we get to Australia.  We fly this evening and arrive early tomorrow.
 
Signing off for now
xesther and AD

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