PHUKET

Thanks to everyone who sent me messages hoping that I would soon feel better. The antibiotics did the trick and I feel a lot better. It is nice to get the messages on the blog and the emails from everyone. I do love my own company and travelling. But it is nice to keep in contact and Know what is going on in your lives.




Rob and Heather from Melbourne whom I made friends with on Ko Pi Pi have kindly taken some of the weight from my rucksac. I will collect it from them when I arrive in Melbourne in the early part of next year. They were really nice and saw me off on the boat to my next destination..Phuket

It was scortching hot on the boat trip so I was glad to take some shade at the back of the boat. When we got to Phuket it was unbearably hot. I got a minibus to the hotel. Along the route you could see where there had been a lot of rebuilding post Tsunami. This Island was hit particularly hard. Many roads and properties were destroyed. It is just mind blowing as I go from Island to Island trying to imagine how they have rebuilt their lives. There is something just not right about the way we come and holiday in places where there was so much loss of life. But I do know that they rely on tourism and the revenue it generates, so I reconcile my concerns with that knowledge.

I am really pleased with my hotel..it is set back about fifteen minutes from the beach. It has the most amazing little swimming pool.There is only enough room to do about ten strokes. But it is so beautifully made and the water feature at the end creates a very relaxing atmosphere. I love to go and relax there and read my book. And chill out in the heat.




I have to say that I was really looking forward to coming to Phuket because I had heard so much about the island. But it is making me feel very unsettled. There are so many dodgy looking foreign men with beautiful Thai women. On the route from my hotel to the beach there is just bar after bar with loads of beautiful Thai women just waiting for the letcherous foreigners and there money.It is making me so angry. I am at Patong beach, which is just a big pick up joint with lots of shops selling loads of cheap goods. It is everything I hate. The beach was packed with sunbeds and umberellas for miles.


I walked the full length and found a quiet place to sunbathe.



The only problem was when I came to go home I had to walk the full length in the full glare of the sun. Consequently I am very red tonight! I need to think that one through in future. Tomorrow I am going to get a taxi or bus and find a quiet little cove somewhere away from the shops and touting.

I have just had the most amazing massage!!! yeh!! There is nothing wrong with the traditional Thai massages and I know some of you were concerned that I thought foot massages were not good(Particularly you Paul..great to get your messages by the way x) but they are good, its just my body is in such bad shape that they have to push and prod so much to try and get my ching and chang in line, that it is very painful for me.I am sure the better shape I get into the less they will hurt!
The massage today was a mixture of Thai and western oil massage and I felt a lot better afterwards. It only cost three pounds which is incredible. Back home the same kind of thing would cost about fifty pounds!.
I am going to try and fit another one in before I leave the island. I do hope I discover some redeeming places in Phuket before I fly off to Ko Samui on Sunday.

Ko Pi Pi

I decided to take a relaxing stroll along the sea front and have an early meal..I chose a lovely place overlooking the sea..and sat back to relax. But as I scrambled around in my handbag for my glasses I pulled the little pin out of my panick alarm I carry with me. Well you have never heard such a din. For a second I did not realise that it was my alarm, I thought some alarm had gone off nearby and wondered what it was. When I saw all eyes on me I panicked and started throwing all the things out of my bag onto the table to find the thing..it was SO LOUD. eventually I got it out and then panicked and sat on it to try and muffle the sound. At various intervals I took it out and fumbled around to try and shut it up,only to admit defeat and sit on it again. With the people having ,or rather trying to have quiet romantic meals getting very annoyed with me. Eventually I shut the thing up. Needless to say I have left it in my room tonight. My nerves will not take that again in a hurry.

After counting the bruises on my body from the Thai massages I thought I would try a Thai foot massage, that had to be relaxing. How wrong could I have been! I was in agony when he pushed certain areas of my feet.

FOOT MASSAGE


The chap inflicting the pain said "oh not good .painful, you have bad colon" that may be as well, but I now have bad foot!!! once again I told myself no pain, no gain and let him continue for an hour massaging and inflicting pain. But when he had finished he said that my colon would now start to get better...and do you know today my colon was very active. so it did something!
Just as I was coming to the end of the massage the Canadian lot appeared at the window of the place and so I joined them later in a bar.



to see a LADYBOY caberet show.Basically that is when some Thai men dress as beautiful ladies and perform a caberet.It has to be one of the strangest things I have seen. The lady in the middle of this picture is one of the ladyboys. we then had a few more drinks





and somehow they all ended up persuading me to have a henna tattoo on my foot.It is of three little feet. I know Sammie I have always said that I would never do that ,but this trip is going to be full of things I thought I would never do..and at least this one wears off after a while.They tried very very hard to get me to have a real one!



Tomorrow I get the boat to Phuket where I will be staying for 4 days.

Ko Pi Pi

The last night in Krabi had a few drinks with some Canadians and a girl from Brighton.They were all very sweet and made me feel really welcome. Even though I am old enough to be there mother.They put me down as early thirties so that made me feel good. I have to say they had had a few beers by then so they may have had beer goggles on!!!They were very funny and I had a good time. We exchanged email addresses.



I then got the ferry to the beautiful island of Ko Pi Pi and I am staying in the most amazing resort..my room is up on stilts overlooking a breathtaking sight.It made me feel tearful with the wonder of it.


VIEW FROM BOAT APPROACHING HOTEL


VIEW FROM MY BEDROOM WINDOW


HAVING A DRINK IN LOCAL BAR


I have been suffering a bit with a sore throat and really bad cough so went to a local pharmacy and was able to buy cough medecine and antibiotics. He said he thought I had a chest infection. So better safe than sorry. It just amazed me how easy it was to purchase the antibiotics. I am sure all the soakings on the various boat trips over the last few days has not helped my cold. glad I had also put a couple of lemsips in my first aid kit.

Last night I had dinner with a couple from Melbourne. I got chatting to them because I was sneezing a lot with my cold and she said "bless you". They had knocked on my door to see if I wanted to join them. But I was wandering back from a beach on the other side of the island and lost time. So it was dark when I got back and they were at a table on the beachfront. They called over and said they would wait until I got ready. So I rushed off and showered then we had dinner. Which was very nice of them.

Today I headed for the pool and did plenty of lengths to try and loose some weight!! Being a glutten for punishment I decided to try another Thai massage. I am literally black and blue from all the pressure points they have pushed and prodded, but I keep hoping my body will stop hurting eventually. These tiny little ladies literally clamber all over your body, pulling it in directions that it does not want to go!! And they do it with such a nice smile. They keep saying "ok" and my head is screaming "no it is not ok" but then I tell myself to be brave as this must be good for me and the pain in my shoulder is getting a bit less. I think they devised their massages to just inflict terrible pain on the smug tourists who spend all day bartering them down to the last Baht for an item they want to purchase in the markets. They are probably killing themselves laughing when they see the contorted faces of people having a massage!
Never say die!, I will have another one again soon.They are about three hundred Baht that is about four pounds fifty!

I logged on to find a message from the Canadian lot to say they were heading out to Ko Pi Pi today and hoped we could meet up again. I read it too late to catch them. But then bumped into them on the seafront. So hope to meet up again later.

JUST ALONG BEACH FROM MY ROOM

ISLANDS

Walked down to the river and got a long boat to the Hat Rai beach. It is described in the guide book as a hypnotic and a honeymoon destination. The boat trip was really nice. We all just gathered at the pier until enough people were there, then we paid less than one pound fifty for a forty minute boat trip to the lovely Hat Rai Leh beach.





I spent the day exploring and sunbathing. Got chatting to a woman form New Zealand at lunchtime but was glad to wander off on my own again in the afternoon. I also had a Thai massage. I have to say I am still not sure If i like them. There is a lot of pulling and pushing of bones and joints.And they push on points that you never knew hurt so much. But then strangely after all that pain and suffering you walk away feeling good. I will try them again a few more times before making up my mind totally.
We gathered for the last long boat back from the beach at five. The sea in the meantime had got very very choppy. I am not the best person on boats but I have to say Iwas terrified, it was bouncing about so much. I was hanging on tightly.We all got thoroughly soaked.



I have never been so glad to reach dry land. I went back to my room and had a hot shower. I had a lovely spicy curry and chatted to some people who have been travelling for a year .They gave me lots of tips about places to stay in fiji and New Zealand.

'KRABI'

Ok I ended my last blog by saying that I was not being scammed. The Grand Palace was definately closed! Well yes you have guessed it. I fell for the scam! Until someone reliably informed me that the Grand Palace and temples were OPEN. They only shut on the day of the king's birthday. SoI hailed a Tuk Tuk and it made its way at breakneck speed to the tourist attractions for me. I really had to hold on tight as he laughed the more he saw my fearful face in his rear view mirror. He weaved his way through traffic, through gaps that I was convinced were impossible for us to fit through. And it was touch and go at times. It was very exciting now that I am still in once piece. I would not have missed it for the world.
When I got inside they made me hire garments to cover myself up properly.I thought my trousers would be long enough. But seems they are an inch too short. Will have to take a sarong with me at all times in future to make an instant skirt.




The palace was getting its finishing touches for the king's birthday the next day.So I was lucky to see it at it's very best.




Amid all this there were ordinary people worshipping at the buddhist temples. I found it facinating to watch.
I spent the kings birthday lounghing by the pool after seeing the millions of people in a sea of yellow on the streets. There really was not an inch to spare. They love their king and it was a very special day for the whole country. He is the grand old age of 80 and he has not been too well recently.
Today got a cheap flight(27 pounds) to the island of Krabi. Have booked into a little room in a guest house for 8 pounds.





It is amazing how cheap the life is here. This is a step down form the Holiday Inn in Bangkok, but more the sort of experience I am looking for. I went for a walk down by the river earlier and I am going for a massage soon. I am ready for it after lugging the rucksac on and off buses. I had to pay excess luggage at the airport so that tells me it really does need trimming down. But I just cannot decide what to leave. I thought I had been pretty good with my packing. We will see.
Tomorrow I plan to get a local bus to one of the islands beautiful beaches and then the day after that I have booked a long boat trip to the smaller islands. I will keep you posted. Thanks for all the messages and emails. It is great to log into them.
I am not putting photo's on this entry again as the connection here keeps cutting out and it will take ages to upload the pictures. That is my excuse and I am sticking to it!! (EDIT..THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE VERY ASTUTE WILL SEE I HAVE FINALLY WORKED OUT HOW TO PUT PHOTOS ON SITE.)

BANGKOK

Arrived in Bangkok after a long but enjoyable flight. It was well worth upgrading to premium economy for the extra leg room. I managed to sleep ok on the flight and watch a couple of films. The chap sat next to me was originally from Sheffield but now living in Australia he was friendly and chatty so we passed the time of day which made the flight go quickly.
The hotel in Bangkok is nice,they have upgraded me to a De-Lux room, which was a nice surprise.




There is an open air swimming pool on the 6th floor.



I took a dip last night and it was an amazing feeling swimming along looking up at the night sky, surrounded by a lot of sky scrapers, with the noise of the Bangkok traffic in the background. I thought what a great way to start my adventure!



Slept well last night because I was so tired after the long journey and the time difference.
Today I have wandered along the busy streets just taking in my surroundings. It is chaotic but very captivating at the same time.
I have spent the last hour in a travel agent booking flights to go to the south islands. Krabi, Phi Phi, Phuket and Ko samui. I am now going to book rooms via the internet.
Trust me to land in Bangkok when it is the kings birhtday tomorrow. Lots of the tourist attractions are closed for a couple of days. I know it is ususally a scam when they tell you they are closed, because they want to take you to their relatives shop! but this time it is genuine.
So I will have to see the temples and grand palace when I come back from the islands around 20th dec.

the journey begins....

Well, said my sad farewells to Fiona this morning. Thanked her for letting me use her flat and office space for the past week. Managed to check in onto the flight last night so it was easy at the airport today.

Phil and Denise dropped me at Tonbridge station to get the train to London. We all kept giggling at the fact i was actually setting off.
Managed to make my way to Heathrow airport. But have to say the rucksac is very heavy and a pain at times on the underground! I will have to have a rethink in Bangkok and see if there is anything I can leave behind.

Nicola came to see me off. It was only when she asked me when I would be back and I responded "15th of October next year" that the true enormity of what I am embarking on hit me. I am so excited and cannot wait to get on the plane.
Going for a well earned glass of champagne before I head for the boarding gates.
Thank you to everyone who has sent good wishes and all the pressies.
HERE GOES!!!! XXX