We were picked up just before 8 a.m. this morning for our 4 island tour. It took over an hour to get all passengers in the van and to the dock. The ship held about 70 passengers and was full; quite a 'mixed bag' of families, retirees, young couples and from many different countries.
Our first stop was "James Bond Island", so called because part of the Man With the Golden Gun was filmed here. Not much to see beyond the famous perpendicular island just off the beach. Back on board we were served a nice buffet lunch with fish, chicken, kebabs, salads, crudites, and fresh fruit. Soda pop, water (not sure if it was bottled originally though), coffee and tea available all tour. Next stop was Hong Island where we were kayaked through an opening in the rocks into beautiful lagoons. Our paddler was Ruse and he spoke adequate English to be charming. He called me madam Ann but Felix became Sam?! Back to the boat for 25 minute trip to our third island where we kayaked into a 150m long cave with bats hanging from the ceiling. It narrowed and lowered to almost nothing and we had to lie back to get under the rocks. Glad the tide wasn't any higher. Our fourth island and stop was a beach for swimming. The water was so warm it didn't refresh much, but fun to swim in the A Sea. Back on board we were refreshed with a young coconut drink. Still in the green casing, the top is sliced off and an opening created similar to beginning to carve a pumpkin. Stick in a straw and you drink the milk inside. It is so immature that there is no brown husk visible and the actual coconut meat is very soft. I think it is an acquired taste and apparently has laxative qualities too! Not needed with all the fruit we have been eating. The paddlers performed a dance routine to make the sailing time back to port go faster and of course to garner bigger tips. We were very pleased with Ruse and he went home happy.
How hot is it in Phuket? Well, our first late afternoon in Phuket Town we sat on the front porch of a bar and had a cold beer. At street level were two large garden pots filled with water and containing water lilies in bloom. A mongrel dog walked over to one of the pots and put his head in. We thought he was just getting a cool drink. Instead, he stepped into the pot with all four legs and proceeded to sit down. It was nearly 5 minutes before he got out, shook himself off and walked away, much cooler.
Musings: Holey Soles, or Crocs, are available everywhere and worn everywhere--up steep temple steps, into the presence of the Buddha, and very often to the beach
The written Thai language and numerals seem to bear some similarity with Arabic.
Phuket is full of Scandinavians, especially Swedes.
People still think someone who doesn't speak their language will suddenly understand them if they shout.
Pictures of the king are everywhere; much like the Middle East.
Our first stop was "James Bond Island", so called because part of the Man With the Golden Gun was filmed here. Not much to see beyond the famous perpendicular island just off the beach. Back on board we were served a nice buffet lunch with fish, chicken, kebabs, salads, crudites, and fresh fruit. Soda pop, water (not sure if it was bottled originally though), coffee and tea available all tour. Next stop was Hong Island where we were kayaked through an opening in the rocks into beautiful lagoons. Our paddler was Ruse and he spoke adequate English to be charming. He called me madam Ann but Felix became Sam?! Back to the boat for 25 minute trip to our third island where we kayaked into a 150m long cave with bats hanging from the ceiling. It narrowed and lowered to almost nothing and we had to lie back to get under the rocks. Glad the tide wasn't any higher. Our fourth island and stop was a beach for swimming. The water was so warm it didn't refresh much, but fun to swim in the A Sea. Back on board we were refreshed with a young coconut drink. Still in the green casing, the top is sliced off and an opening created similar to beginning to carve a pumpkin. Stick in a straw and you drink the milk inside. It is so immature that there is no brown husk visible and the actual coconut meat is very soft. I think it is an acquired taste and apparently has laxative qualities too! Not needed with all the fruit we have been eating. The paddlers performed a dance routine to make the sailing time back to port go faster and of course to garner bigger tips. We were very pleased with Ruse and he went home happy.
How hot is it in Phuket? Well, our first late afternoon in Phuket Town we sat on the front porch of a bar and had a cold beer. At street level were two large garden pots filled with water and containing water lilies in bloom. A mongrel dog walked over to one of the pots and put his head in. We thought he was just getting a cool drink. Instead, he stepped into the pot with all four legs and proceeded to sit down. It was nearly 5 minutes before he got out, shook himself off and walked away, much cooler.
Musings: Holey Soles, or Crocs, are available everywhere and worn everywhere--up steep temple steps, into the presence of the Buddha, and very often to the beach
The written Thai language and numerals seem to bear some similarity with Arabic.
Phuket is full of Scandinavians, especially Swedes.
People still think someone who doesn't speak their language will suddenly understand them if they shout.
Pictures of the king are everywhere; much like the Middle East.
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