On Tuesday 6th December 2005, Carole & I finally got away for our first holiday of the year. We were heading back to Thailand, a week in Phuket followed by a week in Kho Samui. It was a real last minute affair as we had only booked the trip 3 days earlier.

Nathan took us to Heathrow to catch the 10pm direct flight to Bangkok, and after a few hours hanging about at the airport , another flight down to Phuket. We were rather surprised to find we had a 747 to takes us Phuket as usually it's an Airbus. We arrived there late on Wednesday evening and after finding the car taking us to our hotel, headed off to the Blue Marine at the northern end of Patong Beach. We had hoped to go back to the Le Meridien, but could not book it up in time, so we were wondering what the hotel would be like.

As you can see we had nothing to worry about, it was superb! The restuarant had closed by the time we had settled , but we had the first on many wonderful meals brought to our room. I had Chicken & Cashew Nuts and Carole had Chicken & Rice served in a Pineapple, washed down with Singha Beer and a Milk Shake.

The following morning we crawled down to breakfast about 10.00am, and reacquainted ourselves with a typical touristy Thai breakfast. Then it was off to find a tuk tuk to go down to Patong beach (about a five minute trip). Wandered around the shops before heading for the beach to lie in the sun. This turned out to be the one of only nice days we had on the whole trip. The weather considering the time of year was awful. The monsoon season had just go on and on, and worse was to come when we got to Samui. We got back to the hotel about 2.30 and went back to the Blue Pacific for lunch. He we met the team who made our stay so memorable, in particular Aad who looked after wonderfully the whole time we were there, and become our Thai teacher as we struggled the the wonderful language that is Thai. Still tired form the long flight we wandered back to the room, to shower and rest, and before we knew it, it was 9.00pm and off we went back to the restuarant.

Friday 9th December
Took the hotel shuttle bus to Phuket Town and visited the shopping centre on the outskirts of the town. Rained all day so we thought it would be a good day to be indoors. The Centre is on floors with plenty of shops and cafes. Wondered around for a few hours, had lunch and then went to see the new Harry Potter movie in the De Luxe cinema, free popcorn and Pepsi and armchairs the size of settees. Really nice! Then outside to try and find the shuttle bus back to the hotel. The traffic was solid with the usual chaos presided over by the local traffic police. The bus eventually turned with profuse apologies, but we had had an interesting time watching the hustle and bustle. After a wash and brush up it was back to Patong Beach for a few drinks and a meal in an Italian restuarant, before heading back to the bar in the hotel before heading for bed.

Saturday 10th December

Monsoon time again, so after breakfast lazed around in the room and on the balcony, catching up, on the holiday reading. Checked to see what was going on in the evening. Not a lot was the answer, didnt fancy going back to the Simon ladyboy caberet or Phantasea, so ended up in the Blue Pacific where we were royally served and entertained by Aad and his colleagues.

Sunday 11th December

Aad had changed his day off from Tuesday to Sunday in order to spend the day with me. It was quite a nice day so Carole lazed by the pool whilst I toddled of to the Big C shopping centre to meet up with Aad. Asked the tuk tuk driver to take me to the main entrance. Ended up in a huge car park with two entrances and wandered between them and he road road looking for Aad. No luck, texted Carole saying I would hang around a bit longer and then wander around the centre before returning back. I had looked around the ground floor in case Aad was inside, but about an hour after we had supposed to meet, started a good look around inside. It was then I discovered that the centre is built on on a hill and on the thirds floor is another entrance with a huge outside car park and eventually met up with Aad who had been there for nearly two hours and was just about to give up on me!

Anyways we then took a trip around Phuket Town on the back of his motor bike. Our first stop was at Aad's wonderful girlfriend Po's house, where we chatted for a bit, took a few snaps, had a cold drink before setting off again

We set off around the town ending up back at the Big C where, after we bought a couple of CD's by the major Thai band Carabou, Aad had a game of bowls arranged at alley at the top of the centre. We met up with Nunng and her friend, ordered some food and drinks and spent a pleasant hour or so chatting while Aad and Nunng played.

After the game it was back on the road again. The next stop was the Thai outdoor market in Phuket Town. It was huge and packed out with locals. It was one of those markets where you could buy almost anything We wandered around foir ages and ended buying a few bits and pieces for considerably less than the stall and shope in Patong Beach. Aad met up with some Thai girl friends and introduced me to them, nice bunch!

Finally time to go, and Aad took me back to Patong, where I caught a motor bike taxi back to the hotel. A magic day with special people and an insight in to the life of the ordinary folks of Phuket. Magic!