Phuket – Island Hopping 1

I’m finding it very difficult to blog on a daily basis. Partly because I am always exhausted after a long day, usually starting at 7am, followed by a short break before night activities, and partly because it takes a while to select and edit the photos, So the regularity and quality of posts will diminish somewhat as time goes by.

The last few days I’ve been island hopping, finishing with my last one tomorrow, and I’ve seen a Muay Thai kickboxing event. This was the real deal as opposed to those shows put on for tourists.

I took a full-day speedboat tour to Krabi and a few islands to get a feel for the beautiful water and sands. Although the weather was pretty bad the water was very warm and the snorkeling fun. I will say that the quality of the reefs we saw was very average. Perhaps the tsunami made a real mess of things, perhaps I’ve been spoiled with what we have back at home – even in Port Philip Bay – or perhaps there is better to come. What made the tour great was that I shared it not only with the obligatory United Nations of Tourists, but with 6 off-duty guides. These local Thai’s were taking a rare chance to see the sights they don’t get to see when they are working, and were an absolute riot. Even with the bad weather we were all smiling, all day long. And to top it off they bought me beer for the return trip. Just me, mind you. I guess I look more thirsty than every other tourist in Phuket…

The trip out to the first island took about 90 minutes, during which their cameras didn’t seem to stop clicking. Mine was grabbed halfway through, and I was forced into this shot (Can’t you tell?). For the benefit of those who like to see me in photos (are you all nuts?) …

On the way out there were some interesting sights.  I can see how the tsunami was so devastating, as there is a very long shallow area, and the tides are quite dramatic here.  This guy is collecting “clams” (we call them pipis, whelks and cockles) whilst the tide is out. He pushes the box along, which apparently somehow “calls” the shellfish out, then grabs them and throws them into the box.

Halfway to the first island we passed a boat which seemed to be on fire. Seeing as our captain made no comment or radio call, I can only assume that someone was brewing local coffee or cooking up a storm inside.

My first attempt at snorkeling with my underwater camera housing was a mixed affair.  Whilst the camera didn’t get wet, I wasn’t able to see what I was shooting very well, and the PVC often pressed the function buttons whenever I dived deeper and the pressure increased.  It remains to be seen how successful I’ll be at shooting whilst scuba diving.

We stopped at Chicken Island.  I can’t remember why it is called that, but it’s a nice little sand atoll that has a shallow tidal crossing to another island.  On the landing area was a group of people repeatedly playing a snippet of Indian music.  I didn’t think much of it until someone explained to me they were filming for a Bollywood film.  This was a love scene, and I realised eventually that the two actors were lying on the ground kissing for each take, and that they had been filming the same take for the entire time were on the island – that would be about 45 minutes!

Around the Krabi region are small islands with caves in which people live. They set themselves up to collect birds nests for a period of time after which they set sail back to the mainland to sell their harvest.  Looks pretty peaceful, but I don’t suppose there’d be any wireless internet.

The trip home was very much a different experience to that going out. A storm hit us, and we all got extremely drenched.  Whilst this didn’t bother me at all the locals are not used to anything below about 28 degrees, and they were clearly suffering, even under their ponchos.  They still managed a painful smile, though.

Canoe trip

Still in Phuket, Thailand, I left at a more respectable hour for a canoe tour of what I think is referred to as James Bond Island. This is because of one of the JB films based there. This tour was highly recommended by other Aussies I spoke to, and whilst it wasn’t a thrill a minute, it was pretty enjoyable.

Not too much to share photo-wise on this one, as I don’t want to throw up endless images of blue skys, green water, and impressive tall mountainous islands. You can Google “Phuket” for those shots.

The fabled light at the end of the tunnel. I should send this to those left working for Coles.

Inside this cave were a stack of fruit bats hanging from the ceiling. (What’s the correct term for a group of bats? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? I reckon it’s an Ozzy of Bats.) They stunk, and you can imagine how little air there was in there as the tide rose.

One of the cutest things in the ocean is the mud-skipper. This one looks like she needs to reapply her lipstick though.

Each of the boats had a guide to tell us about what we were seeing, as well as do the actual paddling. One of them was nick-named King Kong, for very obvious reasons. He was a huge for a young guy, and a riot. He fell out of the canoe at one stage, showing off for the two girls in his boat by trying to balance standing up. My guide told me in an earnest voice that all the other guides encouraged him to exercise regularly, and they assisted by doing so with him every day during their breaks.

This was their exercise – hackysack. Everytime you miss the sack, or kick it badly, you have to do a lap of the group. He was terrible at it, and they kept kicking it to him. That’s him messing another one up right now.