We are very lazy in the morning – no gym. I try to catch up with the blogspot. I book our trip to Phi Phi Island with an outside agent. During our last two bookings we have made a typical tourist mistake – we booked our trips through the hotel and paid full price. A very nice Indian couple from Sandton, VJ (whom we call “oom”) and his wife Primmy, gave us the name of this agent. The trip to Phi Phi is half price than what the hotel quoted – same trip, same boat everything, but possibly so cheap because it is low season. (For anyone coming to Phuket, this is his contact details – Aaron 076 345225). We of course waited for VJ and family to come back from their trip, but heard during the morning that it was great, the sea was just a bit rough!
After breakfast we hit the pool and Winsome goes off again for some research….(!!!!!), When it is my time to do some “research”- the hotel spa is fully booked and I go to the local salon right next the hotel. I opt for a back and neck massage. Oh, it is painful and fabulous at the same time! After an hour of being properly worked over, and at only B300 (R 70), I now understand the reason why Winsome has to do so much “research”!!! I now offer my services to her as a research agent – and I think after the visit to the spa yesterday the kids do too!
Luc has been irritating Katie and at the pool they are a point where she tells Luc to stay on his side of the pool. Shame, his heart is broken. He shares his pain by telling me “that he thought if they are big he will ask Katie to marry him, but now he is not so sure as she is really rude to him”. Poor Katie is just not used to a wild, energetic boy!
After swimming and massages we get dressed to go to Kata Beach. As we sit on the hotel “bakkie” (The hotel transfer is a bakkie with seats and a high canopy), a dog jumps on. He is very friendly and although he looks like a street dog (all dogs here do!), he has a collar and must belong to someone. We are terrified as the driver wants to leave for town with the dog on the back. How will the dog know to get back home if he jumps off? After serious protest from us, and a great effort to get him off, the dog is left behind – and we feel great about helping!
The two kids are absolute horrors. Luc has been irritating Katie, who has in turn been unforgiving to him. They do not stop on the truck and there is a big fight about Luc not being allowed to look at Katie. Winsome and I are at wits end with all the fighting and eventually I smack Luc on the leg (very hard!). I think both kids are very rude and threaten to give both of them a hiding. It is very exhausting and tiring for the two mothers who have no idea of what to do with them – and gives the outing an unpleasant start. Later on the beach Luc says that he does not think he wants to get married! Shame my boy, you have to learn the hard way!!!
From Patong we take a Tuk Tuk to Kata Beach and the Reggae Bar Winsome heard about. Our driver is not sure where it is, but quickly does some research of his own and soon we are on the beach. It is a really pretty beach, reminds me a lot of Chacala in Mexico where we lived for a month three years ago. Luc cannot stay out of the water and soon he is wet. We sit and chat on the beach and then go for our first cocktails of the holiday. The kids get Pina Colada (with no booze) – which they do not like and the mothers have to finish. Winsome has a Pina Colada and I order a strange blue concoction.
After drinks we walk down the street to find a restaurant. Down an alley we see a nice restaurant, also on the beach. Just to discover that it is actually right next to the Reggae Bar and we could have taken a much sorter route.
The kids order Noodles with Chicken, which turned out to be really nice. Thick flat noodles with crisp vegetables and chicken. Winsome has the green curry, which does not come close to the one we made at Pums. I order Chicken with cashew nuts pretty mediocre.
We look at a few shops and see one shop where they copy art (there are a few of these on the island and we have seen some Van Goghs!!). This shop has a Gustav Klimpt reproduction that is stunning and I am very tempted to buy it.
Our Tuk Tuk man, who offered to come back to get us, is there waiting for us. Winsome is impressed with the effort the locals make to accommodate you. So far we have not yet had a bad experience.
We get off at Jungceloyn Centre to pick up the last of the PSP shopping. We notice a stunning ice-cream shop, with decadent ice creams. Luc takes a Banoffi Creation, which he later swops for my Chocolate Vanilla hazelnut ice cream. She gets Winsome and Katie’s order wrong and serves a double Mint chocolate ice cream for which Winsome has to fork out B 260 (nearly R70!). Winsome decides to keep the slip as a souvenir!
The man at the shop happily hands over all the purchases. He give the kids some free covers for their PSP’s and there is a very happy exchange of goodbyes as we depart.
We rush to the hotel pickup point. When we get there we get a great surprise. Sitting next to a South African couple (there are a lot of South Africans here on the Thompsons Tours Package), is our friend the DOG, whom we kicked off the bus. The couple inform us that they also saw him on the bakkie earlier on. We come to the conclusion that he knows the route and must have a girl in town that he visits. When we get to the hotel, there is another couple that is frantic about the dog. They also saw him get on and did not know what happened to him. So a great ending for our Gigolo dog!
On the way to the room we witness a big cat fight and one cat ends up in the pool – which does not stop the fighting! What is it with the animals in this town?
Once again we struggle to get the kids to bed, as they are now absorbed in their new games. Luc gives me the chance to test the Mind Game. Which informs me that I have a brain age of 72!!!! Ouch!!!!
Luc is still very bothered about the fight with Katie, he promises not to do it again (let’s see how long that one lasts!) and even apologizes to her – but she is still ignoring him. Eina – the poor guy and his broken heart!
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