A Small Adventure

Today was our last full day before James and Shaniah head home for Aus. We started off with our first Mother’s Day together for a VERY long time. Couldn’t figure out how long. We organised many mangoes to be delivered and prepared as part of breakfast at our house since Mama loves mangoes so much. I also saw a squirrel, so my day started perfectly.

Today’s big activity was a boat tour to explore the beautiful Ao Phang Nga National Park, 400 km² of limestone cliffs, rock formations, mangrove forests and small islands in the Andaman Sea. We were picked up at 1030 and after an hour long drive, we arrived at the pier. We were given a briefing followed by an opportunity to buy some essentials for the trip (beers).

We set off at a leisurely pace towards our first stop, where we anchored and had some time for swimming and kayaking. We saw many monkeys in the trees surrounding the bay, which was exciting to many. One of the monkeys put on a show for us and jumped off a rock into the sea, swam right past us to shore, climbed a tree and then looked down at us (we thought) for a while. Suddenly,  it leaped into the water (right next to us) and came up with a fish in its mouth! It then retreated to the safety of the trees to eat in peace. Clever monkey! Who knew monkeys could swim!? Very cool thing to witness.

Our next stop was a highlight. We were given a sea canoe and a guide and set off to explore the mangrove caves. These caves weren’t accessible an hour prior due to high tide and were so narrow at some sections that we had to lie down flat on our backs. I’m amazed we didn’t get stuck.

Next up Khao Phing Kan, famous  since 1974, when it was featured in the James Bond film “The Man with the Golden Gun”. Not caring too much about the James Bond stuff, I got my photo of the famous 20-metre tall islet,  called Ko Ta Pu, or James Bond Island, and wandered off to explore the other rocks and caves.

We then headed for Hong Island, accessible by canoe only. Hong means closed room, which reflected the feeling when entering the inner lagoon, which was enclosed by tall limestone rocks. It was so peaceful here and I could have spent hours floating around this lagoon.

We had dinner on the boat while watching the beautiful sunset. Once dark, it was time to get back in our canoes for the last activity, bioluminescent plankton! I’m lucky to have seen these before in various locations but they never cease to amaze me.  It was a perfect ending to a fantastic and well organised tour.

Back to our house at 1030pm and ready for a shower and bed. It was a long but very enjoyable day.

The last two days have been a much needed slower pace. Partially because we all started post wedding day a bit dusty, and also because we wanted to enjoy our beautiful surroundings in the resort before we leave.

We’ve spent a lot of time in the resort’s pool and enjoying their happy hours. I tried some street food, which was super tasty, and I did not get a sore tummy! We’ve also all had more massages at the little village.

Grace’s family and friends have returned to HK, and she now joins us for the next leg of the adventure in Patong, where we’ve hired a house. Tom and I have had another fitting of the clothes we’re getting made. Tom’s is a suit and looks amazing and mine are some pants and two dresses. The pants are rad but the jury is out on the dresses. Will collect them completed in two days.

On the way to Patong, we explored Phuket Old Town. This town has a rich history in tin mining by a variety of cultures, including Siamese, Malays, Chinese and Sea Gypsies. I guess this is how it got such a unique variety of architecture. The main style is described as Sino-Portuguese, and many of these have been preserved and converted into shops, hotels, restaurants, and museums.

There have been some wild thunderstorms the last two nights. Both rolling in at around midnight and so loud and exciting, it’s hard not to stay up and watch them. I’ve never seen the sky light up like that.

It’s been a lovely couple of days just being present with the family.

Hey guess what, I have a new sister in-law! It was a big day for Jonny and Grace with various Chinese traditions starting early.

The tea ceremony took place in the morning. First with Grace’s family and then with Jonny’s. It is a Chinese tradition which welcomes the bride or groom and unifies both families. Jonny and Grace served tea to the elders in their families and then received gifts and words of wisdom. It was very special and a beautiful thing to witness. 

The wedding was outside next to a small pool overlooking the sea. It was a beautiful setting. The wedding was mostly western styled and in English which was very handy. The vows made me tear up and reminded me how much Jonny and Grace have been through over the years, being separated by covid, and how strong their love is for each other. Tom and James looked great as groomsmen standing next to Jonny on his big day. It was an absolute scorcher of a day, I think 35 degrees at the time of the ceremony. I was grateful for the cold face cloths they passed around and the fans on the chairs.

The reception was at a different location within the resort and equally as beautifully decorated. Not long after we all sat down, a storm rolled in. Thunder, lightening, wind, rain, the whole lot! It was fascinating to watch, comfortably, inside. The staff were incredibly efficient at moving the buffet tables inside, I’m sure they have done this many times before. The wedding videographer had already created a sneak peak video of the day, which was played to us all. It was incredible and very moving.

A few speeches, spoken in English and Cantonese, followed by an evening of tasty food and wine (a rather excessive intake of both) and dancing.

I do love weddings! Congratulations to Jonny and Grace for putting on such an amazing day.

Waking up to birdsong this morning was absolute bliss. Even if it was 530am. You may remember from last year, I don’t tend to sleep all that much while I’m travelling. Not on purpose, but once I’m awake, it makes sense to get up and enjoy the day.  This resort is so relaxing and quiet. Everyone working here is calm, polite and helpful, you wouldn’t know there was a wedding tomorrow!  While waiting for the rest of the tribe to wake up, I attempted a run. This lasted less than 20 minutes and was followed by a leisurely breakfast with the grown-ups (parents/aunt/uncles) and a very relaxing paddle in the pool, a much more sensible thing to do.

We’re coming into some stormy weather, so to make the most of today’s sunshine, we hired a couple of long-tail boats for an adventure on the sea.

The long-tail boat originated in Thailand in the early 20th century and has varied in style over the years. What remains the same, and what gives it its name, is the driveshaft. This needs to be extended by several metres of metal rod to allow the propeller to function properly due to how all the things are attached to each other. Yes, I said things, I don’t know how boats/engines/motors work.

It was an amazing service. Our boats came with drivers who parked up and waited for us to be done with our activities. They provided water and snorkels and were very patient with our group of various wants and needs.

We anchored for a bit of snorkelling before getting dropped off at Banana Beach on Coral Island (Koh Hey).  Here, we did some more swimming/snorkelling and had a bite to eat, followed by some relaxing on the beach. Worried about getting burnt the day before the wedding, I mostly kept to the shade. The fish were colourful and fun to watch, and I’m so proud of myself for getting in the water even though there were jellyfish around!

Back in time for happy hour (2 for 1 cocktails) at the poolside bar and to meet some more of Grace’s wedding party. More swimming before dinner at another local and very cute restaurant. My meal and drink was $6, plus they gave us all a cocktail to start and a plate of watermelon and pineapple to finish. How do they make any money? It was a quiet night, in bed by 1030. Very responsible Small family.

If there was a Guinness World Record for how many swear words were said during a massage, I’d have won it today. The grown-up me kept them (nearly) all in my head, but oh my god, there were some well-earned colourful words during my 60-minute Thai massage.

Thai Massage (also known as nuat phaen thai ) is a form of manual therapy that combines pressure, rubbing and assisted yoga postures to boost blood circulation, reduce muscular soreness and ease the aches and pains of many health conditions such as insomnia, depression and arthritis. When I decided to book a massage at the resort, I knew I wanted a massage with purpose, rather than a relaxing massage with nice smelling oils but no oomph.

I got the oomph, and more. On a background of my overly ambitious run yesterday, this massage highlighted and addressed every one of my sore muscles. It was the stretch I never did times a hundred. Painful, blissful, and so worth it. A weirdly peaceful thunderstorm in the distance and a beautiful setting, my day started off wonderfully.

While only 21km away, it took an hour to drive to the wedding venue where we will stay for 4 nights. This is quite normal timing for what seems short distances due to the windy roads and absolutely chaotic traffic.

We are staying at a Wellness Retreat Resort in the Cape Panwa region, about 10km from Phuket Town. It is truly stunning. A rainy afternoon meant no cocktails were enjoyed on the rooftop but instead, a relaxing bath with a tasty gin and some downtime before what is likely to be a busy few days.

Dinner in the village with live music followed by a night of cocktails (and shots) with the girls while the boys do boy stuff. Way too late getting to bed for this old Nana. More excitement with Uncle Roger joining us as well as Grace’s family arriving, who I haven’t met yet.

Would you believe I started today with a run in the resort’s gym?? No, I wouldn’t believe me either. Who am I? Does it justify the amount of food and drinks I’ve already had? Probably not. But I say it earned me some beer tokens for later.

That out of the way, I enjoyed a leisurely morning in the pool while a thunderstorm happened somewhere in the distance. The thunder was loud and exciting, but the rain stayed mild and brief. Then, another adventure!

Bukit Elephant Sanctuary is home to 7 female, Asian elephants ranging from 45 to 76 years old and all rescued from elephant riding. I was hesitant to visit an elephant ‘sanctury’ because I wasn’t sure whether they would truly have the elephant’s best interests at heart, so it was a relief to witness nothing but love and admiration for the elephants. The caretakers all seemed to understand and respect their elephant’s needs and let us know which ones liked pats and which ones should just be looked at. Asian elephants weigh between 2-5 tonnes and can eat 150kg of vegetation a day! That’s a lot of fibre. It was amazing to see them up close and learn about their stories.

It was interesting to learn that elephant ownership is legal for anyone in Thailand, even tourists can buy them. Sadly, many elephants spend their entire lives in captivity and chains for the entertainment of others. You could see scars on their backs from years of wearing saddles and some had scars on their legs or ripped ears from chains. It was encouraging to hear that ethical tourism is changing the way the elephants are treated. Tourists are starting to realise that riding elephants all day, every day isn’t kind, and so those sorts of places are changing, leading to more rescue sanctuaries like this one.

These elephants will (hopefully) enjoy a safe and quiet retirement here.

Jonny and Grace arrived today, and we’re finally all together! Happy hour was enjoyed on the roof, followed by a walk down to the beach for dinner and drinkies.

Tomorrow, we leave Kamala Beach for the wedding resort. It’s all getting a bit close now!

Today started with another amazing and leisurely breaky, followed by a walk down to Kamala Beach to help Mum and Dad get their bearings and adjust to the climate. I do love the beach and the sea, but I’m really not a big fan of sand. It just gets in all the places doesn’t it!?

We then adventured to Patong Beach to get James fitted for a suit. Patong is a 20-minute drive south from Kamala and is a popular beach resort town. It is much busier than Kamala Beach with people, scooters and tuktuks everywhere! We wandered down Bangla Road, also known as Soi Bangla, or “never sleep walking street”.

This street was fascinating. It mostly consisted of bars (normal ones plus go-go bars), tailors, massage palors, and shops selling knock-offs. There was the odd gun shooting shed or weed shop along the way. What was most fascinating was the number of people on the footpath trying to get you into their establishment. They were relentless! Though mostly pleasant and polite, they were very eager to get you into their store and not the exact same one next door. Relatively tame during the day, but at night, the road is closed to traffic and is popular for its night market and, apparently, the best nightclubs in Phuket.

We ate lunch at an Aussie Bar, partly because they were playing the Warriors game which James wanted but for me, because they gave me a cold facecloth when I walked in which was GLORIOUS. Beers here were significantly cheaper than the resort, between ฿70-90, which is about $3.50.

We spent a bit of time at the tailors and I may have committed to getting a few things made also. Then, my first massage in Thailand! The beginning of many to come I’m sure. This one, a 30 minute foot massage and wow, would recommend. They find all the right pressure points to  relax the shit outta you!

I didn’t even laugh at the tickly bits. I did, however, laugh at the “inside shoes” they gave me to wear between the feet washing section and the massage chair section. You’ll see why.
We stay at Patong after the wedding so we’ll explore more later.

We had dinner at the resort poolside bar, a change from our original plan to eat at the rooftop bar because the prices were enormous! Instead, Pad Thai by the pool! We were joined by Uncle Bruce and Atholea tonight who have come over early for some exploring before the wedding. It’s very cool to have all the family over here.

Tomorrow, Jonny and Grace arrive and then we’ll finally be 6/6!

Today I woke up feeling like my holiday had truly begun. In a ginormous bed with lush sheets, no Auckland noise and the distant sound of the sea.

Wide awake at 4am thanks to an out of sync body clock, I enjoyed a relaxing morning chilling in my hotel robe, reading about the resort and all the possible activities for the next few days while awaiting breakfast to open. Breakfast was amazing! So much variety and so hard not to eat everything all at once. Not bad coffee too. Bonus.

I wandered down to Kamala Beach to get familiar with my surroundings and attempt to climatise. Holy heck it’s hot! Mid 30s and very humid and sticky, it’s going to be an interesting month for “can’t handle much over 26°c Anna”. Water isn’t safe to drink here, but bottled water is affordable at 7/11s, I stocked up today.

Being one of the more quiet areas in Phuket, the beach and shop fronts were quite tame, though I still got asked if I wanted a massage or a Tuktuk at least 8 or 10 times each.

Back to the hotel and Mum and Dad have arrived! With their suitcases and everything. Very happy to reunite and catch up over cocktails by the pool throughout the afternoon.

At night, we adventured to Magic Carnival. This is a festival market, or fair, spanning over 40 acres,  describe as Thailands first Cultural Carnival Park, boasting 9 Guinness World Records including world’s largest popcorn machine, largest LED structure and longest float parade.

So hard to describe what we witnessed tonight, Mum likened it to visiting Willy Wonka. With incredible architecture and energy throughout, It was a wonder to visit.

Back to the hotel to wait for Tom and Luisa to arrive. They’ve had a number of delays and a long journey from Munich.

Very exciting, 5/6 Smalls together!

I made it! phew. But sadly, Mum and Dad missed our connecting flight by minutes due to a long queue on the tarmac. This made me quite sad because I was looking forward to our Singapore rendezvous and our arrival to Thailand together. They were rescheduled to a flight tomorrow morning and have another early start ahead. Hope their luggage turns up!

A long journey as always when travelling halfway across the world. I continue to rate AirNZ food above anyone else’s and utilised their bar service for extra snacks and drinkies to pass the time.  I had a window seat next to just one person on the first flight, so it was comfy enough, despite the frequent turbulence, which I don’t think I’ve experienced on a long flight before.

Sadly, I was unsuccessful on the nap front and instead, passed the time watching a movie with a cat in it and then an intense murder mystery TV series with an American Kate Winslett 😅 I didn’t even watch Harry Potter. So adventurous of me.

The flight to Thailand with Singapore Airlines was delayed also, but once in the air, only 90 minutes. They served up dinner and wine, which was a nice surprise and my second dinner, which I didn’t need but ate anyway. For research purposes, of course. A close competitor to AirNZ for tasty plane food.

I safely arrived in Phuket, collected my luggage (yay) and quickly bought a sim card before going through the barely existent customs. Do I know what plan I bought? No, I’m a bit knackered by this point. I successfully found the driver we booked to take me to the hotel. He was wondering where my friends were.

Staying in Kamala Beach for the next few days. This is on the west coast of Phuket and about a 50-minute drive from the airport. It’s known for its beautiful beaches and less chaotic vibe, which I think is a great way to start.

About twenty hours later, I am glad to be putting my head down and excited to explore the hotel and surroundings tomorrow.

For the next few weeks, I won’t have to look at my phone screen to figure out what’s an appropriate time to message my family chat because we will finally be in the same timezone! What an exciting thought!

My poor little Kala Bear knew what was going on as I left this morning. Her cute little face made it hard to leave. I’m so grateful to Sadie who will keep her fed and loved while I’m away. I hope Kala remains the well behaved angel she is with me…

Good luck Sadie!

I had a very interesting trip to the airport with a lovely, albeit very chatty, Uber driver from Malaysia.  He gave me many tips, including foods to eat and to avoid, and informed me of all the snakes and lizards in Thailand that could kill me.  Then he told me to have a wonderful time. So I will do that. The wonderful time part, not the death by lizard part.

Starting my holiday off with the usual tradition of bubbles and people/plane watching when I get an alert, the flight is delayed by an hour. Lucky it’s one of my fave bubbles, the Cloudy Bay Pelorus, so I’ll just have a few more to pass the time. Always helps me nap on planes anyway.

Will I miss my connecting flight? Watch this space…