(10:07 a.m., Thursday, January 28th)
Goodbye Khoa Lak and hello Phuket.
I’m currently travelling with the group in an air-conditioned van heading for Phuket. I think this will be the first time that I have been dry for the entire trip.
Yesterday was one of those days that left me jaw agape. We had a daylong R&R event that led us to places such as Phang Nga Bay, Koh, Ping-gan (James Bond Island), Koh Pan Yee and Khao Kian.
Say those destinations 10 times fast.
Our day started as we boarded two long-tail boats to head to our first destination. Long-tail boats are rectangular in shape and sit low to the water. The neat thing about these boats is that a large truck engine powers them.
Welded to the drive shaft (the “spiny” part) is a large shaft about 3 meters long where a prop is affixed. The truck engine is mounted at the back of the boat on a pin mechanism. This makes the boat very maneuverable and fast.
Quite an experience.
Ping-gan was really interesting. It is the location the James Bond movie “The Man with the Golden Gun” was filmed. I could clearly visualize the first time that I saw the movie as a kid with particular attention to a large cylindrical rock formation where James Bond’s evil superfluous nippled nemesis hid his solar collector weapon.
Back on the boat we had a quick ride to Koh Pan Yee, which is a self-sustaining floating village. The village’s primary source of income is tourism of course and you can spend hours walking down dark alley’s, sarongs and silks blowing in a gentle breeze, offensive but sweet smells of open barbeques roasting squid and other indefinable meat.
Kind of like the “Street Meat” we get in Toronto.
It was amazing flipping from attraction to attraction where to photograph was the most difficult part. The perspective of small islands dotting out of the algae green water against a blue grey sky was without a doubt the most awe inspiring site. Especially when a small fishing boat would nudge into your focal point.
Once back at he pier we were taken to Wat Suwankua. This is a sacred Buddhist temple that is has been hewn into the rock. Inside of the cave you will find a reclining golden Buddha. Amazing.
The fun part of this sacred place is that it’s primary residents are Monkeys. I’m not taking about a few Monkeys. I’m talking Monkey pandemonium!
For 50 Baht I bought a jar of peanuts (monkey food) and sat down where I the residents sat around me and gently to the treats from the palm of my hand.
And then I met her.
One particular Monkey (a female) sat beside me and I started to feed her a peanut at a time. This obviously was not good enough for her as (just like a woman) she dove both hands into the jar and tried to pull them away from me. Looking into her eyes I saw such determination. This little critter was going to take all of my peanuts at any cost.
After a few tugs she finally got her hands full and backed away from me where she pushed all of her captured treasures into her mouth.
Back at the hotel the group broke off and some of us went out for dinner.
After dinner a few of us went to the 12Bar where we had a touching good-bye with our favorite Barmaid “Nong”. My friends Nicole and Eryn sang songs with her, we had a single cocktail and then it was back to the hotel to pack..
So here I am traveling to Phuket in an air-conditioned van heading for the Sodom and Gomorrah of Phuket Island.
This should be interesting.
