Phuket low season that never was...

Wow! Where is time going to? Phuket has what some describe as 'low season' from May to October inclusive. I am usually a bit depressed at this time. I don't like being quiet and not having much to do. Bring on 2012 and this low season has been manic! When i returned from the UK in June, business at SUB AQUA Dive Center (where I am Manager) immediately ramped up through July with the European Summer holidays kicking in at the same time as the Australian winter and great low season deals on Phuket hotels/flights.

More than just 'business', I got involved with a new project. You can read more about it on SUB AQUA Dive Center's blog but what started out as a small united group of Dive Centre Managers trying to do their best for Phuket is coming to fruition with the first planned event, 'Dive Against Debris' on 30th September 2012. It is the first time in all my time in Phuket that I have seen business owners/managers (particularly those in the diving industry) come together to do good. The event on 30th September looks set to be huge and I have put a lot of effort into gathering support for the project and offering logistical support in the run up to and on the day.

Then in August, I had the holiday of a lifetime. Mik and I flew from Phuket to Bali, spent 2 lovely nights in Ubud before flying on to Bima to joining Worldwide Dive And Sail's diving liveaboard to Komodo National Park.
Here are some photos from our trip:-

Villa Mandi, Ubud - tranquil setting

The best carrot cake I have ever tasted - Kafe in Ubud

Our place for a couple of nights

I could eat at this restaurant in the paddy fields of Ubud every day

I'll take the salad...

It tasted as good as it looks!

Ubud is so tranquil and beautiful

I was made up to find that cocoa beans grow in Bali!

Tea and coffee tasting - I am in heaven!

Me attempting a wood carving - I was rubbish at it!

This guy was sharpening blades for the feet of birds cock-fighting. Brutal!

Cycling in the countryside in Bali - Mik and me

This little girl let us walk around her home. Bless her.

Big smiles as we stop at a Balinese temple for a rest

Back on the road... or kind of off-roading really

This was a daily occurrence once we were on board the boat

First morning - we are awake just about. Time for dive briefing!

Had to include this - it was our 9 year anniversary!

Then came the Komodo dragons!

Dragon loving - LOL

Relaxing with a gin and tonic on the sundeck after a day of great dives

Tourist photo - Komodo National Park - tick!

Me and the man on Komodo Island

There ain't no dragon gonna eat me!

Me and my home for 10 days - ain't she lovely!

Indo Siren on 10 day Komodo diving tour

Absolutely beautiful vessel and great crew!

Close-up with the boat in my sights!

Fellow divers and crew on board the Indo Siren trip to Komodo August 2012

Then it was back to work! But there is a balance between work and play so if I took holiday in August, I then got stuck into my triathlon training and sorting the dive centre for high season. (Yes, not long now... 25th November is the Laguna Phuket Triathlon!). In September, it has been time to play a little again...

On 19th September Mik turned 40 and it was time to make sure he enjoyed every moment of celebrating it. With a few surprises, like a night at Serenity Terraces Resort , he had a lovely time. As I write this, he is off still celebrating with one of his gifts (rental of a Ducati Monster motorbike) and razzing around the Island with a couple of friends that have termed themselves 'Pie N Mash MC'. Ha! I'm so happy for him. Here are some photos of the fun we have had over his birthday week:-

The 'big' gift!

Surprise birthday cake taken to his workplace in the afternoon of his actual birthday

Evening of his birthday and it was time for a sundowner at East 88 beach lounge

Our apartment for the evening

Me and the man - combined age of 70! Crikey!

The band we rocked out with at his Party

The next morning... collection of gifts... mainly alcohol based. LOL!

 That's it. You are all updated. This week is going to be mostly spent making final preparation for the Go Eco Phuket 'Dive Against Debris' event on 30th September. Day full of press conferences and presentations to participants this Tuesday and the Rawai-Naiharn Dragon Boat Quiz this Thursday evening... It's all go this low season! Happy times.

Late blogging...

I'm back... just. The high season is in full swing in Phuket. I'm actually pretty tired and in need of a break now but I wanted to give you some photos. This will go some way to giving you an update since my last post. So here is a summary of what has been going on with me and my life in Phuket...

December - January saw Mik and I celebrate Christmas and New Year. We even went as far as buying a new Christmas tree this year but most of it was work work work. I cannot complain, this is the best time of year for the diving industry and Sub Aqua Dive Centre in Karon (where I am Manager) had a great couple of months! Back home at our place, Mik and I managed some treats kindly sent to us from family and friends in UK. As presents to ourselves I bought Mik a new Trek 3900 mountain bike and he got mine a complete make-over after my Dad kindly boxed it up and sent it to me here in Phuket.

Presents from family under the tree with my sparkly Xmas shoes

Awesome present from my MUM - Huddersfield Town garden gnome!

Our new Christmas tree complete with presents from family in Spain and UK

Here is my bike - could not get new front forks to match but happy to have it back in my life and working

And here is Mik's shiny new bike complete with fancy disc brakes

Also through January and into February we got involved with the Rawai-Naiharn Dragon Boat Club. It means we have new friends that are not just divers (as much as i love my scuba diving friends) and it helps in our endless crusade to keep ourselves fit (or get fit!). The club have monthly quiz nights that are always a laugh and good social events such as the BBQ we had on the beach last Sunday but here we are doing what we were all brought together to do!

And from February through to March there has been much dragon boating and working. Work hard and play hard and all that! I actually managed to go out diving myself which is not something I do too often since i am generally Managing the Dive Center rather than actually out diving. Of course I had to get some memorable photos to prove it and to show you...

Hanging out on Racha Noi's plateau - spectacular soft corals and current!!!!

Me and my buddy head into the current above these beautiful pinks and purples

No manta this time... but the great HUMANta

A captain never abandons the ship - unless of course he is Italian!

Just hanging - a great relaxing day out of the office!

That brings you up to date since that dive only took place last week! I must mention that the diving photos were all taken by a visiting Instructor Philippe Lecomte and I am happy that he was willing to share them with me and you.

I guess the next post will have to be after my 30th birthday party which takes place exactly 2 weeks today. Crikey! Time really does fly. Ciao for now!

High season, back to it....

Well folks, not an awful lot to report. Things got slightly more sensible after the run of birthdays and October start-of-high-season parties, and I have now managed 8 weeks solid back at the gym so I am almost back to a fitness level that I like.

Mik got a promotion at work. That was great news - he is now working at Worldwide Dive And Sail, if anyone was wondering. Worldwide Dive And Sail website

I am still at Sub Aqua Dive Center Sub Aqua Dive Center and while we had a busy October, the flooding in Bangkok had a knock-on effect so that the end of November was deathly quiet. This always makes me miserable because I would rather be busy but hey, it is December now and the outlook looks good again.

Joshua's birthday cake

Khao Soi Pai Restaurant on Kok Tanod Road, Kata

Back in October, on 31st, we helped friends James and Ning celebrate the opening of their new restaurant in Kata. It's called Khao Soi Pai and specialises in the Northern (Chiang Mai) dish of Khao Soi Noodles. Finally we have a local restaurant that delivers a good Khao Soi! Also this was their son, Joshua's 1st birthday so it was a double celebration!

Our Kratong in celebration of Loy Kratong Festival

Then in November, there was the Thai festival of Loy Kratong. Mik and I opted to buy a more environmentally friendly Kratong this year made of biodegradable materials, since every year it doesn't seem fair to dump pins, plastic, and goodness knows what else in to our local seas and lakes! We put a piece of hair, a candle, a finger nail and some coins in as is the tradition and then watched our Kratong float away under the light of the moon... That should be us lucky in health, love and money for another year!

Also in November, to help me prove that i can get fit again after the marathon in June, I opted for an easy 6km run as part of the 'fun stuff' at the Phuket Laguna Triathlon Day. I ran in 29:03 so was pretty happy with that considering I am not at my optimum fitness level. I really want to do the full Triathlon in 2012. My biggest concern is not the training but rather all the gear I will need like a triathlon suit and decent bike. If I have the confidence (and the cash) to support my needs, I am definitely up for it... or I will opt to join a 'team' triathlon where I would just do the run section. But I would rather have the challenge of completing the whole thing. We will see.

Me participating in the 91.5fm 6km fun run

Next stop is Christmas. We haven't put our decorations up at home yet but I did make a bunch of lovely Christmas cakes that have been seeping in brandy ever since and we now have a terrific collection of wrapped presents in the corner of the living room from our family in UK and Spain. It feels quite Christmassy already! Also, I made Mik a chocolate advent calendar!!!! Not as easy as it sounds but he has always said that he misses them from home so what better thing to do than make him one - 24 windows to open, each with its own Christmas-themed image and piece of Lindt dark chocolate behind.

Hope to have more photos for you after Christmas and New Year... here in Phuket, Thailand!