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!

Birthdays, festivals and a lot of rain!

Quiet days - decided to rent this bad boy for some adventure!

In Phuket, September is traditionally a wet month. This September was not much different and this first week in October seems to have been VERY wet with the dive boats cancelling on one day due to the lack of visibility at sea - the captain could barely see the front of the boat!

Birthday boy Mik (right) with friend, Joel

This has meant quiet times for me at work (Sub Aqua Dive Center, Karon Beach) giving me time to try new things like this Kawasaki motorbike - I now want one! And also giving time for party celebrations with all the September birthdays in Phuket... and there seems to be a lot of them.

Me with good friends, Dave & Thien

 

For me, the party of the year is for Mik. His birthday is 19th September but we had a joint birthday party with James Bagley at Ole Bar in Nai Harn on 24th September this year. It was a lot of fun and all our friends came out to play too!

For the 9 days from 27th September, it was Phuket's Vegetarian Festival so I spent my days with no meat, no dairy, no chocolate (that was a hard one!) and no alcohol. This gave me the excuse to get back into my gym routine too! On 5th October, we went to Phuket Town at midnight for the closing of the Vegetarian festival and I can happily say I have never seen anything so mental in the whole of my life! It was like a war zone with people throwing fire crackers at people in the street... This is actively encouraged to see the 'spirits' off in good fashion. Unbelievable! We left at about 2am and the streets still looked like a scene from the front-line in Afghanistan! This picture was taken from a more quiet moment...

Mik at annual Vegetarian Festival in Phuket Town

Now I am back eating meat - can't deny myself a good bacon sarnie! There will be one more birthday party this month for my good friend Mona who is turning 50 on the 17th October. If you look back at older posts (from 2007?) you will find Mona was my boss when I worked at Oceanic Divecenter and she was also the one that made me a PADI Instructor back in 2004. I am sure photos will follow. Happy days :-)

July was a Eurotrip!

Never got round to posting in July. Sorry about that. Thing is, Mik and I embarked on our bi-annual whirlwind Eurotrip to see our folks, family and friends.

It all began with drinks in Brussels with Lindsay & Patrick

Rent a city-cycle!

Try a different Belgian beer!

A flight from Phuket to Bangkok, then Bangkok to Cairo (which is a crap-hole by the way), then onward to Brussels. Once there we met up with the lovely Lindsay and her soon-to-be husband, Patrick. It was good to catch up again and meet Patrick for the first time... and Lindsay did a great job of making sure we saw what we needed to in an intensive Brussels city tour! 


 

Grand Place

Then it was onward to my home-county of Yorkshire. We traveled by Eurostar which was so quick and convenient; it was superb and I would highly recommend it. 

Dinner at Dad's with great trifle!

Sweetie shops in Yorkshire rock!

At Leeds Train station we were met by my Dad, his girlfriend Sue and my sister, Sheena (now living in Scotland). This was brilliant - first time Dad had both me and Sheena in the same room for about 10 years! We had a great laugh!

After a terrific couple of evenings at Dad's house it was try to catch-up with my Mum's side of the family and this HAD to begin with my Nanna. I hadn't seen my Nanna in almost 10 years and Mik had never met her. Doing great at 74 years of age, we spent 3 days and 2 nights of much-required quality time together at her home in Holmfirth.

Dove Stone - lovely walk

Just like being a kid again!

On the Friday evening, Nanna, Mik & I got in the car and headed to my Aunty Dawn's house in Halifax. This was a fun night. My Mum, my brother, my Aunty Dawn, my Nanna, Mik and my two cousins, Lauren and Megan all in the same house having a laugh. 

Cousin, Mum & Aunt... big catch-up

Highlights of the evening include all the embarrassing family photos being brought out, laughing until we could hardly breathe, and Mum's Christmas cake being served as a 'Merry Christmas' gesture for all the family Christmases that Mik and I miss out on for living in Phuket! Happy days.

The family meet and greets didn't end there! We did all-you-can-eat Chinese food with my brother Daniel, meal/drinks with my half-brother Wayne and his family, and I took part in what can only be described as a 'take-your-daughter-to-work' day with my Dad when I accompanied him to work in Hull for a day... just me and Dad.

Some fetching glasses found in harrogate tourist information

 We couldn't leave Yorkshire without seeing a good friend, Rich which meant a 'best of Harrogate' visit with some of the funniest moments and a dawning realisation that we are too old to jump around half-empty dance floors in clubs that claim 'Indie nights'. Ha! Better to stick to the tea-rooms!

Classic! Betty's tea rooms

With the fastest two weeks of our lives over with, it was time to focus on Mik's family so we did a brief week-end visit to Newquay (where I had never actually been before) then it was onward to Wales to catch up with Mik's brother and family. By the way, I can highly recommend the cornish pasties of Cornwall and it was a beautiful part of the world! No time to be reporting on that here though... so... Wales... sheep... fish n'chips and more valued family time. 

When in Wales...

Oh my word, thank you Harry Ramsden for completing my life

 By 13th July we were packing our bags again to fly to Alicante airport to meet Mik's Mum and Dad (living in Spain). While I know I couldn't live there, there is still something sad about leaving family behind in the UK. Leaving the UK is easy. Leaving family behind sucks... but our holiday was not over yet. Viva Espana! Now there is a place I could live...

The national flag of Spain

Me at Alicante castle

I don't know to be honest!

When in Spain - Paella!!! Yummy!

What a rather large candle!

 We were so lucky while we were there. We stayed away from the crazily packed beaches (such as can be seen in this picture!) and instead visited waterfalls, castles, restaurants and markets. All of my favourite things!

Stay away from the packed beaches!!

Indulge in Fiesta time!

 Our last few evenings in Guardamar were extra special as we got to see the amazing costumes, music and atmosphere at the annual Festival of the Moors and Christians. Seriously, you have to see it to believe it. Whole families take to the streets for the parades and it really is a wonderful thing to see. For me, this was the perfect way to close our one-month long Eurotrip.


None of it could have been possible without the kind generosity and hospitality of our friends and family. We understand it is difficult and by no means ideal to be living 6000 miles from loved ones. I love my life here in Phuket, I love my family/friends there in Europe. In an ideal world, I would combine the two.


Until next time.

Wedding Thai Style - am I married?

Here I am at the beginning of June, wanting to update you on my exciting life in Phuket, Thailand. I have remembered to come back to my blog - impressed??

Truth is, May was a quiet month consisting of marathon training, more marathon training and even more marathon training. I am sat at my office window now with my left leg up on a chair because it has been killing me. I find myself thinking to more exciting Mays gone-by. I don't have to think far back... 22nd May 2011 marked the one-year wedding anniversary of a couple of Mik & my closest friends, James & Ning. I never blogged it then and I should have so here it is... A Thai wedding where I may have even ended up married myself!

As background, Ning (who you see 2nd from the right, sitting next to me) was born in a small village near Loei in the Isaarn (North-East) area of Thailand. As is Thai tradition, when she agreed to marry James, the ceremony was back in her home town among family, close-friends and the entire village! Mik & I were most touched and honored to be invited along, with our roles tenuously explained to us as 'kind-of' best man and maid of honour.

We went with the flow... so here I am in my traditional Thai 'wedding dress' (yes, the confusion certainly began here!) and Ning's sister is preparing my hair and make-up.

 

It all began about 0530am! Preparations were made for the monks arriving from the local temple - this included lots of food arriving! I seem to remember the monks arrived about 0700am and the proceedings began.

There was a lot of chanting by the monks while James, Ning, myself and other members of the 'congregation' knelt on the floor with hands and fingers pressed together as though in prayer. At certain points during the chanting we were meant to reply but my Thai being somewhat embarrassingly useless meant that I just tried to look the part rather than get everything right verbally! At this point, James & Ning also gave alms to the monks directly.

In the above picture you can see the Head monk is chanting and, with what looks like a bunch of flowers in his hand, he is tossing water at us all. This followed water-pouring by Ning & James which is a very important part of the ceremony as this is the point where they are officially made husband and wife, and their marriage is blessed.

Next up was the big feed - quite amusing to see the community drinking bottles of 'Chang' beer at 0800am! I waited until about noon before I could stomach it. All good fun :-)

Then we returned to Ning's family home for the presenting of gifts and the dowry, before we - Ning, James, Mik & myself - were asked to be seated in a line so the village community could come to tie the pre-blessed string to our wrists and donate money for our futures together.
Yes... This is where the confusion really hit. Why were the villagers giving money and string to Mik & I??

The final step was for James to parade the village before entering the family home and sweeping Ning off to the nuptial bed as prepared by the 'elders'. Enough said ;-)


All being told, this was a wonderful day, a wonderful experience and something unforgettable. I was made up to be a part of it. As for whether I am now married to Mik or not... Who cares? It did lead 3 months later to a ring being presented with the words, "Well, the string won't last forever". Awwwww...

I'm back... 2011 is my year of blogging!

I know what you are all thinking... Famous last words! I can't make any promises but I can give you an update of life so far in 2011... I'll keep it brief .

January & February kind of passed me by. It was the middle of high season and I couldn't tell you what was going on. No idea!

March was more eventful. For starters the Formula 1 season began again. Yey! Unfortunately most of the races were day-time here in Phuket which meant that I was at work but I did manage to follow most races on the official F1 website.

Here I am proudly in 2nd place complete with trophy!

Then there was the Kata-Karon Beach Marathon in March too. This was my first competitive running event and while it was just 10.5km, I came 2nd out of all the females in my category so got myself a podium place. Funny!

Perhaps the more pertinent question, looking at that photo, is why on earth I seem to have run in only my pants! Not that it is much better, but I am in fact wearing a nappy. Mik & I both ran the race wearing nappies, bibs and dummies having been successfully sponsored by our good friends to raise money for a baby girl that had been born recently here in Phuket with a terrible affliction; her right knee-cap was on the reverse side of her leg meaning without expensive surgery (beyond the means of her parents), she would never walk again. As I write this, Baby is in Bangkok receiving treatment but Mik & I are pleased to say our running raised enough awareness that one day we hope to see this little girl running alongside us! Here are photos of us after the race, and me with Baby 'Ginger' and her parents (taken just last week)...

L to R: Marc (Instructor at Sub Aqua Dive Center), me & Mik

 
Also in March was my birthday and I turned 29 with a terrific celebration. An evening at a local E-san food restaurant with a few bottles of whisky on the table, Mik, staff at Sub Aqua Dive Center, and many great friends. It was an unforgettable night! The lack of photos is probably a good thing!

Then on into April... The weirdest thing to happen in April was definitely the telephone call I received asking me to participate in Miss Songkran 2011. I went along to see what was involved and rather amusingly was dressed head to toe in traditional Thai clothing and then told to parade about on a stage in Patong as part of Phuket's famous Bike Week. Apparently it was aired on TV worldwide but I didn't go trying to find out! Below is a picture of a friend of mine here in Phuket, Kaye Smith, and myself after we had finished in hair/makeup. Check out that quiff! That back-combing took some getting out, I can tell you...

Miss Songkran 2011 - try getting a motorbike helmet on that!

 

 

So that brings us safely into May 2011 and half the year has almost passed already. We are 'officially' into Phuket's low season now (but don't think that stops us from diving!). Right now, Mik & I are training hard for Phuket's Marathon on 12th June 2011. This morning I got up at 3.45am to run solidly for 3 hours! Only 5 weeks until Marathon day... If I survive, I will let you know! Until then... hope you enjoyed my first posting of 2011!