2010, Day 358 - Phuket, Day Four

Today saw another trip to Phang Nga Bay for us but with good reason, this time we went with a better informed and ecologically conscious company. What's more, we departed in the early afternoon so catch different tides so that we would have fewer people around us and would therein be afforded more time to enjoy the surroundings.


Our first stop was a return to the mangrove lagoon that we visited yesterday. This time we were able to spend almost half an hour in the lagoon where we saw mudskippers and sea egrets avoiding and hunting one another respectively. We also got to see more of the geological errosion that leave to the formation of knife-sharp rock outcroppings.



The mangrove trees supported on stilt-like roots.


Knife-edged rocks created by errosion.



Our second stop was at Hong Island, another place we had already visited. This time we kayaked into a different lagoon and were told that there are a number of lagoons on Hong Island; that was new information for us as yesterday we were told almost nothing about where we were going. Our guide also showed us where calcium and iron deposits caused a change in coloration of the rock and how different plants thrived when in close proximity to those mineral veins.


Iron deposits are illustrated by the rusty colored veins on rock towards the top.




The geological tunnel that is our exit from the lagoon.


Can you see Santa in the lower-right? Yup, he came to visit us in Thailand. Actually that is John Gray, the owner of the company who proclaimed "I haven't missed a Christmas trip since 1983 and I'm not about to start!"

After leaving Hong Island we moved to a different part of the island to travel through a cave inhabited by bats and into another lagoon. Once we were ensconced in our kayaks the guides spotted movement on the rocks and, upon closer inspection, we discovered long-tailed macaques. We were told that the monkeys arrived at the island by swimming from the mainland and favor a diet of shellfish but will scavange almost anything they can get their hairy little hands on.



Hee hee, monkey!

Into the bat cave we rowed and while we didn't find Batman we did find bat and the copious amonia-like smell of guano. Fortunately the caves are not excessively deep and a breeze helped to keep the smell from accumulating (that and the fact that many of the bats cling to the ceiling above water so that when they relieve themselves the waste is flushed out into the ocean).

When we emerged from the caves we were greeted by a lush lagoon teaming with life. The water was only a little more than a foot deep in most places and in it we could see school of little fish numbering in the hundreds. More sea egrets lines the steep walls of the lagoon and would call out on occassion, their cry reverberating through the rocky chasm. And mudskipped rested on the roots of the mangrove trees trying hard not to be seen and fleeing once their presenced was noticed.


Into the bat cave.



The verdant lagoon on the other side of the bat cave.



Freedom from the smell of guano and ammonia as seen from within.

We return to the boat and were given time to kayak independantly and to swim which we did with enthusiasm. Almost an hour later and the sun was getting heavy in the sky we were recalled to the boat and made our way to yet another part of the island as the sun began to set in earnest.


The warmth of the evening light.


The sun setting over the mainland.


As darkness blanketed the bay we returned to our kayaks for one last time. During our move from where we swam and kayaked on our own we were put to work making Thai offerings out of banana leaves, flowers, candles and incense. Once in our kayaks with offerings in hand we paddled towards a shallow cave where the candles and incense were lit and we placed out creations into the water. As we watched them bob gently in the ocean our guide then told us that the area we were in was teaming with small bioluminescent life. He suggested that we run our hands through the water and watch closely. Trailing after our offending appendages were tiny little sparks of green that lasted only and instant before winking out again.



Brad and Manuel making their offering.


Microorganisms thoroughly harrassed we retrieved our offerings, so as not to pollute the site, and returned to the boat. Within minutes we were cruising through the darkness back to the pier where we first boarded. The distance allowed us about an hour to reflect on our day and the sites we have witnessed.


Once at the dock we boarded our van and were taken back to our hotel to get to get some rest. Tomorrow we take a four and a half hour drive from Phuket to Koh Lanta.

Merry Christmas everyone!

2010, Day 357 - Phuket, Day Three

Today's activity was confined to a cruise and kayak exploration of Phang Nga Bay. The bay is filled with over a hundred little islands, almost all uninhabitable. We were picked up from our hotel and were immediately concerned that we would have an hour plus long ride but instead it was about a thirty minute ride to the eastern side of Phuket Island to the dock where we met our boat.

As seems to be common in Thailand, we were quickly greeted and then boarded to boat so that we could get moving. I suspect that because there was recently a full moon that the tides are something that we are working around and therefore the need to rush. It was only a short time later, as we were travelling north towards Phang Nga Bay that the islands came into view.


Panoramic view of the islands in Phang Nga Bay.

Our first stop included kayaking into a lagoon, or hong in Thai, accessible only by a cave at low tide. There are points where the top of the cave is so low that you need to lay down in the kayak to pass through and as you emerged you are surrounded by steep limestone walls with stunted trees and shrubs rooted into the rock and tall thin mangrove trees reaching out of the middle of the lagoon.


Our first island stop.


Paddling through the mangroves.



Manuel and Brad looking in awe or perhaps just lost...



Our second stop was a Hong Island. As the name suggests this island is most remarkable for its easily accessed lagoon. There are no caves here which require you to lay down in your kayak to gain entry.



Emerging upright from a cave into the lagoon.


Our second stop was at the island now known as James Bond Island. It was the location used in "The Man with the Golden Gun" as Christopher Lee's island base. There are really only two beaches on this island but somehow it seemed bigger in the movie, although maybe my recollection is not quite right, it has been years since I've seen it.

Because of its cinematic connections this is a heavily touristed island. So much so that there are semipermanent stalls to sell junk to tourists that have been erected on part of the island effectively ruining the beauty of the larger of the two small beaches.


The third island visited, James Bond island.


A longtail boat beached on the shore.


The shops set up on the beach.




Our final stop was off of a small sheltered area of one of the islands where we were given the opportunity to explore by kayak or swim at our leisure. It was nice to get out of the sun and into the water because even though the air movement on the boat is nice when you stop it can be a bit hot with the sun beating down on you coupled with temperatures in the upper eighties and the high humidity.


After about an hour we returned to our boat to make our way back to the dock. The sun was starting to get low in the sky and as we returned we passed fishermen in their longtail boats with lines or nets in the water hoping for white snapper or grouper or any one of the good sized fish that inhabit the bay.


Fishing by net in the bay from a longtail boat.



When we arrived at the dock we were met by the van that brought us almost eight hours earlier and from there were returned to our hotel for dinner and an early night in. It was nice to get out on the water today and fortunately we weren't obliged to be in the sun constantly. Tomorrow we return to the bay for an afternoon and evening tour of the islands when there are less people. Merry Christmas eve!

2010, Day 356 - Phuket, Day Two

Brad and Manuel got up bright and early this morning to go scuba diving so they ate a hurried breakfast and then ran out the door. I, on the other hand, had nothing planned but was asked to try to get us a reservation to see a ladyboy show this evening. It was a simple matter of going to the front desk and asking them about it, their response was to make all the arrangements for us so a short time later as I was catching up on my emails and world events I got a call saying that it had all been arranged.


I made friends with this Kermit on my way back from breakfast.

With that monumental task out of the way I was able to relax at the resort reading and wasting time as our reservation wasn't until six o'clock. After a few hours of nothing productive I decided to make my way to Patong, the area near the cabaret. A short hour later I was in the crowds of the beachfront tourist mecca. It was all rather disgusting, lots of dirty shops selling the same tourist rubbish, cheap tailors trying to convince you to buy suit, seedy looking women offering "happy ending" massages that won't take no for an answer, and loads of bars.

Wading through that quagmire of filth and obscenity was no mean feat but I eventually found a respectable looking Indian restaurant. There weren't many people dining in the middle of the afternoon so I got a significant amount of their attention while I hide from the denizens of the street. It turned out to be a very nice meal and around Phuket I have found it difficult to locate food without any sort of animal protein. That's not necessarily a problem because I do eat fish but I can getting awfully tired of picking bones out of my meal so this was a refreshing change of pace.


Every one of those covered areas is a different bar and they literally line the streets of Patong.


One of probably dozens of tailors.


And many many kind of dirty and uninspired looking tattoo shops.


I find the men wearing balaclavas while working to be slighting disturbing.


When I finished my lunch I discovered, to my disappointment, that there was still a couple hours before the show but with nothing better to do I made my way to the theatre. Fortunately there was a convenience store on the way so I got a litre and a half bottle of water (for the typical 14 baht or something slightly less than fifty cents) and then found a bench to read my book out of the sun while gradually rehydrating myself.

It took less than half an hour to complete the book I was reading but fortunately my Kindle is the 3G version which means that I can purchase a new book wirelessly over the existing cellular network for no more than the actual price of the book. So armed I purchased and downloaded another book and made good headway there before wandering into the theatre to wait for Brad and Manuel.

Shortly thereafter the aforementioned duo wandered in off the street and we had only moments to wait until we were allowed to go to our seats. While waiting for the show to start Brad declared that he has learned something today, when I inquired what it was he learned he replied "That I don't like scuba diving." I told him that I thought the weather wasn't conducive to a good experience but he apparently found it all rather overwhelming to which I assured him that after going through the certification procedures where you are in a more controlled environment and are afforded the opportunity to get accustomed to the equipment and the entire experience isn't novel it is a lot more fun and significantly less stressful.

Our conversation came to a close when a gong sounded to let us know the show was about to start. It was a little less outrageous than I would have liked and sometimes it seemed like the cast lacked a bit of enthusiasm, which can probably be attributed to three shows per day every day of the year, but it was otherwise quite entertaining.


This was the "Barbie Girl," I enjoyed her missing teeth and enormous breasts which she couldn't keep her hands off of. At one point she left the stage to molest men in the crowd. I think Dad would have enjoyed that...


I believe she was singing a Chinese song, it sounded Chinese and there was huge applause from the audience. At one point they performed a Hindi song and the big Indian guy three seats away began really rocking out in his seat!


And what sort of cabaret would be complete without a Lady Gaga song?


More Ladyboy Gaga.


And Cleopatra.


And who could forget "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor?

Once the show ended we found a nearby place to eat after which Brad and I returned to the quiet refuge of our resort while Manuel stayed later in Patong determined to enjoy the nightlife. Good luck to him!