Jungle Swim & Lady Boys

A lovely day yesterday with the kids.  We woke late, and spent much of the morning just mooching around the pool.  Indi has absolutely no fear or common sense at all, and happily runs straight into the deep end of any nearby water whilst laughing maniacally.  

For the afternoon, we hired a car and driver and headed up to the top of the island to visit Splash Jungle.  Link to Jungle Swim   (click on the link to find out why the kids LOVED this)

We had to bribe Rory out of the park with ice cream, as he was simply not moving otherwise.  The little bugger belted down all the water slides, climbed into every nook and cranny, and surfed in the wave pool.  Jo and I pretty much just ran after hm trying to keep up.

Jo got very upset when she went to get something from her bag in the security locker, only to find the bag missing.  She was beside herself and racing around looking for anyone carrying her possessions or even looking 'a bit suss'.  She went to the administration centre, and the lady there suggested that she try the locker next to hers.  Jo was adamant that she had locked the locker with the key provided, so this was not a possibility,  Eventually, she consented to 'try' the locker next door.  Lo and behold, her key worked in this locker (as well as the one she had been assigned) and there was her bag sitting there waiting for her.  Still a bit of a mystery ...

 As we left the change rooms on one occasion, we all ducked for cover as an enormous roar went by overhead.  There was only seconds to catch a glimpse of one of the Thai airforce jets belting past at just a few hundred metres up.  The noise was incredible and you could see every single detail on the undercarriage of the plane.  We knew that the airport was nearby, but not that it was also used for military purposes.  Fantastic experience watching this thing shoot across above us then nearly straight up.  It must be a sensational experience actually driving one.

Kids were quite weary by the time we got home, so we caught a taxi into central Patong Beach for dinner at a book recommended by the Lonely Planet guide.  Whilst dinner was fun, the real highlights came afterwards during the walk home,  

Rory had been nagging us to let him have a "fishy nibble massage".  This is where you sit with your feet and legs in a tang of water that is filled with hundreds of tiny fish that nibble all the dead skin cells off your feet and legs,  It sounds gross, but is very popular over here amongst Thais and tourists alike.  Unfortunately, Rory only lasted about 2 seconds before dissolving in giggle and had to be pulled out.  Jo didn't last much longer before she suffered the same fate.  It seems that you need to be made of sterner stuff to withstand a "fishy nibble massage".

As a funny denouement to the evening, we were accosted by lady-boys on the walk home through BangLa lane.  Whilst stunningly beautiful, their costumes are just as noticeable as the bulge in the front of the bikinis.  If they were wearing an evening gown, then you could easily end up with a nasty surprise in a nightclub.  They wanted the kids to pose for a photo (and Jo).  We took a photo and had a good laugh, then they wanted to be paid for the photo (by tucking it inside their bra - scary that they were also perfect boobs).  Having paid one (~$5), they then ALL wanted to be paid.  We had to beat a hasty exit, with them shouting that we were not god people.  Hah, it might even be true, but surely the pot calling the kettle black.

Should I trust this dude for a haircut - evidently NOT

Kids are in no danger of malnutrition (and Rory loves Marguaritas)

Hotel Andakira in Phuket

Day 1

Within the first few minutes of arrival at the hotel, we had stripped off and fallen into the hotel pool to escape the incredible humidity.  It is mid 30's and nearly 100% humidity, so every time you step out of the hotel doors the sweat starts dripping.  

The pool is something else though, wrapping the full length of the hotel and with separate kids sections that even Indi can enjoy.  We left the kids with the hotel staff at the pool and spent a quiet hour or so in the hotel lobby bar (ONLY JOKING).

Walking a couple of blocks to the beach later that night provided some hilarious light entertainment.  Jo took Rory and Indi down onto the beach whilst I stayed to mind the strollers.  Jo resisted one chaps attempts to move her somewhere else, even as he became increasingly animated.  She was inclined to push the "it's a free beach, I'll stand where I like" argument even further except a black shadow fell over the top of here.  Looking up, she realised that the ground crew for the local paragliding club had been trying to move her away from their designated landing spot.  The black shadow was a panicked paraglider about to land on her and the kids.  Jo abruptly exited stage left looking a little sheepish.

Dinner that night was a delightful assortment of dishes in a local eating hall, with Rory scoffing all manner of rice, satay, mango salad, and other stuff that he would not normally touch at home.  Maybe the best way to put some weight on him is to simply keep travelling permanently.  Now there's an idea ...

Made it to the hotel, and finally connected

Both of the kids demonstrated (again) what great little travellers they are.  Indi slept for the majority of the trip to Singapore and then through to Phuket.  It is so much simpler when one will sleep and the other is quite content to watch a movie on his iPod until he is drowsy.


The four hour layover in Singapore went reasonably quickly - thanks largely to a great kids playground in the airport terminal.  Unfortunately a Chinese woman with three very precocious children seized the opportunity to nominate Jo as an unpaid babysitter whilst she relaxed and read a book.  Jo is made of finer stuff than me because I would have either back handed the little shits or pushed them onto a busy runway.


The hotel in Phuket is a 45 minute drive from the airport and we were fortunate enough to grab a luxury taxi that stopped nearby to the airport to pick up a car seat for Indi.  This is a rarity in Asia, and we fully expected to have a nervous few weeks of holding Indi in the back seat of a car (even though the traffic actually moves very slowly).

andakira hotel

This is a link to the hotel where we are staying in Phuket:
Link to Andakira Hotel

the fridays go to thailand

Less than 24 hours before we get on the plane to fly to phuket for a week or so of 'relaxation' with the two rugrats.  We are flying Tiger Airways into Phuket via Singapore.  Midnight horror flight will mean grumpy kids and sleep deprived parents on arrival, but its nothing that a day beside the pool and some great thai cooking won't fix.  The blogging should be a little more regular this trip, as we have actually booked a hotel to stay in, and it has wireless internet available.  this will be a rare luxury for us, given that we usually don't even bother booking a hotel and just land then go scrounging for somewhere to sleep.  I guess is will have to be a little more structured for the next year or so - at least until Indi can carry her own backpack.