The school holidays are flying by and already it is time to think about next year. Ben is already registered to go to Darasamut School again next year but we also wanted to get Jenny into nursery.
They have a nursery for kids from 2 1/2 years old at Darasamut so yesterday we enrolled Jenny. It costs 11,200 baht for the term. For some reason that I don't fully grasp, they insisted that we must also enrol her for summer school even though we don't want her to go and are away anyway. That was another 2,000 baht. They have been doing quite a bit of building work at the school and I think they are trying to recoup some of the costs.
Anyway I am happy enough with the school and it will be great for Jenny to spend more time with other kids. I am not sure she will like it. Ben was always a very sociable little boy and really wanted to go to school. Jenny seems a little more reticent to play with other kids.
Ben is making great strides in the swimming pool. I promised to buy him a snorkel if he would stick his head under water. To my surprsie he immediately did it so I had to buy him the snorkel. He now happily snorkels around the swimming pool and insists he wants to go snorkeling in the sea - he's only four.
We will be going for our annual holiday to Pon's home next week. It will be a couple of weeks driving around Thailand and maybe a week in Nakon Nayok. I am not sure it is going to be good timing for work, they are trying to go live on the project I am working on but they have budget problems so it is not clear what the requirements will be. Anyway, they have not paid any of my invoices for four months so I am not really feeling like delaying the holiday when I am not getting paid.
In the meantime, I have also been doing a bit of internet stuff. I am quite into my health and fitness so I have been involved in writing this - Health and Weight . It has been quite good fun working out the javascript calculations for ideal weight and metabolic rate. Keeps me entertained.
Saturday, 29 March 2008
Saturday, 15 March 2008
Pon's Friends
Pon has had friends visiting this week. She used to live in Betong near the Malaysian border. There are a lot of troubles down there these days so we have not been for a long time. This week two car loads of her old friends came to Phuket to visit. When Thais travel it is often in large groups with the whole familiy and assorted friends.
They spent the first night drinking whisky Thai style (with ice, coke and soda) and catching up with all their gossip. The next day we took them around a few of the regular tourist spots in Phuket. We went to Wat Chalong, Laem Promthep, Nai Harn Beach, Kata Viewpoint and Patong Beach.
They were really keen to see Patong Beach. Personally, I wouldn't put it on the list of must see places but for the Thais, the same as other tourists, it is the place everybody has heard of and they want to see it. They set up in Loma Park by the beach. This is the area most popular with Thai visitors. They got a couple of big floor mats and started making their way through all the food options from the local vendors. this is what Thais do above all else when they travel, they eat. They want to eat just about everything they see and they never seem to stop. You would think they would be fat but somehow it seems to work for them.
Today is Fern's birthday (Huwy's youngest stepkid). She is 6 so he is having a little birthday bbq round his house. I expect we will get slaughtered together while the kids cause chaos.
They spent the first night drinking whisky Thai style (with ice, coke and soda) and catching up with all their gossip. The next day we took them around a few of the regular tourist spots in Phuket. We went to Wat Chalong, Laem Promthep, Nai Harn Beach, Kata Viewpoint and Patong Beach.
They were really keen to see Patong Beach. Personally, I wouldn't put it on the list of must see places but for the Thais, the same as other tourists, it is the place everybody has heard of and they want to see it. They set up in Loma Park by the beach. This is the area most popular with Thai visitors. They got a couple of big floor mats and started making their way through all the food options from the local vendors. this is what Thais do above all else when they travel, they eat. They want to eat just about everything they see and they never seem to stop. You would think they would be fat but somehow it seems to work for them.
Today is Fern's birthday (Huwy's youngest stepkid). She is 6 so he is having a little birthday bbq round his house. I expect we will get slaughtered together while the kids cause chaos.
Sunday, 9 March 2008
School's Out
Ben has finished his first year at school. Friday was his last day and
now he has a long holiday. Amazingly, even at 4 years old in Thailand
the kids have to pass end of year test to move on to the next year. In all
fairness, I don't think the kids can actually fail but it does seem a bit
much.
I am really pleased with Ben's first year at school. He has made so many
steps forward. His Thai language has come on leaps and bounds, his
colouring and drawing are so much better, he knows his ABC and also a
good chunk of the Thai alphabet. I did spend quite a bit of time with
him on his ABCs but I am still impressed with the school.
Now I want to find something for jenny for next school year. That would
actually mean she is starting a year earlier than Ben. I don't want a
full-on school but I do worry that she spends most mornings watching
cartoons. I am busy working, Pon is doing her household chores and Ben
is at school which means the TV becomes Jenny's babysitter.
This is the main Thai school holiday and lasts about two months. We will
probably go on our usual annual holiday to visit Pon's family. That will
be towards the end of this month. At the moment I have quite a bit of
work coming in so I need to wait for a quiet period on that. I expect
it will be very quiet soon as I don't think it is far from finished.
now he has a long holiday. Amazingly, even at 4 years old in Thailand
the kids have to pass end of year test to move on to the next year. In all
fairness, I don't think the kids can actually fail but it does seem a bit
much.
I am really pleased with Ben's first year at school. He has made so many
steps forward. His Thai language has come on leaps and bounds, his
colouring and drawing are so much better, he knows his ABC and also a
good chunk of the Thai alphabet. I did spend quite a bit of time with
him on his ABCs but I am still impressed with the school.
Now I want to find something for jenny for next school year. That would
actually mean she is starting a year earlier than Ben. I don't want a
full-on school but I do worry that she spends most mornings watching
cartoons. I am busy working, Pon is doing her household chores and Ben
is at school which means the TV becomes Jenny's babysitter.
This is the main Thai school holiday and lasts about two months. We will
probably go on our usual annual holiday to visit Pon's family. That will
be towards the end of this month. At the moment I have quite a bit of
work coming in so I need to wait for a quiet period on that. I expect
it will be very quiet soon as I don't think it is far from finished.
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
Koh Rang Yai
I do enjoy exploring Phuket and the surrounding area. Still after all these years in Phuket there is plenty I have yet to see. I think I have seen most of Phuket itself but there are still many islands around Phuket I have yet to visit. So on Saturday we looked to tick one more island off the list and went to Koh Rang Yai off the east coast.
We went to Laem Hin pier and rented a longtail for the return trip. It cost 1000 baht - that is about normal although I am sure we could have negotiated a slightly better price if we could have been bothered. The boat trip to Koh Rang Yai is only 20 minutes and skirts around another island, Koh Maprao (coconut island). The sea here is usually very placid and today was no different, it was a beautiful day.
You are never quite sure what to expect when you do these trips to new places. I had read that Koh Rang Yai is a bit of an activity centre so I thought it might be heaving with energetic bikers, kayakers, climbers, etc.
When we got there I was instantly impressed. There were a few people around but it was basically very tranquil and what a beautiful beach. Most of the beaches I have seen on the eastern side of Phuket are either stony, muddy or shallow so I did not expect much here. I was in for a pleasant surprise. It is a lovely sandy beach with beautiful clear inviting water. Ben and Jenny took one look and charged in.
There are a few deckchairs on the beach and a handful of eating places. As we strolled along the beach absolutely nobody tried to hawk their service, what a pleasant change to the full on tourist beaches.
I had read there is no accommodation here but that is not the case. There are a few bungalows behind the beach and some basic huts right at the end.
There are meant to be some nice little hiking trails through the interior and you can rent bikes. There are also kayaks for a paddle around the sea. You can also play beach volleyball and there is a badly kept little pitch and put golf course. I wouldn't exactly call it an activity centre but there is enough to keep most people entertained for a day.
There is also a pearl shop. There is meant to be a pearl farm but it was closed and doesn't look like it has been open for some time. I am guessing the pearl prices are not exactly cheap and are aimed at the tourist market.
We had a good swim and then ate at one of the restaurants. The food was okay but a little expensive. Understandable when they have a captive market and most of the ingredients will need to be shipped across from Phuket.
I had read that there is some decent sorkeling offshore but I couldn't find it. All the seabed I saw was sandy. I was surprised by the strength of the current's drift. I snorkelled for a minute, looked up and I had drifted 50 yards along the coast from where I entered. I wouldn't say the current was actually dangerous, it flows parallel to the beach rather than out and you can swim against it if you need to. Apparently the drift is caused by all the water that enters Phang Nga Bay from the many tributaries there. The water just keeps flowing southwards from Phang Nga Bay passed Phuket.
All in all, we were impressed by Koh Rang Yai and we will go back. Next time we might look to take a few friends and stay overnight.
We went to Laem Hin pier and rented a longtail for the return trip. It cost 1000 baht - that is about normal although I am sure we could have negotiated a slightly better price if we could have been bothered. The boat trip to Koh Rang Yai is only 20 minutes and skirts around another island, Koh Maprao (coconut island). The sea here is usually very placid and today was no different, it was a beautiful day.
You are never quite sure what to expect when you do these trips to new places. I had read that Koh Rang Yai is a bit of an activity centre so I thought it might be heaving with energetic bikers, kayakers, climbers, etc.
When we got there I was instantly impressed. There were a few people around but it was basically very tranquil and what a beautiful beach. Most of the beaches I have seen on the eastern side of Phuket are either stony, muddy or shallow so I did not expect much here. I was in for a pleasant surprise. It is a lovely sandy beach with beautiful clear inviting water. Ben and Jenny took one look and charged in.
There are a few deckchairs on the beach and a handful of eating places. As we strolled along the beach absolutely nobody tried to hawk their service, what a pleasant change to the full on tourist beaches.
I had read there is no accommodation here but that is not the case. There are a few bungalows behind the beach and some basic huts right at the end.
There are meant to be some nice little hiking trails through the interior and you can rent bikes. There are also kayaks for a paddle around the sea. You can also play beach volleyball and there is a badly kept little pitch and put golf course. I wouldn't exactly call it an activity centre but there is enough to keep most people entertained for a day.
There is also a pearl shop. There is meant to be a pearl farm but it was closed and doesn't look like it has been open for some time. I am guessing the pearl prices are not exactly cheap and are aimed at the tourist market.
We had a good swim and then ate at one of the restaurants. The food was okay but a little expensive. Understandable when they have a captive market and most of the ingredients will need to be shipped across from Phuket.
I had read that there is some decent sorkeling offshore but I couldn't find it. All the seabed I saw was sandy. I was surprised by the strength of the current's drift. I snorkelled for a minute, looked up and I had drifted 50 yards along the coast from where I entered. I wouldn't say the current was actually dangerous, it flows parallel to the beach rather than out and you can swim against it if you need to. Apparently the drift is caused by all the water that enters Phang Nga Bay from the many tributaries there. The water just keeps flowing southwards from Phang Nga Bay passed Phuket.
All in all, we were impressed by Koh Rang Yai and we will go back. Next time we might look to take a few friends and stay overnight.
Sunday, 17 February 2008
Valentines Day
I took Pon out for valentines night. It turned out to be a fun night out. We started with a visit to Fantasia in Phuket Town. It is a big place and has been there for three years but we have never got round to visiting. We new it was some kind of girly bar but didn't really know what to expect. It might not sound like an obvious choice for valentines but these places can be fun. It turned out to be a very well done out venue with a big stage and a nice little song and dance show.
It is an impressive place with lots of staff. There are also lots of girls. Lots & lots of girls and I have to admit (although of course on valentines night out with Pon I am not thinking about such things) the girls are all quite stunning. This is a high end Asian girly bar and I have no idea how much the girls charge but I guess they are not cheap. The place was entertaining for an hour but the beer prices were too high to think about staying for a long session so we moved on.
We tried Timber Hut but the place was so packed that we couldn't even find a parking place on the street. We ended up at a live music venue not far from home. It was also busy but we met some friends and took seats at their table. It turned out it was extra busy not only because of valentines but they also had a well known Thai singer doing a show.
It turned into a really good night. The back up acts were all good and lots of fun. The atmosphere in the bar was good and everyone was having a great time. When the main act came on I did recognise her although I didn't know her name. She did a good show and was actually far more beautiful in real life than when I have seen her on TV.
It is hard to imagine a major star back in the UK doing a show in some small provincial bar. It was a good night out.
It is an impressive place with lots of staff. There are also lots of girls. Lots & lots of girls and I have to admit (although of course on valentines night out with Pon I am not thinking about such things) the girls are all quite stunning. This is a high end Asian girly bar and I have no idea how much the girls charge but I guess they are not cheap. The place was entertaining for an hour but the beer prices were too high to think about staying for a long session so we moved on.
We tried Timber Hut but the place was so packed that we couldn't even find a parking place on the street. We ended up at a live music venue not far from home. It was also busy but we met some friends and took seats at their table. It turned out it was extra busy not only because of valentines but they also had a well known Thai singer doing a show.
It turned into a really good night. The back up acts were all good and lots of fun. The atmosphere in the bar was good and everyone was having a great time. When the main act came on I did recognise her although I didn't know her name. She did a good show and was actually far more beautiful in real life than when I have seen her on TV.
It is hard to imagine a major star back in the UK doing a show in some small provincial bar. It was a good night out.
Thursday, 7 February 2008
Wat Chalong Fair
It is Chinese New Year. Among the many events that take place around Phuket is Wat Chalong Fair. Wat Chalong is the biggest and most important temple on the island. It is a big event with market stalls selling all kinds of stuff, games, rides, food and shows. in fact, it is so popular that if you are not going to the fair, the area is worth avoiding because the traffic can be a bit of a nightmare.
We went late afternoon to beat the main crowds. We wandered around the stalls with Ben and Jenny insisting on stopping at every toy stall, and there were lots of toy stalls. 'We'll buy something later, we'll buy something later,' all the way round.
We found our way through to the fair rides area. They are basic rides, roundabouts, trains, big wheels and bouncy castles. Nothing special but is is amazing how much pleasure Ben and Jenny can take out of circling around a train track.
There was one ride that was a bit more impressive - a little rollercoaster. It wasn't big but it crawled up to maybe 5 meters high and then did a fast circling drop. I thought it would be a bit too much for Ben and Jenny but as soon as Ben saw it he wanted a go. I thought he was over-reaching himself but we gave it a chance. I was sat in a car with Jenny while Ben sat in a different car with a young girl. I thought he would be scared when the ride started but I should have known better. He and Jenny both loved it and they just wanted to go again.
We wandered around the rest of the fair, played a few games, ate some food, bought a bit of stuff. It is a nice event and you could stay there all evening. They have a few bars with live music later and some nice little shows. However with the two kids it gets quite exhausting after a while so we headed home tired but happy.
Tuesday, 29 January 2008
Another Night in Patong
Gil is back in Phuket after a trip to Israel. Sadly, his wife has lost the baby she was carrying. She was close to 5 months pregnant but it was always going to be a difficult pregnancy after her previous health problems. They had problems and the littl one was just too young to save. Fortunately Daeng is fine.
Friday night was Meeow's birthday (Huwy's wife) so we all went out for a night in Patong. I seem to go there less and less these days. The last time I went was New Years Eve and I still didn't feel in any great rush to get back there. But a birthday is a birthday so we did the usual routine. A taxi in, round the usual set of bars where we know the owners, we even did a quick visit to a go-go for a bit of a change.
It was all nice enough but strangely, Patong just doesn't excite me anymore. Some people never get tired of all the lights, crowds, noise, colour and of course, flesh. I'm not sure what it says about me that I actually start to find it a little boring. Maybe, just that I am getting a little old. I was actually asleep by the time we were ready to go home.
Friday night was Meeow's birthday (Huwy's wife) so we all went out for a night in Patong. I seem to go there less and less these days. The last time I went was New Years Eve and I still didn't feel in any great rush to get back there. But a birthday is a birthday so we did the usual routine. A taxi in, round the usual set of bars where we know the owners, we even did a quick visit to a go-go for a bit of a change.
It was all nice enough but strangely, Patong just doesn't excite me anymore. Some people never get tired of all the lights, crowds, noise, colour and of course, flesh. I'm not sure what it says about me that I actually start to find it a little boring. Maybe, just that I am getting a little old. I was actually asleep by the time we were ready to go home.
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