We have been home for a week now and trying to keep it quiet and simple to get the kids back into their routines and to get their behavior back under control. Being away for 6 weeks is a long time for adults and it must feel even longer for kids. I tried to keep up the discipline but who wants to yell and scream while on holidays? Not me, I get sick of the sound of my own voice sometimes and I just end up sighing and saying to myself "their just kids, let them be kids" but since being in Thailand where the tolerance of small children is far greater than back in Melbourne the line between playful and naughty has become blurred. I like the freedom they get over here and I like that we can eat out in a restaurant and not be too worried about the kids being noisy or not wanting to sit still, but when we were back in Melbourne I felt very conscious of them and avoided taking them to too many places where I would get the disapproving looks from the other mothers. Or maybe I was just too sensitive.
My plan to keep things quiet back fired yesterday when we had to drive back to Bangkok again for our Visa renewals. We thought that Marcus had plotted our trip better this time since our last trip back in November was a disaster and we even had our Thai nanny with us to help and we still got lost. Yesterday was no different, I was in charge of navigation and told Marcus to take the exit that I thought was the same as what was on the map that he gave me but alas I was wrong again and we ended up miles away from where we needed to be with absolutely no idea what road we were on or what turn to take to get back on track. The freeways in Bangkok aren't like the ones back in Australia where if you miss an exit you can take the next one do a u-turn and try again, but in Bangkok there isn't that option, once you are off you are off and very very lost.
Thankfully we found a sign for Sukumvit Rd which is the main highway that runs through the center of Bangkok City. Unfortunately this road is a nightmare with traffic hardly moving so what should have been a 2 hour trip turned into a 3 1/4 hour trip. It is hard to not argue with your spouse when lost in traffic but I think we did a pretty good job of keeping our tempers cool. The kids were great, they read their books and ate their morning tea and didn't get too grouchy until just before we arrived.
We had to meet a immigration lawyer at a building called Chamachuree Square on Rama IV which has what they call a "one stop shop" for work visas and long stay visas. Sounds simple and pain free? Its not. Our lawyer was 1 hour late and I was not impressed, then we had to sit and wait while she copied passports, filed and signed many forms, then after over an hour of waiting she comes to us and says that the office is closing for lunch and we have to come back in another hour before we can continue the waiting process. I had to bite my tongue very hard to stop myself from telling her what I thought. The kids were over tired and losing their patience and I was starving so we attempted to have some lunch in peace which was impossible as Lillie was being a rascal and refused to settle down and I can't blame her, I was feeling the same frustrations she was.
Thankfully once we went back upstairs our wait wasn't too much longer and after we forked out another huge some of money and received our stamps and signatures of authorisation we could leave Bangkok and not have to return to that building for another 12 months.
Finding our way our of Bangkok is always easier than getting in for some reason and just as the kids fell asleep and I was dozing off we went through a toll way and we were greeted by a Thai police officer who asked us to pull over to the side of the motorway. "Here we go" I thought asd he popped his head into our window and realised we weren't Thai I am sure I could see the dollar signs flash up in his eyes. Marcus got out and went to speak to him as best he could since he cant speak Thai and the police officer couldn't speak English. In the end he was told we had gone through a speed camera and had a speeding fine. Normally from what I have been told the police are usually happy to take a smaller amount than the fine as a "bribe" but this guy would take no less than 2000baht! I was fuming. There was no proof that we were speeding, he produced no photo from the speed camera, it was his word against ours. Marcus didn't argue, he just wanted to get his license back off of him and get home so he paid him off and we were able to get out of there. When you receive a fine from the police the process is that they take your drivers license to a police station and hold onto it until you come to pay your fine, the problem for us is that we couldn't find out from him which station we had to go to. Then to top off our day the kids woke up while Marcus was talking to the officer and didn't go back to sleep for the rest of the day. I couldn't talk for the rest of the trip, I was too tired and angry. To prove my point about us having to pay too much Marcus got pulled over for speeding again today (Wednesday) and he only had to pay a 240baht fine (bribe) and he was going way faster than he was on Monday in Bangkok. You can understand my frustration.
Eventually we got home, with a much lighter purse mind you, but now at least it is done and we don't have to worry about our visas expiring until at least May next year.
Now I look forward to spending some much needed time at home, eating good food and watching my new 50 inch TV that my darling husband bought for me for Mothers Day. It is huge and I love it. The TV's that came with this house are really very small by today's standards and the colours were starting to go weird. So now I have this lovely new and huge TV to watch all of my favourite shows on and to have movie nights with my family. I also have purchased new cushions for our pleather couch and I plan to buy a rug and some more pictures and ornaments to decorate the house with since we are now staying here for another 18 months and I want to make it feel more homey.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Elephants, Monkeys, Tigers and big ass birds!
After updating my blog I realised that I forgot to mention our trip to see the Elephants. The day before we left for Racha Island we decided to go on an Elephant Trek. I found one not far from Kata beach and they had a free shuttle service so we were able to avoid being ripped off by the tuk tuk drivers. It is a cute little place, basically just a hut with a bar on a hill with fabulous views. There were 4 elephants with seats strapped to their backs waiting. We climbed up onto the platform so we were able to climb on easily. Our friend Arron took Judd with him on the first Elephant, then Marcus brother and his wife took the second and Marcus, Lillie and I took the third one. It was awkward climbing on and we had to take our shoes off and step onto the elephants back. They then tie this tiny rope across you as a seat belt and the mahout (elephants keeper) climbs up and off we went. It was a surreal feeling. The sway and rock made us feel like any moment we would fall off the side or over the back. And the twists and turns of the windy track up the hill had me sceptical if our huge elephant would be able to squeeze through. But for such big bulky animals they are really quite agile and I watched the elephant in front of us carrying Brett and Tracie and he always checked his footing before stepping, making sure each time the ground under his huge weight was stable. I spent alot of time behind the camera trying not to miss anything. Occasionally Judd would yell back to us from his high perch and wave and Arron said later that Judd did not stop talking for a minute the entire trip. Lillie didn't say a word the entire time, she just sat and stared in wonder at the huge animal we were sitting on, she was fascinated.
Now yesterday back in Patong we met the taxi driver Marcus had arranged to take us to some tourist spots and we first went to a Snake Show which was awesome. As we were the first to arrive the snake men (as they call themselves) took us around each cage explaining the different types of cobras and pythons and tree snakes they had, they got out the non poisonous ones for us to hold and even Judd and Lillie wanted to touch. We also got to have our photos taken with a HUGE Python. It was so heavy, Judd wasn't too sure about this big guy but none the less he still stood next to it and posed for the photos. I got to have my turn and I could feel the snakes tail wandering down near my shorts and after I had to take him off I realised that his tail was wound up the leg of my shorts between my legs. It was so heavy and cold to touch, I loved every part of it. Unfortunately the photos we paid for were terrible but we took our own so thankfully we did get some better shots. Marcus held the Python with Lillie in his arms and when the snake started wrapping around her she freaked out a bit and started pushing at it.
The show itself was great, the snake men pulled out cobras and pythons and mangrove snakes all poisonous except the python. They even got close enough to kiss them. One of the snake men lost part of his lip one day when he was attempting to kiss the cobra and it bit him, he is lucky to be alive. Judd loved seeing the snakes and it turned out to be such a great experience even for us big kids.
After the Snake Show our driver took us to the Phuket Zoo. This wasn't anywhere near as nice as the Melbourne Zoo, but it did have attractions like getting photos with every different animal you can. We got one with a Tiger cub, a Eagle, a Monkey, a Tiger, an Elephant which Lillie and I were riding bare back on. The was a smaller Elephants but she was beautiful with a scraggy patch on hair on her head. I hopped up and a man passed me Lillie and we went for a short walk which felt incredible as we had no saddle or seat, just a small bit of rope to hold onto and thank god I did because she launched back on her back legs to pose for the photo and if I wasn't holding on tight we would have both toppled to the ground. It was an amazing feeling, her bones and muscles under me and when she walked it felt like I was going to slip off her back. Their skin is really rough and tough but soft at the same time.
After the Elephant we came across a full grown Tiger who people were getting photos with. Arron was very keen to get his photo with one. I love animals but this guy was huge with big teeth and massive head so I wasn't so sure at first but I couldn't miss out so Marcus and I both got next to it and gave him a reassuring pat asking him not to eat my head off. His fur was rough and he was so big, I could have fit my head in his mouth easily. We wanted Judd to come with us but he was having a sook over something so unfortunately he missed out and Lillie tried but got scared at the last minute and I don't blame her since the Tigers keeper only had one arm! We also saw a monkey show that wasn't very exciting, Judd wasn't even entertained by it. The Zoo itself is run down and the poor animal enclosures are filthy, barren concrete cells with a small rope for a monkey to swing on or 30 crocodiles in one pen with manky green water. There was even a crappy little pen with some swans in it who's wings had been clipped to stop them from flying away! From a moral point of view it is an awful place and really we shouldn't pay money to go to see these sort of attractions but again there is that part of me that has always always wanted to pat a Tiger and to be able to get so close to one was such a thrill for me. I got a picture with a Eagle as well and the bloody thing tried to fly off on me, thankfully it was tethered but its wings were so big that it scared the hell out of me when he started flapping away. 
I also got a photo with a tiny monkey called Ozzie with Lillie on my lap and the cheeky little bugger reached down and pulled Lillie's hair and made her cry. It was a full on busy day and at the end the kids were exhausted but it was good to get some tourist things done and make some more memories. After the zoo we arranged for a babysitter with our hotel so we could have a night out on the town and check out some of the bars and clubs. It turned out to be a really funny night. The first bar we went to
the bar girls taught us how to play some of the games they have to keep the customers entertained. We played a nail and hammer game where each person gets a nail and the object of the game is to each take turns in hitting the nail on the head with a pointy hammer, whoever gets their nail into the piece of wood first wins. It is harder than it looks because the hammer only has a very small surface area to strike the little nail. The guys really got into this game they were determined to beat the bar girls who are very well practiced at it.
Then they brought out Changa which is a building block game and you have to pull out pieces of the blocks without toppling the tower and then re stacking them on top creating a tall and wobbly tower of blocks. I loved this one, it was fun and challenging. 
Then they brought out connect 4 and Marcus and Arron again kept being beaten by the bar girls and they kept playing over and over trying to win. After the games wore off we decided to check out a Ping Pong show and I was the only one in the group who had seen one before and knew what to expect. The guys were in tears laughing so hard at the tricks these girls could do, it was all pretty tame and nothing too shocking. It was a great night full of fun and laughs and it was well worth the hang over today.
Then they brought out connect 4 and Marcus and Arron again kept being beaten by the bar girls and they kept playing over and over trying to win. After the games wore off we decided to check out a Ping Pong show and I was the only one in the group who had seen one before and knew what to expect. The guys were in tears laughing so hard at the tricks these girls could do, it was all pretty tame and nothing too shocking. It was a great night full of fun and laughs and it was well worth the hang over today. |
| Connect 4 show down |
Paradise
Each guest received a welcome package from the bride and groom on our beds when we checked in and in ours was some toys for the kids and Judd got a rubber lizard that he instantly became attached to. While at the bbq he was playing with another little girl, the flower girl, and she accidentally flicked it into the garden below the villa balcony. Marcus and I tried to comfort Judd and tell him that we would look for it when the sun came up the next day but amazingly about 5 of the guests and 2 of the resort staff spent ages down crawling around the bushes looking for his lost toy in the dark with torches! They didn't find it but it was such a nice thing to see these people, most of whom we only just met, scratching around looking for a $2 toy for our son. The very next morning the bride and her maid of honour went for another look but when they got down there they found about 6 gardeners looking through the bushes for it. One of the wait staff must have told them. How nice. In the end they found it about 5 meters from where everyone was looking the night before and the bride came down to deliver it to Judd.
This is the perfect way to describe the feeling of the weekend and of the entire wedding itself, relaxed, friendly, calm and very very welcoming and everyone was patient with our kids. Even when during the ceremony itself Judd decided he was hot and itchy from his shirt so he took it off and sat shirtless the whole time, then about mid way he decided he was thirsty and wandered off to find a waiter to get him a drink of water. I was mortified but the bride and groom either didn't notice at the time or didn't mind. I like to think that they were far to caught up in their special moment than to worry about what my 2 monsters were up to. Lillie couldn't sit still, she wanted to play with every ones cameras and she even ended up being held by Marcus at the alter, he was a groomsmen, and we have some wonderful photos of the two of them watching and listening to the couples vows. It was a tear jerker too, the groom caught himself tearing up as his bride walked down the isle of carefully laid rose and flower petals in red and white stripes. As there were only about 15 guests it was incredibly intimate and we could hear and see every emotion and tear.
The ceremony was followed by drinks then a reception with a 7 course dinner! We had prawns, soup, lobster, steak, sorbet, chocolate wedding cake and some fancy custard I cant remember the name of, speeches and toasts of Moet Champagne followed by more cocktails and karaoke in the Ice Bar. It was small, intimate and an amazing wedding and we felt honoured to have been invited and be able to attend and share their special day with them.
So we have 4 nights here to relax, shop, eat and check out some more tourist sights. Tomorrow (Saturday) Marcus has arranged a taxi driver to take us to the Phuket Zoo, a snake show, Big Buddah and some shopping all in one day for only 400 baht! It is so cheap I am sceptical, everything in Phuket so far has been double the price of Pattaya but it should make for an interesting day.
 |
| sunset at Racha Island |
What an amazing wedding. Our main reason for travelling down to Phuket was to be guests at our friends wedding celebrations on a island about 35min speed boat ride off the coast of Phuket called Racha Island. There are no roads on this island so the only vehicles were the carts and leisure bikes of the islands resorts and guests. There are 3 resorts on this island, the best of which was the one we were staying at called The Racha. This place consisted of about 100 or more individual bungalows and villas with 3 swimming pools and 5 restaurants and facing amazing aqua blue waters of the Adaman Sea with fine white sandy beaches that felt like soft sponges when we walked on them. Unfortunately the change in weather patterns recently in Thailand meant that the surf was up at our beach but calm on the other side further away so snorkeling was out and swimming for the kids was definitely out as it was just too rough. But this did nothing to dampen our stay. Our villa was right behind one of the pools so we were able to put the kids to sleep and still remain in eyesight while we swam and had drinks by the pool, my idea of heaven. Comparing this resort to the one we just left back at Karon Beach it was like comparing a 1 star to a 10 star. The service was impeccable, I could not fault them on anything. Every need was catered for, every desire. The bride and groom to be were assisted in putting on a private bbq in their upgraded villa with full wait staff, chef and drinks provided. We had bbq lobsters, prawns, fish, pork, lamb loin chops, Thai salads and rice and even baked potatoes, it was amazing.
Each guest received a welcome package from the bride and groom on our beds when we checked in and in ours was some toys for the kids and Judd got a rubber lizard that he instantly became attached to. While at the bbq he was playing with another little girl, the flower girl, and she accidentally flicked it into the garden below the villa balcony. Marcus and I tried to comfort Judd and tell him that we would look for it when the sun came up the next day but amazingly about 5 of the guests and 2 of the resort staff spent ages down crawling around the bushes looking for his lost toy in the dark with torches! They didn't find it but it was such a nice thing to see these people, most of whom we only just met, scratching around looking for a $2 toy for our son. The very next morning the bride and her maid of honour went for another look but when they got down there they found about 6 gardeners looking through the bushes for it. One of the wait staff must have told them. How nice. In the end they found it about 5 meters from where everyone was looking the night before and the bride came down to deliver it to Judd.
This is the perfect way to describe the feeling of the weekend and of the entire wedding itself, relaxed, friendly, calm and very very welcoming and everyone was patient with our kids. Even when during the ceremony itself Judd decided he was hot and itchy from his shirt so he took it off and sat shirtless the whole time, then about mid way he decided he was thirsty and wandered off to find a waiter to get him a drink of water. I was mortified but the bride and groom either didn't notice at the time or didn't mind. I like to think that they were far to caught up in their special moment than to worry about what my 2 monsters were up to. Lillie couldn't sit still, she wanted to play with every ones cameras and she even ended up being held by Marcus at the alter, he was a groomsmen, and we have some wonderful photos of the two of them watching and listening to the couples vows. It was a tear jerker too, the groom caught himself tearing up as his bride walked down the isle of carefully laid rose and flower petals in red and white stripes. As there were only about 15 guests it was incredibly intimate and we could hear and see every emotion and tear.
The ceremony was followed by drinks then a reception with a 7 course dinner! We had prawns, soup, lobster, steak, sorbet, chocolate wedding cake and some fancy custard I cant remember the name of, speeches and toasts of Moet Champagne followed by more cocktails and karaoke in the Ice Bar. It was small, intimate and an amazing wedding and we felt honoured to have been invited and be able to attend and share their special day with them.
We arranged a babysitter for the evening so we could relax and not be concerned with tired cranky kids, she was a kindly older Thai lady who politely sat on our couch in the dark while the kids slept. I imagine she slept too, I know I would. I had no hesitation at all in leaving the kids in her care, that is how relaxed and comfortable we felt on this island. Marcus has even mentioned that he would like to visit again one day and when we were leaving this morning the general manager of the resort, Gerrard from Singapore, came and gave us his personal card and email and said he would take care of us if we wanted to return again. He took such good care of the wedding, giving upgrades and discounts and with a click of his fingers the bride had anything she needed. I will definitely be going back to stay longer and enjoy the many many more fun things the island and the resort has to offer.
 |
| View of the beach from one of the bars |
After our dismal hotel in Phuket for our first stay last week we decided to cancel our second booking and find somewhere much more suitable. I searched the web again and came across a Hotel called Patong Paragon and it was cheaper and looked nice but I was concerned because the other one looked amazing on the website too but upon arrival we got a real shock. Luckily this second hotel has turned out perfect. We have direct pool access rooms, with enough space for Judd to have a bed set up and Lillie to have a cot. The pool is amazing, huge and clean. We have a small patio with a gate allowing us private access to the public pool anytime we want which is awesome while the kids sleep. And the best part is that it is back in Patong where all the action is and it is about $40 cheaper a night. I feel much better staying here, even though we are in a studio room rather than an apartment, the facilities make up for the smaller space.
So we have 4 nights here to relax, shop, eat and check out some more tourist sights. Tomorrow (Saturday) Marcus has arranged a taxi driver to take us to the Phuket Zoo, a snake show, Big Buddah and some shopping all in one day for only 400 baht! It is so cheap I am sceptical, everything in Phuket so far has been double the price of Pattaya but it should make for an interesting day.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Airplanes, Taxis and Tuk Tuks
We have travelled over 8000kms in the past 3 days! Our flight to Bangkok was fairly easy, Lillie fell asleep just as the plane took off and she would have slept for most of the flight except that just after we put her in the bassinet the seat belt sign came on and we were asked to take her out and put her seat belt on which of course woke her up and she then stayed awake for the rest of the flight until the very end. Quite unfortunate but it couldn't be helped. Thankfully we had the seat next to us as a spare so we had some room to spread out a bit. Judd was given a sticker book on Dinosaurs from his Pa and he read it for nearly the entire trip. As it was our third flight into Bangkok we thankfully knew where we were going and how to get out of that great labyrinth of an airport but once we cleared customs we couldn't find the driver I had arranged to pick us up but after a few phone calls we found him and were on our way home. We didn't get in until midnight and we were relieved that the house hadn't been burgled while we were away and everything was as I left it, apart from the ghekko poo around the floor, the little buggers are everywhere over here. A few hours of sleep later and I woke up with a raging sinus infection and a headache that lasted for 3 days! Marcus went off to work for the day and I was left to try and handle the kids while unpacking and re-packing for our flight to Phuket the very next morning. I wasn't pleased but somehow I got it done and we were even able to go out for dinner and take the kids for a play at the play center in town.
The next morning we were all up at 5.30 am to begin the process again of getting all the last minute things packed, food for the kids and everyone in the car for the 90min drive back to Bangkok airport.
Unfortunately after arriving nice and early our plane was delayed by about half an hour so our bright and happy kids began turning into tired and nasty monsters and Judd started constantly asking "is the plane here yet? Where is the plane?" over and over again until he got in trouble. Lillie was so tired that by the time we did board she lost it and started a big tantrum about having her seat belt on, but after switching from dads lap to mine for a cuddle she was asleep before we even left the tarmac and slept the entire flight until just before we landed at Phuket airport. It amazed me the difference between Bangkok airport and Phuket, the taxi drivers are so pushy and in your face and none of them were willing to haggle over price. In the end we went outside and found a driver willing to barter a decent price (which if we compared to what we pay our of Bangkok airport it was still too much). It felt very weird having the kids in the back of a car with only adult seat belts on, but we didn't hit any high speeds so I wasn't too concerned.
The difference in surroundings from Pattaya to Phuket was instantly obvious, the roads were alot quieter, there weren't truck loads of people driving to and from work or the endless road trains of buses ferrying the workers to the multitude of factories that surround Pattaya. Here it felt more slow and laid back straight away. We were surprised when we drove through Patong, we thought it would be alot busier but when we got to our hotel it was even quieter, almost like a ghost town (compared to what we were expecting anyway).
Now our hotel is a whole different matter, we checked in and straight away I asked for a babysitter service and was told by the receptionist that they don't have one. I immediately got cranky as I purposefully booked this hotel after many emails to the reservation staff asking if they had a babysitting service and how much they charge etc. So I was in a bad mood before we even got to our room. Then we looked outside to one of the pools and it is murky and green! Fantastic I thought, strike 2. But once we got up to our room I was horrified to see that the fancy photos on the website were anything but accurate. The floors are concrete, the furniture is concrete and the whole suite looks to be falling apart. At least the linen and towels were clean and fresh and the bathroom didn't have any mould in it. After unpacking a bit we changed the kids into their bathers and went straight to the pool and it was a definite strike 4! The fancy kids paddle pool with fountain wasn't working and the bottom was full of dirt and sand, the kids waters slide looked ready to collapse and there were empty beer bottles, cigarette butts all over the place. The kids club that was a selling point for me was empty of staff and kids with direct access to the pool and a balcony! All of this I could have over looked but I was soon to discover that the pool bar and cafe was closed! WTF! I had visions of us sitting by the pool with cocktails while the kids swam and played, but all we did was argue with each other, poor Judd fell over a stray toy and scratched up his knees on the sharp rocks around the edge of the pool and he then didn't want to swim in it anymore. The only one who was happy was Lillie who was trying to drink the funky water out of the kiddy paddle pool with a small cup.
Marcus couldn't understand why I was so upset and he offered no solace to me at all. I tried to explain to him how I thought we had found a perfect family focused hotel and to see how crap it was (after we had paid a non refundable fee) I was upset. All I needed from him was to say "Ok Al, this place is shit, you aren't happy, lets find somewhere else" or something along those lines. But all I got from him was " you are making me depressed, get over it!" So as you can imagine these sorts of comments didn't sit too well with me and we argued for the rest of the day.
We ended up grabbing the kids and going to visit Marcus brother and wife down at their hotel down the road. A hotel which we were supposed to stay at but their prices were too expensive for us and we thought we could find something just as nice but cheaper. I immediately got hotel envy as soon as we walked in, the place is huge with big fancy clean pools, pool bars, grasses areas, proper kids clubs etc. So my mood didn't improve and my 3 day headache was at its peak.
After a few beers and catching up I realised that I had forgotten that the couples hens and bucks night which was the reason for our trip was meant to be that night and I had no babysitter, my head was going to explode and we were all unbelievably exhausted as our long flight 2 days before had caught up with all of us. So we missed out on hitting the town with everyone which was disappointing as well. So all in all our first day in Phuket SUCKED!
Day 2.
We hit the sack early that first night and I woke up fresh and my headache was completely gone. We took our time getting ready, we found a 7/11 and stocked up on essentials and food, packed our travel bags, got the kids down for a normal nap time and when they woke we went down to Kata beach to meet up with their Auntie and Uncle and had a lovely day drinking cocktails,swimming in the big surf and eating. Marcus and his brother even attempted surfing after a 15 year break. They unfortunately didn't get to stand up but they came out tired but pumped. It took them about 2 hours to work up the courage in the first place so I think they were relieved to have broken the ice, so to speak. Since the kids had a good nap that day we were able to take them out to dinner with everyone and we found a lovely Thai restaurant and Judd got to eat his favourite meal, at the moment, shrimps and rice. Lillie didn't make it to dinner time, she fell asleep straight away and slept in the pram.
It was a nice dinner but it wasn't a big night for drinking so we all ended up with early bedtimes again.
Day 3.
Woke up unbelievable tired and after taking the kids to breakfast and Marcus had a run I went back to bed for some more sleep. I don't think I am sleeping that well as we have Judd in bed with us and I am constantly aware he is there and I don't want to wake him or Lillie in the cot by the bed. Our suite is a one bedroom so thankfully we can put the kids down to bed while we stay up and watch TV and talk without disturbing them.
About mid morning we caught a Tuk Tuk into Patong to go to Carrefour to do some grocery shopping. It is a relief to see stores that I recognise and to be able to buy the products I am used to.
Patong is similar to Pattaya, but nowhere near as busy. But there aren't any baht buses here which makes it expensive when we just was to pop up the street and back again. About 300 baht a trip when the baht buses range from 10 baht to 100 baht depending on the distance you ask them to travel, but because they have set routes its kind of like catching a tram in Melbourne. But here there are only Tuk Tuks and hardly any motorbike taxis so the tuk tuk drivers asked ridiculous prices for such short trips.
I think we have spent most of our money on them so far just running back and forth from the other hotels are friends are staying at (since ours is so shit we prefer to go to theirs).
At nap time Marcus and his friend hung out in our room so I could go for a walk to find a foot massage parlour. They charged me more than what I usually pay but because I am on foot without my car I cant be bothered walking any further in this heat. I did however get a lovely massage and wandered back so the boys could go and get theirs as they were really sore from all of their running and surfing exercises and right now as I type this blog it is raining and windy and looks to be setting in for the rest of the afternoon. Crazy Thailand, its meant to be summer and yeah its hot but it seems to be raining everyday lately and I don't think it is meant to be wet season yet.
We have 1 more day here before we go over to Racha Island for the wedding and I hope to take the kids to see the elephants or maybe go to a water park I think there is meant to be a good one somewhere here in Phuket, I just wonder what the bloody Tuk Tuk driver is going to charge us for that trip. But all in all I am liking Phuket, but I do prefer the atmosphere of Pattaya and not to mention the cheaper taxi services. LOL.
The next morning we were all up at 5.30 am to begin the process again of getting all the last minute things packed, food for the kids and everyone in the car for the 90min drive back to Bangkok airport.
Unfortunately after arriving nice and early our plane was delayed by about half an hour so our bright and happy kids began turning into tired and nasty monsters and Judd started constantly asking "is the plane here yet? Where is the plane?" over and over again until he got in trouble. Lillie was so tired that by the time we did board she lost it and started a big tantrum about having her seat belt on, but after switching from dads lap to mine for a cuddle she was asleep before we even left the tarmac and slept the entire flight until just before we landed at Phuket airport. It amazed me the difference between Bangkok airport and Phuket, the taxi drivers are so pushy and in your face and none of them were willing to haggle over price. In the end we went outside and found a driver willing to barter a decent price (which if we compared to what we pay our of Bangkok airport it was still too much). It felt very weird having the kids in the back of a car with only adult seat belts on, but we didn't hit any high speeds so I wasn't too concerned.
The difference in surroundings from Pattaya to Phuket was instantly obvious, the roads were alot quieter, there weren't truck loads of people driving to and from work or the endless road trains of buses ferrying the workers to the multitude of factories that surround Pattaya. Here it felt more slow and laid back straight away. We were surprised when we drove through Patong, we thought it would be alot busier but when we got to our hotel it was even quieter, almost like a ghost town (compared to what we were expecting anyway).
Now our hotel is a whole different matter, we checked in and straight away I asked for a babysitter service and was told by the receptionist that they don't have one. I immediately got cranky as I purposefully booked this hotel after many emails to the reservation staff asking if they had a babysitting service and how much they charge etc. So I was in a bad mood before we even got to our room. Then we looked outside to one of the pools and it is murky and green! Fantastic I thought, strike 2. But once we got up to our room I was horrified to see that the fancy photos on the website were anything but accurate. The floors are concrete, the furniture is concrete and the whole suite looks to be falling apart. At least the linen and towels were clean and fresh and the bathroom didn't have any mould in it. After unpacking a bit we changed the kids into their bathers and went straight to the pool and it was a definite strike 4! The fancy kids paddle pool with fountain wasn't working and the bottom was full of dirt and sand, the kids waters slide looked ready to collapse and there were empty beer bottles, cigarette butts all over the place. The kids club that was a selling point for me was empty of staff and kids with direct access to the pool and a balcony! All of this I could have over looked but I was soon to discover that the pool bar and cafe was closed! WTF! I had visions of us sitting by the pool with cocktails while the kids swam and played, but all we did was argue with each other, poor Judd fell over a stray toy and scratched up his knees on the sharp rocks around the edge of the pool and he then didn't want to swim in it anymore. The only one who was happy was Lillie who was trying to drink the funky water out of the kiddy paddle pool with a small cup.
Marcus couldn't understand why I was so upset and he offered no solace to me at all. I tried to explain to him how I thought we had found a perfect family focused hotel and to see how crap it was (after we had paid a non refundable fee) I was upset. All I needed from him was to say "Ok Al, this place is shit, you aren't happy, lets find somewhere else" or something along those lines. But all I got from him was " you are making me depressed, get over it!" So as you can imagine these sorts of comments didn't sit too well with me and we argued for the rest of the day.
We ended up grabbing the kids and going to visit Marcus brother and wife down at their hotel down the road. A hotel which we were supposed to stay at but their prices were too expensive for us and we thought we could find something just as nice but cheaper. I immediately got hotel envy as soon as we walked in, the place is huge with big fancy clean pools, pool bars, grasses areas, proper kids clubs etc. So my mood didn't improve and my 3 day headache was at its peak.
 |
| The green murky pool. |
Day 2.
We hit the sack early that first night and I woke up fresh and my headache was completely gone. We took our time getting ready, we found a 7/11 and stocked up on essentials and food, packed our travel bags, got the kids down for a normal nap time and when they woke we went down to Kata beach to meet up with their Auntie and Uncle and had a lovely day drinking cocktails,swimming in the big surf and eating. Marcus and his brother even attempted surfing after a 15 year break. They unfortunately didn't get to stand up but they came out tired but pumped. It took them about 2 hours to work up the courage in the first place so I think they were relieved to have broken the ice, so to speak. Since the kids had a good nap that day we were able to take them out to dinner with everyone and we found a lovely Thai restaurant and Judd got to eat his favourite meal, at the moment, shrimps and rice. Lillie didn't make it to dinner time, she fell asleep straight away and slept in the pram.
 |
| Brothers off for a surf |
Woke up unbelievable tired and after taking the kids to breakfast and Marcus had a run I went back to bed for some more sleep. I don't think I am sleeping that well as we have Judd in bed with us and I am constantly aware he is there and I don't want to wake him or Lillie in the cot by the bed. Our suite is a one bedroom so thankfully we can put the kids down to bed while we stay up and watch TV and talk without disturbing them.
About mid morning we caught a Tuk Tuk into Patong to go to Carrefour to do some grocery shopping. It is a relief to see stores that I recognise and to be able to buy the products I am used to.
 |
| Lillie asleep in a Tuk Tuk |
I think we have spent most of our money on them so far just running back and forth from the other hotels are friends are staying at (since ours is so shit we prefer to go to theirs).
At nap time Marcus and his friend hung out in our room so I could go for a walk to find a foot massage parlour. They charged me more than what I usually pay but because I am on foot without my car I cant be bothered walking any further in this heat. I did however get a lovely massage and wandered back so the boys could go and get theirs as they were really sore from all of their running and surfing exercises and right now as I type this blog it is raining and windy and looks to be setting in for the rest of the afternoon. Crazy Thailand, its meant to be summer and yeah its hot but it seems to be raining everyday lately and I don't think it is meant to be wet season yet.
We have 1 more day here before we go over to Racha Island for the wedding and I hope to take the kids to see the elephants or maybe go to a water park I think there is meant to be a good one somewhere here in Phuket, I just wonder what the bloody Tuk Tuk driver is going to charge us for that trip. But all in all I am liking Phuket, but I do prefer the atmosphere of Pattaya and not to mention the cheaper taxi services. LOL.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Got that excited travel buzz
I sit here with 3 days to go before we hop back on that plane and return to our new home in Thailand and my mind is buzzing with things to do, buy and people to see one last time. I have to have this rental house cleaned before we leave to get our very expensive bond back, I have to wash, iron and pack everything and pray we aren't over the suitcase weight limit. I feel like I have spent a fortune since we have been here, just with the day to day cost of living and not being able to cook at home as often has really eaten a hole in my purse. I have had to stock up on essentials like face creme (I have sensitive skin so to experiment on a new product over there would be painful) clothes for myself as I am too big for most of the fashion in Thailand and it is over priced, outfits for the wedding we are to be guests of in Phuket next week and funny enough I needed to stock up on tampons! Eeeww I know but the ones they use over there are completely hopeless and a waste of time, those poor women have no idea what they are missing out on. I have to get more of my contraceptive pill as well as I also do not want to trial a new one and shoes for me and the kids as my fat feet are too big for their little tiny shoes and its embarrassing to go shoe or clothe shopping in Pattaya as most of the answers I get when I ask for a size is "oh no madame, no have for you" with a snicker and a smile. But hey I love to clothes shop so to be able to hit the shops hard while in town isn't such a bad thing, my only worry is if I can fit it all back into our suitcases.
We spent the this weekend catching up with friends which was really lovely but very tiring. I feel like I have just been dragging the kids around with me for 4 weeks and they are exhausted. However I do think they enjoyed playing with all of their old friends. At first they didn't recognise each other but after some time they all realised who was who and Judd got to have some really good playtime. Lillie too which is necessary as she doesn't get too much socialisation with kids her age so her sharing skills are a bit dubious to say the least, luckily we can still use the excuse that she is a baby and doesn't know better but that wont last for long.
I felt a bit sorry for Judd during this trip as I realised how much he is missing out when it comes to play time with kids not only his own age but his own nationality. To be able to play with English speaking children must be a nice change for him I think. He does have some friends at school that speak fairly good English but they all mostly speak Thai as their first language so sometimes he must feel left out over there when all of the Thai kids get to playing together. Lillie is still not bothered with who she plays with as long as she is the boss, but I do need to make more of a conscious effort to arrange more play dates with the other expat ladies I know who have toddlers.
We also got to spend alot of time with Marcus' mum and her partner and also his brother and his wife. It is nice to be around family again almost feels like we never left though. Marcus mum has been a great help with babysitting and offering me the use of her car for our entire stay, so generous of her. We have liked living over here on the Bayside closer to her but it is so far from all of our friends, it took me over an hour to drive out to see a friend on Friday night and that was with not much peak hour traffic. We aren't sure where we want to live when we eventually return, we both like it here in Beaumaris but I think it may be a bit too much out of our price range. Marcus enjoys the running tracks and the cycling and I enjoy the little shops and atmosphere and the kids really enjoy having the beach so close but we still have plenty of time to decide what we want to do. Being nearby to family is nice and Judd loves having his Ninny nearby, he will miss having her around so much. Poor kid, it must be hard on him all of this change and moving about but it seems that as long as we have access to cartoons and toys he is pretty content.
I didn't get to fly up to Queensland to see my parents or grandparents this trip and I feel quite bad about it but once we got the go ahead to come to Melbourne all of the cheap flights were gone and being Easter and school holidays it was going to cost nearly as much for me and the 2 kids to fly to Cairns than it was for us to fly from Thailand. It's crazy to think that it is cheaper to fly internationally than it is to fly within our own country? I wonder if other countries have that same problem or if it is just Australia's inflation that is driving everything through the roof?
I do hope to fly my mum over to Thailand like we first planned back in March but this time make it for later in the year maybe November, then I may just return with her and the kids to Cairns for a week or so to see the family and catch up with the grandparents. I would feel awful if I didn't make the effort and one of them passed before getting to see the kids again.
I am also really looking forward to getting back into my exercise routine when we return home, I have done virtually nothing since landing in Melbourne 4 weeks ago and I feel awful and tired. It's hard to maintain a good exercise plan when holidaying for such a long time, the novelty of living out of a suitcase wears off after 12 days or so I think.
So the next 3 days will be super busy and slightly crazy and with me losing my patience but I look forward to getting back on that plane and getting us all back into the warmth and fun of Thailand. But I will dearly miss my friends and if only I could have both it would be perfect but unfortunately life takes people in different directions and I know that my dear friends will still be here for us when we return and they will have the honesty to tell us to shut the f*$# up when we start rattling on about Thailand too much. Until next time Australia.
We spent the this weekend catching up with friends which was really lovely but very tiring. I feel like I have just been dragging the kids around with me for 4 weeks and they are exhausted. However I do think they enjoyed playing with all of their old friends. At first they didn't recognise each other but after some time they all realised who was who and Judd got to have some really good playtime. Lillie too which is necessary as she doesn't get too much socialisation with kids her age so her sharing skills are a bit dubious to say the least, luckily we can still use the excuse that she is a baby and doesn't know better but that wont last for long.
I felt a bit sorry for Judd during this trip as I realised how much he is missing out when it comes to play time with kids not only his own age but his own nationality. To be able to play with English speaking children must be a nice change for him I think. He does have some friends at school that speak fairly good English but they all mostly speak Thai as their first language so sometimes he must feel left out over there when all of the Thai kids get to playing together. Lillie is still not bothered with who she plays with as long as she is the boss, but I do need to make more of a conscious effort to arrange more play dates with the other expat ladies I know who have toddlers.
We also got to spend alot of time with Marcus' mum and her partner and also his brother and his wife. It is nice to be around family again almost feels like we never left though. Marcus mum has been a great help with babysitting and offering me the use of her car for our entire stay, so generous of her. We have liked living over here on the Bayside closer to her but it is so far from all of our friends, it took me over an hour to drive out to see a friend on Friday night and that was with not much peak hour traffic. We aren't sure where we want to live when we eventually return, we both like it here in Beaumaris but I think it may be a bit too much out of our price range. Marcus enjoys the running tracks and the cycling and I enjoy the little shops and atmosphere and the kids really enjoy having the beach so close but we still have plenty of time to decide what we want to do. Being nearby to family is nice and Judd loves having his Ninny nearby, he will miss having her around so much. Poor kid, it must be hard on him all of this change and moving about but it seems that as long as we have access to cartoons and toys he is pretty content.
I didn't get to fly up to Queensland to see my parents or grandparents this trip and I feel quite bad about it but once we got the go ahead to come to Melbourne all of the cheap flights were gone and being Easter and school holidays it was going to cost nearly as much for me and the 2 kids to fly to Cairns than it was for us to fly from Thailand. It's crazy to think that it is cheaper to fly internationally than it is to fly within our own country? I wonder if other countries have that same problem or if it is just Australia's inflation that is driving everything through the roof?
I do hope to fly my mum over to Thailand like we first planned back in March but this time make it for later in the year maybe November, then I may just return with her and the kids to Cairns for a week or so to see the family and catch up with the grandparents. I would feel awful if I didn't make the effort and one of them passed before getting to see the kids again.
I am also really looking forward to getting back into my exercise routine when we return home, I have done virtually nothing since landing in Melbourne 4 weeks ago and I feel awful and tired. It's hard to maintain a good exercise plan when holidaying for such a long time, the novelty of living out of a suitcase wears off after 12 days or so I think.
So the next 3 days will be super busy and slightly crazy and with me losing my patience but I look forward to getting back on that plane and getting us all back into the warmth and fun of Thailand. But I will dearly miss my friends and if only I could have both it would be perfect but unfortunately life takes people in different directions and I know that my dear friends will still be here for us when we return and they will have the honesty to tell us to shut the f*$# up when we start rattling on about Thailand too much. Until next time Australia.
Home or abroad?
It is a funny feeling to be back in Melbourne. I am not sure if I am living in Thailand and holidaying in Melbourne or if I am living in Melbourne but taking an extended holiday in Thailand. At first I was so happy and relieved to be home, but after some time and some really cold mornings I find myself really looking forward to returning to Thailand and its hot and sweaty weather. But knowing me I will complain no matter what country I am in. I hate to be hot and sticky but I also hate the cold for trapping me and the kids inside so much. Marcus is struggling with the cold weather as well but he is enjoying being able to go cycling again and loves running along Beach road. At first I was loving having all the lovely food to eat and going to good yummy bakeries but after 2 weeks of eating myself silly I am beginning to crave Thai food.
I feel a little bit in between, one part of me wants to settle down somewhere permanent and set up house and set up the kids and have a fully stocked kitchen rather than what we have been doing for the past 8 months which is kind of making do with the basics and keeping things simple. The other part of me wants to keep on taking full advantage of this opportunity and keep travelling and keep the holiday going. All this indecision is tiring. I know that if I chose to return to Melbourne prematurely that yes it would be exciting buying and setting up a new house BUT after some time the days will begin to roll together and before I know it it will all feel like groundhog day again and I would be just another "soccer mum" running about with her kids complaining about petrol prices etc. Not that that is a bad thing but that is one of the major reasons we decided to hit the road and work overseas to gain some perspective on the world and how other people and other families live. It is very easy to fall into your own immediate environment and lose sight of the bigger issues. The news on TV is all the same (not that I expected much to change in only 8 months) but all they talk about is footballers and their tantrums, drunk celebrities and which shampoo and conditioner is the best or what creme works best on cellulite. I think back to when I was a kid and I hated it when my parents would put the news on TV and refuse to let me change the channel. I thought the news was so utterly boring and maybe it was back then which is now why it is more like a soap opera gossip channel than a serious broadcast on serious issues that affect not only Australia but the world. I wonder if my kids will hate the news being on TV like I did or if they will sit down to watch Today Tonight or ACA just to catch up on their daily hit of gossip?
How does this all relate to how I am feeling about going back to Thailand? Simple, being away from Australia and physically seeing how other nations live,work and play has opened my eyes and after being back for only a short time I can see that nothing has changed, everyone still rolls along within their own bubbles trying not to pop and I have had the amazing opportunity to pop my bubble and see that by going outside everything I knew to be safe and comfortable is scary but it is also exhilarating and I am not ready to get back inside that bubble just yet.
I feel a little bit in between, one part of me wants to settle down somewhere permanent and set up house and set up the kids and have a fully stocked kitchen rather than what we have been doing for the past 8 months which is kind of making do with the basics and keeping things simple. The other part of me wants to keep on taking full advantage of this opportunity and keep travelling and keep the holiday going. All this indecision is tiring. I know that if I chose to return to Melbourne prematurely that yes it would be exciting buying and setting up a new house BUT after some time the days will begin to roll together and before I know it it will all feel like groundhog day again and I would be just another "soccer mum" running about with her kids complaining about petrol prices etc. Not that that is a bad thing but that is one of the major reasons we decided to hit the road and work overseas to gain some perspective on the world and how other people and other families live. It is very easy to fall into your own immediate environment and lose sight of the bigger issues. The news on TV is all the same (not that I expected much to change in only 8 months) but all they talk about is footballers and their tantrums, drunk celebrities and which shampoo and conditioner is the best or what creme works best on cellulite. I think back to when I was a kid and I hated it when my parents would put the news on TV and refuse to let me change the channel. I thought the news was so utterly boring and maybe it was back then which is now why it is more like a soap opera gossip channel than a serious broadcast on serious issues that affect not only Australia but the world. I wonder if my kids will hate the news being on TV like I did or if they will sit down to watch Today Tonight or ACA just to catch up on their daily hit of gossip?
How does this all relate to how I am feeling about going back to Thailand? Simple, being away from Australia and physically seeing how other nations live,work and play has opened my eyes and after being back for only a short time I can see that nothing has changed, everyone still rolls along within their own bubbles trying not to pop and I have had the amazing opportunity to pop my bubble and see that by going outside everything I knew to be safe and comfortable is scary but it is also exhilarating and I am not ready to get back inside that bubble just yet.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)