Paradise in Andaman Sea - Phuket
Hola Amigos,
Hope you njoyed trip with us to Bangkok and Pattaya last time.
Here we are again, Me, Victor and joined by two more colleagues PP, DD. off to Thailand once again with Phuket (Paradise in Andaman sea) as our new destination and of course Bangkok being part of our tour.
Month of August 2010, I received call from Victor informing that trip to Phuket is being planned with 2 more of his colleagues joining in. We were becoming the promoters of Thai tourism !!!!!
We flew by Thai airways as Cathay didn't provide right price for the tickets. Only difference we found at Mumbai airport was the opening of Royal challenge lounge which had its own smoking room and one peg of Royal stag whiskey costing more than the quarter bottle in wine shop !!!!!
Boarded the flight with Thai ambience's and Thai beer SINGHA giving us company. We also got the taste of DEWARS scotch whiskey. (Good whiskey tastes better I would say, when Thai air hostess makes the peg !!! overheard one of the passengers comments - partially true when you are njoying singlehood)
Landed at Swarnabhumi and as usual took only 15minutes to get visa on arrival. Now comes the endless wait of 3 hours for flight to Phuket. We finally boarded the flight which was again THAI airways all charged up to see PARADISE in Andaman sea. 1hour 30minutes flight and we were to land at Phuket. Worth a watch is tiny chain of islets and islands from air. Our first look of paradise on earth. Amazing was not the word.
Phuket airstrip and beach runs parallel ....its a wow feeling only when plane stays on the strip and not on the beach while landing....never happened till now though !!!!!
Coming out of the airport, we found all taxi drivers wanted to take us for a ride !!! but bargaining power of Victor gujju and marwari like me quickly overpowered them, we selected one cab and drove towards our hotel.
I have noticed any where in Thailand they don't really have potholes filled roads even though they get 10times more rain than in India. Time for our ministers to travel to Thailand, of course with their wives !!!!! LOL
Our cab driver stopped us at his travel office to check some tour offerings in and around Phuket. Again our bargaining power being excellent clinched deal where in we get tour of PHI-PHI island next day, JAMES BOND island 2nd day and cab would drop us at airport from hotel on 3rd day all for 1200baht each. Cheap I would say as only one tour would have cost 800-900 baht each ....
Noticed the girls working were pretty good looking, I even clicked pic or two with them.
View from our hotel room was magnificent all courtesy Victor our tour guide who did all bookings.
First day in Phuket in late afternoon we were off to beach, KATA had some amazing crowd so we were on beach sipping coconut water and vodka for DD and beer from our shacks.
After spending some time with people on beach and of course a dip in ocean, we celebs decided on our next course. DD insisting that he was tired since last 2 months and needed a massage !!!! Me wanted to try BUNGY JUMPING !!! and Victor and PP said they will do both.
Oh I forgot one sad incident that happened on KATA beach. DD and me decided to take some pictures, DD while clicking pictures looses his balance due to strong wave and falls in water, ALAS .. OMG !!!! My CANON camera was killed instantly, drowned in sea water. WTF !!!!
DD and all assuring me that they all had cameras and promised to click more picture of me so that I can put in blogspot and other social networking sites. What an assurance !!!!
Also got another assurance that I would be first in line in doing bungee jumping and if I survived in one piece, they also would try later. I called these people my friends !!! Almost choked with laughter and heavy heart I decided to be first.
Clothes removed with only boxers in place, written assurance with my signature that if something happens, no one will be responsible except me, company providing this facility decided to give me one Tshirt and take one pic of mine committing suicide when I accomplish my task. I said thankyou, After some lessons of do's and don'ts I climbed the crane to take me only 55feet up in the sky (5floors)
I had emptied my bladder before boarding and by the time I reached at the top, My bladder was full again and feeling of nausea set in now. The instructor travelling with me asked to look straight in front and not down..... I could not look anywhere else but down and all my friends and others who were next in line started cheering me !!!!!! JUMP JUMP .... I felt like shouting CHU..... upar aake dekh kya haal hai !!!
Since my legs were both tied together with massive rubber rope, instructor asked me to hop a lil and then BINGO ...... I hoped and hoped back again. FUCK !!!! He said either you jump or don't, you will still get a Tshirt free with no refund for 2000baht and dear friends of mine shouting "don't come down without jumping"
So I asked my instructor to commit one crime while I close my eyes and he did !!!!
He pushed me down and BOOM !!! My head hit the lake water below and then I was up again oscillating in air hanging upside down. When I opened my eyes I was surrounded by my friends laughing & shouting, but I didn't have words to say. I had turned red with my heart pumping gallons of blood twice as much faster Coming to my senses took me at least 15minutes when I realised that I had done it. No one else did BUNGEE JUMPING after me !!!!
We were off to massage parlours where DD got body massage while I sipped beer still recovering from my suicide attempt.
Back in hotel, We celebrated my successful attempt with pegs of whiskeys and some amazing bitings bought by Victor from 7eleven store.
Next day morning, we were up early for our trip to PHI PHI island, we were on jetty assembly point by 9am with tourist from different hotels gathered. We were off in speed boat with one group of 20people. Me and DD being more adventurous sat in front of the boat even after repeated request by the CAPTAIN that it will be one hell of bumpy ride. But we had company from IRAN so we decided to stay put.
Ride was amazingly bumpy, not for faint heart and not for people with loose grips. On the way we stopped at VIKINGS CAVE which was intact after 150 odd years when VIKINGS first landed here.
Next stop was at KHO PHIPHI island for dip in the sea but beach was too crowded I would say. On the way we stopped for fish feeding, CORALS watching and swimming.
Andaman sea is so picturesque that we couldn't stop clicking pictures of every possible spot we passed by. Afternoon we stopped at island which was completely devastated by Tsunami which stuck Indian Ocean 4 years back with 2000 people died on this island itself. We had our lunch with me being veggie had to survive on rice some curry and juicy pineapple. Rest of the day was on beach for some more dip.
DD and me went exploring the island only to find some amazing rock formation on the beach and green, blue ocean water, what a heaven it was !!!!! Ride back was even more bumpy but quite an experience.
Next day we were off to another postcard, wall paper beautiful island called JAMES BOND island where shooting of MAN WITH GOLDEN GUN movie had taken place. what a sight.... magnificent
Someone like me has written a BLOG on the island http://www.jamesbondisland.com/ (Happy reading)
In the evening we got foot massage and aroma therapy in our hotel spa which was rejuvenating. Night we were off to BAR hopping as it was last night in Phuket. BAR HOPPING is also an experience in itself with dinner at a one Indian restaurant run by a sardarji from RISHIKESH - HARIDWAR.
We also had a tuk tuk (auto rickshaw ride) of the whole city at 4am in the morning which included tuk tuk race with another tuk tuk carrying other tourist like us.
Next day we packed our bags, bid good bye to PHUKET promising to comeback with our life partners in future and also include KHO SAMUI & KRABI as part of our tour as we found they were nearby islands twice as beautiful and honeymooners paradise.
Our next stop was BANGKOK but this time I was back here more for shopping for everyone at home, only to enjoy at night at same ol place CHARLIES, BOSSY and SPICE GIRL disc at our hotel AMBASSADOR.
This trip was even more fun with amazing, enchanting, picturesque PHUKET all over us. even though I came back with sunburn marks on face which I think took month to recover completely.
But no regrets with another of my adventurous trip coming to an end and getting penned in my BLOGSPOT for some memories to remember for years to come.
Merci beaucoup mon ami / amie. Au revoir
Hope you njoyed trip with us to Bangkok and Pattaya last time.
Here we are again, Me, Victor and joined by two more colleagues PP, DD. off to Thailand once again with Phuket (Paradise in Andaman sea) as our new destination and of course Bangkok being part of our tour.
Month of August 2010, I received call from Victor informing that trip to Phuket is being planned with 2 more of his colleagues joining in. We were becoming the promoters of Thai tourism !!!!!
Boarded the flight with Thai ambience's and Thai beer SINGHA giving us company. We also got the taste of DEWARS scotch whiskey. (Good whiskey tastes better I would say, when Thai air hostess makes the peg !!! overheard one of the passengers comments - partially true when you are njoying singlehood)
Landed at Swarnabhumi and as usual took only 15minutes to get visa on arrival. Now comes the endless wait of 3 hours for flight to Phuket. We finally boarded the flight which was again THAI airways all charged up to see PARADISE in Andaman sea. 1hour 30minutes flight and we were to land at Phuket. Worth a watch is tiny chain of islets and islands from air. Our first look of paradise on earth. Amazing was not the word.
Phuket airstrip and beach runs parallel ....its a wow feeling only when plane stays on the strip and not on the beach while landing....never happened till now though !!!!!
Coming out of the airport, we found all taxi drivers wanted to take us for a ride !!! but bargaining power of Victor gujju and marwari like me quickly overpowered them, we selected one cab and drove towards our hotel.
I have noticed any where in Thailand they don't really have potholes filled roads even though they get 10times more rain than in India. Time for our ministers to travel to Thailand, of course with their wives !!!!! LOL
Our cab driver stopped us at his travel office to check some tour offerings in and around Phuket. Again our bargaining power being excellent clinched deal where in we get tour of PHI-PHI island next day, JAMES BOND island 2nd day and cab would drop us at airport from hotel on 3rd day all for 1200baht each. Cheap I would say as only one tour would have cost 800-900 baht each ....
Noticed the girls working were pretty good looking, I even clicked pic or two with them.
View from our hotel room was magnificent all courtesy Victor our tour guide who did all bookings.
First day in Phuket in late afternoon we were off to beach, KATA had some amazing crowd so we were on beach sipping coconut water and vodka for DD and beer from our shacks.
After spending some time with people on beach and of course a dip in ocean, we celebs decided on our next course. DD insisting that he was tired since last 2 months and needed a massage !!!! Me wanted to try BUNGY JUMPING !!! and Victor and PP said they will do both.
Oh I forgot one sad incident that happened on KATA beach. DD and me decided to take some pictures, DD while clicking pictures looses his balance due to strong wave and falls in water, ALAS .. OMG !!!! My CANON camera was killed instantly, drowned in sea water. WTF !!!!
DD and all assuring me that they all had cameras and promised to click more picture of me so that I can put in blogspot and other social networking sites. What an assurance !!!!
Also got another assurance that I would be first in line in doing bungee jumping and if I survived in one piece, they also would try later. I called these people my friends !!! Almost choked with laughter and heavy heart I decided to be first.
Clothes removed with only boxers in place, written assurance with my signature that if something happens, no one will be responsible except me, company providing this facility decided to give me one Tshirt and take one pic of mine committing suicide when I accomplish my task. I said thankyou, After some lessons of do's and don'ts I climbed the crane to take me only 55feet up in the sky (5floors)
I had emptied my bladder before boarding and by the time I reached at the top, My bladder was full again and feeling of nausea set in now. The instructor travelling with me asked to look straight in front and not down..... I could not look anywhere else but down and all my friends and others who were next in line started cheering me !!!!!! JUMP JUMP .... I felt like shouting CHU..... upar aake dekh kya haal hai !!!
Since my legs were both tied together with massive rubber rope, instructor asked me to hop a lil and then BINGO ...... I hoped and hoped back again. FUCK !!!! He said either you jump or don't, you will still get a Tshirt free with no refund for 2000baht and dear friends of mine shouting "don't come down without jumping"
So I asked my instructor to commit one crime while I close my eyes and he did !!!!
He pushed me down and BOOM !!! My head hit the lake water below and then I was up again oscillating in air hanging upside down. When I opened my eyes I was surrounded by my friends laughing & shouting, but I didn't have words to say. I had turned red with my heart pumping gallons of blood twice as much faster Coming to my senses took me at least 15minutes when I realised that I had done it. No one else did BUNGEE JUMPING after me !!!!
We were off to massage parlours where DD got body massage while I sipped beer still recovering from my suicide attempt.
Back in hotel, We celebrated my successful attempt with pegs of whiskeys and some amazing bitings bought by Victor from 7eleven store.
Next day morning, we were up early for our trip to PHI PHI island, we were on jetty assembly point by 9am with tourist from different hotels gathered. We were off in speed boat with one group of 20people. Me and DD being more adventurous sat in front of the boat even after repeated request by the CAPTAIN that it will be one hell of bumpy ride. But we had company from IRAN so we decided to stay put.
Ride was amazingly bumpy, not for faint heart and not for people with loose grips. On the way we stopped at VIKINGS CAVE which was intact after 150 odd years when VIKINGS first landed here.
Next stop was at KHO PHIPHI island for dip in the sea but beach was too crowded I would say. On the way we stopped for fish feeding, CORALS watching and swimming.
Andaman sea is so picturesque that we couldn't stop clicking pictures of every possible spot we passed by. Afternoon we stopped at island which was completely devastated by Tsunami which stuck Indian Ocean 4 years back with 2000 people died on this island itself. We had our lunch with me being veggie had to survive on rice some curry and juicy pineapple. Rest of the day was on beach for some more dip.
DD and me went exploring the island only to find some amazing rock formation on the beach and green, blue ocean water, what a heaven it was !!!!! Ride back was even more bumpy but quite an experience.
Next day we were off to another postcard, wall paper beautiful island called JAMES BOND island where shooting of MAN WITH GOLDEN GUN movie had taken place. what a sight.... magnificent
Someone like me has written a BLOG on the island http://www.jamesbondisland.com/ (Happy reading)
In the evening we got foot massage and aroma therapy in our hotel spa which was rejuvenating. Night we were off to BAR hopping as it was last night in Phuket. BAR HOPPING is also an experience in itself with dinner at a one Indian restaurant run by a sardarji from RISHIKESH - HARIDWAR.
Next day we packed our bags, bid good bye to PHUKET promising to comeback with our life partners in future and also include KHO SAMUI & KRABI as part of our tour as we found they were nearby islands twice as beautiful and honeymooners paradise.
Our next stop was BANGKOK but this time I was back here more for shopping for everyone at home, only to enjoy at night at same ol place CHARLIES, BOSSY and SPICE GIRL disc at our hotel AMBASSADOR.
This trip was even more fun with amazing, enchanting, picturesque PHUKET all over us. even though I came back with sunburn marks on face which I think took month to recover completely.
But no regrets with another of my adventurous trip coming to an end and getting penned in my BLOGSPOT for some memories to remember for years to come.
Merci beaucoup mon ami / amie. Au revoir
Comments
Post a Comment