Phuket Island, Thailand, Kata Beach 7/27-29/2006

We arrive at Phuket's airport after this wonderful flight with Bangkok Airlines from Bangkok.  Get a minibus to Kata Beach with a stop at a travel agency to identify for the driver the stops or possible lodging to sell the people on board the minibus.  The Utah couple in Hoi An have given us the place to stay and the driver has a difficult time finding it.  We finally find the Kata View Guest House back off the beach on a relatively busy road.  They have a nice room for us with a veranda, TV w/news, fridge and tub in a beautiful bathroom of marble and granite.  The room is $16.10 split so we have scored again.  I go out to get wine plus coke and snacks for Janeen and me.  I get 2 beers, chips and cheese puffs for me and eat my snacks, drinking half the beer and go to sleep.  We're up late the next morning because the room is dark.  Downstairs for breakfast which was not included in the room.  The bus costing us only $3.49 to get here from the airport.  We're off to the beach which is just a short walk down the hill, across the street and there is this beautiful beach in a bay.  Very pretty, very crowded and big waves.  Watch out for the currents here, the red flag is out.  We sit down on nice chairs with an umbrella and the guy finally comes along to collect 100b or $1.34 from each of us.  The exchange now is 37.26bat = $1.  It was a little higher a month or so ago when we arrived in Bangkok from Hong Kong.   This is the Andamon Sea.  Swim and jump in the waves.  The water is crystal clear here and it is very pretty with an island off shore.  It's a small bay with rocks at either end and the waves are crashing on the rocks.  The surfers are enjoying the waves.  The tsunami hit here but not hard.  Panong Bay, a bay just a bit further north from here was hit bad.  A Brit guy who I bummed a couple cigs off told me 3,000 Europeans are still missing.  I get some beers and they stay cold the duration of drinking them from the koozie they include.  Enjoy the beach and the water.   As the tide goes out, they put a sign warning of rip currents and the red flags close to the water line.  I read in The Lonely Planet that the main cause of tourist's deaths here are drowning from the currents.  Walk the length of the beach and there are jellies up on the beach, small ones.  Some other creatures I've never seen, very small bright blue circular bodies with hairs all off the body, very strange looking, are here also.  The jellies are all very small and I see a cuttlefish and another small fish on the water line also.  Very few small shells.  I get a massage back at our site.  The woman was good, but not excellent.  She had a nice mattress covered with the Thai bedspread in blue and gold.  Full body for about an hour for $8.  We walk back to the room and I go out again for some Cheetos, snacks, cigs and lighter and a coke for Janeen.  Sit out on the veranda drinking my beer and smoking.  Janeen doesn't feel well.  I'm so fortunate to have my strong body and health.  Thank God!!!  I go to the BBQ for dinner.  It's ok and costing me only $5.63. They have a salad you can make from lettuce, tomato, cucumber, cabbage, onion and carrots and a French-like vinaigrette which was pretty good.  The pork is pretty good also, don't like the fish and there's no chicken left.  Talk to the people.  Dave from Hawaii and several other younger guys and a European guy married to the Thai girl.  I stop at the Internet but they are about to close in 10 minutes. I'll check it in the a.m.  Finish my beer on the veranda and smoke a few and go to bed.  Up after 9 this morning.  I'm sleeping way too much.  The room stays dark from the curtains.  Janeen is still sleeping.  Talk with the little guy at the desk and he'll book our pick up at noon by minibus to Phuket town marina and ferry to Phi Phi Island.  I'm having a wonderful breakfast of pad Thai, coffee, fruit and water and sitting by the side of our road at a small family cafe.  Walk back to the room and WanChai, the fellow at our reception desk, has booked our bus/ferry ($9.23)  and we'll be picked up at noon as planned.   Pack up, pay the room and the ferry and my breakfast from yesterday and go to the Internet.  Write a bit, check bank and emails.  I leave the Internet at noon and sit waiting till after 12:30 for the minibus.  We're on our way to Phuket town.  Picking up more people on the way.  We arrive at the marina.  There are 4 French couples, John from Long Island and us.  I climb on top deck for a beautiful ride out to Phi Phi Island, talking with John all the way......next is the beautiful........Phi Phi Island..........