More Phuket

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So, we spent a total of 3 weeks enjoying Phuket and it's surroundings. New Year's eve day was spent sailing in Phang Nga bay, and New years eve was spent wandering the streets of Patong.

Phang Nga Bay is made up of a number of limestone karsts, or outcrops, which makes for interesting exploring. We took a small canoe from the sail boat and used it to enter and explore many of the openings and caves in the area. At one place we paddled through an opening and inside was open to the sky, sort of a pond surrounded by trees and hills. Hard to explain, neat to see. Lunch was prepared on board, and transfered to shore for a picnic. Seafood for lunch was purchased from fisherman over the side of the boat. Doesn't get any fresher than that! What a wonderful way to end the old year.

On New Years Eve we went out for a late supper, then just wandered the streets. Unlike Christmas, welcoming in the New Year is a very big event. The beach was lined with people sending paper lanterns off into the night sky, and the streets were set up with beer gardens and food stalls, and of course all well patronized. Everybody got into the act with fireworks, and the sky was alive with colour. The street back to our condo was so crowded, we literally had to elbow our way back home. We managed to stay up till midnight and welcomed in the New Year on our balcony watching the last of the fireworks.

Next installment: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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