So this is where the Aussies went...

---

Happy Easter everyone! (late)
So as promised, Cat came with me at 7am on Easter Sunday morning to walk up the large hill next to us and find the big Buddha. The route was described on someone's blog, and we were hoping it hadn't changed much since they had gone up. There are a series of small paths up the mountain that the locals use to get from plantation to plantation, and they're not recorded in any way. So we started the trek up a concrete road, passing houses and either territorial/overtly friendly dogs on the way. Chickens too. Non territorial. Then we came to a dirt track, with severe rain erosion, and were surprised to pass a few people on motorbikes. Then we left the dirt track and moved on to a small path, despite one man stopping and telling us we were going the wrong way (what does he know, he hasn't read the blog I insisted)
After a Km or so up this path I jumped when a man in the bushes greeted us good morning. And there was a little tin house shack where he lived, in the middle of the jungle on a hill. At this point Cat pointed out insect repellant might have been a good idea as we got swarmed by mozzies. The last part of the instructions went along the lines of "at the big tree (note: in jungle) leave track and head directly uphill for 50M. Eventually you will find a road." Well, eventually you generally do, but 50M seemed to go on for a while and the gradient wasn't friendly, but we finally got there. Big Buddha, 25M or so cement statue covered in plaster, the biggest Buddha in Thailand reportedly, still having the finishing touches applied to it after 6 years of construction. All based on donations, you could buy a slab of marble, write on it and they'd put it the other way up on Buddha.
Lesson No 1: Wear sunscreen. No wait, insect repellant.

So now we were up a mountain and it was getting very hot. And all the taxis that came up were full and we didn't fit in them. After a bit of wondering and wandering, I went to the information guy and asked if there was any other way off the mountain. He told me there were workmen coming and going, so would arrange a lift with one of the trucks. But after 20 minutes or so, he decided it was going to be too long a wait, and went to find his friend. A couple of minutes later, Klaus the German meditation teacher appeared on his scooter along with our other friend, and told us to hop on. So Cat and I rode down the hill one the back of scooters driven by these Buddhist guys, and (head on) into the traffic of downtown Phuket for us to get a bus.
Lesson No 2. If in an impasse, go to Buddhist temple.

We also passed our open water diver qualification! Had a great Swedish teacher who taught us the basics in the pool, then we went to the local island for some real stuff. We were supposed to spend the first dive doing skills, but as it turned out the current was so strong we abandoned skills and just did a dive. The second dive started with a search and recuperate mission after I inadvertently threw my wedding ring overboard... Fortunately only in 9 M of water and in a sandy area, so we found it again. Safe to say I didn't wear it for the rest of the time, it went in my wallet.
Lesson 3: Don't throw wedding ring overboard, if you do make sure it's on scuba diving trip.

After one day of diving, we decided we wanted to do it "for real" and booked a 2 day liveaboard trip to the Similan islands, recommended by Ian from Singapore fame. Well, we loved it. The coral was Incredible, so much more than where we trained, we went down to 25M (more than we should have given our level but there was a shark to look at), went through rock arches down at that depth, and even went on a night dive, where all you see is what your torch illuminates. Quite scary concept, particularly Cat's favourite part of dropping backwards off the dinghy in pitch black ocean. But it wasn't that bad, visibility was still ok thanks to the moon and the boat shining a little light down. So I didn't play coral pinball like I feared I would.
Lesson no 4: Diving is brilliant.

Now we're in Chiang Mai, a country town to the Northwest of Thailand, enjoying suffocating heat but a really nice town. Lots of people speak reasonable english here, and as hinted in the title there's no shortage of Aussies if we're feeling nostalgic. Today we went on "flight of the Gibbons", which is basically a playpark of ziplines through the canopy of the local jungle. Really great fun, and a touch of culture added to it- the local village rents the land, and lunch is provided by them. They also harvest coffee from the hills, and served me 2 cups of locally grown, 100% organic coffee. It was Fan-tastic.
Now when I say they speak reasonable English, I must mention the story of Cat ordering drinks last night at a beer place. We arrived too early for the night market (opened after dark- duh) so went for a drink. Cat ordered a Diet Coke. When we got our drinks Cat's was a cloudy white drink in a cosmopolitan glass. When asked what's this, the waitress politely replied "Daiquiri". I bought a jade necklace for 50 Baht ($1.60), and our room is costing less per night as I spent on a Time and National Geographic magazine at the airport.
Lesson no 6: Chiang Mai is very cheap.

Lesson 9: Learn to count.

Ps Almost all of the news is in Thai here, so if this thing in Bangkok blows up can someone let us know before we get there on Saturday? Thanks...

PPS Photos pending card reader.

---

Comments

[Louisa]

Phil - I know we liked to play the toss an object into the water and see who can retrieve it first - but tossing your wedding ring may give Cat the wrong idea!!! Besides, you need your ring so that if you run out of money you can hawk it for a flight home.

[Me]

Camera?
You're aware Bangkok is not a good place to be right now? Id say just keep diving... and avoid the place altogether. Hows the sony camera going btw?