Phuket

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Sunday Feb 26: We arrive in Phuket mid afternoon and are met by Destination Asia's manager Amy (from Edmonton) and Our guide Kom. We climb on the bus for the 45minute ride to our hotel and pass many palm trees and rubber plantations. Everything is green and lush, traffic much quieter and the temperature is cooking hot. We arrive at the Kata Thani Phuket Beach resort and are greeted as always with cold towels and a welcome drink. We have time to check out our rooms and then it's down to the beach to watch the beautiful sunset. Supper at a small restaurant nearby where we all feel the full effects of heat and almost 100% humidity. Morning finds us checking out the most beautiful beach I have ever been on. We all find beach chairs and a umbrella and walk over the wonderful soft sand into the aqua warm water of the Adaman Sea. Gentle waves push us in and out as we float effortlessly in the salty water. We think we have prepared for the equator sun but some get the first of many burns thecoming week will bring. The sun burns our skin through the umbrellas! After a leisurely day we climb on tuk tuks and head to the small town of Kana for dinner. We eat at a restaurant called Two Chefs owned by two Swedish men and it is delicious.

Tuesday brings our first day trip and we board the bus early and head to Phuket Marina which is a new and very impressive marina. We see polished and shining yachts as we find our speedboat. We travel about an hour through the spectacular limestone formations off the coast. They remind us of Halong Bay except these are lush green from top to bottom and spring out of the aqua sea into the blue skies. we travel to our first stop where we get off the speedboat and each couple gets into a kayak with a paddler. We paddle along a formation until we come to a cave. We enter the cave which gets smaller and darker until our paddler snaps on his head lamp and the formations shine like diamonds ahead of us. We eventually see the opening and enter a lagoon in the middle of the formation. Monkies play on the steep rock walls and vines hang down from the palm and mangrove trees. We look straight up to the sky above. it is quiet as we paddle to a giant mangrove tree whose roots stretch down into the water like a thousand spider legs. We paddle to the entrance of another small cave but turn back to return back out to the sea. We continue around the formation to another cave which is even smaller and we duck to avoid hitting our heads. This cave is shallower and our paddler has to jump out and push when we come aground. At the end we are able to get out and walk on the bottom of the lagoon as the tide is low. We see a huge group of mangroves in the middle and rock formations coming up from the floor. The water swirls in small pools as the tide begins to fill the lagoon and our prairie stomachs begin to flip as we imagine getting caught inside with the cave filling with water. As we head out we meet many, many more kayaks and realize that once again our hosts have ensured that we are first into the caves today and have had them to ourselves away from the many boats of tourists arriving. Wecarry on past Phang Nga Bay of James Bond fame and our guides wisely elect not to stop in the busy tourist trap. We pass a floating village of Muslim people who have fish farms and run restaurants for all the tours to stop and provide lunch. We turn back towards the marina and after about 30 minutes stop at a beautiful island where we are greeted with the ever present cold scented towels and a welcome drink. The island has a coconut plantation and provides a stopping place for arranged small parties. we see 12 colorful chairs set on the beach with tables and umbrellas and quickly jump in the perfectly still water. We are then seated under a cool pergola decorated with birds of paradise and orchids at a table with white and colored tablecloths, shining silver and glassware and more flowers. Drinks flow and we are treated to a wonderful BarBQ. I feel like we are royalty with people serving us at every turn. We pull our chairs into the shade and all have a siesta. back to the hotel and out for supper at the Boathouse where we once again eat at a beautiful table and enjoy a delicious meal.

Weds we have another free day and enjoy the pool and a shopping excursion. We are dropped off at a restaurant at the marina and Jim joins us for dinner. The talk is about the next day of fishing and Jim predicts that the person sitting closest to the water will be the winner. This is Dave.

Thurs brings the all important fishing day for the boys. They are off early and the girls spend the day at the pool and a quick trip into Kata for a last shopping. We patiently await their return and begin to wonder where they are as time ticks by. At about 8pm they return and the stories begin. The day was clear and hot but the boat was wonderful with a air conditioned cabin, galley and lots of room. No fish were being caught and Jim was beginning to worry so out came the cards, beer and with a little swearing the fish were lured in and began to bite. Each man caught fish and the winner passed from on to another. Jim began to worry that he was going to win so he passed his turn and because of this twist of fate Dave caught the 6.2 lb winner. There will of course be much controversy about this going forward. They ate sushi with the freshly caught fish, did some snorkeling and had a wonderful lunch on board. At one point they were far enough south and far enough out that they could not see any other boats or land. This was certainly a highlight of the trip and Jim caught his first fish in Thailand with his Canadian buddies.

Friday is our last day and we are all wondering what Jim has planned as a finale to this trip of a lifetime. We spend the day on the beach and meet for drinks to finish off all the liquor we have purchased and will not be taking back with us. As we have our drink the heavens open up with a mighty downpour and the thunder cracks and lightning flashes. We wonder if Jim's plans will be foiled. We meet Jim and Or in the lobby and set out on foot down the road to the end of the beach. Magically the rain stops but the lightning continues to flash over the water. We walk along a tall hedge and as we round the corner we are met by two wonderful baby male elephants. One is draped in red silk and the other in gold the SOS colors and a sign welcomes us to the SOS Farewell dinner. We take pictures and play with the elephants and then Jim takes us up on the terrace. Small tables are set with candles, snacks and flowers and we are given champagne. The setting is absolutely stunning with lights, candles, flowers, the ocean waves, music and the lightning. The table for dinner is set with white chair covers tied with red bows,shingling glassware, flowers, china...... We are all in awe. Jim assembles us all for the presentation of the trophy he has spent two years designing. It is a beautiful elephant purchased in Bangkok at the Chatachuk market. A platinum chain draped on the trunk holds a small fish. Heproudly presents the trophy to Dave which already has his name attached. We wonder how he had this done so quickly and he then produces the five additional plates made up for each of the additional guys which were ready to attach if they had won. He has once again thought of everything and each guy is presented with his plate. We then move to a higher terrace overlooking the ocean and Jim raises his glass to toast the winner and a great fish trip. At that exact moment the sky explodes with fireworks over the water. It is truly magnificent and as soon as it is over Jim announces dinner is served. We find our places all indicated with place cards and the feast begins. A wonderful salad with orange shrimp, and balls of rice wrapped with some kind of leaf. Then a wonderful Thai soup followed by rice and the main courses served Thai style which is family style with us sharing dishes of shrimp, lamb, salmon all accompanied with red or white wine. When we are finished Jim announces that before dessert we will all go to the beach to perform a Thai custom. We walk onto the sand and there waiting for us are 14 huge lanterns. Each is lit and as the heat builds inside they begin to lift. We each push a lantern into the sky making a wish and as they float away it is believed they take away all the bad things in your life and leave you with only good luck. The last one is lifted by all the SOS men and we watch as they drift up, up and away over the mountain. It is unbelievable. We return to the table for dessert thinking the evening has been perfect and couldn't get any better. While we wait for our coffe and tea we see another plan is hatching and Jim gets up to announce that he often uses a group of children playing a Thai instrument called a ungkalong (sp?) for his corporate groups. He has them play a theme song which relates to their businesses or to their country. We watch as a large group of children line up below us each carrying the bamboo instruments of varying sizes. He tells us Amy, his Thai Manager, has been practicing with the children for a month to perform for us. We all wait and they begin and we instantly recognize our national anthem Oh Canada! There is not a dry eye especially when we see the effect this has on our friend Jim who left Canada 40 years ago to make his life in Asia. We look to the beach and a Thai and Canadian flag light up in firEworks. Bruce and Dave both try to articulate our thanks to Jim for arranging this amazing trip for us but we all feel that we will never be able to repay his generosity and kindness to us. He is Canadian born but he seems to have acquired a Thai heart we are all thrilled to see him so successful and happy.

There are no more words...not enough adjectives, not enough space to express the gratitude we all feel and to tell others about the memories we will carry for the rest of our lives. How do you thank someone who has given us so many unforgettable experiences. Everyday we were all given "Just another ordinary miracle today". From the bottom of our hearts "Thank you Jim"!

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