A Week in Phuket
Feb 24, 2001 | 8:37 am
#16
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Kirkland, WA
Posts: 321
QuietLion is scuba diving for a few days, there is no internet connectivity on the dive boat (I told them that this was unacceptable but they couldn't get it fixed for me in time 
) so we'll have to wait another day or so 
) so we'll have to wait another day or so
Feb 24, 2001 | 10:30 am
#17
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: controlling the internets from an underground bunker
Programs: So l33t that I don't need a wallet full of cards to prove it. Black is the new Gold.
Posts: 3,041
Originally posted by Hunnybear:
QuietLion is scuba diving for a few days
QuietLion is scuba diving for a few days
Feb 25, 2001 | 5:47 pm
#20
Original Poster
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kirkland, WA
Posts: 6,932
Thai wine service
I slept late and by the time I finished writing it was time to meet Mike, Kokonutz and Uncle1K for lunch at Rundtrn. They had the best steak in town and we all ordered the filet topped with bacon. Mike had told us the local beef had improved remarkably in the past year so we ordered the Thai beef instead of the imported Australian cut that had previously been preferred. It was pretty good for 290 baht ($7) each including salad bar.
After lunch it was time to go to the beach. I showed Kokonutz and Uncle1K my deluxe suite at Sand Inn and we changed into our swimsuits and walked the block down Bang La Road to the beach. We selected four beach chairs near the swimming area and paid the steward 50 baht ($1) each for use of the chairs and parasols, which he set up. I ordered a bottle of water for 20 baht (50) and proceeded to relax until it was time to swim. Uncle1K watched our stuff while Mike, Koko and I tested the water. The temperature was perfect, as was the weather in the upper 80s. We splashed around for quite a while and then returned to our chairs.
We had to leave the beach around 4:30 so Koko and Uncle1K could make their flights back to Bangkok so we all walked down Bang La Road to the Sand Inn and changed. We gave them passionate belly hugs goodbye and then Mike and I walked back to the beach road to schedule a dive trip with Scuba Cat ( www.scubacat.com ), a good outfit that we had used many times before. As in the past, they had a live-aboard boat orbiting the Similans with transport back and forth every day so we could design our own trip. We decided to leave tomorrow and stay for two nights. I asked for the past-customer discount and they threw in the equipment rental, about a 10% savings. It ended up costing 14,900 baht ($355) each for the three-day, two-night, 11-dive trip. We paid with our FirstUSA Mileage Plus cards because they only have a 1% markup on foreign transactions and then walked back to Sand Inn and cleaned up and rested for dinner.
Mike had found a new restaurant, the Aloha Villa, just past Mr. Goods on 200-Year Road. We stopped at the supermarket to pick up a bottle of wine and ended up getting both a bottle of red and a bottle of white French table wine. We paid for them, 330 baht ($8) each, and took them to Aloha Villa where we were greeted with smiles and sawasdees. We pointed to a lobster and some tiger prawns and ordered them up, the lobster Thermidor and the prawns barbecued. We were shown to a table and we pulled the bottles of wine out of their plastic sack. Waiters gathered around and talked amongst themselves. Finally one of them asked which we would like first, the red or the white. We said please open both of them. Mike explained in Thai that we would like the white wine put in an ice bucket, but not the red wine. They took both bottles away to the back of the room and we ordered some spring rolls as an appetizer.
The spring rolls came and were delicious. In a process that took fifteen minutes and at one point involved five staff members, they finally brought back the red wine in a basket and the white in an ice bucketunopened. Then one waiter slowly and proudly brought out the corkscrew and reverently opened the various attachments to prepare for opening the white wine, which he did as I mumbled to Mike, Bless this our holy hand grenade When he finally finished pulling the cork out, gently, millimeter by millimeter, then closed all the corkscrew attachments, Mike politely asked if he could take a look at the corkscrew. The waiter handed it to Mike, who grabbed the red wine and whipped out the corkscrew, attempting an end run. It was no good, though, because another waiter saw Mike trying to use the point of the screw to cut the foil and gently took the device away and used the correct implement, the hidden knife on the other end, to do it. He was on a roll so he pulled out the cork too and we finally had wine. The lobsters and prawns came out and were superb. We got the inexpensive check-bin and strolled over to the Rock Hard for a nightcap and show, but with a 6:30 pickup tomorrow morning we didnt make a late night of it.
------------------
I hope you enjoy my Lion Tales. For photos, past travelogues, subscriptions, and more, see www.liontales.com
I slept late and by the time I finished writing it was time to meet Mike, Kokonutz and Uncle1K for lunch at Rundtrn. They had the best steak in town and we all ordered the filet topped with bacon. Mike had told us the local beef had improved remarkably in the past year so we ordered the Thai beef instead of the imported Australian cut that had previously been preferred. It was pretty good for 290 baht ($7) each including salad bar.
After lunch it was time to go to the beach. I showed Kokonutz and Uncle1K my deluxe suite at Sand Inn and we changed into our swimsuits and walked the block down Bang La Road to the beach. We selected four beach chairs near the swimming area and paid the steward 50 baht ($1) each for use of the chairs and parasols, which he set up. I ordered a bottle of water for 20 baht (50) and proceeded to relax until it was time to swim. Uncle1K watched our stuff while Mike, Koko and I tested the water. The temperature was perfect, as was the weather in the upper 80s. We splashed around for quite a while and then returned to our chairs.
We had to leave the beach around 4:30 so Koko and Uncle1K could make their flights back to Bangkok so we all walked down Bang La Road to the Sand Inn and changed. We gave them passionate belly hugs goodbye and then Mike and I walked back to the beach road to schedule a dive trip with Scuba Cat ( www.scubacat.com ), a good outfit that we had used many times before. As in the past, they had a live-aboard boat orbiting the Similans with transport back and forth every day so we could design our own trip. We decided to leave tomorrow and stay for two nights. I asked for the past-customer discount and they threw in the equipment rental, about a 10% savings. It ended up costing 14,900 baht ($355) each for the three-day, two-night, 11-dive trip. We paid with our FirstUSA Mileage Plus cards because they only have a 1% markup on foreign transactions and then walked back to Sand Inn and cleaned up and rested for dinner.
Mike had found a new restaurant, the Aloha Villa, just past Mr. Goods on 200-Year Road. We stopped at the supermarket to pick up a bottle of wine and ended up getting both a bottle of red and a bottle of white French table wine. We paid for them, 330 baht ($8) each, and took them to Aloha Villa where we were greeted with smiles and sawasdees. We pointed to a lobster and some tiger prawns and ordered them up, the lobster Thermidor and the prawns barbecued. We were shown to a table and we pulled the bottles of wine out of their plastic sack. Waiters gathered around and talked amongst themselves. Finally one of them asked which we would like first, the red or the white. We said please open both of them. Mike explained in Thai that we would like the white wine put in an ice bucket, but not the red wine. They took both bottles away to the back of the room and we ordered some spring rolls as an appetizer.
The spring rolls came and were delicious. In a process that took fifteen minutes and at one point involved five staff members, they finally brought back the red wine in a basket and the white in an ice bucketunopened. Then one waiter slowly and proudly brought out the corkscrew and reverently opened the various attachments to prepare for opening the white wine, which he did as I mumbled to Mike, Bless this our holy hand grenade When he finally finished pulling the cork out, gently, millimeter by millimeter, then closed all the corkscrew attachments, Mike politely asked if he could take a look at the corkscrew. The waiter handed it to Mike, who grabbed the red wine and whipped out the corkscrew, attempting an end run. It was no good, though, because another waiter saw Mike trying to use the point of the screw to cut the foil and gently took the device away and used the correct implement, the hidden knife on the other end, to do it. He was on a roll so he pulled out the cork too and we finally had wine. The lobsters and prawns came out and were superb. We got the inexpensive check-bin and strolled over to the Rock Hard for a nightcap and show, but with a 6:30 pickup tomorrow morning we didnt make a late night of it.
------------------
I hope you enjoy my Lion Tales. For photos, past travelogues, subscriptions, and more, see www.liontales.com
Feb 25, 2001 | 6:49 pm
#21
Original Poster
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kirkland, WA
Posts: 6,932
Similan Splendor
My wakeup call came on schedule at six but all night I was half-awake, trying to remember if I had really looked at the clock or just dreamed I had looked at the clock, and trying to add the amount of time I thought had elapsed since the time I thought I had looked at the clock to the time I thought I had seen to figure out how close it was to six. The whole process was unsatisfying and I ended waking up 45 minutes early and doing some writing before the phone rang. I stripped my laptop bag and stuffed some clothes in there along with my scuba booties and before I knew it the minibus had arrived. Already on board were Mark, a San Francisco man working in Japan as editor of an English-language newspaper, and Rachel (pronounced Ra-SHELL), a French-Canadian vegetarian horticulturalist from Winnipeg, a city best known for a hockey team they no longer have.
After a quick tour of Patong Beach serving no apparent purpose, we headed out for the 90-minute drive north to the point closest to the Similans. It was good highway almost all the way and our driver was conservative, rarely crossing the solid yellow line to pass uphill on a blind curve. The island of Phuket is only 150 meters from the mainland and we barely noticed when we crossed the bridge. When we arrived at the pier we loaded our stuff into a dive boat and boarded along with a group of people doing an arduous Similan day trip, meaning they had a seven-hour boat ride for just two dives. Our boat sped along at 11 knots while we enjoyed some fruit and toast for breakfast and watched the flying fish.
Three and one-half hours later we rendezvoused with our live-aboard, the Scuba Explorer, a boxy blue-and-white dive boat with the companys web address prominently displayed on the side. We waited for the previous group to enter the water for their final dive and then the overnighters boarded while the day-trippers stayed on the shuttle for their two dives. We got assigned our cabins, each with upper and lower bunks, and then we had a delicious Thai lunch. In addition to Mark and Rachel, there was Laura, a New York backpacker, Jim and Ellen, software developers from high in the Rockies and authors of a travel web site ( www.thisdoesntsuck.com ), and Andreas and Doris, young newlyweds from Austria. Rounding out the guest list were a nice young German couple and two Swedes who didnt dive due to ear problems but played cards the whole time instead. Already on board was Martin, who was finishing up a weeklong trip.
Our dive directors were a Dutch couple, Sandra and Theos. Assisting them were divemasters Tobias and Ulrich. All were great. We started out the dive trip at island #5 in and did two day dives there, Hideaway and Hideaway Bay. The coral was terribly abused here and I was glad we were moving north tomorrow. After a great Thai dinner a night dive was offered but I passed, not being a big fan of night dives. We started to watch The Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps, but I lost interest and went to bed, the rocking of the boat lulling me to sleep.
The next two days we did islands 6, 7, 8, and 9, all of which offered much more of the spectacular terrain and sea flora I remembered. High points were dives at The Boulders and Mornings Edge. We didnt see any sharks or octopi but there was one impressive great barracuda and several cute little nudibranchs. The colorful triggerfish and parrotfish, as always, were a highlight of Similan diving. We had Western breakfasts and more great Thai food for lunch. Laura and the German couple left after the first night, having scheduled themselves for only one day. We joked that we had voted them off the island and wondered who was next. Mike and I toyed with the idea of staying on an extra day but rightly concluded that nine dives in three days (10 for Mike, who did the first night dive) would be sufficient to sate our scuba appetite without exhausting it. Jim and Ellen and I discovered we were on exactly the same Cathay Pacific flight back to Hong Kong and LA on the 28th!
The second day we got called into emergency action as an inexperienced diver on another boat had descended to 65 meters and got decompression sickness (the bends) upon surfacing. Recreational divers are safe only to a depth of 40 meters, and then only with strictly monitored bottom time and surface intervals between dives. Our team administered first aid and called a speedboat to take him to the decompression chamber an hour and 45 minutes away. No one could figure out how anyone could make a mistake like that but we were glad we had experienced dive personnel and emergency equipment on board with us.
We had a final lunch and the boat took us away as we waved tearful goodbyes to the dive crew and to Rachel, Mark, Jim, and Ellen, all of whom got an extra day, mostly because their travel agent didnt tell them it was possible to do only two nights. Andreas and his beautiful wife Doris returned with us along with Ulrich, the two non-diving Swedes, and several other Swedes who I presumed had gone on a day trip. We watched the flying fish, some of which flew as much as 200 meters (200 yards), and remarked on how much more enjoyable a 3.5-hour boat ride was than a plane ride of similar length.
We docked three boats out from the pier and risked life and limb walking across railings to get to the pier. Life is cheap in Thailand. The minibus met us and we drove the harrowing 90-minute trip back to Patong Beach in air-conditioned comfort. Back at Sand Inn, I tried to get the key to my room and the night manager kept telling me there was already a guest in the room. We finally got across to him that I was in fact the guest in the room and he broke into a big grin and apologized. We took long hot showers and then headed out for dinner.
After three days of Thai food we felt like a steak so we returned to Rundtrn after stopping at the supermarket for a nice bottle of Montepulciano. Dinner prices were the same as lunch, 290 baht ($6.90) for 200g, so we relaxed and enjoyed the Thai beef. I briefly popped into the Rock Hard and said hello to Karen, one of the owners, before returning to Sand Inn and calling it a night.
------------------
I hope you enjoy my Lion Tales. For photos, past travelogues, subscriptions, and more, see www.liontales.com
My wakeup call came on schedule at six but all night I was half-awake, trying to remember if I had really looked at the clock or just dreamed I had looked at the clock, and trying to add the amount of time I thought had elapsed since the time I thought I had looked at the clock to the time I thought I had seen to figure out how close it was to six. The whole process was unsatisfying and I ended waking up 45 minutes early and doing some writing before the phone rang. I stripped my laptop bag and stuffed some clothes in there along with my scuba booties and before I knew it the minibus had arrived. Already on board were Mark, a San Francisco man working in Japan as editor of an English-language newspaper, and Rachel (pronounced Ra-SHELL), a French-Canadian vegetarian horticulturalist from Winnipeg, a city best known for a hockey team they no longer have.
After a quick tour of Patong Beach serving no apparent purpose, we headed out for the 90-minute drive north to the point closest to the Similans. It was good highway almost all the way and our driver was conservative, rarely crossing the solid yellow line to pass uphill on a blind curve. The island of Phuket is only 150 meters from the mainland and we barely noticed when we crossed the bridge. When we arrived at the pier we loaded our stuff into a dive boat and boarded along with a group of people doing an arduous Similan day trip, meaning they had a seven-hour boat ride for just two dives. Our boat sped along at 11 knots while we enjoyed some fruit and toast for breakfast and watched the flying fish.
Three and one-half hours later we rendezvoused with our live-aboard, the Scuba Explorer, a boxy blue-and-white dive boat with the companys web address prominently displayed on the side. We waited for the previous group to enter the water for their final dive and then the overnighters boarded while the day-trippers stayed on the shuttle for their two dives. We got assigned our cabins, each with upper and lower bunks, and then we had a delicious Thai lunch. In addition to Mark and Rachel, there was Laura, a New York backpacker, Jim and Ellen, software developers from high in the Rockies and authors of a travel web site ( www.thisdoesntsuck.com ), and Andreas and Doris, young newlyweds from Austria. Rounding out the guest list were a nice young German couple and two Swedes who didnt dive due to ear problems but played cards the whole time instead. Already on board was Martin, who was finishing up a weeklong trip.
Our dive directors were a Dutch couple, Sandra and Theos. Assisting them were divemasters Tobias and Ulrich. All were great. We started out the dive trip at island #5 in and did two day dives there, Hideaway and Hideaway Bay. The coral was terribly abused here and I was glad we were moving north tomorrow. After a great Thai dinner a night dive was offered but I passed, not being a big fan of night dives. We started to watch The Nutty Professor 2: The Klumps, but I lost interest and went to bed, the rocking of the boat lulling me to sleep.
The next two days we did islands 6, 7, 8, and 9, all of which offered much more of the spectacular terrain and sea flora I remembered. High points were dives at The Boulders and Mornings Edge. We didnt see any sharks or octopi but there was one impressive great barracuda and several cute little nudibranchs. The colorful triggerfish and parrotfish, as always, were a highlight of Similan diving. We had Western breakfasts and more great Thai food for lunch. Laura and the German couple left after the first night, having scheduled themselves for only one day. We joked that we had voted them off the island and wondered who was next. Mike and I toyed with the idea of staying on an extra day but rightly concluded that nine dives in three days (10 for Mike, who did the first night dive) would be sufficient to sate our scuba appetite without exhausting it. Jim and Ellen and I discovered we were on exactly the same Cathay Pacific flight back to Hong Kong and LA on the 28th!
The second day we got called into emergency action as an inexperienced diver on another boat had descended to 65 meters and got decompression sickness (the bends) upon surfacing. Recreational divers are safe only to a depth of 40 meters, and then only with strictly monitored bottom time and surface intervals between dives. Our team administered first aid and called a speedboat to take him to the decompression chamber an hour and 45 minutes away. No one could figure out how anyone could make a mistake like that but we were glad we had experienced dive personnel and emergency equipment on board with us.
We had a final lunch and the boat took us away as we waved tearful goodbyes to the dive crew and to Rachel, Mark, Jim, and Ellen, all of whom got an extra day, mostly because their travel agent didnt tell them it was possible to do only two nights. Andreas and his beautiful wife Doris returned with us along with Ulrich, the two non-diving Swedes, and several other Swedes who I presumed had gone on a day trip. We watched the flying fish, some of which flew as much as 200 meters (200 yards), and remarked on how much more enjoyable a 3.5-hour boat ride was than a plane ride of similar length.
We docked three boats out from the pier and risked life and limb walking across railings to get to the pier. Life is cheap in Thailand. The minibus met us and we drove the harrowing 90-minute trip back to Patong Beach in air-conditioned comfort. Back at Sand Inn, I tried to get the key to my room and the night manager kept telling me there was already a guest in the room. We finally got across to him that I was in fact the guest in the room and he broke into a big grin and apologized. We took long hot showers and then headed out for dinner.
After three days of Thai food we felt like a steak so we returned to Rundtrn after stopping at the supermarket for a nice bottle of Montepulciano. Dinner prices were the same as lunch, 290 baht ($6.90) for 200g, so we relaxed and enjoyed the Thai beef. I briefly popped into the Rock Hard and said hello to Karen, one of the owners, before returning to Sand Inn and calling it a night.
------------------
I hope you enjoy my Lion Tales. For photos, past travelogues, subscriptions, and more, see www.liontales.com
Feb 26, 2001 | 1:18 am
#22
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Upcountry Maui, HI
Posts: 13,708
Very nice, QL!
We're planning a trip to BKK, PEK and HKG next March. I wasn't planning on Phuket but it sounds like maybe I should.
What do you think it would be like with kids in tow? By then, Sarah will be 5 and Vanessa will be 17. I'm not sure about the trip out to the liveaboard with a 5 year old. But it sounds great.
Thanks,
David
Feb 26, 2001 | 7:53 am
#24
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Digital Nomad Wandering the Earth - Currently in VIENNA, AUSTRIA!
Posts: 61,923
LIH: While I did see many families with children in Patong, I personally didn't really see it as a very family-friendly kinda place (its not the sort of place I'd go out of my way to bring my kids).
But apparently other spots on Phuket are more sedate, including Karon, Kata and Rawai. Next time I go, I'll probably try those just to see...
[This message has been edited by kokonutz (edited 02-26-2001).]
But apparently other spots on Phuket are more sedate, including Karon, Kata and Rawai. Next time I go, I'll probably try those just to see...
[This message has been edited by kokonutz (edited 02-26-2001).]
Feb 26, 2001 | 3:01 pm
#26
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: WILD ANIMAL PARK (SAN), CA> GOLD-CO, MARRIOTT, HH, STARWOOD, HYATT,
Posts: 1,373
Try pu-ket!
Try snorkling in a couple of feet of 85 degree water in the Andaman Sea to see some amazing and beautiful sealife-fish all around the islands off Phuket. No tanks needed.
You can stay on the Beach overnight or look for James Bond. PiPi islands have bungalows on the beach. The tourist speedboats leave in the afternoon, and it is time for some native living and food. No need to rough it on a liveaboard unless diving is included.
Try snorkling in a couple of feet of 85 degree water in the Andaman Sea to see some amazing and beautiful sealife-fish all around the islands off Phuket. No tanks needed.
You can stay on the Beach overnight or look for James Bond. PiPi islands have bungalows on the beach. The tourist speedboats leave in the afternoon, and it is time for some native living and food. No need to rough it on a liveaboard unless diving is included.
Feb 26, 2001 | 5:34 pm
#28
In Memoriam, Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 6,879
"I tried to get a coach ticket on United and upgrade with two of my six unused systemwide upgrades that expire March 31, but when I called the 1K line a recording said, Please hold while we continue to suck, .
That killed me.
That killed me.
Feb 26, 2001 | 7:59 pm
#29
Original Poster
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Kirkland, WA
Posts: 6,932
There are plently of hotels here. If you want to pay a lot try the Novotel. Sand Inn is quiet, cheap, and has in-room Internet access (just for me though).
Last day in Phuket
We got up late and had breakfast at World Foods, south of Sand Inn on the 200-Year Road. I had instant coffee and an excellent Western-style Thai Omelet for three times as much as I would have paid in a less touristy restaurant.
Today was a shopping day. Mike picked up some disposable Thai luggage (average life: six months, but it looks good) and I bought some prizes to bring back to America. We walked around town and bargained dramatically until early afternoon. Then it was time to eat so we took a cab to Baan Rim Pa, the excellent Thai restaurant by the beach. We ordered set menu #3, which included a variety of yummy Thai dishes such as chicken wrapped in banana leaf and duck with peanut curry sauce. The bill was 2035 baht ($48.50) including a rare 10% service charge.
After lunch we walked back along the beach. Two small U.S. Navy supply ships were moored in the harbor, Patong Beach being a favorite R&R stop what with the cool refreshing drinks offered all around town. February was still high season and European sunbathers packed the beaches end to end. The weather remained delightful with a cool breeze balancing the hot sun all day.
We rested and cleaned up before dinner. Since we had such a late lunch we relaxed outside at the Rock Hard Caf and had a few drinks for happy hour as we watched the people walk by and the drivers load the Pepsi truck, sorting all the empty bottles dexterously into several blue plastic cartons. Around 9:30 we decided to have for our final dinner a repeat of Aloha Villa so Mike picked up some wine at the supermarket while I went to Sand Inn and left a note in case our friends from the dive boat came looking for us. The expensive gifts I had bought for friends back home had depleted my baht reserve for I went to the ATM and picked up some more cash for dinner and paying the hotel bill tomorrow. Its always amusing to see my bank balance in baht.
Once again we had delicious lobster Thermidor and barbecued tiger prawns. The wine service improved dramatically although a new, older waiter was now the guardian of the holy corkscrew. He refused to open the red wine until the bucket had arrived for the white and then he opened both, precariously pulling the cork out of the red wine lying almost flat in the wicker basket. For a change we got some fried beef with plum sauce as an appetizer and some yummy green curry chicken. The bill was about 1800 baht ($43) including tax, excluding the two bottles of wine.
As a rule I dont eat dessert but Mike wanted to go for Buds ice cream. It was closed 15 minutes early so we went for Baskin-Robbins instead and I had just one small sundae for 80 baht ($2). I put in an obligatory visit to the Rock and then went back to Sand Inn to catch up with FlyerTalk and email. I got to sleep after one.
------------------
I hope you enjoy my Lion Tales. For photos, past travelogues, subscriptions, and more, see www.liontales.com
Last day in Phuket
We got up late and had breakfast at World Foods, south of Sand Inn on the 200-Year Road. I had instant coffee and an excellent Western-style Thai Omelet for three times as much as I would have paid in a less touristy restaurant.
Today was a shopping day. Mike picked up some disposable Thai luggage (average life: six months, but it looks good) and I bought some prizes to bring back to America. We walked around town and bargained dramatically until early afternoon. Then it was time to eat so we took a cab to Baan Rim Pa, the excellent Thai restaurant by the beach. We ordered set menu #3, which included a variety of yummy Thai dishes such as chicken wrapped in banana leaf and duck with peanut curry sauce. The bill was 2035 baht ($48.50) including a rare 10% service charge.
After lunch we walked back along the beach. Two small U.S. Navy supply ships were moored in the harbor, Patong Beach being a favorite R&R stop what with the cool refreshing drinks offered all around town. February was still high season and European sunbathers packed the beaches end to end. The weather remained delightful with a cool breeze balancing the hot sun all day.
We rested and cleaned up before dinner. Since we had such a late lunch we relaxed outside at the Rock Hard Caf and had a few drinks for happy hour as we watched the people walk by and the drivers load the Pepsi truck, sorting all the empty bottles dexterously into several blue plastic cartons. Around 9:30 we decided to have for our final dinner a repeat of Aloha Villa so Mike picked up some wine at the supermarket while I went to Sand Inn and left a note in case our friends from the dive boat came looking for us. The expensive gifts I had bought for friends back home had depleted my baht reserve for I went to the ATM and picked up some more cash for dinner and paying the hotel bill tomorrow. Its always amusing to see my bank balance in baht.
Once again we had delicious lobster Thermidor and barbecued tiger prawns. The wine service improved dramatically although a new, older waiter was now the guardian of the holy corkscrew. He refused to open the red wine until the bucket had arrived for the white and then he opened both, precariously pulling the cork out of the red wine lying almost flat in the wicker basket. For a change we got some fried beef with plum sauce as an appetizer and some yummy green curry chicken. The bill was about 1800 baht ($43) including tax, excluding the two bottles of wine.
As a rule I dont eat dessert but Mike wanted to go for Buds ice cream. It was closed 15 minutes early so we went for Baskin-Robbins instead and I had just one small sundae for 80 baht ($2). I put in an obligatory visit to the Rock and then went back to Sand Inn to catch up with FlyerTalk and email. I got to sleep after one.
------------------
I hope you enjoy my Lion Tales. For photos, past travelogues, subscriptions, and more, see www.liontales.com
Feb 27, 2001 | 2:44 pm
#30
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: WILD ANIMAL PARK (SAN), CA> GOLD-CO, MARRIOTT, HH, STARWOOD, HYATT,
Posts: 1,373
QL,
I think you will find your cash advaces to have a Unlimited 3% charge on them with a $10.00 minimum. I tried during the Holidays to find the lowest credit card charge for ATMS. And they all are 3-3 1/2% now with UNLIMITED and $10.00 minmum charges.
The Baan Rim Pa was the place I tried to remember. It is known to be the best Thai food with the best SUNSET. Enjoyed the set dinner in Jan., while the mosquitos helped themselves to my legs.
There are a lot of BUngalows at reasonable prices around and on the beach. The Cottage Inn is a newer property with bungalos in lush landscaping. Actually a bicycle ride to the beach and holiday Inn.
I think you will find your cash advaces to have a Unlimited 3% charge on them with a $10.00 minimum. I tried during the Holidays to find the lowest credit card charge for ATMS. And they all are 3-3 1/2% now with UNLIMITED and $10.00 minmum charges.
The Baan Rim Pa was the place I tried to remember. It is known to be the best Thai food with the best SUNSET. Enjoyed the set dinner in Jan., while the mosquitos helped themselves to my legs.
There are a lot of BUngalows at reasonable prices around and on the beach. The Cottage Inn is a newer property with bungalos in lush landscaping. Actually a bicycle ride to the beach and holiday Inn.