The Final Days

On Saturday we had to send the boys home so we helped them pack and spent the day at the pool and exploring some of the local village. On Sunday the rest of us had to go home. We had to check out at noon but our flight didn't leave until ten at night so we just stayed at the hotel and relaxed soaking up all the sun we could until our long series of flights.

We flew from Phuket to Bangkok, nothing too exciting, just that Collin left his phone on the plane and we never got it back. Then there was a problem with the Nicholes tickets and we were at the ticket gate forever, so long that our layover time was spent making sure we could get on the plane. Everett had a rough time on the five hour flight to Korea, it left at one in the morning!

We spent Monday in Korea. We decided that we were tired of airports and we took a transit tour of Korea. We went to a Palace that was there in the 1300s, it was brightly colored and huge, every room was a separate building. Then we went to a Buddhist temple where a funeral was going on for a very famous monk. We all ate lunch at a Korean restaurant, the tour guides would not even tell us what some of the food was (they just kept saying just try it).

We flew for twelve plus hours to LA where we had another nine hour layover so we spent Monday in Santa Monica but it was freezing in California in the 60's so we spent some time at the airport before we made the journey home. We are all suffering from jet lag and missing our paradise but Ford did say "I am glad to be in a country where apple juice tastes like I like it." And Collin said "I am glad to be in a country where milk taste like I like it."

Siam SeaCanoe

Today we took another boat tour. It was in Phang Nga Bay and there were no crazy waves. The boat was a cruise boat and it was so calm that we could eat lunch on board. There were tons of jellyfish in the ocean and we could not go to two of the islands because of all the jellyfish. This tour was a sea canoe tour, where the big boat would take us to an island and then put in anchor and then we would pile into canoes and explore caves in and around the island.

The first island we went to had bats inside the cave. The guides on the canoe had lights and when they would shine them on the bats they started to fly around over our heads. When the tide is really low someone could take a canoe all the way through the cave to a lagoon at the center of the island, but when we went through you could only see a small opening.

The second island was James Bond Island where The Man with the Golden Gun (1974) was filmed. There were no canoes here but we got to climb in some caves that were there. The next island that we went to we had the option of canoeing ourselves or taking a guide with us. We went all around the island and the scenery was incredible.

At the final island we got to canoe and swim there. Waiting for us on the beach was a monkey (the guides said it is rare to see monkeys on this tour). The monkey was so hungry that when the guides brought some bananas it practically attacked the guy holding them and they had to throw the bananas in the boat, push the boat to the monkey and swim away. Then the monkey happily took the bananas from everyone. Even Everett fed him.

On the long ride back all the canoe guides did a dancing show for the passengers. Collin even got his own special show from a lady boy. Let's just say that I am glad that the little boys were sleeping during the show!

Recovering from Last Night

We headed over to the Mai Khao Marriott resort and tried out their swimming pool. It was really shallow and not as big as the pool at our resort. The little boys played in the kids center and had kids mocktails. The grown up kids went out in the ocean again and said the waves were too mild, compared to the first day when they were dragged back into the ocean.

We took some family pictures of the tailored suits and then sent Grandma and Grandpa to dinner by themselves at the other resort. We all then had some family bonding time as we cooked spaghetti in our tiny kitchen.

Also the pictures above are from some Thai dancing in this reflection pool at our hotel.

FantaSea

In Phuket they have this place called Fantasea and they have these stores set up and some carnival games to play and a buffet (if you pay for it!). You come like three hours before this show starts because they want you to buy stuff and play the games. We went on two separate buses because transportation comes with every tour and we had some free tickets and some that we payed for.

We got there and there are tons of bright lights and the parking area is very Disneyland like. The kids saw tons of games that they wanted to play but we made them eat first. All the Thai people kept holding Addy and carrying her around and she was getting tired but still kept smiling. They boys had fun throwing balls and flipping frogs.

Before the show we saw a few exotic white animals, a white peacock, some white parrots, and a white tiger. The show was crazy! They took our cameras from us before so we could not take pictures but it had a ton of Thai dancing and lots of elephants! The fireworks scared the little ones as well as the loud cannon shots.

Turtle Village and Bikes

Last night was really a late night so this post is a bit late. In the morning hours we all slept in a bit. The older crowd went to work out and then we all took a trip to Turtle Village. There were a few shops there that we looked at and then we all took a trip to Swensons for ice cream! Then we decided to do some exploring!

Mindi, Jake, Jeremy, and Collin rented some mountain bikes for two hours. They rode about 17 km round trip and even managed to get lost. Here at the Marriott it is really beautiful but it is very secluded and away from Thailand, so renting the bike allows you to get to some villages and some local restaurants and shops. They wanted to ride to the local Wat and took a few wrong turns (the Marriott gives you a cell phone to take on your bike ride in case you get lost and the locals can not tell you where to go.)

Grandpa and I took the little boys on a bike ride to the lake which was 1 km away. They both did a great job peddling there and back. It was a hot day! Then we went to a secret tunnel to a small Buddhist shrine. Everyone was so impressed that a little two year old was riding a bike so far!

A few pictures and a story

This morning when we woke up our shoes were all missing. We had them all outside the hotel room and then this morning when my dad went to exercise they were gone. He just figured that someone else grabbed the shoes and put them inside. Well he started asking around and no one moved the shoes. Then people started getting a little mad, cause who would steal a bunch of shoes. So Dad was getting ready to call and the shoes showed up all in a row, looking very nice.

We all figured that they just took the shoes and cleaned up. Then Dad told the Marriott guy that he was so impressed that they even clean the shoes here and the guy said "It is the Thai people they are just incredible."

Later that night Nate said "I just got so sick of all the shoes being every where that I took them and put them in the closet and then when I woke up I put them back."

Another Relaxing Day in Paradise

This morning the older crowd went to the pool and did Water Tai Chi. They said it ended up being a huge water fight cause you just push and hit the water so everyone just gets really wet. The instructor even fell off the platform.

The little boys played in the kids center and colored on a name tag. Then some of the crowd went to swim and the rest watched the kids while we went to a Marriott presentation to earn some free tickets to a show. When we got there they didn't even try to sell my dad anything cause he is "Marriott Royalty", and we got the free show tickets!

Then we went and tried scuba diving in the deep end of the pool. Most of us enjoyed it but there were a few who had a hard time with the whole breathing thing!!

Collin and I had the chance to have a picnic on the beach and watch the sunset. It is so beautiful here. The waves on this beach are huge and it was a beautiful background for a quick bite to eat and then we all took some family pictures in our I love Phuket shirts!