This little piggy - and a bird as a pal

This wi fi here is doing my nut. One minute it is going great guns and the next just dying on me - so now mrs b has crashed out , I need my bed, while outside we have just had tropical thunderstorm, tons of rain , wind and nice lightening. But it has passed so as they say " it was good for the garden".

Tried to add other pics but due to whatever, so here we have a lorry load of piggy's on the way to the market, a couple of views of William and sandra's room ( lucky ducks), and a shot of a wee friend who was communicating with Mrs. B. so popped in for dinner !!

Our evening meal in house as part of the package was beautiful, ceaser salad, green peas soup, red snapper with roased veg and fries; piece of cake and tea , lovely jubbly.

Bed time now for us, whilst the others from our group are no doubt heading homewards from Bangkok. Till tomorrow,

Made it to Phucket

Headed south by Thai airlines , one of the Star Aliance partners to BMI so I might be able to get some points later.



Plane was full, the inflight meal not too bad, and it arrived in Phucket on time although it appeaed ro have some extra passengers as sandra was bitten silly with mossies. Bit of a pantomime trying to find our rep but he was outside amongst the throng - so we were loaded into a mini bus and an hour later arrived here at the Andaman Seaview Hotel, Karon Beach.



Quite stressfull at the check in as the staff wanted passports, credit cards, details of tickets, flights and all sort - which was anything but straight forward, especially when some of the group had no paperwork, and two were even supposed to be in another hotel.



Anyway, Sandra and William have a beautiful suite, two double beds, two TV,s jacuzzi bath , etc , all because it is their anniversay. William is planning on a jump from the wardrobe onto one bed, double flip and over onto the other, but if he misstimes it he will shoot out the patio window.

have been out for a walk in the locale, nice buzz about the palce.

came back and truied to send this mess age two hours ago and it has been a nightmare - sytem keeps dropping off every few minutes, and at 300bt a day ( about £6) it is a rip off.

They have an avert in the room saying, use the wi fi in comfort, what comfort is there in getting your ear battered and stressed out trying and trying again

anyway , now about to send this. Spoke with Graham who managed the Runcorn Run for me on monay afternoon , good man - Jamie is looking forward to trying out the condom we got him at "Cabbage and Condoms" although we have told him it was to fit a wee elephant and not a Shrek !!!

so will try agian later

Internal flight today - to Phucket.

Wed 3rd March , a.m.

Bad night with nightmares and very restless - must have been the refects of my seafood supper.

Now up, had our breakfast and packed waiting for the bus to the airport and the next leg of our trip, a two hour flight to Phucket, then a few more days r & r.

Five of the group left this morning , three to go back to the Uk, and the other couple to a quiet Spa hotel on the other side of Phucket island - I think we meet hem again at Bangkok on our flight home

Just got to go pay the bill.!!!

Monday - a bit tired

Collected the laundry from the local shop rather than the hotel laundry , costs about one third the price, then four back for two massage , one toe job and one manicure, very good and relaxing .

We then headed back to the place where we saw the Austin car, having been promised a buffet style dinner, BUT , no such luck it was a la carte – limited choice , but turned out tasty - the prawns were not as big as the ones in the tubs next door,

Took a walk along to the night market which was very busy , but getting tired we headed back, stopped off for a cup of green tea, four cups £1.20. Then popped into the newest hotel, The Shangri La, just a wee bit posh , so we only managed a seat on the sofa in the bottom foyer. Here they charge £101. for a massage you can get along the street for £7. Just a wee bit of a difference, and rooms start at £150 a night.

So we are now sorted for the morning and the next phase of the holiday.

Sun here but a bit colder in RUNCORN

Monday 2nd

Nice and sunny morning , and despite the fact we could have a long lie, all up nice and sharp for breakfast - and feeling a bit better I also had something to eat.

We headed op up the street , which was nice and quiet and eventually reached a massive indoor market with a great range of goods for sale from flowers, and of course Sandra wanted a bunch from William as the only one she got yesterday was “borrowed” from a vase outside someone’s bedroom on the tray with their leftovers.

Next stop was to have a look at a new car !! - this was one of the smarted on the street , only fifty one years old and with 90 000 miles on the clock. The owner and his son have just taken over a bar restaurant next door a few months ago so we are going back there this evening. The son had been to the UK, staying in London , Blackpool and of all places Bathgate where they have friends. He could not remember the name of the down but knew that Stephen Hendry had a snooker school there.
Nice wee coffee in a smart little coffee shop, lovely touch to finish off their lattes, but I had a nice pot of green tea.

With the place warming up we headed back for a lazy day by the pool – then heading out shortly for the evening.

In the meantime RGB who has been left holding the fort, has been called to help me out by doing a run to Runcorn in the morning - where, hopefully Jill ; Lorraine, Cathy and Dick Turpin's sisters will keep him right.

Another toe job

Sunday 10 p.m.

Fortunately feeling a great deal better, but I will give myself till breakfast before I try anything solid again - a good fasting will not do me any harm!! Just a pity that the others are drinking my drink - just like RGB and Sir Christopher do at home !!

So eventually this evening we ventured out for a short walk and to top up our supplies – but being Sunday most of the shops were closed and the main street was quiet – except for a bevy of lovely young ladies trying to attract custom into the Las Vegas karaoke night club / bar at the bottom of the street. The use of the “pelmet” is common place and there were certainly a lot of cheeky views on display.

We decided to go into one of the nearby massage parlours where William and I had an hours foot massage (£4.50p) and the girls a full pedicure (£3) - excellent value and really professional. Willie fell asleep twice and woke himself with his snoring.

Now back at the hotel and waiting on room service to bring up some sandwiches for the others an watching a replay of the Irish – English International, we saw the Scotland – Italy game earlier on before we went out.

Tomorrow being a free day, we get a long lie and the girls are heading straight for more treatments then have a session in the sun.

40 yrs ago for William and Sandra - well done

Sunday 1st march.

Big disappointment today – woke up at 2.20 a.m. feeling terrible and headed for the loo, whole body racked with aches and pains from freet to the top of my head. And so it went for the rest of the night – with me feeling a bad I was when I came back from India fourteen months ago – just a massive backward step.

End result – there was no way I was ever going to be able to get on a bus and do a days sightseeing , so at 7.30 a.m. it was back to bed and there I remained till the maids asked me to get up at 2.30 to sort the room . Much as I had wished Mrs. B. go with the others she remained at the hotel and lay by the pool wakening me up every so often. I told our guide Peter and he gave me a couple of the local tablets and made me swallow them in his presence – probably to make sure I was not kidding.

In the meantime the group had a marvellous day out, probably the best of the trip with the highlight being a visit to an elephant sanctuary. The place was pristine, the animals very well cared for and happy to see visitors and show off their skills. Hey can play musical instruments, football, do painting – which is done there and then, and actually very good. Everyone then had an hours trip around the reserve on the back of the Elephant which was over literally a 4 + 4 course. William learned a new word today, for an owl - “no coo”. But not for a butterfly.

Sandra and William have a DVD of their days excursion which also included a trip to a lotus flower nursery, jade and silk factories. So it was a memorable day for them on their 40th Wedding Anniversary, with texts and calls from Donna and the family

On their return to the hotel it was farewell to the guide, driver and bus boy who were heading off on a long overnight trip back to Bangkok.

Up until a few moments ago I had not even heard the results for the Six Nations matches yesterday, well done Scotland, and as for England – punished badly for indiscipline.