08.10.444N  98.20.346E  Sunday 28^th December 2008 and we have been ‘on the road’ for eighteen months since leaving our home port of Motril in southern Spain.  Christmas has slipped by us this year – we can’t believe it is a year ago since those heady days when we had just crossed the Atlantic and all met up in English Harbour to celebrate.  Just four months until the end of the Rally – this is the home run then – and soon everyone will star-burst to get on with their lives.  For a moment in time, as in all cohesive groups, the Rally has not only been our friend but ‘family’ too and there is no doubt that the organisers have delivered everything they said they would - and a whole lot more…..without them we would never have had the courage to achieve so much.

But circumstances change and whereas at the beginning of our adventure we felt we could only spare twenty months away from our home and business – the recession has given us the gift of time – there is no business to rush back to!  With time on our hands comes a lack of pressure – with a lack of pressure these hamsters can jump off the wheel.  Malaysia and particularly Langkawi is stunningly beautiful, comparatively safe and duty free affordable.  Thailand’s anchorages set amid clean sandy beaches, turquoise waters and towering islets are amazing.  The people in both countries are cheerful, welcoming, helpful and kind.  The five star marinas are a fraction of the cost of their European equivalents…….and the climate suits us - so the decision has not been a hard one to make and on the 2^nd of January when the Blue Water Rally sails towards Sri Lanka and the Red Sea we will be staying to relax, enjoy and cruise!

Since Phi Phi Don we have cleared into the country at Ao Chalong,

Ao Chalong jetty (we cheated though and drove here!)

anchored just off the Yacht Haven Marina, hired a car to investigate and explore the length and breadth of Phuket Island (not to be confused with Phuket town), visited the other three marinas, , marvelled at the well equipped chandlers and general availability of yacht related merchandise, sailed to James Bond Island, cruised around the bay of Phang Nga

Sunset over James Bond territory in Phang Nga

One overnight anchorage

Picturesque scenery on route to Krabi

Limestone rock formations

Mobile kitchens offering fantastic Thai meals

Cheery barbecued lunches

Yummy sweetcorn in paradise!

Oscar making sandcastles

We spent over a week near Krabi, the rock climbing Mecca of the region where Oscar is attempting one of the highest rock faces with professionals.

View from the rop! 

The three small pristine beaches in our bay are packed with holiday makers, fruit and drink sellers, mobile barbecues, massagers, foot scrubbers, ball games, bars, shops, restaurants, long boat and kayak rentals, snorkelling and diving operators and windsurfers.  But……it is clean, there are no jet skis and the atmosphere is great.

Sunset views from crowded bars

…….the pressure is off!