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On 3 April, Will, Annie, Josh, Dan and Isla arrived in Phuket from Singapore.  The plan was to sail from Ao Po marina to Krabi Boat Lagoon marina on the other side of Phang Nga Bay. Then leave Tashi Delek in a berth and on 6 April to fly to the island of Koh Samui on the east coast of Thailand to spend four days with the Lees family.  Carol was due to join us on Koh Samui on 6 April having flown out from UK.  After our time with the Lees family on Koh Samui we were all to fly back to Krabi and then have a few days sailing around exploring Phang Nga Bay, before returning to Ao Pau marina and return flights to Singapore and UK for Carol on 16 April.

Christopher Lees, our host on Koh Samui, lives in Singapore with his wife Suzanna and children, Hannah, Jamie and Nadia.  Christopher’s parents Colin and Christine were in 7GR with Mike who previously has, on numerous occasions, changed Christopher’s nappy!  Christopher has known Ben, Will and Jemma forever and is now amazingly living in Singapore with Will.  Christopher had invited us all to spend time with his family at a seafront villa he owns on Koh Samui.  The luxury holiday villa is managed by a company owned by a mutual old friend, Johnnie Birt (more later).  Additionally, Christopher’s brother Jeremy, who is Mike’s godson, also lives with his family on Koh Samui where he owns and runs an the Samui English International School.  (I hope you are keeping up with this who’s who….)

The holiday started very well with a birthday chocolate cake for Isla but it then went south later in Ao Labu (or no beer bay) on the first evening when Isla was stung quite badly by a jelly fish!!  Despite treatment and more chocolate cake she had a horrid night.  Luckily the effects had worn off by the next day so the holiday was not entirely spoilt.

Unfortunately there was little wind so we motored most of the way, stopping for a second night at Koh Hong island.  The next day passing chicken head rock we proceeded up a very shallow river and in to Krabi Boat Lagoon.  It was flat calm but a very narrow twisting channel made it rather interesting!  The marina was excellent and we all crammed into one taxi to go to the town of Krabi for an excellent restaurant meal.