07 29.541 N  099 04.356 E

We checked out of Thailand this morning (Immigration, Customs, Port Captain - lots of paperwork/formalities….but only about $10 in costs)…and started on our way east and south before 11 am. We anchored here at Ko Lanta, 46 nm later,  before 6pm ….. after a day of mixed, motoring and motor sailing, with the wind on the nose….but a few hours of wind power only….all good for our first day of a 4 day plan to get us back to Rebak Island Resort Marina, our "home base" on Friday, Mar 28th. We will use Saturday to set up the boat with awning and other longer term aspects of staying for months in the marina…..and get some provisioning done….important as I fly off to Melbourne on Sunday afternoon and won't return until late on Apr 7th….so Cheryl needs grub and other necessities.

Since our last blog entry when we were trying to get help with Cheryl's laptop problem > turned out we could not get it to fail once at the tech shop…and they kept the machine for the whole day…still no failure ….and now, 10 days later >> still working without issue…STRANGE!

Instead of sailing back as planned to the North/East of Phuket to take in the hongs and some other touristy islands, we stayed in Ao Chalong and spent some terrific times with friends:

> >From KPMG work days, had 2 great days with John and Rona Harrison who have one of their homes in Phuket and are usually here in the Jan through March period each year…when weather is not so hospitable in the UK where their primary home lies.. Terrific times together…the 10 years since last seeing each other just melted away!

> Cruisers from UK whom we spent months together in the Bundaberg (Australia) Port Marina back in 2011/2012….Graham and Lorraine Parkinson. They remained in Oz when we departed in 2012…great to catch up and share a wide range of stories. Most enjoyable was to discover that Graham has a TERRIFIC music ability > writing lyrics/voice/guitar…..what a pleasure to listen to some recordings of his own creation as well as his "live" entertainment on S/V Lorrigray one evening.

> Fellow cruisers with whom we had stayed quite close from the Galapagos to Indonesia….and then, since mid-2013, our contact was only through catching up with each other's blogs …and occasional emails. Great to be back face-to-face over a few days of shared outings. S/V Leu Cat, Mary Margaret and Dave, are about to leave via the northern route to reach South Africa approximately Nov/Dec 2014….it may be a long gap in time before we see one another again….best possibility will be in the Mediterranean in some future year. In the meantime, they plan to exit Thailand in next day or two …westwards and then south…..Sri Lanka>Maldives>Chagos>Seychelles>Madagascar/South Africa….and beyond?? Fair winds guys as you cross the Indian Ocean and head for the Cape!

So we have ended up "saving" the hongs for a  reason to cruise Thailand same months (Jan thru March) in 2015; it was a smart and most enjoyable change in the plan this year as reconnecting with friends is certainly more important than seeing mother nature's wonders.

Tomorrow our plan is to go over to Ko Muk and explore caves there that get great reviews. It is only 15 nm away from this anchorage…so an easy day…and then the next day, we will make our way south to Ko Lipe…..and this time go ashore and explore…something we missed on the way up when we anchored there 2 months ago.

Cheers until next time……crew of Sea Mist wishing everyone well!!