Fai Tira blog Christmas Day Saturday 25^th December 2010

Phi Phi Don Thailand 07:43.74N 98:46.20E

 

 

Our stay at Ao Chalong was short, just one night, it was after all only intended to be used to carry out the administrative entry procedures, but it did have the effect of giving us a flavour what was to come as we dodged the torrential showers looking for a cool beer.

However, it didn’t feel as though we’d reached proper Thailand until we arrived in Yacht Haven Marina, Phuket. The distance between them was short, but all the time, dancing in the backs of our minds was the knowledge, gleaned from briefings and rally guide, that the approach could be difficult and unclear. Also echoing in our ears were the words, from Tony Diment, “Many boats have run aground, just as they thought they were home”. All this, and our recent track record of seeking out bits of land close to the surface to park the boat on, combined with our now non-functioning depth sounder, had the effect of making the final run in a nervous and edgy affair

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Just some of the views on the passage

 

We needn’t have worried, our assessment of the deep water channel was spot on, and by the time we’d reached the entrance, we were greeted by one of the marina’s manned dinghies, whose function was to guide us in, point us to our appointed dock and co-ordinate the mooring. What an efficient operation, and before long we were secured, relaxed and taking in our new surroundings.

The marina was huge, but even so there was no feeling of being overpowered, probably due in part to what turned out to be our prime location. We were just two hundred yards from the marina offices with all the facilities close by. It was quiet without being isolated and with only one neighbouring and un-occupied boat, it felt quite exclusive. The place was very laid-back, the internet access (get-at-able on the boat) was powerful and free. The local restaurants also reflected this general feel of comfort: the food was good and cheap, the selection wide, the beer cold, the facilities rickety, the staff attractive and the mosquitoes ferocious!! (well..you can’t have it all).

We were located some way from the nearest town, but cheap and accessible taxi and car hire had the effect of reducing any inconvenience to almost nil

 

So this was it then, Thailand with all its preconceptions, a place that could almost be anything you wanted. There was beauty, culture, the exotic, the erotic, tranquillity and explosion. Did we see all of it?.......Think I might just leave you to guess!!

 

Fairly soon after we arrived Peter left the boat to head for the airport to meet Judy, his wife.

Not long after, started a succession of parties, and the early mornings (that’s going to bed, not getting up) had an accumulative soporific effect that had us walking around like a bunch of zombies by the end of the week.

 

The daytime activities, for the first short period, were taken up with the fairly mundane but important task of taking the first steps to secure our Indian visas. However, it did give us the opportunity of visiting Phuket town and experiencing the real Thai community for the first time.

 

 

Phuket Town

 

The trip in took about forty minutes, we were driven by the Blue Water Rally director Tony Diment.  Almost as soon as we left, the skyline started to change as we drove past a succession of shops, businesses, cafes and bars that fringed the roadside in an almost unbroken chain, the highlight being an incredible second-hand/scrapyard/shop, where everything was laid out artistically like a fruit market and must have stretched for at least fifty yards.    There was sophistication, improvisation, wealth and poverty, but the underlying feeling of comfort was never far from the surface finally manifesting itself in the relative opulence displayed by many of the town centre shops and stalls.

 

For much of our remaining time here Peter was away at his smart accommodation at the other end of the island, with Judy, so Jeremy and myself teamed up with the guys from Lucy Alice and young Richard off Island Kea, hired a vehicle and driver for  24 hours and ventured out.

The island’s quite large, with almost continuous heavy traffic flows extending travelling time. We had no set itinerary except that we would have, at some time, to re-provision, and we’d also been told that the infamous Patong Beach was somewhere that should be visited (preferably at night) before we left.

 

However, before we could even begin to think of alternative venues, there was an important briefing to attend and it took up much of the morning.

Mixed in with the normal information about the prospective cruising destinations for Christmas and the New Year around this lovely area, was the serious discussion of security. We had always been conscious of this worrying aspect of the trip, but now that we were shortly to set on a journey that would take us through the pirate hot spots; it kind of had the effect of concentrating the mind somewhat and leaving a small area of disturbance at the back of it!

 

Anyhow we still had an island to see, and not much of the day left, and the Buddha on the hill seemed a good target to aim for.

The Big Buddha is the focal point of a temple complex being built with publicly donated funds, and has been under construction for many years. Even now its spectacular beauty, visible from many miles away, is hugely impressive, but once complete the whole installation will be stunning. The fundraising seemed to maintain a delicate and subtle balance. Almost everywhere there were donation boxes and sales of artefacts and groups sitting around counting the takings, but there was never any feeling of pressure to buy or contribute, instead the atmosphere and setting was such that it seemed to induce a desire to donate or purchase.

 

 

Glenda doing her Monroe impression                                                         Richard, just being Richard

 

A short climb up the concrete stairs and you emerged into a building site, albeit tidy, where the construction was underway. Many of the elements of construction were much in evidence, but it was only now that the full beauty and stature of the monument became apparent, with intricate detail and craftsmanship displayed in all its glory.

 

 

Artist’s impression of the finished complex.                                                The tidy building site

 

 

 

We found Richard later!

 

It was late afternoon by the time we left and headed towards Patong Beach, and just about dusk as we ventured along the seafront that was doing a passable imitation of Blackpool’s Golden Mile on a bad day (they do great curries though) before walking into the centre that would have done credit to Soho in its heyday, although I imagine its own brand of manic activity has to be almost unique..... What we were told was right: it’s something that had to be seen,,,,, but I’m pretty sure once is enough!!

 

 

 

Not everyone thought it exciting!

 

We took advantage of the remainder of our 24 hour hire, the next day, by stocking up on provisions, followed by a visit to an activity centre, where Richard and I climbed aboard quad bikes and dashed off through the forests, at what seemed an indecent speed, dived into vast holes full of elephant dung and pee and managed to return half an hour later, still in one piece, smiling, but covered, almost literally, in crap

 

 

You should have seen us on our return!

 

Much of the rest of our stay was combined with repairs, preparation and seeking opinions.

There was a bit of welding to do before we fitted our new, and very expensive, but smart, bowsprit viewing platform. And I managed to regurgitate some skills of a few years ago, quite enjoyed flashing around with a welding rod again!.

I re-assembled the repaired manual bilge pump and re-installed it.

I made contact with Aquadrive, the manufacturers of our suspect drive system and was given some re-assurances. I also contacted a recommended local marine engineer who visited the boat, listened for any unwelcome noises and declared that all was ok.

And finally, I replaced the impeller in the raw water pump, something that had been bugging me for a long time.... Just in time, some of the blades were getting ready to detach themselves!!

 

With Peter back on the boat, but Judy stranded in a Bangkok hotel waiting for a flight to the frozen UK, we set off to explore the nearby islands.

Pressure was relieved when a text was received confirming that she was finally on a plane, and we could now enjoy the startling and, for us, uniquely beautiful skyline of these massive, tree covered pillars of limestone, rising vertically from the surface of the sea, that contained the exciting hongs and their access passages through huge unlit caves.

 

 

 

The fabulous overhanging rock formations and people emerging from a cave into a hong

 

 

Our destination for Christmas was Phi Phi Dong, our passage taking us past the famous “James Bond Island” Ko Phing Kan, (where ‘Man with the Golden Gun’  was filmed).. After once more managing to park the boat on a sand bank, we arrived Christmas Eve and meet up with the rest of the fleet.

 

Let’s hope it’s a good one

 

Merry Christmas from Pete, John and Jeremy

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