OK here goes.
So my brother decides he is coming to see us with Claire his girlfriend. The two blondes in the photos, yes the similarity is amazing between us isn't it. So dates planned and then DK said hey whilst we're there could we go to Thailand, what a great idea I said I'll book it all.
The out of the blue Jeff, my really good mate from UK, announces that his emigration to New Zealand is upon us and on way he'll stop over in SIngapore to say Hi. When you doing this then mate, and yes you guessed it the same dates Darren is here and actually when we're in Thailand. The with a stroke of genius we said tell you what still stop over but not in Singapore meet us in Thailand, and hey presto that's what happened we all met up at Kata Beach Resort Hotel in Kata, Phuket, Thailand. A beautiful place. So now scene is set I'll walk you through the photos to give some explanations;
Photo 1 is actually our last day in Phuket, boo hoo. This is Jeff and Sarah's daughter Yasmin, who became best mates with Amy, dance and party buddy's. Here sharing a shower after playing the pool, and after mum's and dad's had all had feet cleaning, massaging day, wonderful.
Photo 2 is a panoramic view from the last island we visited, Koi I think, when we did our boat trip through the national park. Amazing trip and what a view I think you'll agree. Very funny on here too as two lady boys were dancing and singing to the whole beach, literally. But they were really entertaining. Very funny!
Photo 3 needs no explanation really. fish boy and fish girl. Yes the Kennett kids do snorkeling together, very cute and look how happy Amy is to be there with her brother, ha ha. We had to be a bit careful here though as there were HUGE jelly-fish and Jeff had already been stung across the arm by a smaller one, these were monsters. So didn't stay in too long, but got some good video and snaps with my new super duper under water camera, cool!
Photo 4 is same island as Photo 2, but looking on the beach not out to see. We had a lovely time sitting here after a good snorkel having a chat over a beer and pina coladas. Very nice.
Photo 5 is a funny one. We're on a speed boat and actually have the first bit of rain we have had on the trip (it was supposed be rainy season, but we were very very lucky). So we're bombing it along in speed boat and the rain comes on, and it pours but literally we riding through it and then island shots above are after that. But as we're driving through the rain starts coming through the gap at the front of the boat and it's stinging and then these two in the middle actually put up a brollie, we all thought it was very funny. sitting on a boat in Thailand with someone with the brollie up!
Photo 6 yep fish boy again! Ha Ha!
Photo 7 my first couple of tries with thew new camera to catch some fish shots underwater. Not bad first attempt though I think you'll agree? It's difficult because you can't see what you are shooting, so it's all guess work. But I like them, and the videos are super cool too, chasing fish around underwater, great fun.
Photos 7, 8, 9 and 10 whoops one duplicate. But merboy and mergirl and merman as thew 10th is DK my brother. Ha Ha!
Photo 11 and 12 are from the side if the speed boat as we're hurtling through the national park. There's all these huge limestone stacks sticking up, remember the James Bond film Man with the Golden Gun, yeap filmed here in Thailand a stone's throw from this picture.
Photo 13 is another panoramic (yes new camera again ha ha). This is of the place where they filmed the Leonardo De Caprio film "The Beach". Such a beautiful place if it wasn't for the 4 million people. Jeff had been there many many years before when it was only handful of people there and they get to it via traditional long boat. No such thing now, check out all the speedboats.
Photo 14, dear me casualties of a gently lolling speed boat. Ha Ha notice it's ALL of them, DK at back, then Ollie and then Mary. At one point everyone was sleeping, but no camera on me at that time to record the moment ha ha.
Next one of my all time favourite place Small View Point Bar, well one of them, is a reggae bar, cheap, amazing food (just don't look in the kitchen), wonderful views including the famous sun set and look at the friends you can make. Here is Jeff's boy Josh with Ollie. They sat, chatted and ate together here for literally hours. They were great mates!
Photo 16 and 17 just hysterical! Mary spotted this and the kids took great delight reading the menu from cover to cover a few times to spot more. As I said amazing food here but a couple of dubious items on the menu here it has to be said, ha ha ! I think I'll pass on the spaghetti, and that fried rice just does not sound appealing at all.
Photo 18, 19 and 20 just some absolute beauties of the kids enjoying themselves, and/or posing.
Photo 21 is me and the kids sitting at the top of one of the temples we visited. You basically walk out of hotel to tuk tuk stand and book one for the day including the driver and off you go. We wanted shooting range, temple. lunch, big buddha and the Small View Point Bar above. Wonderful day with all 10 in the back of one tuk tuk telling jokes ALL day long as demanded by Josh and Ollie. Uncle Lion (me) tell me another joke!!!!! Thanks Josh!
Photo 22 is the gang taken from Ska Bar, yes another reggae bar in Kata. My other favourite place in the world.
Photo 23 is me, Mary and Amy at the Phuket Shooting Range, with our very much needed ear muffs on. Boy was it hot there and noisy, and I did a stupid thing and brought back some souvenir empty bullet cases and at customs in Singapore (because DK had my bag in his) DK gets stopped, nearly arrested, then I manage to get back in and nearly get arrested ha ha! Two hours we were there being questioned, photos taken of the bullets etc etc. Sorry DK.
Photos 24, 25 and 26 are from the temple I mentioned earlier - see the Big Buddha on the mountain in the distance. The lovely one of Claire and DK was a short while after at the top of that mountain with the Big Buddha.
Photo 27 is amazing. We rock up the hotel and it's Mr Kennett this and that, and you're a VIP. I'm like, why? This is customer service. Because Sir you have stayed with us once before. Yes I did with Nina about 5 years ago,. Amazing really. I will certainly be going back. Then we noticed we were even mentioned on the sign board, check it out, how funny is that!
Photo 28 is a beauty of us all at the Tuk Tuk day out, taken at the amazing restaurant just around the corner from Kata Zoo. Stumbled upon it when I came with Nina, so always come back now. It's just an AMAZING view and again wonderful food so so cheap, and excellent company.
Photo 29 is again an amazing shot if us all now at night following the sun set at Small View Point Bard, hmmm perhaps thew guys have some rosy cheeks here, as the Singha was a slipping down very nice thanks!
Photo 30 is a classic of Jeff and I at Phuket Shooting Range, I need say no more do I really. Ha Ha!
Photo 31 is Ska Bar buddies. We stayed there the whole afternoon catching up (had not seen Jeff for YEARS), and it was like old times with my brother with me. Notice we're all wearing the same vest (actually wearing that as I am typing now). We were acting/talking like brothers and through it would be a great idea to all buy the same shirt which was a souvenir from Ska Bar. Sorry girls for deserting you and the kids.
Photo 32 is a little time before Photo 31 ha ha. See no shirts. We literally met Jeff and Sarah at the pool in the hotel and then walked to Ska Bar for lunch and stayed rest of day, with swimming, beach play in between. SUPERB.
So that's it. They say a picture paints a 1,000 words, but I could type for ever re what was just a superb holiday with family and friends. So many laughs were had, and so many memories gained. Love to you all DK, Claire, Jeff, Sarah, Josh and Yasmin. xxx
