Phew OK here we go - let's carry on for part II, part deux, part two!
Continuing the meal before the DK/Claire arrived - Amy decides to go Spanish and Balero with rose in mouth, OK no stamping on the floor with cuban heels, but still.
The the rock arrived! We were already gone from the restaurant and walking home, kids bed time. NO you MUST stay, type messaging from Darren. Sorry mate the kids are sleepy we waited. NO you MUST stay, just have one drink with us. Er OK then - then the BOOM, which you can read about on other blog, the beautiful black and white fogged edged snap of the Birchington deficit diamonds! Ha Ha! Still have to say, way to go bro - you surprised me so much there pal, a beauty! And a beauty of a future bride too, very proud and very honoured to have Claire in the family clan!
OK next day - off we go with Mr Poo, yep that's his name, Mr Poo. U
He used to be Mr Shit but he didn't like that and changed by Depol, joking joking!
He's a great guy. Introduced by a mate as a great guide for the day. We've used him once before and have to say he was ace, so off we go again - but asking for a different Phuket experience this time.
Off to new places. There's this view point we've never been to before. Check it out, how beautiful is this. My goodness. Literally 5-10 minutes from the hotel too, in fact I have driven past this so many times and never stopped, glad we did this time - just have have a look at that view over Katah Hani and Kata Beach, note the small island to the left that saved Kata from the Tsunami by breaking the force of the wave.
What's that I hear, faintly to start, growing louder now, can't quite yet hear it clearly, hold on a minute it's "FACEBOOK, FACEBOOK!!!!"
Very nice photo, like this a lot. What a beautiful view, and Thailand beachfront is not that bad either (cough cough!)
Off we go on safari on elephant back.
Another reason DK had to buy a new camera is that his driver/guide took his camera to take a picture and dropped the bloody thing from the top of the elephant. Whoopsy.
Amy and I went together, do you think she's enjoying it - oh yes! We went right through the jungle to the coastal view. Pretty amazing really. We were on the only bull (male) at this place and this thing was huge, at least 2-3 feet taller than the others.
Our driver, who did not drop the camera, took this for us whilst leaning back on the elephants head. NICE.
Here comes Claire and Darren though the Thai jungle to say Hi. But his elephant looked sad so I asked "why the long face?" - boom boom!
Don't know where Mary and Ollie are going here? Someone need the loo or something, shortcut? But anyway off they went in a tangent through the jungle. Actually framed up a really good photo though I think, no beaten track for this elephant, no way!
Mr Poo then took us to another place further South I have never been. Can't actually remember the name here, Sunset Point or something. But oh my gosh this place was just stunning. High up on a cliff with amazing views of the coastline surrounding us. Truly was breath-taking.
Mind you I also think my clothes were breath-taking. I had to change my shorts, because our elephant seat was soaking wet. So I had patterned shirt and a patterned pair of shorts, I looked so bad. Luckily Darren didn't take the mickey too much - hmmmm!
Now if you go back to Kamala blog, when me and the kids met Gordon and Thess and we went again with Mr Poo and you saw some photos of us on a beach, the kids playing in the sea. Well look below between the frongs of the the palm tree - yep that's the beach.
You'll need zoom in on this one. The island below is called temple island as it has a huge buddhist temple on it. Can you make it out on the shoreline in the middle. WIth naked eye you could see it quite clearly, stunning. Plus if you wanted you can take a boat trip to see it, but you cannot stay overnight on the island. Monks only!
Yes there is the short/shirt combo - dear me!
Again temple island in the background. I wish we had had more time and could have taken a boat trip, it just looked amazing from this distance.
Lovely family shot thanks Mr Poo.
Added bonus see the wedding photo shoot on the cliff edge. Yep on the cliff edge. Is that sensible??? Funny thing was the groom had a little guitar with him for some shots and the bride had great big safety pins in the back of the dress holding it together. Looked a tad weird.
Trying to think of something funny now, not happening so I'll move on.
Looking down from the cliff edge, just beautiful.
Hold on a minute, is that a wedding dress and small guitar I can see in the waves .............
No No it wasn't luckily they're still standing right on the edge, ha ha!
At the top here was a temple clearly to an elephant god. There is linkage between hindu and buddhism in Thailand. I should read up a bit more on that and be more insightful for you. But anyways believe me there is.
What you are supposed to do at this temple is bring along a model elephant, leave it as an offering and then your prayers will be answered by the god. So scroll down and have a look at all the elephants people have left, there's hundreds of em.
They're really beautiful aren't they. No cold stone buildings, and morbid silence for this religion. No way, it's in your face, vibrant and open. If I was religious I'd be tempted down this path.
Darren messing about - clever though.
Me being arty, maybe another canvas from this one???
I zoomed in on the temple top as it was beautiful and spotted this other building on the right. Have a guess what it is, you never will. I didn't. Had to ask Mr Poo.
It is a .................................................... lighthouse.
Would you have ever gone for that, not in a million years!
Hope you don't mind the privacy invasion Mr Poo.
This is Mr Poo, taking a 5 minute break from us to make some offerings of oil, flowers, incense and gold leaf. Quick prayer and he's back with us to continue the tour.
This is also amazing. One of those WTF moments. One of the no way, you have to be kidding me moments.
We're driving to the shooting range, and we spot a pick up truck in front of us with clearly some large cargo on the trailer. But what could it be. Can you guess from photo number 1?
How about from photo number 2 - big isn't it.
Well bugger me it is indeed a baby elephant. Can you believe it. I seriously have seen it all now. Look at this guy. Seems happy enough.
To the range. Ollie again did sniper rifle, and scored a rather impressive 83% accuracy.
NO empty bullet casings taken home as souvenirs this time - long story involving Singapore customs/police last time. Dear me.
Sh*t wouldn't want to mess with this one would you.
Looks like Princess Leia from Star Wars with a rifle - scary!
But have to say, a great picture Mary - very funny babe!
This is also quite amazing. When we lived in Melbourne, remember Ni, me and Ollie took a trip to Phuket. Our first trip ever to Thailand. We rented a car when staying at Kata Beach Resort and drove a very similar journey it seems to the one Mr Poo drove us this day. Because we drove past a restaurant I have been searching for for years.
We found it. Nikita's. I have reached out not to the owners and shared some photos with him that he loved to see, as he has been there 15 or so years. In fact I had my iPAD with me and was able to show one of the long time staff the then and now as well. So for you here you are as well. A tad sad this, as one major change of course.
Above is the view from Nikita's Sept'12 and below is the view from Nikita's Jul'06. Not much difference there is there.
A lovely place. SO very friendly, beautiful people, beautiful views and absolutely beautiful food too. I will be coming back to Nikita's every chance I get. Wonderful memories here.
Very sad though is this. Major differences in the two photos.
2012 a new pier, 2012 a much more mature Ollie Kennett, 2006 a much younger looking Daddy Kennett. 2012 my Nina has left us.
But in 2012 right in front of me taking this picture is my Mary, and sat next to her is my Amy.
Here it is from the road side. If you happen to see this on your travels, I absolutely recommend a stop, eat, chat and have a beer, and soak up the views with sand between your toes.
BangPae Waterfall and gibbon sanctuary next. Again a never been place for me. A fair old jaunt from the car park up some very damaged, slippery pathways to get to it. But it's worth it, a beautiful walk through the jungle.
Literally this is in reverse order as I started taking pictures when we got there, and then on the way back. So this is the waterfall and our journey back down the path.
Pretty little thing is it not, of course I am talking about the waterfall and Amy.
I felt like I was back at Gardens By the Bay. Beautiful little flowers growing in the very damp, mossy forest floor. Like little orchids. Beautiful.
We then found a mini-waterfall, a tad more accessible to us than the big one. So here are some individuals shots of us all against our mini/private falls. Plus a great chance to wash all the mud off our feet.
The on the way to Kamala and another trip to Fantasea. See more photos of this in our trip with Gordon. So only wanting to show the different bits now.
We asked Mr Poo to drop us at one of our favourite haunts from the Kamala holiday - OhLaLa's. Remember this one. Food amazing, owned by a Swiss French chap ....? Remember. So we popped in here for a quick beer to show it off to Darren and Claire. Really do like this place. Came recommended originally from my good mate Kev McCormick.
Served this time by clearly a lady boy. Little bit too much make-up love, scratching your nuts not good, and perhaps a give away was you using the gents toilet. Apart from that you were a very nice looking lady! Ha Ha!
The quick walk to the town centre, allow DK to buy his much sought after Paul Smith t-shirt, and then to the beach to have a couple of beers before tuk tuk to Fantasea.
When we were in Kamala last time we walked past this bar but never went in, not sure why as it was ACE.
So we sat here an watch the sun disappear, and had a few beers counting down the minutes to Fantasea show start, and pretty much our last night in Thailand for this trip. Sad but what a great time all had had again in beautiful Thailand, and what wonderful company.
No filters, no tricks, no photo-shop - this literally was this blue. I turned the flash off and snapped away, and they came out like this. What a gorgeous night, our last night. Boo Hoo!
My last photo on the plane on the way home. She looks sort of satisfied, content, happy, but wants to go home, and shattered all in one doesn't she.
Finishing this blog with a couple of Darren's photos. We didn't do the tiger photo this time, as it was only a few months previous we had had before. So here is bro and Claire cuddling the baby tiger cub.
And finally finally, and absolutely nothing to do with Thailand.
Here is the view from Darren's hotel room at Marina Bay Sands, where he spent a day and night with Claire on their anniversary when in Singapore. A view of Gardens by the Bay, Barrage, river that I have seen before. Well done Singapore, great job with this, this place is superb!
Let me just clarify. Gardens by the Bay is superb, not Marina Bay Sands - again long story. I'll tell you over a cold beverage. But now I am signing out from blogging for a while as I think I completed something like 10 in a few days. Over and Out from BK, lot's of love to all.
