The island of Phuket, with its warm tropical breezes and eighty degree waters, helped us recover from a frigid week in Beijing. We were also excited about meeting our good friends from Chicago, Barb and Tom, who joined us for some beach fun, and live aboard dive adventures. We chose to arrive three days in advance of our boat departure to relax and see some sites. We rented a beautiful two bedroom water front villa on quiet Bang Tao Bay, which we shared with Barb and Tom.
Our friend Chris, traveling with us since Hong Kong, stayed in a cottage a short walk down the beach. The one mile shore of the bay featured silky white sand, clear waters, small fishing boats and large palm trees. Sitting on our deck, sipping cocktails in the afternoon sun, watching the sailboats skate across the gorgeous blue waters, we were transported a million miles away from everyday life. In the evening we dined on tiger prawns the size of small lobsters, and a variety of fish caught that day. Barb coughed, sweat and smiled her way through every type of Thai curry dish to be found on the island. The food and drinks were delicious, and the cost was almost embarrassing.
Rocks and coral formations were abundant in the waters in front of our villa. During low tide you could see lion fish, baby moray eels and other sea creatures clinging to the small coral heads in the shallow water. At and around high tide the snorkeling was excellent, and further away from the beach, where the tide had less impact, a variety of large coral formations grew. Parrot, cornet and puffer fish, and moray eels were just a few of the species we saw frolicking in the coral gardens. Chris truly enjoyed her first snorkeling experience in beautiful Bang Tao Bay.
You can't visit Phuket without seeing Phang Nha Bay, a collection of amazing green mountain monoliths rising vertically from the sea. A forty minute taxi ride delivered us to a location where we commandeered the unusual Thai sea vehicle called long boat. We spent about three hours touring through these amazing natural sculptures, and stopped briefly at touristy James Bond Island where filming had occurred some years before. Years of erosion have cut large caves under some formations. The boat drove us through a cave where huge stalactites hung from the ceiling. On the return, we were very fortunate to come across a small pod of dolphins wandering through the narrow waterways.
Thailand produces about five hundred thousand tons of rubber each year. We observed the interesting process of harvesting the gummy sap of rubber trees during a demonstration. A slice is cut into the tree bark by hand with a special tool. A small bowl is hung below the slice to collect the surprisingly significant volume of white milky sap that bleeds from the cut. The sap is collected, mixed with chemicals that cause it to solidify, and put through rollers, by hand, to create a sheet that looks like uncooked pizza dough. The sheets are hung out to dry, then shipped off to factories for processing into tires, shoe soles, condoms and other gummy products. Elephants are native to Thailand, but are threatened by habitat destruction. Many of them live within communities and take tourists on elephant rides. We were a bit uneasy about riding them, but the animals' cooperation with man provides income for the local people and care for the elephants. The businesses also help to fund projects to return elephants to the wild and to protect their habitats.
Before we knew it, the time came to bid Chris farewell and to board our dive boat, the 75-feet-long Sai Mai. The opportunity to include friends and family in our journey around the world provided satisfaction and rewards we had never imagined. Whenever we see these people, our conversations will turn to the memories of our travels together; our relationships are stronger as a result of the incredible experiences we've shared.
Following the minor paperwork that laid all responsibilities for our well being upon us, we motored out of Patong Bay destined for Thailand's and Burma's greatest dive spots. A crew of six catered to eight guests, the four of us and a lovely mother, father, daughter, boyfriend group from California. We could not have handpicked a better combination of people to spend a week with in relatively confined quarters.
Except for the first couple of days, when strong winds made travel times longer, sea sickness a threat, and surface conditions a bit less comfortable, we enjoyed the perfect cruise. We laughed, dove, snorkeled, sun bathed, shared stories and dive experiences, identified fish in numerous books, and enjoyed gorgeous food without a moment of grief.
The dive sites had amazing underwater geography. Pinnacles and walls were covered with colorful hard and soft corals, attracting an abundance of fish and other sea creatures. Large schools of fish would dance around us. A leopard shark shot through the waters. Lion fish spread their sails and slowly glided away from a hiding place under the ledge. Tiny nudibranchs (colorful water slugs) were clinging to the sponge covered walls. Since few divers visit these remote sites, we were able to observe coral and sponge formations in perfect condition.
Our dive leaders Russ and Veruschka were attentive, knowledgeable, considerate and a lot of fun. The rest of the crew, all Thai and whose names I can't spell, were also outstanding. We logged about twenty dives including four at night, and I completed my Advanced Open Water certification. At the end of the tour I felt part of a big, happy family, and was overcome by melancholy. Although we didn't see the legendary whale shark, I don't think dive trips can get any better than this one.
Coral = Color Giant moray eels sometimes leave their holes
The graceful lion fish A small school of angelfish
Divers should wait twenty four hours before flying or going to high altitudes. Barb & Tom stayed one, and Elke and I two more days prior to our departures from Phuket. We returned to resorts on Bang Tao Bay, and spent our last evening together enjoying another beautiful Thai meal at a restaurant on the beach. Diving and Thailand experiences filled the conversation, and before long it was time for another sad farewell. We spent our last two days sailing around the bay, sipping cocktails by the pool, and soaking up all the pleasures of this beautiful tropical paradise. Subconsciously, I think we are already planning our return to the lush, soothing lands and warm, lively waters of Thailand.