Deja vu — all over again

Posted under Southeast Asia 2009

Have you ever done something, and immediately felt that you had done that before? Well as I strolled down the sidewalks of Karon, on Phuket Island I felt just that. Oh hey, that is probably because we were here last year at about this time so maybe it is not really déjà vu. But once again, I precede myself.

 

After spending a great Christmas with family, deep in the snows of Seattle, we made our way back up to Sidney for our December 30 departure. Although Sidney had no where near the snow that we had experienced in WA, it was still cold, but we persevered and hardened ourselves to the elements, steeled by the thoughts of warmer climates and soft sand beaches. My sister-in-law had volunteered my brother-in-law to taxi us to the airport for our early morning flight, and we were on our way. Thank you both!! A short hop to Vancouver on Air Canada Jazz, and hey, no lost luggage or anything. Next step, Vancouver to Los Angeles, still Air Canada, still no lost luggage! I may become a believer. A six-hour layover in LA until we catch our Thai Airlines flight to Bangkok. Now they may partner with Air Canada, but that is all that they have in common. As we are doing this trip on air miles, we decided to fly business rather than baggage. The Air Canada business class from Vancouver to LA gave us bigger seats, a semi meal and a moderately grumpy stewardess. Thai Air business class gave us seats that reclined into a thousand different positions, with massage. It gave us a real meal, drinks, (booze), snacks, all served on actual linen, by smiling attendants who even gave us real cutlery to eat with. The only downside was that the flight was 17 hours long, and I don’t do sleep well on a plane. This may come as a shock to those of you who have noted that I can generally sleep most anywhere, and usually before my head hits the pillow. As Thai Air provide us with individual TV screens and about 30 different current movies, I tried the old tried and true sleep assist method of plugging in a movie. I can generally watch a DVD about 5 or 6 times prior to getting the entire movie, as my eyelids keep getting in the way. Even this did not work. I did get to watch half-dozen movies in total massaged comfort at any rate. A smooth touch down in Bangkok and an eight-hour wait for our flight to Phuket. A one-hour flight to Phuket, and out comes the linen for the tables, and the silverware, all for a bad piece of cake. No time for seven courses. From Phuket airport to Karon is about an hour by taxi, and this has made for a very long day, and so to bed.

 

Now back to the déjà vu thingy. The streets of Karon are as we remember them; the excellent food is how we remember it. The smiling faces are as we recall. The only thing that seems different is the tourists. I don’t recognize a single set of bosoms on the beach. However, the background noise still sounds Scandinavian so I assume that the majority of the tourists here are escaping the Nordic cold.

 

Caught up on our sleep, so ‘tis time to move. The “Sugar Palm Grand” sits atop a small mountain at the south end of Kata, and as they have only been open for 2 months, Bonnie was able to score us a deal. Rather nice digs, so we will hide out here for a couple of weeks. The vertical climbing up a mountainside to our room should have me rakishly thin in no time — or maybe not.

 

Now when we arrived, it was a bit overcast and a little cooler (not quite in the 30’s) but the weather has warmed up nicely. By the time I waddle down the hill and back it looks as though I have been swimming. Speaking of swimming. The warm weather has also brought the people to the beaches. I did happen to notice a young lady in her warm weather swim suit the other day. Either that or she was just flossing. Not certain if it is the walking or the viewing that keep giving me these heart palpitations.

 

My favorite tour guide, (Bonnie, that is) and I are trying to decide if our next jaunt should be to Krabi or Samui. Life is hell when one is pressed to make decisions — but I suppose we must do something with our day. Will keep you posted in the blog. Until then, take care

 

T