The southern islands of Thailand

After diving, we were met by Pelle’s Mom and her friend Scott. They landed at Phuket Airport in one of the most earth-shaking thunder storms we have ever experienced. We were eager to share part of our trip with them, and happy to have people other than just ourselves to talk to. Over G & T’s and dinner, we caught up on their travels through Malaysia and Singapore and our own recent adventures on the dive boat and in Cambodia.

The next day we luxuriated on Karon Beach with the softest white sand between our toes. While bobbing in the shallow water, we couldn’t help but wonder how the area had been affected during the 2004 tsunami…Which buildings had been damaged or destroyed? How high had the water reached? If another came through while we were there, how fast could we run? (We could only answer the last question: It would depend on how many G & T’s we had had.)

Our fiercesome foursome then hired a private speed boat for a day trip to Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Lai Islands. The Maya Beach area (where the movie The Beach had been filmed) was mildly busy when we arrived early in the morning – about 6 other boats and 25 people were taking in the views and buttery sand. Arriving back to our mooring after a half-hour walk across the island, we were met with Spring Break Fort Lauderdale. Bronzed bodies and large speed boats were moored shoulder to shoulder along the small beach expanse. It was hideous. In unspoken agreement we piled back onto the boat to find quieter waters to swim and snorkel. Along the way we checked out Monkey Beach where a few troops of monkeys lounge along the beach and feed on the tons of bananas that tourists like us bring to them. Some were eager and greedy (both monkeys and people), others more laid back (primarily the monkeys), and a few were total idiots (always the people).

Our return boat trip was cut short by a veritable wall of charcoal grey clouds moving in from the south that brought whipping wind and sheets of rain. Fearing a thunderous repeat of the heavy storm that brought Jenny and Scott to Phuket, we opened up the throttle for the hour-long ride back to the marina. The storm chased us all the way, rolling across the sea and swallowing the islands in its path.