Monday, May 18, 2009
Rain, rain go away and don't come back for a week.
Changes of plans again - forced upon us by the weather.
Jamie decided to get on with some chores that he needed to do in Phuket City.
Bill and I drove up Rang Hill, very close to the centre of the town.
Its a steep and zig-zag road to the top.
We sat in the car for a while; we would have got soaked getting out.
Then we walked to the viewpoint and on down a steep stairway to a restaurant on stilts on the side of the hill.
We sat enjoying the view with our iced tea and iced coffee.
From there it is possible to see both of the southern capes - Panwa and Rawai, where we have been already this holiday.
Some of the city was spread below us.
We could look across to Chalong with its long jetty and to the jungle clad hills beyond.
The weather was obviously closing again on the high hills and soon the greyness of the torrential rain over there was so black that the hills were completely obscured.
As we walked back up to the car the rain began gently again and by the time we were opening the car doors it was pouring down.
This was not the weather for strolling in the park.
We thought we would drive over to Siray island - a short bridge away from Phuket City.
We stopped the car by the the little pavilions, housing the dining tables, and saw the rain driving in. Surely it wouldn't be comfortable dining there at the water's edge.
So we gave up.
At some point we knew we would go to the Central Mall, and today seemed a good day to do it.
We dined at a Japanese restaurant on Japanese noodles with, in my case, sea food.
We bought a couple of silk scarves to take home to Frieda and Rose the cat feeders. I tried car boot sale tactics and walked away when told the price...... very soon the man ran after us and had knocked off about one third. So we bought the scarves.
We went into the smart food supermarket - the Thai equivalent of Waitrose! And in fact it is part of the Waitrose group. I bought rice cakes and houmus - very expensive. But Bill persuaded me that if my gut responds so well to a wheat free diet it is certainly worth pursuing, especially whilst away from home. And once again my digestive problems are almost zero on a Thai diet. Bill bought a cake and tasty looking brown bread roll for his breakfast tomorrow.
We came home again and I had a shower - again. Showers can happen 2 or 3 times a day. I was eager to cool my legs in particular which have been burning with itchiness from all the mosquito bites.
Tonight the evening meal was taken at Dairy Hut, which sounds like a 1950s milk bar. But it is a good cheap (ish) restaurant air conditioned and clean. John fell asleep whilst we were there. School can be very tiring - and particularly when he does not go to bed until 11 o'clock.
Plans for tomorrow are tentative - depends on the weather.
But one plan is to go to a shop where Jamie bought a couple of very good shirts today for 100 Baht each (2 pounds). Bill will have a look - seems like I will get the other 2 he bought in Tescos which are not exactly too small for him but are not quite roomy enough.
Highlights of the cricket are on now - well done England lads!
Jamie decided to get on with some chores that he needed to do in Phuket City.
Bill and I drove up Rang Hill, very close to the centre of the town.
Its a steep and zig-zag road to the top.
We sat in the car for a while; we would have got soaked getting out.
Then we walked to the viewpoint and on down a steep stairway to a restaurant on stilts on the side of the hill.
We sat enjoying the view with our iced tea and iced coffee.
From there it is possible to see both of the southern capes - Panwa and Rawai, where we have been already this holiday.
Some of the city was spread below us.
We could look across to Chalong with its long jetty and to the jungle clad hills beyond.
The weather was obviously closing again on the high hills and soon the greyness of the torrential rain over there was so black that the hills were completely obscured.
As we walked back up to the car the rain began gently again and by the time we were opening the car doors it was pouring down.
This was not the weather for strolling in the park.
We thought we would drive over to Siray island - a short bridge away from Phuket City.
We stopped the car by the the little pavilions, housing the dining tables, and saw the rain driving in. Surely it wouldn't be comfortable dining there at the water's edge.
So we gave up.
At some point we knew we would go to the Central Mall, and today seemed a good day to do it.
We dined at a Japanese restaurant on Japanese noodles with, in my case, sea food.
We bought a couple of silk scarves to take home to Frieda and Rose the cat feeders. I tried car boot sale tactics and walked away when told the price...... very soon the man ran after us and had knocked off about one third. So we bought the scarves.
We went into the smart food supermarket - the Thai equivalent of Waitrose! And in fact it is part of the Waitrose group. I bought rice cakes and houmus - very expensive. But Bill persuaded me that if my gut responds so well to a wheat free diet it is certainly worth pursuing, especially whilst away from home. And once again my digestive problems are almost zero on a Thai diet. Bill bought a cake and tasty looking brown bread roll for his breakfast tomorrow.
We came home again and I had a shower - again. Showers can happen 2 or 3 times a day. I was eager to cool my legs in particular which have been burning with itchiness from all the mosquito bites.
Tonight the evening meal was taken at Dairy Hut, which sounds like a 1950s milk bar. But it is a good cheap (ish) restaurant air conditioned and clean. John fell asleep whilst we were there. School can be very tiring - and particularly when he does not go to bed until 11 o'clock.
Plans for tomorrow are tentative - depends on the weather.
But one plan is to go to a shop where Jamie bought a couple of very good shirts today for 100 Baht each (2 pounds). Bill will have a look - seems like I will get the other 2 he bought in Tescos which are not exactly too small for him but are not quite roomy enough.
Highlights of the cricket are on now - well done England lads!
