BlUrT BuRp...: August 2010

In exactly 1 year we were back in Phuket again.. I love Phuket and it helps that air tickets there on Jetstar is so cheap! $60 a person is an offer i cannot miss.. This time its wasn't just me and hao.. we had the company of Patrick and Jasmine too!

When we were there last year, we stayed at Sugar Palm resort at Kata beach. Most tourist visiting Phuket would choose to stay at Patong beach as it is where all the action is. Everything is more abundant and more happening at Patong beach: water sports, food, entertainment, nightlife.. but we prefer to stay at Kata as its quieter and the beach is nicer..

This time we stay at Sugar Palm Grand Hillside... Its rainy season so we chose a hotel on the hill top just in case of flood and tsunami (touchwood!).. The hotel was great!.. clean, big rooms, beautiful scenery, fireworks can be seen at night.. the only problem is we had to climb up and down everyday to get in and out of the rooms... the problem is solved with a buggy!

View down from our room
We could see the Big Buddha from our rooms on top of the hill

one of the many steep slopes we had to climb everyday..
Going down was still alright.. the problem is up!

Our private pool

This was the reason why i chose this hotel
Direct Pool Excess!

Big room!
This is only half of it..

This is a must have in Phuket
Banana pancake with Nutella! Shiok!

Phi Phi Island

its an hour speed boat ride away..
Someone puked on the way there..

in there were caves where you get bird's nest

Very blue water..

Clear green sea..

them in sampan..

us in speedboat..

rock formations..
i have forgotten my geography terms

We were allowed to get off here to swim..
This is where The Beach starring Leonardo DiCaprio was filmed

we wondered to the other end of the island..

There were many people waiting to take pictures after us..

The water is so clear we had to take another photo..

2 Monkeys on Monkey Island

1 Monkey eating a banana

We went snorkeling after that.. the boat was stopped too near the shore where there were many rocks and corals.. and unfortunately, Patrick and Jasmine both suffered cuts on their feet.. Patrick's had very serious and deep cuts on his sole.. the blood from his sole was free flowing.. and hao was stung by a sea urchin.. i was the only one who escaped unscathed as went up the boat first to fix my snorkel mask..

Last stop was R & R on the beach and more snorkeling..
needless to say none of us went snorkeling..

it costs us 150 baht for 2 beach chairs..

The many band aids on his sole..

The whole trip was not a waste as Patrick caught 7 hermit crabs
and smuggled them into Singapore. His new pets..

The next day, Pat and Jas went for the ATV, elephant ride, white water rafting program.. the price was a little too steep so we decided to give it a miss..

Hao has been talking about going to the shooting range so we went..

I had to sit behind as i was not shooting..
It was so loud that ear muffs were not enough..

not bad.. 74%!
not pa qiao after all

a pose for the camera..

pretending its my achievement haha..

we were riding towards patong beach when we saw the storm brewing ahead..
we immediately turned back..
We ended up at Tesco for lunch and lunch for the fishes..