Sunday morning was the trip to the tailor. We went to the same tailor I had used last year. I am having five pairs of work slacks, two pairs of chinos and a pair of jeans made. I need the new trousers because after losing 25kg in the last year, none of my clothes fit. I also ordered 10 new shirts. One nice thing about Thai tailors is they take their measurements and call them to their assistant in Thai. It does not sound so bad when I cannot understand the language. We also looked at some Thai silk for Mim and sent her photos so she could choose the colour she wants.
In the afternoon I went to the admin offices of Laguna Holiday Club to pay the annual maintenance fee and to renew my membership card. I also received the 10,000 baht (AUD 434 approx) in vouchers which we won in a competition that we did know we had entered. While there they let me know of some contract changes which I could elect to accept – I need to look at the fine print in more detail later.
That evening we had our first home-cooked meal. Frances really struggles with restaurant food because of her food allergies. Cooking in the apartment let her have dinner without wondering if she was going to get sick from the meal. Dinner comprised fillet steak brought from Australia with asparagus, snow peas and carrots purchased at JungCeylon. I made a pepper sauce to go with it. It was great even if I did have to cope with an electric stove which will not get hot enough to cook steak properly and also had to use cheap knives and pans – I miss my kitchen.
We went to the beach on Monday morning just after 8.30am. First the shuttle bus to the wharf at Canal Village and then the ferry across the lagoon to the beach. No one was on the beach when we arrived except for a Russian couple. There was a gentle swell rolling in but no surf. The water was warm and crystal clear – it is also green, not blue. The swimming area is roped off to create a square about 100m wide. The beach is divided into sections according to the hotel you are using and there are attendants to make sure you stay in your area. They tell what hotel you are from by the colour of your towels. The Laguna Holiday Club Resort (our hotel) uses light blue towels. The beach has umbrellas and sun lounges provided and there is bar service to your lounge. Life’s tough.
As we came in from the sea, Frances got stuck in some quicksand which was at the point where the waves broke. The quicksand was only a metre deep so was not that dangerous but she needed my help to pull her out of it. We returned to the hotel taking the ferry across the lagoon again and the bus from the wharf to the hotel. We tried to take some pictures at the beach but I had put the battery in the charger last night with the polarity reversed so I had drained the battery instead of charging it. It worked fine after I put it in the charger with the polarity correctly oriented. I’ll have to take the photos at another beach visit.
After the beach we returned to the tailor for the first fitting. Some minor alterations were needed to make the shirts a little smaller and to make the collar sit a little better when I wore a tie with a double Windsor knot. The trousers also needed a smaller rise and to be a little shorter.
Lunch was the normal ham, cheese and salad for Frances and ham salad sandwich for me. The ham and cheese were brought from Australia to ensure they were gluten and preservative free.
After lunch we wandered down to the Angsana Spa to book in to use our vouchers we had won. I booked a 2-hour Javanese massage and Frances booked a 2½ hour massage and facial. Both were booked for 10.00am on Tuesday.
In the evening we returned to the tailor for the second fitting and everything was perfect. We added another 4 shirts to the order. 2 pairs of trousers will be ready on Tuesday evening, the remainder will be ready on Thursday evening.
Dinner was pepper steak and vegies again. We rested for the rest of the evening.
Tuesday morning started with the usual bacon and eggs – bacon brought from Australia. After breakfast I went for a swim in the pool which required me to open the balcony French doors and walk 20 metres to the attendant to get a towel and be assigned a sun lounge. The pool was empty so I was assigned lounge number 1 – very bureaucratic in a Thai manner. The only thing I did on the lounge was to leave my towel, shirt and hat there while I had a swim. After an icy cold shower (they insist on showering before entering the pool) the pool water was warm and relaxing – a wonderful way to start the day.
I had a shower back in the apartment and used a soap that Frances had bought me at the AIS. I usually have a lot of problems with the chlorine on my skin after being in a pool. The soap from the AIS is designed to remove the chlorine from your skin and it appears to work – I did not have the usual reaction I get after swimming in a pool. After the 3 Ss, we went to the spa for a couple of hours of bliss.
We took the free shuttle bus to the spa which is at the hotel next door. The spa is in an idyllic setting on the lagoon. After completing the registration formalities, we were introduced to our masseurs – two pretty Thai girls who showed shortly they were more than just eye candy and were very competent at their craft. We were then escorted to a glassed-in room in a private garden where we undressed and got on the massage bed face-down under sheet. I’ve got no idea what happened to Frances after that as I was too absorbed by what was happening to me. The masseur folded the sheet to expose one leg and then proceeded to massage that foot and leg for about 15 minutes – which was heavenly. She then covered that leg and exposed the other to massage it which was even better. She then recovered that leg and exposed my back and massaged that – I have run out of adverbs to describe how good that was.
She then had me turn over and massaged my face and head. She then proceeded down my body uncovering and recovering each part in turn and also massaging my hands and arms.
After completing the massage, she washed the oil off doing the partial uncovering and recovering process again. Once completed, I was given a sarong to put on and given some mango juice and a fruit platter containing watermelon slices and tiny little bananas.
Frances’ massage was still going and her masseur was working on her face. She finished about 15 minutes after I did. She was given a sarong and the same juice and fruit platter I had been given. After munching our way through the fruit platter, we got dressed and went back to the spa reception. Frances bought some of the skin care products they had used on at the shop at the reception. We both decided that the experience at the spa was incredible and should be repeated whenever we come to Laguna.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Saturday, December 6, 2008
The Holiday Blog – Part 1: Getting to Phuket.
It could have been a disaster. Three days before us leaving for Thailand, protesters occupied the Bangkok airport which stopped all flights. We were due to fly into Bangkok and then on to Chiang Mai for five days. From Chiang Mai we were to fly to Phuket for a week then back to Bangkok and home.
We quickly scrambled to reorganize the holiday bypassing Bangkok. We discovered that we could not get to Chiang Mai without flying through Bangkok. All flights from other cities were full – so Chiang Mai was cancelled. We found that we could get to Phuket as scheduled flying through Singapore so we booked those flights and rearranged the Qantas flights to take us to Singapore instead of Bangkok. We added a three day stopover in Singapore to the holiday to replace the Chiang Mai leg.
A fantastic piece of disaster recovery had resurrected our holiday.
When we arrived at Canberra airport on Wednesday morning 3 December for our flight to Singapore via Sydney, we discovered that we had been upgraded to business class for the Sydney-Singapore leg – sweet. The business class seat allowed us to be better rested when we arrived in Singapore.
We stayed in the Furama City Centre hotel in Singapore which is on top of the Chinatown MRT station. We had views from our room over the “Durian” and the harbour. They mucked up the booking and had given us a smoking room. After we complained, we were moved to a non-smoking room on the executive floor which did not appear to be any different apart from having free internet. The hotel was good value for money and in a convenient location.
When we arrived in Singapore we discovered we had forgotten to pack some things. Frances has forgotten one of her medications and I had forgotten the charger for the camera’s battery. We were able to replace the medication at a pharmacy near Raffles but it cost $150 (as compared to $5 in Australia with the PBS safety net). The pharmacist had to see our passports and tickets to give us the medication without a script which we did not have with us. However, he let us take the tablets without the documentation or paying for them and allowed us to show the documentation and make the payment at another pharmacy in the chain which was next to the hotel. He did not record any information about us – we could not believe the level of trust he displayed.
Frances discovered the Mustafa centre in Singapore. This is a big department store in Little India (near Farrer Park MRT exit A) which contains acres of clothing and material. I was very bored for several hours but Frances had a wonderful time. The results of this shopping trip are shown on my facebook site.
On Saturday 6 December we flew from Singapore to Phuket on AirAsia – a budget airline. While the flight was bearable, I would not choose to repeat it. We arrived at the airport and, after clearing customs, went to the hotel’s lounge while we awaited our driver and his BMW 7 series to take us to our hotel. The trip form the airport to the hotel was typical for Thailand – high speed with no concept of road rules. We arrived at the hotel unharmed and booked in to the standard suite which is with our time-share arrangement: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living room and kitchen. The kitchen makes dealing with Frances’ food allergies much easier. In Singapore Frances lived on fresh fruit and ham and cheese we had brought from Australia,
After unpacking we caught a taxi to JungCeylon shopping centre at Patong. In the basement of JungCeylon are the typical Thai market stores but without the crowds, high pressure sales techniques and the rip-off prices. While it may be possible to bargain a lower price at the markets, I do not think the savings would be massive and there is always the possibility of getting conned. Frances bought some Thai Silk, some scarves, some journals and a dressing gown (photos on facebook soon) and I bought some ties. While at JungCeylon we went to the supermarket and got food for the week to go with the steak and bacon we had brought from Australia.
We had dinner at JungCeylon which turned out to be a mistake as Frances ate
We quickly scrambled to reorganize the holiday bypassing Bangkok. We discovered that we could not get to Chiang Mai without flying through Bangkok. All flights from other cities were full – so Chiang Mai was cancelled. We found that we could get to Phuket as scheduled flying through Singapore so we booked those flights and rearranged the Qantas flights to take us to Singapore instead of Bangkok. We added a three day stopover in Singapore to the holiday to replace the Chiang Mai leg.
A fantastic piece of disaster recovery had resurrected our holiday.
When we arrived at Canberra airport on Wednesday morning 3 December for our flight to Singapore via Sydney, we discovered that we had been upgraded to business class for the Sydney-Singapore leg – sweet. The business class seat allowed us to be better rested when we arrived in Singapore.
We stayed in the Furama City Centre hotel in Singapore which is on top of the Chinatown MRT station. We had views from our room over the “Durian” and the harbour. They mucked up the booking and had given us a smoking room. After we complained, we were moved to a non-smoking room on the executive floor which did not appear to be any different apart from having free internet. The hotel was good value for money and in a convenient location.
When we arrived in Singapore we discovered we had forgotten to pack some things. Frances has forgotten one of her medications and I had forgotten the charger for the camera’s battery. We were able to replace the medication at a pharmacy near Raffles but it cost $150 (as compared to $5 in Australia with the PBS safety net). The pharmacist had to see our passports and tickets to give us the medication without a script which we did not have with us. However, he let us take the tablets without the documentation or paying for them and allowed us to show the documentation and make the payment at another pharmacy in the chain which was next to the hotel. He did not record any information about us – we could not believe the level of trust he displayed.
Frances discovered the Mustafa centre in Singapore. This is a big department store in Little India (near Farrer Park MRT exit A) which contains acres of clothing and material. I was very bored for several hours but Frances had a wonderful time. The results of this shopping trip are shown on my facebook site.
On Saturday 6 December we flew from Singapore to Phuket on AirAsia – a budget airline. While the flight was bearable, I would not choose to repeat it. We arrived at the airport and, after clearing customs, went to the hotel’s lounge while we awaited our driver and his BMW 7 series to take us to our hotel. The trip form the airport to the hotel was typical for Thailand – high speed with no concept of road rules. We arrived at the hotel unharmed and booked in to the standard suite which is with our time-share arrangement: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, living room and kitchen. The kitchen makes dealing with Frances’ food allergies much easier. In Singapore Frances lived on fresh fruit and ham and cheese we had brought from Australia,
After unpacking we caught a taxi to JungCeylon shopping centre at Patong. In the basement of JungCeylon are the typical Thai market stores but without the crowds, high pressure sales techniques and the rip-off prices. While it may be possible to bargain a lower price at the markets, I do not think the savings would be massive and there is always the possibility of getting conned. Frances bought some Thai Silk, some scarves, some journals and a dressing gown (photos on facebook soon) and I bought some ties. While at JungCeylon we went to the supermarket and got food for the week to go with the steak and bacon we had brought from Australia.
We had dinner at JungCeylon which turned out to be a mistake as Frances ate
Friday, December 21, 2007
2007 in Summary
2007 began badly. In December 2006, Frances was diagnosed with Melanoma - the potentially fatal form of skin cancer - on her shin. A small operation to remove a blemish at the beginning of December resulted in a much larger operation several days later to remove the melanoma. We sat down to Christmas last year knowing that the second operation has been partially successful and that she would need another operation in January. The third operation was successful and all traces of the cancer were removed without the need for chemotherapy not radiotherapy.
However, the three bouts of surgery severely damaged the blood vessels and lymphatic vessels in her leg which caused her severe pain and had her confined to a wheelchair from most of the next six months. The vessels in her leg have healed almost totally and only cause occasional inconvenience now.
Frances was hospitalised in August with a recurrence of Ulcerative Colitis. When this illness flares she is unable to absorb sufficient nutrients and fluids and needs to be put on a drip until the attack subsides. Some further modifications to her diet seem to have helped the illness and she is currently better and stronger than she has been for years.
Owen has been in Dublin all year studying music. He has had some brief trips to other places in Europe to perform or study as well. He has performed in a number of operas and sings in some of the cathedrals. He is also teaching music. He was home during July for the Northern summer vacation thanks to Andrew's mother.
Miriam has been studying a Masters degree in fashion all year by correspondence from the USA. It is going really well for her. She has been continuing with her singing and sang the lead mezzo role in a local production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Gondoliers. She also teaches singing at the local Anglican school. She is about the go to the USA for a holiday. She is enjoying being single after the end of her seven-year relationship with Simon.
By comparison, very little has happened with Andrew. Everything has been normal at work with the routine teaching and the publication of a few research papers. Andrew's current research project is into the use of Web 2.0 technologies (blogs, wikis, social networks, etc) in teaching - hence the use of a blog to write this and Flickr to pass around some photos.
Andrew and Frances took a holiday in Thailand in December. We had had to cancel a trip to a conference in Banff Canada in August when Frances became ill and this holiday was a test to see how she had recovered. We flew to Phuket via Bangkok and then spent a week lazing on the beach or beside the pool. Life can be tough. Frances coped very well with the flights and the amount of walking that we did and she came back fitter and stronger that when she had left.
While in Phuket we visited the tailors and both of us had clothes made which were to form our Christmas presents to each other. Frances also bought a heap of material for her to make into clothes now we are home. She also bought Miriam a heap of material as well.
While in Phuket we did a Thai cooking course which we can thoroughly recommend to anyone. The Thai food we learned about is so much better that what we are used to in Australia. We also played tourist and went on an elephant ride which was fun.
The photos from the trip and from Christmas are on Flickr.
However, the three bouts of surgery severely damaged the blood vessels and lymphatic vessels in her leg which caused her severe pain and had her confined to a wheelchair from most of the next six months. The vessels in her leg have healed almost totally and only cause occasional inconvenience now.
Frances was hospitalised in August with a recurrence of Ulcerative Colitis. When this illness flares she is unable to absorb sufficient nutrients and fluids and needs to be put on a drip until the attack subsides. Some further modifications to her diet seem to have helped the illness and she is currently better and stronger than she has been for years.
Owen has been in Dublin all year studying music. He has had some brief trips to other places in Europe to perform or study as well. He has performed in a number of operas and sings in some of the cathedrals. He is also teaching music. He was home during July for the Northern summer vacation thanks to Andrew's mother.
Miriam has been studying a Masters degree in fashion all year by correspondence from the USA. It is going really well for her. She has been continuing with her singing and sang the lead mezzo role in a local production of Gilbert and Sullivan's The Gondoliers. She also teaches singing at the local Anglican school. She is about the go to the USA for a holiday. She is enjoying being single after the end of her seven-year relationship with Simon.
By comparison, very little has happened with Andrew. Everything has been normal at work with the routine teaching and the publication of a few research papers. Andrew's current research project is into the use of Web 2.0 technologies (blogs, wikis, social networks, etc) in teaching - hence the use of a blog to write this and Flickr to pass around some photos.
Andrew and Frances took a holiday in Thailand in December. We had had to cancel a trip to a conference in Banff Canada in August when Frances became ill and this holiday was a test to see how she had recovered. We flew to Phuket via Bangkok and then spent a week lazing on the beach or beside the pool. Life can be tough. Frances coped very well with the flights and the amount of walking that we did and she came back fitter and stronger that when she had left.
While in Phuket we visited the tailors and both of us had clothes made which were to form our Christmas presents to each other. Frances also bought a heap of material for her to make into clothes now we are home. She also bought Miriam a heap of material as well.
While in Phuket we did a Thai cooking course which we can thoroughly recommend to anyone. The Thai food we learned about is so much better that what we are used to in Australia. We also played tourist and went on an elephant ride which was fun.
The photos from the trip and from Christmas are on Flickr.
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