Travel Breakdown between Phuket and Trang

After relaxing at our mid-trip break hotel at the Dusit Laguna on Phuket Island, Thailand, we are off to Trang. Destination number 7 of 10 in this month long journey. As we have learned along the way, the plans can be altered at any time and any place depending on what is presented.

About 1 hour from our destination (approximately 3-4 hour trip), our tour van started to overheat. The driver quickly pulled to the side of the road. We hung out on the side of the road in the limited shade. As a team, we have been able to handle the changes or situations stress free. Much different for some of our lives back in North America. Yes... at home, I like to be on time and ready.

We waited as the driver tried to cool the engine down. We were back on the road about a half hour later to find ... that we needed to pull over the van for good (or at least longer). The Rotarians with us, called ahead to Trang to find some help for us. We were able to relax, read our books, write in our journals and laugh that the schedule is a merely a guideline and things happen.

About an hour later, reinforcement had arrived and we were off to Trang.
(As soon as we can, we will add some pictures of this adventure.)

Rotary Meetings

We are about to give our 7th presentation and have seen many kinds of Rotary meetings both big and small. We attended the Club Charter Presentation for the new Rotary Club of Laguna in Phucket and danced at the conclusion of the meeting in NakornSrithammaraj. It is fun to see the differences and similarities in the meetings.

Horseback Riding on the Beach (Nicole)

I spent my 36 hours of "free time" here in Phuket on the beach, horseback riding, and exploring sea caves by canoe! As far as "fun stuff" goes, the amazing horseback riding on the beach was my favorite experience here!!! It was just me out there (and the guide) and I was able to really go all out and ride as hard as I wanted all up and down the crescent beach.... it was a mile or two stretch and I rode all up and down the bay from one point to the other for 2.5 hours. It was also a great tour of the seaside resorts and a chance to get a look at all the tourists up and down the beach. All of the kids on the beach waved to me, and it was fun to say hi to them!

Tsunami in Phuket.

I have had some people ask about Phuket being the area hit by the Tsunami. As Brandon has already said, Patong Beach was hit much harder than Phuket town. She also mentioned how the people picked up and started a new life once again. This picture shows a part of Patong Beach that was completely wiped out. As you can see, they have reconstructed everything. It is hard to believe that such a short time ago, there was nothing here. Although the construction seems more primative than ours, they have done an incredible job getting back on their feet. Kudos to the Thais for showing us how to start again.

Please Note....

As our trip has been progressing and internet is sometimes scare, as of today, we should be up to date. Please take a moment and look back at the additional entries.

Thank you so much for following and commenting on our trip. We really appreciate it.

Brandon

Life in Thailand.

Kim here with a Thai update. It has been difficult lately to get on a computer. Yesterday and today we have been staying at a hotel in Phuket. The entire team is enjoying our free time here at the resort.I spent my morning walking around, climbing a look-out tower and strolling through a park that is home to 3 elephants. This afternoon, I spent time in the sun.

So, now it is official. As you can see from the photo, I am getting darker. I am no longer the "beautiful farang" (foreigner) that I was when I arrived. The Thai people love white skin so the darker we get, the less attractive we become. I am going to be one sorry sight by the time we leave...... especially after today and even more so if we continue to get sun time. In Thailand,being white is a social status. Those who work outside get darker so they are considered to be of the lower class. Count me in as a worker!!!!!!!!!

We will be meeting with a new Rotary group tonight. They are having an inauguration at our hotel.

Tomorrow we leave for Trang. That is as far south as we will be going before heading back towards Bangkok. We are anticipating a wonderful 11 hour train ride to our next destination, Hua Hin. Yikes !!!!!!!!!!! Let's hope we're in first class like our last train ride.

Well, it's time to get back to chilling out in the oh so hot sun !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Chow for now !!!

Note re: Blog Posts

I've been writing posts when I don't have internet-- and today I had a chance to post two of them belatedly. They have "belated" in the title, so you can read down and find them easily if you'd like to see what they're about. Thanks to everyone who's been reading and commenting. It's good to have you guys along on the trip!

8 Month Old Elephant

There were other elephants in the area. I had a picture taken with the 8th month old elephant. I am actually taller than the elephant right now.

Elephant Ride

We are currently on our mid-trip break at the Dusit Laguna Beach Resort on the Indian Ocean. There are a total of five resorts locating together that make up the Laguna Beach Resort. This area was an old tin mine that 23 years ago someone had a vision to make this a tourist destination. It is truly beautiful. Today, Saturday, March 10th, I got to ride a 35 year old elephant for 15 minutes. I had to choose to ride on the elephant’s neck or in a chair; I chose the neck. It was very cool.

Giant Catfish and the Falls in Nakorn

Here I am working up the courage to swim with some HUGE catfish at the waterfall near Nakorn SiThammarat... As you can see, I'm wearing shorts and a Tshirt over my bathing suit-- because everyone else was swimming in clothes! I've pretty much given up tank tops and swimsuits here in favor of more modest dress like the native Thais. Even I raise my eyebrows to see spaghetti straps on the street now! No one wore a bathing suit to swim at the falls, for the combined reasons of modesty and not wanting to get too much sun. At first I thought everyone just decided to have an impromptu swim in their clothes, but then I realized it's just normal to swim in shorts and t shirt or even jeans. Just a tidbit of Thai culture! P.S. In Phuket all the falang on holiday wear bathing suits, speedos and skimpy "international standard" resort wear (and FYI there were plenty of topless sunbathers here, even though technically it's frowned upon). (Picture to Come)

The Courts in Phuket

Today I had the honor of visiting both the general court in Phuket and the Juvenile Court. In the photo, you see me and my host family just after I met the Head Judge at the general court. The judges and I compared our respective court system structures, and the criminal procedures governing Thailand's version of a Prosecuting Attorney. At the family court, I learned that there is a basis for dividing property 50/50 in a divorce in Thailand, similar to the US. I also learned that either parent can gain custody of the child--or have shared custody after a divorce, and the child' best interests are the number one factor judge consider.

The keyboard here is different and difficult to use, so I'll keep this short-- but I've been compiling blog entries on my personal computer and I'll update the blog just as soon as I can connect it to the internet!

A school water project in Thailand

The GSE team visited the Watsamakyaram School in NakhonSrithammaraj. Tin mining in the district has left the water undrinkable. The polluted water supply is causing serious health problems for the young students at the school including black spots on their hands. The Rotary Club of Nakhonsri-Veerathai is working to help with this project. They need 300,000 baht ($8,571). The school has already raised one-third of the amount needed. The GSE team has donated $250 USD of their personal funds for the project. The Rotary Club of Troy Michigan in the USA and Rotary Club of Tongkah in Thailand has now matched this. Including a personal donation of $70 USD, we now have $820 USD or 26,945 THB. Anyone interested in donating directly to this project can make their checks payable to The Rotary Club of Nakhonsri-Veerathai and send it to PAG Asa Saligupta, 40 Moo7 T.Srakaew, A. Tasala, NakhonSrithammaraj in Thailand or PE Eileen Heasley, Troy Rotary, 190 Paragon, Troy, MI 48098 in the USA.

Thai cooking class.

For those of you that know me well..... or even not well, know that I am not a cook. In fact, I don't remember the last time I did cook. Well, here you have it. Me, in an apron, in front of a stove cooking. Can you imagine that? I had to have a picture because I didn't think anyone would actually believe I did it. And better yet, the finished product was even edible....... but not for me. I can't eat all the spice they use. I tried a few taste-tests but my mouth lost feeling so I let a Thai be my tester from there on in.

So, Brian I have recipes and for the other team members' families, you can expect a wonderful Thai meal when we get home.

Radio Station Appearance in Nakorn Si Thammarat

The morning of Wednesday, March 7th, prior to leaving Nakorn Si Thammarat, we had the opportunity to be on Mr. Asa Saligupta’s English radio show from 9 – 10am. We each gave a brief introduction of ourselves and selected a song. It was a pretty cool experience.

Sunset Beach Resort, Patong Beach, Phuket Isalnd

Late afternoon on Wednesday, March 7th, we arrived on Phuket Island to meet our next host. I did not realize how big this island was. I was being hosted by Mr. Veerachai Ungtrakul and his family. They let me stay at their hotel, Sunset Beach Resort, in Patong Beach. The hotel was beautiful. Mr. Ungtrakul and I had a good conversation about the Tsunami that hit Thailand about 2.5 years ago (December 26th, 2004). Patong Beach was the hardest hit in Thailand. However, I did not see to much damage today or even know that it had occured. He said that the waves were 6 – 7 feet high at his hotel. At least one of the hotel vehicles were picked up by the wave and thrown into the building. There were motorcycles thrown into the pool along with many fish from the Indian Ocean. It took 3 – 6 months for them to fix up everything, replace chairs and clean before business resumed. I also learned that the Thai people’s way of thinking is to just pick up and move on. The picture is from my 5th floor room looking at the pool. The ocean would be to the right of the picture.

Khamon Gas Separation & Electric Plant

The plant is supplied by a 24” diameter pipeline from a 160 km out in the Gulf of Thailand. Other neat things he mentioned included that the gas found is a joint venture between Thailand and Malaysia. They also inspect their pipelines using PIGS. Since this facility is a Gas Separation Plant, they get many products from the gas brought in. Some include natural gas for vehicles (NGV), propane for cooking and they use some of the fuel is supplied to the Electric Plants. The picture is of the team outside with our hard hats.

I really enjoyed visiting the plant and am very appreciative to the Rotarians in Nakorn Si Thammarat for giving us this opportunity.

Khamon Gas Separation & Electric Plant

On Tuesday, March 6th in Nakorn Si Thammarat, we were accompanied by Lee’s host family to the Khamon Gas Separation and Electric Plant. This plant was built in 1996 and supplies Southern Thailand with all its electricity and natural gas at the pumps. We were shown an English video on its company and then taken on a tour. We spent most of our time talking in the control room of the plant. We were given the tour by Mr. Chailikit, the Operations Manager. The picture is of Mr. Chailikit and myself in the control room.

Yong Waterfall, Nakorn Si Thammarat

On Monday, March 5th, our first day in Nakorn Si Thammarat, we spent part of the afternoon visiting a beautiful waterfall. Kim, Lee and Nicole enjoyed a dip in the water hole below the waterfall. While Eileen enjoyed a nap in the shad and I put my feet in the water. It was neat being at the water hole on the first day of summer vacation for the Thai people. There were hundreds of people present. We were the only North Americans present and the only individuals wearing bathing suits. Everyone else was swimming in their clothing.

Surat Thani and on to Nakorn

Leaving Surat Thani for NakornSiThamarat (say that fives times fast!)
After a rowdy Karaoke birthday party last night where the Thais got us to dance, the birthday gentleman gave us each a lovely gift of a pendant with a picture of the King. The pendant has been blessed by Buddhist monks. We have learned by trial and error never to put anything associated with the king in our bags on the floor or in our pants pockets. The bottom half of your body (including your feet and the floor) are considered lowly. Maasha sang Torn by Natalie Imbruglia at the party, and she even looks like the original singer. Also, tall dark haired North Americans get mistaken for a different Natalie, the Miss Universe winner who is dating a Thai man. Both Maria and Maasha get mistaken for that Natalie all over Thailand!
Mr. Oh-Pat Sirawej, our host Father, is a court appointed mediator for civil cases, probate (wills/estates) and land disputes. We were able to have a chat with him about mediation techniques and the increasing popularity of alternative dispute resolution in both Thailand and the United States. We also got a quick peek at the beautiful new local court and government complex in the city of Surat Thani.

New foods

Eileen here. This GSE trip includes an amazing variety of foods. Every meal brings something different to try. I never thought that I liked seafood but I do now! I stopped asking what it is and just try to taste everything. Here is a picture of the soup we had yesterday for lunch. It was really very good.