MARCH 25, 2014: PHUKET SCUBA CLUB DIVING AT ANEMONE REEF/KING CRUISER WRECK/KOH DOC MAI, KATA BEACH, POOL, DINNER-KAMPONG KATA HILL RESTAURANT, MOVENPICK-ICE CREAM

March 25, 2014

     Richard is up and out early for his pick up for diving.  I went to breakfast alone and was joined by Dorie and Ronan later.  We dropped off some laundry across the street.  2.9 kg @ 70 baht per-total cost  203 baht.  Will be ready tomorrow after 1:00 pm.

     We decide to go to KATA BEACH  A short walk right across the street from our hotel.  We pay 200 baht for 2 sun beds.  Ronan plays with his beach toys and plays in the water.  He's hungry for lunch so Dorie takes him to KATA MAMA'S for a banana shake and she has fried spring rolls.  She tells me that Ronan didn't like the shake and she thought the spring rolls were greasy.  As we're walking back to the hotel we have to pass several shops along the alley/path.  She spies a purse in a window and buys it for 290 baht, original price 450 baht.  It really is a lovely purse.

     We spend time at the hotel's other pool which I don't like as well.  There's no ladder to help you get in or out and I have bad knees.  The good thing about this pool is that there is no one else here.  It's smaller than the other, more popular one which also has pool bar.  We go over to the bigger, nicer pool.

Look-I'm holding onto the ball and swimming/floating!

      Richard is back from his dive at 5:30 pm.  He said there were more than 50 divers on the boat.  They were from other dive centers.  Only he and 2 others had booked with PHUKET SCUBA CLUB.  I'm remembering now something that Kevan had said about how they couldn't have their own boat as only Thais can have ownership.  Richard  said it was very crowded with hardly any room to really stretch out and relax.   He did enjoy the dive but the divers had to go down in 2 shifts because there were so many of them.

Sergeant majorfish

King Cruiser wreck

Whip coral

Triggerfish

Large frog fish

Sea urchins

Moorish idol

Clown fish

Better picture of the clown fish.  The first was too close??

Knotted gorgonian sea fan

Blue spotted pufferfish

Tube coral

Sea urchins and magnificent anemone

 Eel

Eel

Coral banded cleaner shrimp

Starry moray eel

Common porcupine fish or Bluespotted pufferfish

Barrel sponge

 Lionfish

Beaded sea anemone and sea urchin

Barrel sponge

The dive boat Richard was on

      Richard volunteers to babysit Ronan so Dorie and I can have a girls' night out.  It gives her a break from Ronan also as he can wear you out.  We give Ronan some of the things we brought from home for him.  A late Xmas present-the game OPERATION with sound effects and a book about frogs in a pond.  Back home my property has a pond for swimming and when Ronan visited last summer he became intrigued by the frogs.

     We decide to go to the restaurant that she wanted to go back to from when she was in Phuket for the first time.  KAMPONG KATA HILL RESTAURANT  We will need to get a taxi.  The driver wants 200 baht and Dorie said that's ridiculous for a less than 5 minute ride.  I'm not going to drive our car as traffic is a nightmare and there's no where to park.  We decide to use the taxi connected to the hotel.  Cost 200 baht.  I'm upset as I forgot my camera.  The guy by the street entrance to the restaurant says I can use my I Pad.  I didn't even think about that.  Thanks!!  The decor in this restaurant is what sets it apart.  It is filled with statues and other objects.  Stunning.  I order a Mai Tai-hey, I'm not driving!  Dorie gets a large beer.  She's not driving either!  I order noodles with 6 good size prawns in a sauce with vegetables.  The noodles aren't what I expected.  They're deep fried so they are crispy but so good.  Dorie-green curry with chicken and rice.  Cost 855 baht.  Great service.  Dorie goes across the street to the mini mart for pretzels for Ronan and beer for her and Richard.  I withdraw 10000 baht from my debit account.  Taxi back to the hotel 200 baht.  As we're riding in the txi I notice a Swensens which we could have walked to from the restaurant!  It was great to have dinner without the boys.

Noodles with prawns and vegetables

Chicken green curry with rice

Beautiful vase

Right next door to the restaurant

Restaurant seen from the street

Street scene

     We decide to go to MOVENPICK as I'm in the mood for ice cream-carmelita.  Dorie buys some oranges for Ronan from the vendor stall.  We get back to our room and find Ronan and Richard watching a movie.  Richard says they played the game, read some books, watched cartoons, ordered room service-chicken satay and french fries and Ronan even ate a piece of the chicken!   I have finally figured out how to access my e-mail so I send an inquiry to Simba for a day tour Phang Nga Bay for March 27th.  I thought we'd try a different company to compare.