Hi Everyone,
I am guilty. I have avoided writing the blog since I have been home but it would be stupid to stop on the last one.
So here we go! Last blog of the trip! Thankyou to everyone that has read these at some stage along the way. I know we had quite a following for awhile there and it made it so much easier to write them knowing that it was keeping some of you entertained.
So it started with the worlds smallest plane ride to Phuket. And it was actually fine. A few disturbing noises for Mike to hear but thats just Mike and I didnt feel sick at all so that was an added bonus. Since we had been to Phuket a few times before we didnt bother with transfers and caught the shuttle into Banthai. To say I was excited to see Carla and Jez was an understatement. When our shuttle pulled up we spotted Renee and Carla hanging by the bar (surprise surprise) and it seemed like forever to get ourselves check in but finally we got a reunion with everyone and enjoyed our first cocktail in Phuket with the new gang. We then headed off for some dinner and drinks at a mexican restaurant where we all caught up and the others got to know each other. By the time our dinner had arrived everyone was getting on like a house on fire and we were all pumped to head out and explore Phuket after dark. We managed to find ourselves at a ping pong show where we realised none of us were really boozy enough to feel comfortable there so we headed off to find some more drinks and ended the night with a Mc Donald's feed and a pancake for me!The next morning we got up and met Carla and Jeremy for "breakfast at Banthai"...probably the best buffet breakfast I have ever eaten and certainly something that Mike had been looking forward to. After stuffing ourselves with breakfast we spent the morning laying out in the sun and catching up...well the girls did...Mike and Jez played with a ball in the pool (how old are they?). We also decided it was never to early to start with a cocktail at the swim up bar and used our free vouchers on Bananaramas. At lunch time Renee and Gerard checked into our hotel and were upgraded to the pool side suite. This meant they had their own private pool and spa which we all adopted over the next few days. After lunch we met up with everyone and the girls went off to the day spa and the boys went to watch the Eagles lose. The day spa was bliss....a couple of hours of foot rubs, hand massages and neck, back and shoulders and we were all in paradise. The boys had walked away from the game as it was to upsetting for poor Mike and had gone swimming so when we got back we all spent the afternoon in Renee and Gerards pool ordering drinks and lunch and enjoying the heat.This is pretty much how the week went with side trips to more day spas and shopping etc in between.That night we went out for dinner to a popular local restaurant that Gerard found for us for some beautiful thai food which was cheap and fresh! After dinner was some more shopping and bartering to end the warm evening.The next morning we took our phone off the hook as Carla or Renee liked to call us and get us up...so we slept in and missed breakfast and then went out and had a shop around on our own. We didnt really buy much besides some fake Lacoste clothes for me and some more singlets for Mike (like he needs any more) we then went and found some nice Italian food for lunch and met up with the others to show each other our good buys!That evening after a swim Jeremy wasnt feeling very well and Renee and Gerard went out for drinks with friends so Mike and I set off to our favourite restaurant and ate dinner for a whopping $6 between us including drinks! I felt like I was at home at this restaurant as it has been my favourite for years now. After dinner we went back to the room and managed to break into the in room internet and looked up dogs we can get when we get home!The following morning after a quick breakfast us girls headed off to Thai COOKING SCHOOL!!!! It was so so so much fun and so yummy. We each got to choose 4 plates we wanted to learn how to make and we shared them between us. We also went to a market and got a tour of the local produce. We were very aware we were the only giggling western girls there with horrified looks on our faces at the hanging meat and squeals of excitement when the men selling the fish made the eels (which we presumed already dead)splash and thrash around in front of us. It was really interesting and quite unusual to get away from the other tourists in Patong. We all had some an amazing time and got given some curry pastes and purchased cook books and mortar and pestles etc. We have arranged to have themed dinner nights when we get home. Bek and Mike are on Italian, Carla and Jez are on Thai and Renee and Gerard are on all things fish!When we got home Mike and Jeremy were still playing poker and Gerard was still out on his diving trip off the coast. Renee retired for a nanna nap and the rest of us went for a swim and you guessed it! More cocktails!After our swim Renee came up to our room and hung out with us and then got a message from Gerard saying his boat had broken down and he wouldnt be home until later. Carla and Jez then came over and we waited for Gerard to return and then went out for dinner and our favourite restaurant in the world. Restaurant Number 5. I was abit nervous about taking other people there as its not what you would call fine dining but it is the best thai food we have ever eaten and dirt cheap with amazing service. But it was a big success with everyone so I was very pleased. After dinner Gerard and Renee retired to bed and the rest of us went to the hotel bar where there was some Karaoke going on which Mike and Carla joined in on! Quite hilarious to say the least.The next few days were alot similar to the first few...visits to the day spa, swimming, eating and hanging out. It was fantastic and we were sorry to see Renee and Gerard go home but were excited to catch up with them when we returned. Carla and I went on another few massage jaunts and Mike and Gerard enjoyed playing poker and betting their 1baht coins. We also went on an evening of bowling and more Restaurant number 5 and we even purchased some furniture out of The West Australian newspaper that Carla braught over from Perth for us. After 6 nights in Phuket we then wanted a little R&R on Phi Phi island. We purchased some ferry tickets and set off four our 2 hour ferry ride. Mike was very proud of me as I didnt vomit once even when everyone around me was! I think ive "stabilised" alot on the trip. We had some amazing weather on the first day and spent the day on our lounge chairs we hired on the beach and lazing on our lilos...that right the ones from Italy made it all the way over! Carla and Jez even suprised us with a wake up call one morning declaring they had come over to visit us for the day.It was the perfect place to end our trip and reflect on all we had done and plan our future trips....we plan on doing an Australia trip as there doesnt have to be flying or boats involved! On our final night back in Phuket Carla and I went and had a midnight massage (sounds creepy) and enjoyed being pampered one more time. And enjoyed a group dinner and some sad goodbyes! Our final night of the trip was in Singapore on Clarke Quey. It was a very strange and slightly scary feeling knowing the trip had come to an end. We were excited to go home and see everyone so that made us feel better.Our last flight home was rough and not nice. We knew this would happen as the other flights had all been pretty good. It was very exciting to get home and see mum and dad waiting for us at the airport. We carried our backpacks out. We could have used the trolleys provided but we both said we wanted to finish how we started! We also wanted Mum and Dad to feel sorry for us so we tried to look as exhausted as possible!We arrived back in Perth to rain rain and more rain. Mum and Dad took us to my house and we got to see the renovations. We hardly recognised the place but we did get to see Roxy and that was great. She was more excited to see Mike though which is a slight kick in the guts but I think its because they share the "hairy gene" that they are so close.That evening we went to Mikes sisters Elise and her husband Harrys new house and caught up with the family. It was really nice to see people we knew again. That night I decided to sleep at my house and it was very very very strange to drive home on my own. It was the first time I had been alone in 4 months and it felt quite quiet!The next few days were a whirlwind catching up with everyone and moving house. Thats right. We are now residents of Leederville in Mikes Nonnas old house. We spent the week moving ourselves around and now I am back at work for the first day. (working hard as you can see). Its strange to be back in the office but my colleagues have made me feel very welcome again.Mike is on the hunt as we speak for employment as a drafstman so that is very exciting and we have purchased a new edition to the family....a puppy dog we have decided to name Matilda "tillie". She arrives on the 23rd and we are very very excited. So thats the end to our blogs. Once again thanks everyone for reading it and we will be catching up with you all soon.Lots of love Mike, Bek and Tillie xoxo