Phuket - February 19, 2018 It's early morning in the west but it's already early evening here in Southeast Asia. Today was our last full day on this journey. Tomorrow is travel day. We don't leave Phuket tomorrow until 5:30 pm so we have arranged with the hotel to stay here until 2:30 pm. We will pack, spend a couple of hours by the pool, and then say goodbye. Thirty-eight hours later including a 9 hour layover in Istanbul (sheesh!!!), we will arrive i...

Phuket - February 19, 2018 It's early morning in the west but it's already early evening here in Southeast Asia. Today was our last full day on this journey. Tomorrow is travel day. We leave Phuket at 5:30 pm so we have arranged with the hotel to stay here until 2:30 pm. We will pack, spend a couple of hours by the pool, and then say goodbye. Thirty-eight hours later including a 9 hour layover in Istanbul (sheesh!!!), we will arrive in Atlanta about 8 ...

Phuket - February 18, 2018 We did another touristy thing today and went snorkeling! I'm so glad we did. It was an all-day event that began with a hotel pick-up at 7:15 am and finished about 4 pm. Our hotel is in the Kata Noi Beach area on the Andaman Sea near the southern tip of the island on the western coast. The Royal Marina where our snorkeling trip begins in the north and on the east side of the island in the Tha Ruea Bay area. Today is Sunday so...

Phuket - February 17, 2018 I know now why everyone speaks so highly of Thailand. Everyone I've ever known who has been here has absolutely loved it. I assure you though; it is not Bangkok or even Chiang Mai or the elephants that they love . . . although coming to experience the elephants is a very worthy reason for visiting. The true reason people love Thailand is Phuket (Poo-ket) and other beach resort cities. Phuket is a big island off the mainnland c...

Chiang Mai - February 16, 2018 I love live music. I do. Last night was our last night in Chiang Mai. We walked to the Riverside Restaurant. It had been recommended to us. The food was just fine, but the music was great. First we heard two Thai guys singing nothing but Simon & Garfunkel - some of the songs on their playlist were ones we all know . . . some we never heard before but were unmistakably, Simon & Garfunkel. Then came the old guy rock...