Mary and Roger

I haven't featured our current guests, Mary and Roger, much at all! This is because they have been off 'doing their own thing' every day.....and they have my genuine admiration for doing so.

Mary has never driven an automatic car before but announced it was her intention to do all the driving here in Phuket. We collected a nice new shiny Toyota on their second day here and they've kept it for thier 2 weeks. Mary spent some time just driving around the estate getting the hang of an automatic...and then they were off. I know many people who have come to stay have been nervous about driving here...but Mary has handled it brilliantly and they've enjoyed a cracking holiday by going off and discovering Phuket for themselves.


Here's Roger...a retired Commercial airline pilot. Roger is a proper English Gentleman. Always polite and charming with a ready and disarming smile...jolly nice couple!!

And here's Mary with us two. Mary had spent a good deal of time researching Phuket before they came. She'd studied maps, looked up places and had made a real effort to understand Phuket in order to get the best out of it. So, you see....you don't HAVE to put up with Whittall's Work Camp when you're made to go diving and fishing...you CAN do your own thing. Just relax...go where you want when you want and IF you want. Roger and Mary spent a part of each day just chilling by the pool and reading.....nice holiday.

They've been to loads of places....but Mary's 'lost' her first camera card...so there's only a few shots on the current card. But here's a picture of the fish (I know, always bloody fish...Whittall is just fish, fish, fish....boring old git) at The Rawai Sea Gypsy Village which they discovered by themselves. They have really enjoyed Rawai and have been there a number of times.

Picture of Rawai seafront...most of the longtail boats were out at sea doing thier daily 'round the islands', snorkling or fishing trips. Idealic, ain't it??

We've had some unseasonable stroms in the last few days...very heavy rain and plenty of lightning. This photo probably doesn't show it too well....but as a storm starts to brew...the sky, the buildings, the water all go a shade of pink...bizzarre. Then it blackens over with a vengeance and rains. 'Rains' is not really the word for what happens here...it's like a total waterfall! And then..it's gone. The sun comes back out...everything dries up in minutes and it's back to sun, sun, sun.

Tomorrow Roger and Mary head off to Hong Kong for a couple of nights.....but they've loved it here and have already asked to come again next year. With Pleasure!!!

Today Captain Bob, wife Cath and daughter Jen have arrived. They've already been in the pool trying out the dive gear and we've had a quick tour of Rawai, Nai Harn and the Yan Nui beaches
to suss out our first shore dive sites. Looks like tomorrow we'll be diving again....as soon as I get back from Phuket airport after seeing Roger and Mary on their way.

Captain Bob and his family are our last guests of the season and it's been great fun this year. We've done lots and learnt lots more about Phuket. The 110 days have flown by!! Soon it will be time for me to return to Weymouth for what I hope will be a trouble free season after all the mishaps with my NEW engines last year...but before then..another 2 weeks of diving to enjoy.

Yo Ho.