I have been to Freedom Beach once before a year ago. (see May 28 blog) If you recall I was thinking, on the steep hike up and down, who of my friends would have joined me on this adventure. I received a couple shout outs from my friends back home saying they totally would. Except Debbie, who told me she can’t do hills 🙂
It’s so nice that I now have friends locally that willingly partake in any hike! I HEART Jason and Noni!! They are up for anything new just like me.
To mix things up, I wanted to try a different pathway down to the beach. Last time I was there, I saw most of the visitors going back up a staircase, which was not the way I came. I google mapped this other entry and set the meeting time.
I met Jason for coffee that am and then we headed over. Noni is notoriously late 🙂 But he eventually made it and we headed through the gates.
We met here with a view of the Marriott Hotel which has its’ own private beach. The shacks you see with the metal roofing is where the workers live. Quite the contrast.
Not too long down the path, we caught a glimpse of the beach. This beach is only accessible through these trails or by boat. Not well known or utilized.
We were calling this “gliking”, a spin on glamping”, because some of the trails were paved. Didn’t quite seem as challenging.
Selfie shot of us being ourselves.
This tree was gorgeous. No way to capture it in a photo, but I tried.
The water color was unbelievable. Phuket is as amazing as you see on tv.
Watching the waves crash into the rocks. No fishermen anywhere at this beach location.
Noni scaling the palm.
Unfortunately there was garbage everywhere. This is just one of many areas collecting it. I do a 15 minute lesson every week day with a student from Japan named Laka. She always picks a news article about plastic waste. She works for a chemical company that makes some component of plastic. She has educated me through our quick chats. I have a hard time looking past this. It frustrates me, but it’s too big of a problem to make a dent. The Trash Heroes group has fallen apart since Covid. Seems the Thai government doesn’t have a system in place to maintain.
Jason taking a shot of Noni posing again. These guys, always goofing around.
Capturing the moment of Jason capturing the moment.
This is the panoramic shot Jason took with his phone. I am thinking I may want to invest in a better camera Iphone version. He uses a Samsung and it takes some great photos. Not that mine are too shabby either, but I definitely can’t take night shots.
We swam for about an hour. I forgot my baseball cap which I usually always wear.
Noni was pulling plastic bags from the sea. Felt pointless. Like it will just end up there again. Frustrates me how humans ruin nature’s paradise.
Love this color combo.
Jason looking sexy:)
Noni striking a pose in a shirt Tek gave him.
This monkey was just hanging out with us too. Someone set him free in the wild.
Was a cloud covered day. I actually thought I may get rained on, but it passed me by.
The guys left to grab lunch so I stayed at the beach about 1 1/2 longer. Was literally the only one there. I took a nap, swam and listened to music. Tried to soak it all in. Unfortunately the sun killed my skin and I am still paying the price with a burn that isn’t fading.
Took this shot on my hike back up. You know, I had to find excuses to take a break from the steep incline even when alone.
My selfie shot I posted on Instagram. I conquered those stairs. I was smart and swam right before taking off. So I was dripping wet while hiking which helped keep me cool.
Saturday I headed to Rawai to see if I could find a long tail boat to hire for the day. I was itching to get out and enjoy some new beach locations. Jason was busy in the afternoon and Noni was on his way back to Phuket. I was a lone avenger this weekend. But it was an absolutely fantastic day and I didn’t want to waste it.
Being farang has its advantages sometimes. They spotted me as an expat and immediately when seeing me scooter by, called me over and said “islands?? I was like, “Yes, Please!”
I didn’t negotiate the price because the asking seemed fair. 1500 BHT/45$ for my own boat to stay with me for the entire day. I was prepared. Applied 100 proof sunscreen, packed an extra set of clothes in case it rained, had my beach mat on hand and earpods ready to jam some tunes.
My view from the seat on the longtail boat, looking at the first island we stopped at.
I wanted to see Coral Island, knowing it’s a popular beach that I haven’t experienced yet, but it was still closed. We boated by it, and honestly it wasn’t that impressive. On this same island of Ko He was another smaller beach named Banana Beach. Tiffani and I had been there and I remembered it being beautiful, so my long tail stopped and I spent about 2 1/2 hours there.
Google map view of where I was. I always like to check.
The day was perfect. The longtail boat captain handed me a snorkeling kit as I was getting off the boat . I was very thankful, although a little leary about the cleanliness of it. I decided it was worth the risk to check out what was alive in these waters. I saw, I kid you not, a periwinkle starfish!, some fantastic coral and tropical fish that I kept saying hi to. I never felt more a part of nature.
My dear friend Kim Winkler told me to always be on a rainbow hunt. I explained that oddly I never see them in Phuket. It always rains and sunshines, but the rainbows do not appear like they do in the midwest of America. Well today I spotted a rainbow halo around the sun. I did my best to capture it in this photo. I later also saw iridescent reflective rainbows as the waves crashed onto shore. Thank you Kim. I’m not sure I would have noticed them had she not mentioned her rainbow hunting vision.
I went up on the deck to have some lunch after my snorkeling.
These tables filled up as speed boats and private yachts of visitors docked. Stereotypically, I notice the Chinese tourists do not swim but rather sit in the shade and admire the views.
They were serving beer. It was heaven.
These gorgeous gals were snapping Instagram shots, so as I sat and watched and then I took one of them.
After lunch since the Instagram girls had taken over the beach a bit, I decided to go for a hike.
Started up a well maintained trail.
I think it’s interesting how vacation spots are now investing in what I would label Instagram props to promote photo taking.
I ended up going down this steep incline, wishing my fellow avengers were with me to share in the experience. Thank goodness they had ropes to hang onto for the way back up.
This side of the island had a rocky shoreline.
I kept hiking and following leaf covered trails.
I had my earpods in and started singing freely. There was not a soul in sight for me to offend! I was having a party all to myself.
Came across this incredible tree and immediately thought of Beth and Linda, my friends back in Cincy, who I’ve adventured with in Ohio. We always pause to appreciate the trees and the struggles they overcome.
Another rocky viewpoint.
Out at sea there were massive schools of fish and they would jump out of the water all at the same time. I tried to capture it but couldn’t. I also saw a few jelly fish floating about.
Headed back following a different route. I wondered if my love of wooded trails came from my childhood. We grew up with woods directly behind my house. I remember most of my time being spent there with my friends and dog , Gretle.
I decided to head out. Figured by this time, my captain may have left me for dead.
He took me around the back side of the island and I was able to see the location spots I hiked to.
There are so many of these little island surrounding Phuket. I asked him about a beach across the way and in his broken English he explained it was not good for swimming. I just figured he was making an excuse not to go, and he wanted to end his day. I was pushing 4 hours at this point.
I was pleasantly surprised. He instead took me to a very small deserted beach that he was unable to drive me up to, but he asked me if I wanted to swim. I of course jumped out and swam over.
After that he asked me if I wanted to go to another beach called Bone Beach. Of course, I mean who wouldn’t want to see what that was all about! Was thinking maybe skulls or body remains 🙂 Above was the location which I googled mapped upon arrival.
Serene beach but had quite a bit of trash washed up on the shore. I think it wasn’t maintained because there isn’t any tourist action here, so there was less care in its appearance. But as you can see from this photo, it was totally enjoyable regardless!
Intricate coral was easily found in the sand as I walked. I started gathering the best ones.
The beach was filled with this! Now I understand the name – Bone Beach.
I walked out and joined the crabs on the rocks. But I left my shoes on the boat so I couldn’t go too far out without concern.
My little collection, I selected and then took a photo of.
Then this guy washed up. So cute!
It could not have been a better day. I literally thought to myself when swimming on this beach, if I died tomorrow, I would have lived my life and was so thankful for my experience in Phuket.
Also on my bucket list was to watch the sunset at a reggae bar that I discovered with my girls in December. The only days I can do that would be on the weekends due to my Cambly schedule. Plus Saturday night at a reggae bar in the middle of the jungle sounded like a great way to end my day! I texted Jason and James and let them know I was going to be there regardless of if they joined, but wanted them to feel welcomed if they were available.
And so my Saturday night became the icing on the cake.
Believe it or not, I went to a new beach on Phuket. One day I will go through my blog and count how many different beaches I have been to. This one I had seen before over a year ago, but never made my way back to it.
This am I woke up with the worst head cold- watery eyes, runny nose, sore throat, teeth ache- but I decided that some sunshine would do me good. So I packed up the kleenax and put on my bikini.
I forced myself out aiming to hit Nai Harn beach. There was a huge black cloud above Kathu when I left, but when looking in the direction I was headed, it was nothing but blue skies ahead. So Mean Mia and I decided to risk it and took off with my beach matt and bottle of survival water.
I zoned out when taking a turn and missed my road. I started driving up a mountain and considered doing a U turn, but decided heck, there may be a view up here and I was right. The Windmill Viewpoint. I stopped to breathe it in and saw the Ya Nui beach down below. (googled to see its’ name and accessibility) I decided to change my plans and head there instead.
This is the view from the Windmill Viewpoint showing the small beach below. It looked quite solitude.
Was such a great spot to discover. Calm, clear water with very few people.
I noticed kayaks were being rented so I decided to check it out.
Only $3 for an hour! But unfortunately only two seaters. In hindsight that probably is best since I would have been on my own and God knows where I would’ve ended up when I ran out of steam.
There were fishermen out of the rocky island not far from the beach. It was walkable through this sandbar area.
Was a pretty cool area to watch. The waves from the two alcoves crashed into each other and I don’t think I have ever seen the sea do that in any other part of the island.
I will never tire of this. It’s so peaceful. If anyone is ever considering a vacation here, I would highly recommend it.
I was on this beach for about 2 1/2 hours. As the afternoon came, so did the locals and other tourists making their way after a days work. I decided to head back and there was a scooter- run -icecream vendor parked behind Mean Mia. He said “showers”. I sort of smiled and packed up my scooter and headed home.
Well not even 3 minutes later, I understood what he was trying to tell me. Right over the mountain that was protecting Ya Nui area, there were storm clouds. Rainy season is here and still fascinates me how one area on this island is completely dry while simultaneously other areas drenched. Needless to say, it was a wet drive home.
Even with the dark clouds overhead I wasn’t about to let my day off teaching go without doing my best to catch some beach time and a sunset. I convinced myself that even if it rained, I would stay on the beach. So after brunch with a couple friends, I headed to one of my favorite remote spots called Banana Rock Beach.
I love the climb down using the roots as steps and seeing the welcoming peak of the sea through the trees.
Rocks separate this beach into two parts. I climbed to the more remote section where nobody else claimed.
Last year a tourist lost their life here when the waves came up and swept him off the rocks. I am sure this year without any tourists during low season, there will be a lot less tragedies.
I was admiring the details of the palms.
I was listening to podcasts and literally just sat watching this view for 5 hours. It eventually transitioned as the sun started to fade to leave us for another part of the world.
I decided to head to another beach to see if I could take in a different view of the sun settling into the horizon.
I rode my scooter slowly up the road looking for the staircase that I only found once before leading down to a small beach south of Nai Yarn. Happily I found it again. The staircase was tattered and I was shocked by how quickly things can deteriorate in sea air when unattended. I climbed down to check out the view and found myself alone on this beautiful section of the coast.
I sat for just a short time until the sun hit the cloud line.
It doesn’t get better than this, ever. I appreciate every moment I am blessed with enabling me to witness Thailand’s natural beauty. #lovephuket
After my acupuncture session today I was driving around Laguna Beach and saw a sign for Tony’s. This restaurant had been mentioned to me several times before by various people. I pulled in and decided to check it out.
Once you passed the entry there were tables set up along the edge of the beach.
I took a seat in the shade with this view and was literally mesmerized for a hour.
Looking through the pineapple trees, the sky appeared bluer in this direction.
Overpriced dinner but the scenery was worth it.
Loved the mural by the bathrooms.
Later this cowboy rolled up and I grabbed my camera.
I sent a message to the brunch group, knowing they all lived in this area, to see if anyone could join me. Sterling and James had just finished meeting for coffee and came over to partake in the view. Making the best of my experiences here.
The Avengers had planned an outing this weekend to Ko Yao Yai but our island escape was denied at the Phuket port. We arrived only to be told they are not allowing visitors on the island. Jason had checked yesterday and they said it was okay to go. I think today we were primarily denied because I was with them, an obvious foreigner. Non and Jason would have been allowed to go. There is still a tad reverse discrimination here which I take in stride.
I got up early on my day off and already consumed two iced cappuccinos. We did not want to give up so easily. Jason instructed us to whip out our phones and share any ideas on replacement plans. I gave up after a couple minutes and just let the boys work their magic.
Noni used to work at a Marriott in Phuket and had a connection with an ex-coworker so he called for a favor. They opened up a two bedroom resort for us in Nai Yang Beach for the night. We headed to Dewa Phuket Resort and let the adventure begin.
One of my young Cambly students told me she thought that “ discoveries were the purpose of life.” I thought it was great that she knew this so early on in her life, as I was only now personally understanding that.
All hotels still remain closed in Phuket. While waiting for our room to be readied we took advantage of the cafe that had amazing pad thai for just $1.50.
This resort was right next to a National Park and police station.
This is Nit. She is Non’s friend that helped hook us up with the room. We celebrated by sharing a toast with a french sparkling wine and got the party started.
Capturing Noni who is always attempting to get a creative shot.
The pathways at the resort were immaculately landscaped.
Nit joined us for the day and I was happy to have her along. She worked at the resort and lived close by. She told us we could walk along the beach and not get in trouble. ( of course she’s not an expat so rules could be different for me 🙄) The beaches are still closed but there was no one around.
The amount of garbage that washed ashore was disturbing.
Driftwood and scraps along the shoreline. Overwelming.
It was interesting to me, Nit said not to worry about the garbage, that they would clean it up before the tourists returned for high season. I found it sad that she didn’t care for herself or the locals. She blamed most of it on India, saying during low season the currents shift and the waste comes in from India. This also reminded me of how my Korean students blame China for their air pollution. Not sure how much of this is true. Or if its just a way of their countries not taking responsibility. But it was certainly a reminder of how environmental concerns are global.
I appreciate these large pieces of driftwood that come ashore. Jason was smart and brought his umbrella this time instead of grabbing a large leaf. I love this photo I captured.
We spotted a reggae bar open but we had to cross the channel. I made Noni go first to make sure we all could make it. The current was actually quite strong, but this was just part of the adventure! Challenge and new things to discover.
So I tucked up my pants into my undies and waded across.
This is the bar we landed at and enjoyed a cold beer. (Illegal to serve still due to CV-19, but who was going to come get us eh?)
Mini Stretch Armstrong joined us. I take him everywhere but he often remains in my bag and rarely makes an appearance. Today was his lucky day.
A unique bar.
The tide was going out so we decided to cross over and join the fishermen on their small island.
I carved the heart on this perfectly raised sand bar.
Noni striking a pose.
Can’t wait for these long tail boats to motor up again.
Had to wade through this section of the sea. I worried about Nit who was sporting some high heel shoes. Wasn’t sure if she was going to make it barefoot on the rocks. I was again thankful for my new Tevas.
Selfie showing off my sunburn. Forgot my sunscreen again.
I continue to be fascinated by the trees here. Such personality.
After wading through some rocky terrain, I landed on the island with this view of the locals fishing knee deep in the water. They were also digging in the rocks for scallops. At this point I lost the rest of my crew, so I decided to climb around to see what the other side of this small wildlife preserve looked like.
All rocks. Not too difficult to climb. Clouds coming in low.
The one rock looks like a fist. Black Lives Matter, even nature is calling for change.
Full circle. There were families having picnics in the shade.
And then within minutes this monster appeared behind us. Needless to say, we got drenched by the time we arrived back to the resort. You could literally wring our clothes out. I had to wipe my eyes along the walk just to see where I was going. It was hilarious. It poured.
The next morning I had a Zoom call with my AMC crew and I didnt want to wake the group so I wandered to an outdoor patio area just in time for yet another storm to come down.
Raining season it is.
Walking in the rain is a great sensation if you have nowhere to be. But three consecutive days of these downpours is wearing me down. I am so thankful that Jason got us out this weekend, even if it was still on Phuket. I would have otherwise been stuck in my condo lethargic and listening to the rain.
After the weekly Sunday expat brunch, I decided to hit a few beaches and see what was going on. James and Rebecca told me about a new part of town that I had never been to before so I added that onto my agenda and took off after eating an excellent chicken parm.
The expat crew from last week’s brunch. A great group shot I thought I would share.
I first stopped at Banana Beach. I climbed down and sat in the jungle to admire the views, until eventually I was eaten alive by mosquitos and decided I need to throw the bug spray into my everyday bag now that it’s rainy season.
The beach had a few local fishermen trying to snatch dinner.
And some local kids enjoying the crashing tide.
Never forgetting to look up, I was glad I did.
I then drove further north and stopped a Nai Thon Beach which was disappointedly very polluted with trash that had washed ashore with nobody attending to it. The view was not worth staying for so I meandered up the road only to stumble across this gem of a place called The Hill Bar.
Had a tiki hut feel to the place.
Some great Instagram shot opportunities.
It had a walkway out over the jungle which turned my stomach just a little bit wondering how supportive their structures really were. But it would be a great way to exit the world I suppose if it did collapse.
The views spectacular. The horizon line of the sea literally looked fake, like someone penciled it in.
Since this place was off the beaten path, I asked if they were serving alcohol, assuming they were not in any tourist district, and they were. SCORE!
The bar was adorable.
I took these steps to check out the upper level. The view up there was not any better.
It was a little bit like the 3 Monkeys restaurant in Kathu, but cheaper and more casual.
Such a refreshing summer drink.
I sat on a pillow on the floor, sipping my mojito and watching the sea. This may be a great place in the future to take in the sunset. But tonight I still had to get to the grocery and it was looking like it may rain.
Overall an excellent weekend adventure! Making the best of my time here. Always satisfying to find new places to fill my curious soul.
Sedona and I wanted to get out today. No place to go, but just wanted to breathe in the mountains and sites of Phuket. Yesterday we realized our condo coffee shop reopened, which thrilled me! I was missing my daily iced cappuccino. You get used to certain routines and then when they are gone, you tend to appreciate them even more. Life lessons. Appreciate the here and now.
I mapped out a couple of new places to visit that Sedona has not yet seen. Then we decided to ride up the coastline along the water on our way home. It was a beautiful day out. Not too humid and sunny as always. Thankfully we had our UV protective jackets.
First stop was Friendship Beach. This is a non-swimming beach that is mostly known for its’ kite surfing. We found many locals sitting under the trees in the shade enjoying their lunch breaks. I also waved to a fisherman who smiled back probably wondering why the heck I was in this location.
This beach surprisingly had a lot of garbage on it. Made me wonder if the locals were the ones leaving it behind at times. There are no public trash cans in Phuket. Making it difficult to discard of any take-away meal containers or purchases. I noticed when following a scooter, they pulled over to a local house’s trash container to rid of their bag they were carrying.
I made Sedona pose along the roped off beach.
I remembered there was a warehouse of graffiti art close by, so I instinctively found my way back to it without having to walk illegally along the shore. There was a woman out front smoking a hand rolled something or other. She was binding up her plastic bottles and I offered her two of mine which she gladly took. She remarkably spoke and understood English. One would assume wrongfully that she was uneducated.
Yep, I took Sedona to another abandoned site. But it’s so cool to explore!
There was a lot of new art. This is a place where they obviously come and continue to paint over top of the surfaces. Not sure if it is any sort of turf art warzone 🙂 Or just friendly walls to display the next artist’s ideas. But now knowing it changes, I will plan to visit it again.
Inside there was a couch where a local man was sitting. I said hi and asked if he was one of the artists. Everyone here feels nonthreatening to me. He smiled and was not at all bothered that we as tourists were in his personal space.
Next we rode to Rawai which is known as an expat community place to live. It is also a launching spot for many longtail boats going out to the islands. I was hoping Sedona and I could’ve done that this visit. I wanted to snorkel with her. But that adventure will have to be saved for next year. I may do it alone once things open up again. Or maybe Jason will do it with me here.
We sat along the water’s edge for a bit giving Mean Mia a little break. By the end of our day we used about 3/4 of a tank of gas.
The streets were fun to drive, obviously a lot less traffic so I was able to enjoy more sites along the way. Not worrying about traffic so much. We were stopped by a construction truck and I whipped out my phone and snapped this photo of Karon Beach.
I decided to drive down a road I had never been down. We had all the time in the world with no place to be, so why not? Although Sedona and I also tried this in Rawai earlier and the road was completely blocked off so we were disappointed. But this road led to a small private beach area with a roundabout displaying this fisherman statue. Don’t you love the background with the palms, mountains and of course the red tuktuk.
We then drove to Kamala Beach and took a turn toward Kamala Bay. I stopped to admire this hotel which was absolutely stunning adorned in pink blossoms.
Kamala Bay was the first beach I have seen that was not roped off. I later texted Jason about it and he joked that he was calling the cops. This beach has a very rocky terrain, but there were a few locals and expats taking it in.
As we headed toward Surin Beach, which was completely gated off, there was this viewpoint. I remember seeing this once before and wanted to figure out my way down to this amazing secluded beach. On google maps it is named Cape Singh Beach and also Haad Laem Sing. I will find my way there this year!!
Sedona leaves to head back to the USA tonight. I watched a video yesterday from the US Embassy of Thailand which told everyone to head back home unless you are okay with staying for an indefinite amount of time. In which case, they gave us an email address to help with any visa issues. I felt comforted by this.
I spoke with four of my Cambly students recently whose children just returned to their home countries. (two in Taiwan, one in Japan, and one in China) I am so impressed by the measures their countries are taking to ensure the safety of their communities/citizens.
In China upon arriving, you are escorted to a hotel where you are housed in your own room for 14 days. You are brought 3 meals a day and checked on daily for any health issues. When you are done with your time, if you are still testing negatively, you are released.
In Taiwan, upon arriving you have to give them your cell phone number. They then register this number and work in cooperation with the cell phone carrier to track your position. You must tell them where you will be staying and remain there for 14 days. You are taken to a taxi directly where you are then desanitized with a spray and taken to your address. If you leave the location, you are heavily fined. If you are found outside and have left your cell phone inside, the penalty is 30,000 USD$. My student is the mother and her son was returning from Chicago. She stocked food in her house and then she and her husband moved to their in-laws so their son could be alone in their home. She also told me her son’s flight was about 70% full and he wore only a mask. Several other passengers were in full protective gear during the entire direct flight.
In Japan they seem to be a little more lose on their regulations. But my particular student put her son returning from New Zealand into an apartment alone for two weeks. She would not allow him to come home until the 14 days were up. In Japan, it is more like the USA ,they ask you to self quarantine. Nobody is following up on it.
Sedona came with me to the grocery yesterday and we wore our masks, had our temperatures taken and then applied hand sanitizer prior to being allowed to enter. It was such an odd feeling. I told one of my Chinese students that I wore a mask for the first time ever. He asked me how it felt. I said it was uncomfortable and hot. He told me if it was uncomfortable, then I was wearing it right 🙂
I am so sad to say the CV-19 got to Phuket beaches. Thailand is doing their very best to avoid their numbers climbing and shut down all the beaches as of last night.
I am thankful that Friday, Sedona and I made our way down to Nai Han Beach and relaxed for a few hours in paradise settings. The water was crystal clear. The beaches are cleaner than I have ever seen. The sand at this beach is perfect. Was an awesome last visit!
We kept our 2 meters distance from anyone. Swam and watched the fires in the mountains rage. At times we could see bright orange flames glowing.
The best palm trees.
The sailboats were fun to watch. They have the best quarantine idea. You can be in nature, change your scenery at will and swim without the lifeguards policing.
Today I decided to drive around and check out the closures to see how they were implementing and if it was truly in effect. I also wanted to check out a hiking trail I had not adventured down yet, for a little natural break in the sun.
Driving Mean Mia around restored my energy and allowed me some freedom that I felt a little guilty in taking. There was no traffic and I literally drove solo on many hi ways. Patong Hill was not even a challenge!
I saw two foreigners coming from behind this sign. They must have had the same hiking idea as I did. I didn’t dare wander past. Private property is enough to know I would serve jail time.
I later saw this narrow trail and really wanted to explore, but the sign persuaded me not to.. I texted a photo of the sign to Mimi to ask what it said because my google translate kept jumping between saying something about butterflies and pit bulls 🙂 Mimi said it simply said dog bites”. So I guess it’s a fair warning that you would encounter a guard dog along the way.
So the hiking was a bit of a disappointment. I saw other scooters with white couples coming down the road as I was heading out. All of us are trying to find something to do with the mindfulness of social distancing. I decided I will need to find my ‘go to’ place in nature where I can be” for this next month.
Said they were closed until April 10. So if they reopen, it will be an EXCELLENT birthday to me on the 11th. But I am not holding my breath.
This was Kata Beach. Literally empty. I saw one person go for a swim and the lifeguard immediately came out to scream at her. I met a Polish woman who said they closed her hotel pool and now the beaches!? She was not happy and as most of us, just wanted a place to sit.
Nice to see the people here do take their laws seriously. Southeast Asian culture is much more obedient. Notice I am still out.
This was Karon.
I even drove up a dirt road to a place called Freedom Beach. Thinking it was so remote, maybe they would not bother watching. But the two foreigners at the top of the trail warned me that they allowed you to dip in and that was it. You could not linger. This view was on my drive up to the remote beach. That is the Meridian down below, literally empty.
At least I can still enjoy the colors and the views.
Made it down to Patong Beach where they had a CV-19 booth set up. Not sure if that was for testing? I just drove past. I wondered if they were going to start setting up a roadblock to test people randomly.
Patong is the most crowded beach in Phuket. Now vacant.
I got whistled at by the lifeguard once I stepped too far onto the beach. I just kindly took the photo and waved.
Remembering that Mimi makes her own clothes, I asked her to make Sedona and I some masks. I heard they were now requiring them to enter into the grocery. I picked them up today. Was great to see Mimi. She’s hanging out at the empty Art C alone. I said I would come by again soon. She also passed me a bottle of champagne, because she knew I liked it. She accepts nothing in return. She is the sweetest person. I feel so fortunate to have met. I literally got teary eyed thanking her.
This was the Phuket Immigration line a few days ago. I feel VERY fortunate that I got my visa before coming over.
Immigration now requires a letter from our US Embassy for the extensions needed for visas. The tourists that are stuck here due to closed borders, need an original letter from their Embassy stating they need to remain where they are. I met an Aussie guy who is stuck here for the next 3 months and when I asked him if he got his government to give him a letter, he said he just had the notification from the airlines.
Sedona and I headed over to the Art C to say hi to Min and Mimi. It was perfect timing. Upon arriving they informed us that today was their last day. The hotel is shutting down earlier than planned due to the tourism situation. They are both quite concerned with no jobs lined up and the border of Burma now closed. Mimi has no place to stay and will be holding up at the Art C until they kick her out. She told me not to worry, that she had some brothers in Phuket if she needed help.
The four of us toasted to our unemployment, as Sedona’s Hilton service job also is closed and my towel design job was put on indefinite hold as well. We are all in uncertainty and it will be interesting to see where we end up.
I listened to a podcast today that Rebecca Luckenbach sent to me. It was pretty real in saying, let’s not kid ourselves, the comfort of stability was simply an illusion we prefer to live in and is never reality. I needed to hear that. Because it’s true and the last year I was getting quite comfy. The more we get used to change which is inevitable in this world, the better we will be equipped to emotionally handle its arrival. Afterall we are never really in control.
Mimi insisted that I show Sedona Phuket Town’s beach, so we headed over to take a look before we went back to Kathu. I was pleasantly surprised. It really was a beautiful walk with a lot of families out dining and couples enjoying time together. For living a month so close to this place when I was at the Art C, I don’t ever recall seeing it in this light. I was thankful she reminded me of it.
It is definitely not a swimming beach. The low tide unveiling crabbing opportunities. You can see many people out digging for their dinners and even an abandoned boat in the distance.
I’m loving the grey stones with the tan beach and blue skies.
There was a wide walkway that curved along the shoreline which we took the opportunity to walk and get some exercise.
A fisherman with his catch of the day.
I wonder if these flag poles ever hold flags?
A welcoming sign which I recall previously seeing with Tiffani last year during our Songkran Festival walk. This New Year Thai festival is cancelled this year. I feel grateful to have experienced it in 2019.
We discovered this beautifully lit pathway through the woods offering shade and a peaceful walk. We took it until it dead ended back onto the street.
When you looked down over the railings, the trees revealed their roots and you could visually see with the color differences how high the water must get during different seasons.
Tonya Takes Thailand 