Delirious Dreams

Since some of us travelling didn’t realise that Phuket was an island, I’m sure more people out there are likely unaware. Yes, Phuket is an island, with very many beautiful beaches. Today (Day 3), we found ourselves on the water. We booked a cruise to a very popular destination: Phang Nga Bay (the “PH” does not become an F sound as you might expect, it remains P, so it’s essentially Pang Na Bay).

Early morning starts are always such a chore when you’re on holiday, but definitely worth it most of the time. Today was one such day. Considering that we slept really late, we were up at 5:30/6ish to get ready for the pickup that was coming. We were joined by a charming Canadian woman who was travelling Thailand herself and advised on Bangkok, which was to be our next stop. 

Soon after, we were on the boat that was to take us around for the rest of the day. Phang Nga Bay is known for its beauty, and it did not disappoint. It is the bay that a James Bond film, The Man with the Golden Gun was filmed at. These are some of the photos taken from the Bay. 

We did some kayaking, and were also kayaked through a cave that opens up into a beautiful little lagoon. Unfortunately, at this point, our cameras all seemed to have some trouble, so only one camera really got some reliable photos which I shall upload later. 

The highlight of the day for me was the swimming. We got to a certain point where the boat anchored. The boat was two stories high, and a lot of us were jumping from the top of the boat. There is nothing quite as exhilarating as flying through the open air… and landing into the water. I ended up doing the jump multiple times, and it was so easy to just swim in the open ocean. Definitely an experience that will be hard to forget.  

The people on the boat were easy to talk to and were all there to bond. But the boat’s crew stole the show that day. Those Thai boys can dance… we had some music put on, and some of us were dancing rather fobly, well most of us. 

Backflips, handstands, walking on hands, jumping over each other, dressing in drag, etc, were all part of their act. It was a fantastic end to an altogether brilliant day. The rest of the night was reasonably quiet, we were quite wasted by the end of the night to do much so ended up walking around Patong a bit, having dinner and then chilling at the hotel. 

One thing we did decide though, four of us were keen enough to diving and we called up Peter. He offered us a great deal, and I’m looking forward to the experience! More water awaits! 

During the day, Patong (famous tourist place in Phuket) seems relatively so innocent. Gone are the “masseuses” and the flashing lights. It becomes a quaint little town that is actually quite easy on the eye. This was more the Phuket that I imagined before I left. It’s studded with stores called 7/11, which I’m sure most of the world is familiar with except our dear New Zealand. They are 24 hour convenience stores that sell everything that you might expect a dairy to sell and more, such as liquor, and coffee from coffee machines.

We’ve been trying to be very careful with the food we eat and the water we drink. I suppose one can never be too careful. Today (Day 2) was largely just wandering around the city a bit, and seeing some sights.

Our hotel is close to mall called Jungceylon. It’s a mini-city inside the mall. It is a very westernised mall, but I quite like it actually. It’s nice to walk around it, and there’s a huge boat inside it as well. It is full of famous western brands of everything from Haagen-Dazs and Swensen’s ice cream to your usual designer bags and what not. Our first stop was breakfast at the Coffee Club at the mall. Yes… on the first day, we didn’t really know where to eat, so we went there, and ordered some pad thai. It was actually rather good, it came in a nice little banana leaf, I was very sated.

We hired out a cab for the rest of the day (oh so cheap!) and managed to cover a few key points in Phuket. First of all, we went to the Big Buddha. This is a huge granite statue (and they are still building some extra things) carved in the likeness of Buddha and placed on top of a hill. From the hill you not only see a beautifully created statue, but have a fantastic vantage point for the rest of the island. There was a certain point you could stand such that Buddha’s head would just blot out the sun. When you looked at it, you’d see his head in a golden glow. Quite a poetic image.

Oh, and there was a cat pretending to be dead there… no really, it was a good actor, it fooled me. 

And this was the view from the top, very pretty :D:

Second, we went and swam at a beach. The name of the beach currently escapes me, but its white sands and warm, not to mention brilliantly clear, waters were very very appealing. Plus, the salinity was high enough that we could float on the surface without much effort. Even the waves (my personal favourites) were of a sizeable nature! We met a guy called Peter, who is a diving instructor! He’s offering us a rather good price on diving, which we were keen to do anyway, so there is a very high likelihood that we will take him up on the offer. But for now, it’s still in the “I’ll think about it” phase.

Lastly, we watched the sunset at Promthiep Cape. We got there with about 15 minutes before sunset, and sat there as the sky shifted from the brightest blue, all the way to that pink hazy moment when the last of those golden rays just sank below the sea. Darkness came all too soon after. It was an absolutely stunning sunset. 

We then caught dinner at a restaurant in a place called Karong Beach. We had quite a brilliant view from where we were sitting. There was even a hot air balloon that was rising and falling in the distance. 

We invited our driver to dinner with us. He was a cool man, his name was Torn, and he was a shooting range enthusiast and trainer! He showed us some of his photos. I think having a good, knowledgeable, communicable and honest cab driver greatly added to our experience today. While they are quite invaluable, these qualities are those we almost always take for granted in New Zealand. 

On the 18th of November, I began my trip into South-East Asia! Having finished university, this trip is kind of that get away in my final long holiday before beginning my life as a working man. The next few posts I make will largely be related to the trip, as I find time to blog about my days here. 

Day 1

Considering that we only had an hour and a half to complete immigration and emigration at Singapore in order to get our bags and catch the next flight, speed was of the utmost importance. Luckily, our bags came soon after we landed and customs went without a hitch, in Singapore, and later, in Phuket. 

First thing that hits you, almost literally, is the humidity. Just stepping off the plane, and then out of the airport, gives you quite the jolt. Sweat flows very easily, and being one that sweats easily, I become very noticeable, very quickly.

Our time in Phuket, began with a rocket speed taxi drive from the airport. The driver was hitting speeds of 155, although when this photo was taken, he’s slightly under that :D

Our hotel is located very desirably close to the main street of Patong, and there is no shortage of tourists. Hence, night life is super close to the hotel. In no mood to sleep, we explored the night life here soon after we arrived. There are some things here that make me feel like I’m not far from home at all. It feels like a small world when one of the first places we go to, we talk to and bond with this guy from New Zealand! Secondly, one prominent place here is called Margarita’s. Hehe, subtle, and, of course coincidental, but interesting reminders of back home. (I had photos of these things, but my camera is being difficult, or rather I forgot my USB cable, and therefore cannot upload these currently, so I’m stealing photos from my friend’s camera). 

Boxing seems to be promoted quite a bit, this vehicle had that guy on top simulating a boxing bout (not a very convincing one to be honest). We might swing by if we have the time.

One of the primary things that frequent the streets of Patong are hordes of women who offer massages, quite vehemently and determinedly, in every street corner. They get pretty up close and personal and are not above touching you. Clearly, the “massage” is a thinly veiled offering for something more, and I have yet to see someone take them up on the offer. It is sad that women get pushed into having to do this, it’s quite heartbreaking. However, it has given our group a new joke, where, for example, when one person goes somewhere, we enquire, quite politely, (:P) how the massage was and whether there was a happy ending. 

I’ll sign off this post with a last little image of the road. It doesn’t provide much detail, I know. Sorry, I promise better photos for day 2! :D

We are stardust.

Nothing hits me as hard as that sentence there. Some star blew itself to smithereens and, as a result of the cloud of dust and gas it left behind coalescing, I sit here today, typing away on a computer. We are connected to the universe at an atomic level. The universe isn’t just out there, it’s here, it’s you, it’s me. It’s every animal and plant that has ever been and will ever be. It is every rock and desert and sea and mountain. When you imagine the universe at that level, you come to realise how poetic it really is.

A star(s) died, and everything we know on earth and in our solar system exists because of it.   

The building blocks of Earth, and hence we, were once formed within the core of some MASSIVE star, many times the size of our sun, and were blown out into interstellar space when the star could not fight the force of gravity any longer. 

We are the product of the most destructive event that we have ever known… a supernova. From the death of a star, the chaos that it causes in its death, is what gives rise to the orderly life we have here on Earth. How is this so?

Fundamental elements that permit life on earth, from the oxygen we breathe to the iron in our blood to the calcium in our teeth and bones, were cooked in the furnaces of a star. Our sun for example, fuses hydrogen together to create helium, but eventually, hydrogen will run out. What happens then? The core heats up and the sun begins to fuse helium together to create, primarily, carbon and oxygen. This process repeats itself again and again. This is how we get all the elements in our world today.

This glorious process occurs in a dying star, our sun has been fusing hydrogen for 4.5 billion years or so, and will continue to do so till quite late in its life, the fusion of other elements is, relatively, over in the blink of an eye (about a few million years). 

One day, when our sun is finished, it will not explode, but it will slowly lose its fused material into interstellar space, which will make its way into a cloud of swirling gas from which a new solar system will form, quite pregnant with potential and opportunity. Think of the true magnificence of that process, of that cycle. 

I leave you with this Carl Sagan quote once again (yes, I adore this man): 

“The cosmos is also within us, we’re made of star stuff, we’re a way the cosmos can know itself.” 

Never forget, the universe isn’t trying to make you seem insignificant, you are the universe. I don’t see how much more significant you can possibly be. 

This comic could not be more accurate. And I fully sympathise with both the Earth and the Moon (and also the hilarity of Mars trying to run away) and think that if they were sentient beings capable of thought and speech, they would most likely have this kind of interaction.

Rephrasing what Carl Sagan once said: Are we, as we are now, to try and settle other parts of the universe? Are we, this conceited, petty, destructive race that we are, venture to the stars? No, it will be our descendants, hopefully a bit more prudent, a bit wiser, who will do so. 

It doesn’t take much to realise that the Earth cannot keep up. Unless something drastic occurs, Earth will be desecrated by the time its natural, anointed time arrives.

Earth will be our original home. Even if we are to be an intergalactic race one day, it will not change the fact that we had a very humble beginning here. If our descendants are anything like us, I can imagine the heart-wrenching feeling that we would get while we educated children about what became of our beloved Earth. 

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