January 18, 2003
Flew from Bangkok to Phuket, Thailand. Phuket is a lovely island off the coast of Thailand, about 1.2 hours flight south of Bangkok. Imagine Thai and southsea island ambiance. We are staying a very nice hotel with a swimming pool right outside our balcony window.
It is very hot here. Best to swim and relax during the heat of the day and then party at night.
January 19, 2003
Wandered all over the town this morning, when no one is awake. I always like it best at that time. Thais on motor bikes constantly offer me their services. Most of the time I don't know what they are offering. I usually politely decline, although I did pay on fellow a few Baht to drive me around on his motorcycle. I quickly remembered how much I hate to ride on a motorcycle when someone else is driving. And I didn't know this guy.
I wandered all over town to find a laundry to drop off our cleaning. They were all closed this morning. I finally found a bakery / laundry where I woke up the proprietor, who was sleeping in his loin clothe. It took him a long time to add the bill - he could not add very well. He weighed the laundry, and charged me by the Kilo. I think he said it would be 378 Baht. I hope it is not 378 dollars.
Beth got her toe nails and finger nails painted on the Beach. She has pink nails with white daiseys with a blue center, all for 200 Bhat (about $5.00) from Noya on the Beach. Noya also gave me a Thai Massage on the Beach for 300 Bhat. Whole process took 2 hours. Beth actually stayed still for the entire process, which may mean this Wound Up Type A woman may finally be winding down. Although she does dream about work almost every night.
I got my hair cut by a Thai lady barber. Beth hovered around giving directions and advice, None of which was understood by or followed by the barber. I got nervous when she got out her straight razor. Beth is not impressed with the haircut, which she says emphasizes my not so latent baldness.
Southeast Asia is an amazing amalgam of small business, hustling for your money. Not that many Americans here. Far more Europeans.
January 20, 2003
Went to James Bond Island today, made popular by the film "The Man With The Golden Gun". Beautiful huge rocks rising straight out of the ocean.
Tomorrow I am going sea kayaking into caves at night, while Beth shops. I think this makes it clear that she is brighter than I am.
January 22, 2003
I went kayaking today while Beth shopped. Beth acquired some very nice jewelry. I thought I would be back by 6:30 pm, but did not get back till 11:00 pm. Beth thought I was lost at sea, but the truth is I could not read the brochure.
The sea kayaking was loads of fun. We took a ship out to
some very steep coastal rocks, and darted in and out of closed lagoons through very low cave entrances. The caves were very narrow and dark, and we needed flashlights to navigate. I was with three very nice young people, Reed from Boulder, Colorado, Cheree a nurse from Denver, and P___, a nurse from Hawaii. They were all camping that night on an island with Ali, our guide. Ali 
We went swimming as the sun went down, and paddled into a cave after dark with offerings that we made with incense and candles. We were to make a wish, and my wish was that Beth would not kill me when I returned 6 hours late that night. I am still alive, but also still in trouble. Looks like more jewelry to atone.
We called Beth's mother Mae on what we think is her birthday - we remain unsure of what day it really is since travelling past the international date line. It was good to talk to Mae - 6 months away is a long time. Florida time is 11 hours before our local time here, so we are nearly on the other side of the world.
We are having clothes made at one of the many Indian tailor shops. Mona is our tailor. She is from Nepal, while is her mother is Burmese. She tells us she works 70 hours a week. The people to work very long hours, and of course for very low pay. But Thailand does seem to get more prosperous each time that we come here.
The next day Beth and I hired a car to take us around the island. Very beautiful views at different points on the island. And of course each driver wants to take us to as many shopping points as possible.
We are two weeks into our trip, and getting very unwound. I knew we were getting acclimatized when Beth asked if the cars were on the same side of the road here as in the US (We have been in left side of the road driving since we left the US two weeks ago.)
Today Beth and I got tattoos, after a lot of heavy drinking. Beth has a butterfly on her ankle, and I have a Marine Bulldog on my shoulder with the letters USMC, which as everyone knows stands for Uncle Sam's Misguided Children. Unfortunately we did not have the nerve to get real tatoos, and these are supposed to wear away before we return to the US. The cabbies barked at me in reaction to my Bulldog.