Saturday, December 8, 2012

Left boat

Ok all jokes aside now , probably because Holliday over , I was going to say working Holliday but who am I kidding . Yes I helped out here and there , but I knew before coming over and before asking that the yacht was just back in the water and there would be jobs to be done . Actually I think they held back because I was on board . We still got in a bit of sailing and a reasonable amount of motoring and I also a lot of relaxing , swimming , eating and a small amount of drinking . Not all was alcohol The 1/2& 1/2 were refreshing and also the G& T's , they didn't taste like they were alcoholic.

To Neil and Lee once again thank you , I had a really great time , I know you would have liked to have given me and yourself more sailing time and I know you will next time .

To anyone else considering going over to enjoy the pleasure of Lee & Neil's company , I can only recommend you do , they will welcome you very warmly , but there are rules on the yacht but you do realize why they are there and they don't deter from the trip .

One other thing , there is a boarding Tax , you heard me right . The Tax 1 large Vegemite per person and if you are feeling generous a bottle of tanquery gin . This is Ok though if you like both you get to share the tax . Vegemite on home made fresh bread and refreshing Gin & Tonic .

Last day on water !!!!

Well nearly as started . Up early , sitting on deck waiting for sleeping officers . What a life . Blue skies , blue sea , lush green island one side , lush green mainland on others , slight more breeze , sound familiar , it should .

Officers up . Breakfast: fresh fruit cut up by Lee , tea ,coffee, muesli , toast by Neil , what other boat would you get breakfast made and served by officers . Oh yes the bread is baked by Lee on board . Better than bought . Gee I don't need to suck up in more I'm leaving this afternoon . Galley butch duties , the one blight on the day , suck up and do it .

This morning I actually asked for the music , what's happened to me . More relaxing , a little TA work assisting Neil . Swim , what other job to you get to have a swim when you get hot .

Lunch gourmet sandwiches , what would you expect . Neil offered to hire a car and get up about 4.30 drive me to airport so I could stay the extra night . 1hr trip each way . Too much to ask , so I decided to go and stay near Nai Yang beach close to the airport .

Taxi took me to wrong airport resort , this one about 2km away from beach , did not know till I walked passed. Other 500 mts away from beach . Typical my luck . Dinner on beach unfortunately , something was getting more nutrient from my ankles than I was putting in . No repellent . Luckily itching lasts only short time .

Back at resort looked for hose by pool for shower , none so I had to shower inside . Bed , bloody king size , tried to make bed in cupboard more what I was used too. Sleep .



Day 10 Close to the End

Up early again , if I had a hangover I wouldn't be up early . Getting a bit Blaise about the scenery , who am I kidding . Up anchor before breakfast this morning . Breakfast on the move , beat that . Fresh fruit , Neil is real happy with the toast he made in the new toaster , happy captain happy crew . This is better than a revolving restaurant .

We're off further around the coast to Nai Harn Bay . Passing resorts and about 100 yachts putting on a display for us getting ready for a race . We would have entered but with the crew on this yacht we had too much of an advantage so we kept going .

Another thing to mention , the incessant music from the time you get up until you go to bed . I havnt heard the same song twice , at home it is twice a day and the same the next . I think Neil is trying to give me culture with his extreme wide range of music . It puts me to sleep , either that or the slow rolling of the boat in the breeze , but most likely the stress I'm under .

Surprise for lunch a Aussie meat pie ( made by a Thai ) and sauce had with a can of beer .Go the bombers .

Clearest water we've had so far so of coarse have to have a swim . Helped Neil for a while on water purifier , must have done lousy job Lee took over , oh well snooze on deck didn't go astray . Stress again or Neil's music .

Another swim then sat on foredeck and watched one of the best sunsets since I've been here . Actually did a JAN , she loves photos of sunsets to the point of obsession . I took heaps , for you Jan .

Shirt on , bugger , no shoes required dingy to shore , great spot but meal not up to scratch with those before . Back to boat , usual stuff , bed .


Beautiful Nai Harn Bay view from our back step









Friday, December 7, 2012

Still day 9

Lee and Neil need to stock up before going to Lagkawi . Also the toaster and Neil's shaver karked it , terrible sight definitely need a new one . Swim first ,shower on deck keep this up and I will look like a prune . shirt on , bugger , board dingy and in . Tied up end of jetty 800mts long caught jetty bus to end .

First things first , lunch . Remember the lighthouse eatery Jan ? Hire a car were off . Restocked , visited various parts of island , centers , upmarket , down market , no market , what a range . New toaster , new shaver , captain Bligh will look normal again . Fresh fruit etc .

Drive up some side streets , interesting bars , off to find yacht club for evening meal . Very nice , no marina , nearly all come in by dingy . Another good meal , luckily non fattening , maybe the chips , chicken schnitzel ,first western meal since arriving .

Dropped off car , walked about 1km to jetty , passed more interesting bars , did say passed , got to jetty , right again bus service finished . New job description , pack mule . Back on board , unpacked , quiet drink , no we are not drunks just cruisers . Besides we do sweat a lot .

Relax , watched taped show , bed . Ps the photos are for you Jan

Ley had snapper and bok choy.  Yum!










Thursday, December 6, 2012

Day 9

Woke early , officers still asleep , they do that well . Awake to spectacular scenery . Best part is even anchored you get different view depending on breeze and current , unlike home unless you change pictures on walls .

Breakfast , same standard , did the galley butch bit , got stressed so relaxed read , swam , someone has to do it , emailed Jan , replied , sorry Jan galley two small to take cooking lessons .



Panwa Bali anchorage


Finger filter effect


Day 8

Sorry loosing track of time ,all actually had dinner at marina with Robin last night , service slow but meal great . Robin left we caught bike taxi back to boat

Still in Marina , Robin (male) one of Neils guests returns to sail down to Ao Chalong . Little wind must motor much to Robins disappointment , but he still enjoyed as we all did . Great Lunch . Reached destination , swam once again , showered on deck again , not bad I admit . Neil ferries Robin ashore .


On return up anchor we move across to Panawa Bali . Remember Jan . A lot quieter , cleaner water , yes the water can be cleaner in places . Drop anchor down again Ray , still no bed thank god . Drinks quiet time , leftovers for tea , once again that Thai cook must have come out from hiding . Enjoy the peace and quiet . Blogg to ever can put up with this dribble . Another drink from Neil . What a good bloke , making up for the swabbing of the decks .



Writing my blog as ordered by Jan




Day 7 I think

Ok were off for Ao Po Marina ( funny names over here ) just around bend or point for nautical minded . Neil has business meeting later in the day . Forgot breakfast etc etc , don't want to bore you . Arrived in Marina , docked smoothly thanks to Captain , Admiral , what ever Neil .

All tied up . Lee downloading , Neil working on water purifier , me , new job description TA . Hey Pauline at this rate I might make first mate . Pretty bad when you have a Captain & Admiral and I can't get a ranking above deck hand . Actually goffer might be a better job description . Neil was good explained all as we went along , at least pretended I was not completely dumb . Thanks Neil .

Ok , yea I mentioned it earlier , guess what you thought I was joking , no guess who is swabbing the decks , me . Still trying to work out what I did wrong . Hey I'm not joking . Also polishing , life on the seas as deck hand .

Neil's guests arrive , bloody hell I thought I was a guest . Wrong again . Very Nice people though , even talked to me , one even thought I was an IT expert , fooled him for 30 sec . There off to restaurant for lunch , I have a sandwich with Lee , guess who got the better deal , Me you fools .

Guess what no showering on deck in Marina , you beaut hot shower , actually a bit of let down , not sure why . Neil returns , drinks , no swimming off back deck , evening meal , no great sunset in Marina . Company great though . Keep that to yourself . Bed



Me in the forward hold , please can I come up .


Day 6 at least I think it is .

Wake up nothing changes , position maybe , weather , water sun , we can have 4 seasons in one day in Melbourne . Nothing like here . Breakfast etc on deck .

Off to Boat Harbor , Neil needs parts . Pleasant motor , anchor off entrance . Lee stays behind Neil takes me in dingy and sees if he can bounce my insides out , nearly succeeds , luckily we hit 4 k zone before it happens .

Bit of shopping , parts for yacht . Lunch time , taking to their usual lunch spot , other cruisers ie other silly buggers living the life , you no weather etc etc .

Every one looks at Neil , cruisers shop assists , every one then me and say where's Lee . What were they joined at the hip or do they think Neil's opened the cupboard door . Get my drift .

Done something right Neil takes me for a iced coffee , not bad , except for the same look and question . Met another cruiser Ron nice bloke . Stopped off at another yacht , talked yachty talk , hey what else do you do on a yacht , even could follow conversation , at least I nodded at the right times .

Back to yacht , must have felt sorry for me , my insides stayed in . Up anchor which means me down in the forward hatch . Off we go , not long later we drop anchor off a top class resort . Down in the forward hatch again , I,m sure they are thinking about putting my bed down there .

Same ol same ol . gin and tonic from Neil another one of those meals from Lee , how many different meals can this woman prepare . I'm convinced she his hiding agreat Thai cook somewhere . Different scenery tonight , no neighbors except the dills in the resort who paid a fortune to look at us .

Usual stuff , more drinks and conversation from the Captain and Admiral , still not sure which one is which . Stressed out must go to bed .

Days 4& 5

Sorry falling behind , life is so hectic here .mornings same same , fresh fruit etc Bs bs ti . Forgot boat to boat service fresh alive prawns $13 for 1.8 kl . Hard to take , ok not for those that don't like sea food , stiff . Went ashore with Lee to get some fresh fruit Neil was having a 2 hr massage , no not what you dirty minded people are thinking . Had to walk 50 mts . Walk we are supposed to be on water .

Nights not much different , food , drinks ,relax , forgot galley butching . Bed

Mornings the same , Lunch another delight from Lee , but don't tell her . Neil working on his water maker . Me trying to hide , hard on a boat . Hang on winds come up , so is Neil work stops hiding stops , up anchor .

Motor out , point into the wind , ok Ray what do I remember , a few minutes of retraining , earning my keep , sails up we're off . About 2.5 hrs of real sailing . First real sail for Neil & Lee since off the hard . Might be that Neil was at this time . The smile on there faces was worth seeing .

Nearly back from where we left wind drops off , who cares it was great . Sails down , remember my training everything stowed away as should . Ropes coiled , gee I'm not doing too bad , no one has had a go at me , maybe they are over joyed with the sailing .

Great evening , swim , shower on deck ,still , drinks from Neil, meal from Lee , no way am i wrapping her up again , sunsets ( sorry Jan ) solitude only 1 neighbor tonight , bed .






Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Day 3

Morning blue skies ,blue sea how monotonous , first up , sleepy heads . What to do ? Relax , read take in the peace and quiet , one of the neighbors slip away , early birds .

Neil and Lee finally up . 7am a bit late . Breakfast , cut up fresh fruit , muesli ,toast tea or coffee , what do they think I'm unhealthy . All this on deck in the cockpit . You know blue this blue that lush green etc etc how boring . Pay up time has arrived galley butch time has arrived .

Done good job allowed to go swimming . Usual shower on deck . Must be conserving hot water .more reading hang out washing bring it back in dry 1hr later . Weather good for that .
Hang on I have to put a top on again we are going ashore for lunch . Only way to get me to put top on , I must be the only one that likes the sight of me bare chested .

Thai meal not the same as home must be that it is all fresh and cooked by real Thais . Outdoor , view out over lawns and beach to Crystal Blues . Do they think this will impress , well maybe a little . About $5 each including drinks .

Back on boat top off , more swimming , relaxing , reading refreshing 1/2 1/2 drink . Not bad . Evening drinks on deck same b seas b water tropical isl great sunset ( sorry Jan ) . And to top it all off don't tell her another fab meal from Lee . Neil not a bad barman , and don't let on but he is good company as is Lee but keep that to yourselves , one big head around is enough . Time for bed .



Day 2 Yao Yai Island

More blue skies , blue seas how monotonous off to Yao Yai island . Arrive just off YY Resort , next door new resort $2000 a night yea right , ill be back for a week .

Drop anchor , buy the way extra job forward hatch boy . No one else seems to go down there ? Must have done a good job allowed to go swimming with senior ranks . The water is not cold , what's wrong with this place , you can jump straight in . Swim finished , hang on I have to shower on deck , where do they get off .

Must have been ok invited to have drinks with senior ranks on deck . Smooth water , watch neighbors arrive , not too close , brilliant sunset ( sorry Jan ) cooling breeze , at least I don't have to put a top on for a fab dinner by Lee . Thank god cooking is not in my job description , they would make me walk the plank after her meals .

More drink , stressed out off to bed .


Day 2 Leaving Yacht Haven

No free loading on this trip , put to work after a lovely breakfast by Lee &Neil , no Jan so I became the galley (bitch) butch . No swabbing the decks yet but it is sure to come . Great temperature blue skies , blue sea , fab Yacht don't come free .

Giving me a false sense of security's what do they do . Take me to my favorite eatery on Koh Naka island Eco Resort , better known as Cold beer resort . Small Island ,lush green , great food , except we were too early for my favorite fish . The fisherman hadn't arrived . Plied me with alcohol And other great food . Who are they fooling .

The cold beer Resort


Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Flight to Phuket

Air Asia ok airline , but leaving at 4am is so disruptive on your sleep pattern . It was men't to be 1am but was delayed . Air Asia did inform in advance so did not get to airport too early . The advantage was I did not have a 6 hr stopover at kuala Lumpur only 3 . Luckily as you stop at the low cost terminal , not a lot there . Did not now when booking about stopover until booked .

arrived Phuket at 1pm , quick through airport , caught taxi to Boat Haven Marina . Sent SMS as arranged to time of arrival . Arrived harbor no one to welcome . Phoned excuse sorry having shower , yea right . Picked up by dingy .

That night we went to papa & mama's for tea by dinghy . About 700bht $23 for the 3 of us .