On the road again...

I'm currently relaxing in the hotel after a very busy few days! It all started back on Wednesday when I didn't get the nice relaxing morning at work I wanted before I had to leave at 12. Problems sorted I headed to Adelaide Airport for my flight to Sydney only to find out that that flight was to be delayed and I had just missed an earlier alternative flight. As it turned out I got off the plane from Adelaide just as my connecting flight to Singapore was boarding and I still had to change terminals. Thanks to Qantas staff I and some other people from Adelaide made out connection but for the next 8 hours I was wondering if my bags had knowing that there were no other flights to Singapore before I left for Phuket!

The flight over to Singapore was quite uneventful. I sat next to two elderly sisters who were on their way to Paris to start a 3 week European holiday. I get the feeling that they were in for a great time! Even though I tried I couldn't get any sleep on that flight and ended up getting a sore knee due to the confined space! Considering how delayed our flight was leaving Sydney our arrival into Singapore was only 35 min late. I didn't mind however as it was 35min less that I had to wait for my friend and her daughter to arrive at 3am. At around 11pm I made it down to the baggage carousel and I didn't have to wait long to see if I would be travelling very light or not! Because I was one of the last onto the plane, my bag was one of the first off. It was such a relief to see it!

After passing through customs I started the journey to the Budget Terminal which is used by Tiger Air. Even though its classified as a Budget Terminal it was quite nice. I spend the first 3 hours in the Departure Cafe using the free internet there to catch up on the days events. At 3am I met Jacinta and her daughter Tiana in the Arrival section before returning back to the Departure area to kill 4 hours before we could check in! I so badly wanted to sleep but the seats were too uncomfortable to do so! Our Tiger Airways flight was on time to leave for Phuket and I was quite impressed by the aircraft and service. I do however think there wasn't as much legroom as other airlines!

We finally made it to the hotel mid morning and at around 11am local time, 30.5 hours after getting up on Wednesday morning in Adelaide I was able to have a very much needed shower and change into fresh clothes. After a quick lunch we returned to the Hotel and needless to say that as soon as I put my head down on a pillow I was out like a light!
The weather here has been beautiful since we arrived although quite humid... 32ish most days. Apparently I brought the dry weather with me from Adelaide as it had constantly rained constantly for the previous 10 days before we arrived (the left over’s from the Burma Cyclone apparently)! I haven't been swimming down at the beach as yet however I have hit the pool. The water is so nice!

I'm staying in the same region of Patong Beach as I had previously stayed... actually we are next door to the Holiday Inn and I can see the building complex where I first stayed back in August 2006. Even though I've only been here for a couple of days now I have already been to my favourite restaurant, the Banana Leaf a few times! I am planning on trying out a few other restaurants though during my stay... particularly a couple of the Indian ones!
This after afternoon/evening were off to Phuket Town to do a bit of shopping... I'll write more about that experience, the Fantasea show I saw last night and what else I have been up to in future blogs.

Take Care,
Al