Happy 1st Birthday!

Well, 'Live a Little, Love a Lot' is 1 year old today!  Happy Birthday dear blog of mine, glad we have made it to our first milestone.  Considering that many bloggers give it up after about 3 months, I am thrilled that I have continued to enjoy blogging as much as I do and have so much fun with it.

With 97 posts in its first year, with readers in approximately 50 countries around the world, 'Live a Little, Love a Lot' has been enjoyed by many people around the globe.  sunnyday397 has written about many subjects and topics, revisiting some subjects more than once, from different angles and perspectives.

'Live a Little, Love a Lot' won the 'Versatile Bloggers Award' in January this year, and was nominated for 'The Voices of 2013' bloggers award, both of which were quite an honour.  My blogs have covered many topics, from parenting, my children, my marriage, motherhood, travel, the seasons, travel, health tips and benefits, the seasons, good times and bad times, family traditions and celebrations, friends, commentaries on social media, ways to remain positive throughout life, nature, Australia, my art, education, sociology and much more.

It didn't take me long to realise that I have really been writing all my life and now by having a blog of my own, I can share this writing with the world, my friends and family.  I get enormous pleasure and satisfaction from writing and for me it is a great release, a creative outlet that I can get in no other way.  Each time I see that I have readers in a new country some where far away from home, I get an enormous thrill.  I feel so pleased that I am able to share the Australian way of life with so many other people who I will never meet, but be able to give them an honest and realistic picture of my 'parenting and lifestyle' experiences.

My blog is my pride and joy, I care for it very much and am proud of my work, proud of my honesty and integrity.  I enjoy posting photos and images on my blogs that help to explain what I am trying to say.  Over all, I am so glad that I was encouraged to start 'Live a Little, Love a Lot' by a good friend who just knew that I would love it!

To you, my treasured reader, I thank you so very much for your valued support, as I continue on this journey of self expression, in typical sunnyday397 fashion which will always remain honest and open, a bit silly and sometimes provocative, but always fun loving and with a positive message.  sunnyday397 will continue in her quest to live a little and love a lot and share her thoughts and experiences with you as she goes :) xxx

When the man in the red suit comes to town

For once, I haven't gone into complete shock at this time of year.  Only 2 more weeks and the boys will finish school for the year and a few days after that, we'll be sitting around the table, with far too much food to eat, celebrating Christmas.  Since becoming a mum, Christmas has become such a special time for me and has a whole new meaning.  As a child, I remember that it was a good time because the man in the red suit would come to visit and leave me lots of goodies.  But now, I enjoy it even more, on a whole new level, now that I get the chance to cook for the family and make the day extra special in our home.  On the down side, this time of year can also be depressing for some, stressful, over rated and too hyped.......I understand that too, but the man in the red suit sure has a lot of towns to visit, as the 25th of December is celebrated in many parts of the world..........and that's got to be worth something.

This year, I got our decorations ready just a bit early.  I put a few things up around the house, the lights went up outside and the Christmas tree was also up and decorated earlier than usual.  Each year, I always look forward to doing this but I also feverishly take them down again, quick smart when it is all over, because by that stage I've had enough.  We don't have a plastic Christmas tree, never thought that was the real thing and each year we buy a fresh pine tree to put in our front room and enjoy the wonderful smell of the pine.  For us, it has always been a ritual to go and get the tree each year, pick one that is a nice shape and keep it watered throughout December so that it doesn't wilt too much.  Our tree is what a friend of mine called a 'family tree' and I had to laugh and agree with her, as it is full of mismatched decorations, the same ones that we use each year, with bits and pieces that the kids have made to hang on it.  It's not a work of art, far from it, but a symbol about what Christmas is all about for us and that is being together as a clan, happy and excited to celebrate this special time of the year.

I mentioned that I also like to pack everything away as soon as it's all over.......but maybe it will be different this year.......we'll see.  I usually madly put everything away, as quickly as it was put up weeks earlier, because I always enjoy Christmas but am always so very glad to see the back of it when it is all over.  Considering that all of the Christmas stuff starts appearing in the shops in the first week of November and every man and his dog is trying to cash in when and where they can, I get very sick of the marketing and the hype.  I also breathe a sigh of relief to know that all has been done and the man in the red suit did actually make it to our place with lots of goodies.......that in itself is a stress, with 3 little kids with big ideas, I try my best not to disappoint.  But this year, I am determined to keep this under control after always going way too overboard with the presents.......I'm just your typical mother who can't help herself and gets so much joy in seeing those little faces light up and hearing the squeals of delight, usually at about 4am on Christmas morning!

Then there's lunch, now this is my very favourite part.  I always look forward to the Christmas cooking magazines and pick up a couple each year, getting very excited with all of the wonderful things to cook and bake, thinking that I'll get creative and try some.  I have to laugh because I don't usually end up making any of it and stick to the proven, traditional formula that works ever year for Christmas lunch.  My husband says that, after all, I'm Italian so I don't need a recipe LOL!!  Thought this year, I'd spit roast the turkey (for my readers not in Australia, we call a rotisserie roast a 'spit'....strange, I know).  That way, I'll have more room in the oven for the roast pork, a family favourite.  I like to glaze a smoked ham also and we have all of that with plenty of roast vegies and gravy, cranberry sauce and mustard, followed of course, with a plum pudding and brandy cream.  Yep, that's the usual for us.......oh, and of course, Christmas Day wouldn't be Christmas Day without some festive cocktails, lots of pink champagne and maybe just a drop or two of Jack Daniels for the King of the Castle.

We'll all get together, sit around my table that I take much pride in setting with my Christmas plates and other bits and pieces and have a pretty good day.......but I know that this is not the same for everyone.  Firstly, I am blessed that I can say that we do all of these things at Christmas, that we are all together, happy and healthy.  I also have to say that many are not and this pains me.  I won't write too much about this and state the obvious, but I want to say that I acknowledge and understand that for many, they are not 'all together, happy and healthy'.  

This is what sucks about life, we also have to bare the pain of not having loved ones with us that we have lost, families are broken up after marriage breakdowns, many don't have the money for Christmas and have to go without, many are seriously ill and it's often a time of year when families fight.......to name only a few points about the sadness of this time of year.  As miserable as this all sounds, I have to say that this is reality and it's usually on days like the 25th of December, that we remember just what we don't like about Christmas and how sad and traumatic that it can be.  I am sorry to have to write all of that, but in all fairness, it has to be said and for many it is not a 'merry' time.  That is why I never take anything for granted in this life and truly believe that I am a very lucky lady who can say that for me, Christmas is indeed joyful and for that I am privileged, very grateful and humble.  Thank you very much to the powers that be for making it this way for me and my family.

After eating way too much and being full of champagne, there'll be stacks of dishes to do, loads of wrapping paper to throw out and 3 screaming kids bouncing off the walls even at the end of the day.  I'll be tired and relieved that the day has come and gone for another year, but then get very excited about New Year's Eve and wondering what 2014 will bring.  I'll be thinking about a long, hot summer and seeing more family and friends who are coming to visit from interstate in January and I will be happy.  I will no doubt sneak into our bedroom at about 4pm and have a quick snooze before I have to start cleaning up.  It will be worth all the bother and I will give my husband a peck on the cheek, tell him I love him and feel mighty fine.  My kids won't stop until they get into bed that night and I'll look at them in awe and amazement, thinking back to when they were just little babies, wriggling around in my tummy before they were born.  I'll thank God for all of this, say a little prayer and eventually crawl into bed myself after the work is done and collapse with exhaustion.  But that's OK, it's Christmas and the man in the red suit has done his duty for another year :) xxx

Face book friendships

It's taken me a couple of days to get the motivation to write this blog, after posting on Face book that I would.  It's taken me a while because I wasn't so sure if I could really be bothered and you're probably sick of me whinging about this very subject.  I battle with it because it's like a bad habit, you know it's doing you no good but you just can't stop doing it.  That's how I think of Face book, I look at it and post on it, pretty much daily and I often wonder why I do.......but I do.  

I am not obsessed by it, nor do I believe that it has any real relevance to the way I live, believe it or not.  I most certainly feel that it has very little substance when it comes to me and my friends as my family and friends are exactly that.  We know who we are and what we are doing and the people that I relate to the most share something very special with me.  I recently posted that personal, direct contact with our friends was reality, not necessarily the acknowledgement (if any) we may get on Face book.  But hey, I was born in the 70's, long before the Internet, so call me a neurotic housewife that's got to get out more, that's OK........but occasionally I revisit this subject because I find it both comical and almost ridiculous at the same time.

I'll say straight up that I enjoy Face book so much because for me, it is yet another form of expression.  I like posting photos and waffling on about 'what is on my mind' and 'what I am doing' and 'what I am feeling', for whatever it is worth.  I often have no shame, no mercy, when I post on Face book and my Face book friends come and go.  Shock horror when someone dumps you on Face book, oh no, how will you ever cope!  I have this song called 'You dumped me on Face book and now you are going to die!' LOL.  The song has very little value in terms of what I would call 'good music', other than very funny lyrics.  But isn't this how you feel?  You check your friends list and you can see that someone has wiped you, deleted you, 'unfriended you' and you get a little pang of disappointment.......happens to me occasionally and I think that someone out there just can't be bothered with my waffle anymore and I feel rejected and not cared about......now I ask you, 'What have we become?'

I love the Internet, as you can see from this little blog of mine and from my countless posts on Face book.  I enjoy this medium very much, and I guess for me it is exactly that, a medium, a bit like oil paint.  I like being able to 'paint a picture' on the Internet and have a lot of fun with it.  It gives me an outlet, keeps me company on a rainy day, lets me express myself and for all these things, it has value.  But the down side is, particularly with Face book, is that it conjures up so many mixed emotions........you just can't help but love it and hate it at the same time.  I find it so impersonal, so pretentious, so 'unreal'.......but I'm hooked, as they say and won't stop posting because of it, but every now and then, this bothers me a bit.

Face book has become such a laborious task, such a nuisance.  Sometimes, I actually leave it alone for a while to find the next day that I've missed a message from someone I care a lot for, about something that is important to me and I am sorry that I did.  So I figure that I had better keep on top of it as it is such a regular way to communicate these days.  But what has really prompted me to write this blog today is a sharp and clear realisation that  I had the other day.  It was the realisation that I don't really need Face book to have 'friends', because my friends are always just a phone call away.......you know, remember that communication device we once used to speak into and have a conversation with someone?

At one stage recently, I felt isolated and lonely, so I made the effort to contact some girlfriends directly, not in some mass message to the entire universe, but in a personal and 'private' way.  I wasn't sure how I would be received as I had had very little contact with them on Face book......oh dear, God forbid!  And you know what? They were just as they had always been, happy to hear from me and glad that I had made the effort.  I immediately felt good, I felt cared about and valued, I felt respected and 'warm and fuzzy'.......not completely ignored and 'alone' like I often feel on Face book.  That's my point, in the real living and breathing world, we don't need the Internet to have a good time and have friends, so why are we all so hooked on it?  I'm sure there are many scientific explanations that I know very little about, that can answer this question.  I just want to say to myself, 'Get a grip!' and use social media with a grain of salt because in the real world, getting my friends together for a good time is no trouble at all and we certainly won't be glued to the Internet to do it!!

Being a 70's child and growing up in the 80's was a time when we all knew how to laugh and be together and have a good time in ways that are now lost.  This is the sad part, but I guess this is the way it goes.  I'm one of the 'oldies' now, I have kids of my own and I often wonder just what they'll do for kicks with their friends when they are teenagers.  I cringe about what I did when I was growing up and feel almost horrified to think that my kids might do the same, but at least I know that they'll have a great time!  If there is one point I want to make in this blog today, it is 'Get out of cyber space people and get back to basics.  Live a little more and love a hell of a lot more, like you mean it!' :) xxx

Home sweet and sour home?!

There's no place like home, I always say.  It is just over 2 weeks since my husband and I returned home from our trip to Thailand.  The first week back was a total blur, the second week back was better, in that I was slowly readjusting to my house of home, my town of home, my friends of home and my country of home.  This has not been an easy task, for a couple of reasons, and I am totally surprised and amazed at my mixed reactions and emotions about being back.  This has certainly been an experience, to say the least.  It was not just the fact that we had such a good time on our holiday, or the fact that this holiday was far too overdue for us, but now I have started to see my home in a whole new light.  Let me explain.

The first thing I want to say and make perfectly clear is that this has only been my second over seas trip, so no doubt my reactions are heavily affected by this.  I did not get the chance to travel in my late teens, my twenties or thirties, like many people that I know did.  I was busy doing other 'grown up' things like finishing my University degree, building a house, getting married and having kids.  Because of this, I had resigned myself to the fact that travelling for me would have to wait until I was much older, maybe most of it would be done in my retirement and I thought that wasn't so bad because at least I'd be more 'financially secure' by then and be able to do it 'in style'.  But the opportunity came around for us and we had the chance to go to Thailand.  Even going to a place like Thailand was not somewhere that I thought I would want to go, but as we started to plan a holiday together, my husband and I quickly decided that Thailand was the best option.  Countless friends of ours had been there several times and all raved about how fantastic it was........so Thailand it was.

Having had very little overseas travel experience will undoubtedly be impacting me now as I sit here and write about my 'home sweet and sour home'.  The total romance and wonder at our recent adventure is only the start of many more to come (I hope).  There are many, many more places around the world that we are desperate to see and plan to make getting away for a little while, each year, something that we do more often.  I want to start setting aside the time and resources to make sure that we get away each year, somewhere far away, so that we can start to 'live a lot' more.  This break we had was magic, the sights that we saw were so different and quirky compared to what I was used to, the food was so good, the people were truly beautiful and the climate was just fantastic for someone like me who loves the heat.  I have described our holiday in Thailand as brilliant........and it was, as you may have gathered in my recent blog series, 'Talking Thai'.  But the time soon came for us to go home, the party was over and it was time to get back to reality.

As I left Tullamarine airport and we were heading back to our home, I remember feeling total relief at the crisp, cool air that was Melbourne's usual temperature and the comfort that I got from hearing an Aussie accent again.  Yes, I was glad to be back and extremely excited to be able to see my children and my mother again in a few hours time.  So in this respect, it was certainly a big relief to be home, a very positive and enjoyable thing.  It has taken me a good 2 weeks to readjust back to my daily work routine, back to my family commitments, back to the cold weather and back to my home town.  I guess this is normal and I shouldn't be so alarmed but I can tell you, this has been quite an eye opener for me. 

I have felt the impact of these 'readjustments' much more than my husband has, though I must admit that he was a bit down in the dumps there for a while when the reality of going back to work hit him.  David had enjoyed 3 weeks off work and had had a wonderful time and well earned break........and he wished that this holiday could just last forever.  But sure enough, after a little while, he was back to normal.  This left me in my state of complete disorientation and confusion and I battled with my bad moods, my cold  chills to the bone and my total dissatisfaction at nearly every meal that I cooked for myself.

I was home again and my kids quickly got back to their old tricks.  For the first few days, they were amazingly well behaved and I thought that this was too good to be true.  And it was!  They soon remembered how to shout and scream at each other and constantly demand my attention.  There were the usual things like housework to do again, but that's not my issue right now as this is just life, I understand and accept that.  What has really confused me is what it means to be back in Australia.

Firstly, there's the way everyone drives.  You would think that after coming back from the 'organised chaos' that is driving in Thailand, that I'd be relieved to have some 'order'.  But everyone is in such a bloody hurry at home, some drivers are so arrogant and plain rude!  When you walk around the shops, people seem to push and shove and have no concept of personal space.  The cost of almost everything is way over the top and the service you get from store staff is really hit and miss.  Then there's the cold, oh the cold.  It hasn't helped that I have returned to Melbourne's coldest November in nearly 15 years, but the rain, grey skies and lack of sunshine always gets me down.

The way we eat in Australia is not as satisfying as I have always thought it was either.  I just can't seem to get any satisfaction from food right now.  It seems bulky, heavy and so 'bad' for me. Having to wear heavy clothing, socks and shoes again is a real let down.  I am back to 'four seasons in one day', there is no longer the freedom and carefree attitude that I have seen in Thailand, there is no longer the beautiful beach where young people sit, talk and laugh and then quietly go on their way.  There is no longer the crazy tuk tuk drivers, zipping along the streets with their portable discos in the back.  There is no longer the constant sunshine and heat that I fell in love with.......and there is no longer the braised chicken with vegetables and cashews and rice.........for breakfast!!  

I would also like to say that this is a rather simplistic, maybe even superficial description of the differences I have found between Australia and Thailand, and no doubt there are other more complex social, political, economic and even ethical standards and comparisons that should be considered.  However, these are just everyday observations by a 'girl from the suburbs' and as I am not qualified or with the adequate knowledge to comment on these other important considerations, I'll just keep it simple!

But, one thing's for sure, being back in my own bed is heaven, after all, who doesn't love their own bed?  I have totally loved seeing my friends again, seeing their familiar, smiling faces has made me feel so good.  Little things like my cat and my dog, my garden and big things like my family and our 'castle' which is our house, are all very, very important parts about being home.  I will not deny any of this for a second.  I'll just have to change my menu and the way I cook a little bit so that I can feel good about food again.  I'll have to get with the program and start driving like I always have, around my home town, so that I fit in.  Summer is just around the corner so I'll be able to feel the sun and the heat again, in my very own back yard.  The CDs that we bought from the night market in Thailand always give me good feelings as I am transported back to the zany tuk tuks each time I listen to them, in my very own back yard.  To give Australia the credit it deserves, we also have some spectacular beaches here too, you just have to know where to find them.

So, all's well that ends well, as they say.  As per usual, my blogging here today has helped me vent, but also rationalise my 'dilemas' in my mind so that I can work it all out.  You will agree that I have come to a good conclusion, as usual.  I need to travel to many more destinations to make more accurate comparisons with my home town and will need to see many more interesting and different sights and sounds.  But I will say that Thailand is definately one spectacular and special place........but then again, we have it pretty good here in Oz too and at the end of the day, it's sweet! :) xxx

Talking Thai- Day 7 & Day 8: Saying good bye and heading home

We had reached the last full day of our majestic island getaway in Phuket and it was one of mixed feelings.  We had done so much in the last week that by this stage, I was tired but still going strong, almost running on over drive.  By now, the tropical heat was starting to get to me a bit and I had swelling in my feet and ankles from the heat.  No matter how hard I tried, there was nothing I could do to reduce it.  I longed for a quiet, cool Melbourne morning when I could wake up to fresh, crisp air and hear nothing but the birds.  I had forgotten what it felt like to be cold.  I missed my family.

However, what David and I had seen and done over the last week would make an impression on us for a long time to come, we had had a fantastic break from our usual work routines and not having to worry and care for our children for a little while was a very welcomed relief.  Our holiday had been spectacular, to say the least and on our last day in Patong, before flying back to Australia the next day, we wanted to revisit some of places we had been and people that we had met, say good bye and assure them that we would be back very soon to see them again!

On Day 7, we were up early, just like we had been every morning, to have our last breakfast at the hotel.  I always enjoyed a big breakfast, usually of Thai food.  We would always wake up with big appetites.  I savoured the beautiful view that we had from the deck, over looking the water.  In the mornings, it was always warm so you could easily just go to breakfast wearing shorts, a singlet and thongs and be very comfortable (even at 6.30am).

Later that morning, we went into town I had an iced coffee which was so refreshing and reminded me of home.  We had our last look around and did some last minute shopping.  Of course, we said good bye to Nicky's and the Dream Bar and by about lunch time, had our last tuk tuk ride back to the hotel.  We headed straight for the oasis that was the hotel pool and spent a few hours there, sitting in the sun and swimming in the water that was always the perfect temperature.  When we just couldn't stand the heat any longer, we went back up to our room to take it easy before dinner.  David had a snooze (one of many on this trip) and I started packing.

As we went downstairs later in the afternoon, I was sad to be leaving what was such a beautiful, interesting and amazing place, but I was also very excited to be going home.  We had a few drinks at the bar and none other than our friend, Supiya, was right onto it and took special care of us all night when we told him that we were leaving in the morning.  Every hour or so, he would bring us out cold hand towels and these were wonderful for cooling down.  They were clean and fresh, and most importantly, very cold, so you could wipe down your face and neck with these and get cool.  Supiya took special care to set us up at just the right table, with only two chairs seated at it, rather than the usual four, so we had plenty of room and a great view of the sea.  David enjoyed a T-Bone steak and I had an amazing Thai seafood dish that was served in a pineapple.  This was certainly one of the best meals we had at Sunset Beach Resort and will leave a wonderful, lasting memory in our minds for many moons to come.

Our first flight to KLIA would leave at 8am from Phuket, so we checked out just after 5am and went to the airport.  Checking in for our first flight was no bother and we soon made it to Kuala Lumpur where we had a 2 hour stop over before the last leg of our journey back to Melbourne.  As I boarded that plane that would take us home, I was desperate to see my family again, but I clearly knew that I would be back, probably a couple more times to Phuket, to see it and its wonderful people again.

When we landed in Melbourne, I breathed a huge sigh of relief and couldn't wait to get off the plane, feel the cold Melbourne air and get back to my home.  I remember feeling comfort in hearing an Aussie accent again and having no trouble in communicating with the airport staff.  I could 'smell' Australia again.  We got our bags and headed home.  As I walked in the front door, it was a very surreal feeling, I was almost in a daze and couldn't believe where we had just been and what we had experienced.  We had travelled for well over 15 hours and crossed 3 time zones.......but we were home.

As I have written this series of blogs, 'Talking Thai', it has helped me relive what was a great holiday.  It has most definitely given David and I the travel bug and at our stage of life now, we hope that having a break like this will become easier and easier, as we see many more exotic sights and hear many more weird and wonderful sounds.  But for now, we are truly mesmerised by Thailand and like many other people that we know, will undoubtedly be back there again, very soon, for what can only be described as a brilliant experience :) xxx

Talking Thai- Day 5 & Day 6: Slowing down

We were half way through our almighty adventure at this stage and we had 'hit the tourist attractions hard' in the first few days.  At this point, we were completely settled into this wonderful place.  We had experienced the weird and wonderful attractions of Phuket and were well adjusted to the tropical climate and Thai food that was so very different to home.  The second half of our holiday was spent at a much slower pace and there was plenty of shopping and lazing by the pool.  At this point, we were also much more familiar with the town centre, its shops, bars and restaurants and knew which ones were our favourite.  We had established a pretty good routine.

We had heard about how fantastic it was to go shopping in Thailand and how there were many bargains up for grabs.  This was true, however you had to pick and choose carefully, for some items were well over priced and the locals had no hesitation in inflating the prices of some things for the unsuspecting tourist.  One of the main shopping centres in Patong was a place called Jungceylon and it was very big and well air conditioned.  This always provided a great relief from the heat outside.  The shops there were glossy and very Western and clearly catered for the tourist market.  We bought a couple of things from there but found many more bargains from the street stalls and smaller shops.

When we left for Thailand, we weren't entirely sure what to expect when it came to our safety.  We had visions of 'pick pockets' and thought that surely we would get 'ripped off' by locals giving us the wrong change as we were so unaccustomed to the currency.  Well, this couldn't be further from the truth.  You were only likely to get 'robbed' by paying a highly inflated price when you bought something!  The Thai people seemed gentle and respectful, to a point, and we had absolutely no worries about our bag or wallet being tampered with.  We always felt very comfortable and the locals always gave us the right change, always!  No matter where we shopped or stopped for a drink, you could rest assured that you would be charged the standard prices and would always be given the right change when you paid for something.  This was a wonderful thing and we compared this to some places at home that were not always so obliging.

After picking up a few things that day and enjoying time swimming in the spectacular pool at the hotel, we wanted to go back into town that night and headed for Nicky's yet again.  Nicky's was a place that was free from the usual 'drama' of Phuket, namely hawkers and the Thai 'girls' that were everywhere, especially at night.  Nicky's Handlebar was a place we could go and not be 'hassled', eat great food, you were always guaranteed a good drink and the music and Harley memorabilia would keep you amused for hours.  The staff were friendly and the service was brilliant.  That night I also enjoyed the mixed grill for dinner and it really hit the spot after having eaten so much Thai food in the last few days.

After dinner, we went for a walk around the town and found another magic little bar that we fell in love with called 'Dreams Bar'.  It also had lots of interesting posters and memorabilia in it and the lady who owned it was lovely.  The language barrier was certainly more of a problem here, but that didn't matter, for her warmth and hospitality made it so worthwhile.  One thing that I will always remember about this place was the bar and the wall behind it.  Here there were the usual bottles of spirits lined up, but also what looked like a place of worship.  It was covered in statues, pictures and ornaments that obviously had very special meaning to the owner.  There were vases with incense and here is where she would 'pray'.  It was the most spectacular and beautiful image and I could not help but be fascinated by it.  Thailand and its people were so 'busy' and worked hard, yet their beliefs and culture was also so very peaceful and tranquil.  Dreams Bar certainly made a big impression on us also with its relaxed atmosphere and amazing hospitality.

We went back to the hotel by tuk tuk that night feeling very relaxed and enthralled by what we had seen so far.  The night life in Patong was always busy, the bars and restaurants were always full, the weather was always hot and by the end of the day, we were always more than ready to hide away for a few hours in our cool and comfortable hotel room and refresh ourselves for the next day.

By Day 6, I was starting to get home sick and thinking about my family in Melbourne very much.  We were having a wonderful time and I was loving it, but I would have given my eye teeth at that stage to feel a cool breeze in the morning.  In Phuket, it would get much cooler at night but nothing like at home.  In Melbourne the weather changes all the time, but not here.......it is constant, it is hot, day and night.  That day we were winding down and spent much more time at the hotel, taking it easy, swimming and soaking up the sunshine.  We did go on yet another walk that afternoon and found a place not far from the hotel called '5!5! on the Beach'.  This was a groovy little bar/ restaurant and here we had some unbelievably good chicken satays and Thai green curry.  We gazed out at the ocean view and sipped some cool drinks.  The staff there were also wonderful and we would always be blown away by just how friendly and helpful the Thai people were.

That night we had dinner at the hotel and I just had to take a photo of a very special friend that I had made there.  His name was Supiya and he was the best waiter I have come across in a long time.  When we first arrived at the hotel, we immediately 'clicked' with him.  Supiya always had a smile on his face and nothing was ever too much trouble.  His waiting skills were perfect and he really helped to make our stay so memorable.  Supiya was a kind and gentle man and always went out of his way to make sure that we were happy and had everything that we needed.  For me, he was a classic example of the Thai ethos, he was very special and I'm glad that we met.  David and I will always have very fond memories of him and how he helped to make our stay so enjoyable.

After a lovely meal and a couple of cocktails, we were ready to sleep, knowing that we only had 1 full day left and then we would be heading home :) xxx