Mar 08

Well we're getting packed up and tomorrow we're booked on the overnight train to Nong Khai (near the border with Laos) - yes, a new exciting train-spotter blog will be up next!!

So we've just had time for one more of Noi's (Sadie's 'Thai mummy!') wonderful foot massages:

A look at the flowers in the garden:

A day out diving with Auntie Kath:

And a last evening on the beach...

We will definately miss this place - we have had great fun being part of the Mermaids/Jomtien community for a while, but we are all bohemian hippies at heart and can't wait to get going again!

See ya
All love CRFS xxxx

So we've got about 10 days left in Jomtien, and I thought I'd put some pics up from around the place. Also for the benefit of the bilingual mother of three who has no idea where we are most of the time, and others who's geography may be hazy I've also added a clever little map thing (is it obvious I've nothing to do but packing...?!) If you click on the 'our route round the world' link at the top of the page it should bring it up.

Since we arrived in Jomtien/Pattaya our sole mode of transport (other than foot) has been the songthaew, or 'baht bus' as it's called locally. These are basically pick-up trucks with a frame welded on top and bench seats added along the sides. Here they run a basic route for 10 baht a head, or you can 'private hire' them for a negotiable fare agreed before you set off. They're pretty good - cheap, fast and lots of them, plus you can get a load of Tesco's shopping in the back!

A Baht Bus (even I'm not lax enough to put 2 kids on a scooter yet!):

Most Tuesdays and Fridays we are at the huge market in South Pattaya stocking up on fruit and veg, cheap dvd's, t-shirts, nail polish, hair clips you name it. South Pattaya Road is where the locals shop, where we pick up our favourite frozen smoothie from the 'strawberry lady' (we only wondered if her ice was good after the event!) and recover in the coffee place after braving the market. It's busy and bustling, asian and GREAT - I love it!

South Pattaya Road (South Pattaya Rd pics courtesy of Hannah and Rhys):

If you've got a toothache or fancy a bit of bling you could pop into one of the handy guys down the left hand side of the street:

Which side should I have the diamond do you think?:

Of course you do have to be careful of safety standards in Thailand, as is obvious from the Baht Bus there are few handy seatbelt laws etc, and if you happen to come across any construction work you need to mind you don't fall down a hole as they won't be coned off. Also check overhead for live cables falling....oh and the traffic as you have to walk around the Cherry Picker:

This kind of thing is not reassuring when you head off up the Pattaya Park Tower in the tin can and the 2 bits of wire that masquerade as a cable car, great view from the top though!!:

Well, we have one more visitor to entertain while Chris finishes his speciality courses and then we hit the road again!

See ya

All love CRFS xxxx

They've done it - yey!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After 2 (long) weeks of 7am -7pm training Chris and Lawrence are now PADI Instructors!!!!! Big personal goal for Chris, and a possible career choice for Lawrence, thus upping his 'cool' status with the ladies, but simultaneously condemning him to a life of Tesco Value bread and jam.

They went out to celebrate the evening that they finished (no snorkels this time, they just drank the beer straight down) and the next day we went to meet my cousin Hannah and her boyfriend Rhys who had very sensibly decided to arrive a day later!! Guess what? Yep they dive too. So the following day we all went to out on the boat to celebrate their new status, girls snorkelling, us taking it in turns to dive.

The dive site was Koh Man Wichai, average for Hannah and Rhys who had come up from the beautiful Similan Islands, but easy and pretty for the rest of us. Rhys had his underwater camera, so here are a few scenes from the Gulf of Thailand.

PADI Instructors Chris (in control of his bouyancy) and Lawrence (not so much):

Pretty Squirrelfish (photo credit - Hannah!):

BIG Blue Spotted Jellyfish (check out the diver behind for scale!):

Keeping it in the family - Hannah, Lawrence and Rachel:

Hannah and Rhys are here for a few more days, before they head up to Bangkok, we are here for only 3 more weeks, so need to start trying to streamline our belongings again!

See ya

All love CRFS xxxx