Barbara and Sam (and a local jet skier)

Olivia and Sam

Or Stand Up Paddle boarding, something I’ve been itching to do for years now! Sam and her friends surf shack rent these (and surfboards) out. So we hired one for an hour and all took turns trying this new sport out. And I’m hooked! I want one for my self! Believe it or not this morning it was cloudy and raining, the sun popped its head out and I was like “let’s go now before it changes” and it turned out the be the most perfect day they’d had in weeks for paddle boarding. You’d think there isn’t much excitement in this, but you get in the zone and it’s so peaceful all the way out the back. We tried paddle board yoga and catching waves in (failed miserably). The girls LOVED it too! It was such a perfect day and the ocean was so magical!

Samantha Capp ladies and gentle men. Thanks to my “Aunty” Michelle who introduced me to this fine specimen, Sam works with my Aunty at home and we’d only met for an hour or so just before we both left on our trips…the perks of travelling! She’s recently move to Phuket for a year (maybe longer) to do some fabulous things. She works over here, for free, teaching the locals to surf, surfing herself and hanging out with local Thai ladies spending her days cruising on her motorbike, surfboard on the side from beach to beach, learning Thai 2 days a week and soaking up the sunshine. Essentially she is living the life. But also, she is helping all these very poor locals as a sort of under cover “councillor” helping them with their troubled backgrounds, and giving them hope and goals through surfing and her support. And the effects of it is wearing off on her, with the huge grin plastered across her face from all this island living. Go girl! She’s taken me and the girls under her wing the last two days and shown us real island life, and all the local beaches and it’s been amazing! So thank you Aunty Michelle 😀

The photo that captures the jump that winded me for days

Reunited with my girlfriends for 3 more days, after 24 hours of travelling and a long overnight bus for the girls, this sunset swim was exactly the thing we needed. And the sky put on a spectacular show for us. It’s still 30 degrees at 7:30… Southern thailand is stealing my heart quickly!

Presents from Germany. Happiest little vegemite/ I have the best travel buddies ^_^

Two views that I could never get sick of. I’ve gone from Pho to Pad Thai in 1hour and 50 minutes. But it’s taken me an overnight train a s two flights but I’m safe and sound in Thai town in Phuket, with only 3 full beach days until Jay arrives!!!

Up hill this time was a blessing after trying to not fall for the first 3 hours walking down hill. Up through the villages to meet the bus for the foggy and incredibly windy journey home.