Had a fabulous Xmas for a change this year! Left my partner to his journey home alone while I opted out of heading back to Oz and went back to Singapore and Krabi instead!
Had planned for a 5 day/4 nite stay in Krabi just the week before Xmas. Basically it was to be a R&R trip with some snorkeling and fishing thrown in. After Maldives, dont really expect much from snorkeling elsewhere especially my less than stellar experience with Koh Samui like 10years ago. Now with Tsunami wreakage still reeling from the damages...I wasnt wrong in my low expectation.
That aside, it was a good trip spending time with my best friends. Since Cambodia 11 years ago, I havent travelled with friends. Travelling with partner and alone is great, but it's just different from being with friends. I didnt have to plan anything, we didnt have to do something every other day. We didnt have to plan advance. PERFECT!
Went to Krabi town and boy I hate to bargain and haggle. Conclusion, the Indian shop owners drive the hardest bargain. You have to really want to walk out of the shop without buying a thing before they would relent a little. The local thai people were more shrewd by lowering the price bit by bit. by the 3rd shop, you prob will know the cost price and the lowest price you can get for bundle buys for the T-shirts, which by the way were of decent quality. When we got back, my friend made a beeline to the toilet and started to wash all our purchases! My lucky berms! hahaha!
My first ever Tuk Tuk ride!
So I had the best snoozing trip ever! My gf and her hubby was astound by my ability to sleep everywhere and any time even on the rocking fishing boat. Initially they were worried I might be bored with the day trip out at sea while they fish. Unknown to them, sleeping while the boat was at sea is exactly down my alley. I love nothing more than to have the gentle sea breeze caressing me as they lured me to lala land. I think I have kicked up a notch of "respect" for my sleeping prowess amongst my friends!hahaha!
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Fishes we caught for the day!
We took only 4 fishes for dinner while the rest is given to the captain who brings it back for dinner to all the Thai Orphans whose homes and family perished in the Tsunami. |
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| Happy Trio! |
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| Happy days with my BFF! |
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| Leo's Triumph! |
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| Slow ride back |
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| Hotel in sight |
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| View from the Boat |
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| Swiftly, Safely back to our hotel |
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| View from boat |
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| View from hotel Pier |
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| The hotel Pier |
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The Thai family of 3 (father and 2 brothers) whom we chartered our fishing boat.
The boat owned by an Ozzie guy, who lets them sleep on the boat after their village was destroyed by the Tsunami. |
We stayed at Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi. Everything was great with grave exception to the Lotus Restuarant. A bunch of snooty arse serving staff with a ridiculous priced menu. The staff located in other dining spots such as the Thai and japanese restaurants were sooooo much better! The only face saving redemption in Lotus was their Pianist from Philippine. If anyone else stays there, I would say avoid Lotus at all cost! Can u imagine charging us 900baht for 3 fish dishes, and mind you, we CAUGHT the fishes ourselves, So for frying and steaming our fishes, they charged us an arm and leg full price costing for the meal. If this isnt ridiculous, I dunno what it.
Other than that, the spa at the hotel was excellent! The room was ok, but hell of alot of stairs to climb up but I suppose its good for after dinner exercise! Room housekeeping service is pretty haphazard and plenty of room for improvement.
Every day, there is something that they missed out like giving new fresh hand and face towels, did not change the deck chair towels, forgetting my orders 2 times in a row on separate occasions. The standard at reception also is left wanting at times. The nite before departure, we asked for late checkout at 12.30pm instead of 12pm, and luggage to be collected at 12pm instead of 11am. We were told all will be settled but when we decided to do an early pre-payment on checkout day, the gal told us that she had heard no such thing and insisted we vacate the room as informed. I told her that we had spoken to her colleague but she wont budge and unfortunately, neither would I. What can she do? Forcefully throw me out? She said she will check but her colleague could not be reached and in the end, she finally relented over a 30mins extension. Yet, when we returned to the room at 11.30am to get ready to wash up, the poor luggage guy was already waiting since 11am! No one bothered to tell them about our changes. I felt bad for him but it really wasnt our fault. I told him its not possible because we are still showering and not fully packed but he was a good chap about it.
The people that were truly on the ball and had the worst jobs were the luggage carriers. Our bags aint light and they had to carry it up and down the stairs! We decided to tip them 100baht each person. Prob alot from what I saw what others tip. This Singaporean woman had the audacity to pay them loose change (about 4 small coins from what I saw) for 4 huge bags of theirs...ashamed of such misers...
On the last morning, we headed to the pier and fed the fishes some bread. I screamed like hell when the fishes started to tickle my feet! It's strange because I dont feel ticklish when I am snorkeling but sitting there looking at them having a go at my feet is completely different! hahaah!
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| A game of the nations! |
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| The sand trophies! |
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| come fishy fishy! |
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| Great company = Great memories! |
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| Eileen helping to stuff bread between the toes |
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| First attempt in trying to get the rock structure in the background |
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| 2nd attempt! |
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| Lucky on the 3rd attempt! lol! |
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| Last one we gave up! hahaha! |
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| View from our room patio |
Will I be back to Krabi, probably not. Snorkeling at Phi Phi was a complete waste of time after the corals were destroyed. However was the trip great, yeah it was for the company and the massages!
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