Travel

Well, I've been off the air for some time because my partner & I have been on an extended holiday to destinations that have beckoned for quite some years, namely Turkey and Egypt.

We decided to go via Thailand, as one of my mates is married to a Thai & lives and works in Phuket. We always enjoy seeing him & his family, and he & I manage a few games of golf on various courses as well, whilst my partner relaxes on the beach, having Thai massages & shopping!

I'll treat all our destinations separately in my blog to keep them simple and short (relatively), as not everyone will be interested in all of them & they were all very different.

Thailand - We love the country & probably the main reason for that is its people, who are so friendly & eager to help without being pushy or intrusive. Of course, it also helps that the exchange rate means that a good time can be had eating out, shopping & enjoying a Thai massage!

We spent a few days last year in Chang Mai in the north, which was cooler but still green & tropical. It is a former capital in a scenic area, quite close to the Burmese border on one side & North Vietnam & Laos on the other. We will return there to explore further. Also last year we went to Kanchanburi to see the Death Railway & Bridge on the River Kwae. Whilst the Railway and cemetery were very moving and the stay in the boatel moored on the banks of the river was relaxing, we found the area quite arid compared to Chang Mai and considerably less scenic.

Our stay this time was in Patong, the major tourist area of Phuket, which has completely recovered from the tsunami. It is brash, with plenty of shopping and nightlife and a crowded beach, although quieter beaches close by, one of which we stayed at. However, if it is shopping you are principally interested in, go to Bangkok instead, as it is cheaper and there is plenty of nightlife and things of interest there too.

Phuket has several world class golf courses, my main interest, most of them carved out of old tin mining areas resulting in large water hazards with steep, deep sides in many cases! Blue Canyon and the Lakes are two adjoining courses near the airport, exclusive with residential facilities attached. Laguna is halfway between the airport and Patong, is flatter and is part of a resort complex. Country Club is near Patong and has 27 holes. Loch Palm is also near Patong and has a second course next to it completed only a couple of years ago, Red Mountain, which I think is the best course of the lot, very scenic and although all these courses are challenging, this is probably the most challenging, with the advantage that if you are not having a good day, you can relax and enjoy the views! There is another course, Mission Hills, which I have not played. Prices vary, but are not cheap by Aussie standards and there are caddy fees and tips on top. I have heard that courses in Pattaya are cheaper, so that will be on the agenda for the ruture.