Phang Nga

Before leaving Chiang Mai I asked around to see if there was someone who might be able to take me and my luggage to the airport on Thursday16^th July. It seemed all the drivers were off to the mountains to collect the visiting team and may not be back before midday when I was hoping to get a lift.

Then it was suggested I ask the Australian family whom were in town visiting from Mai Hong Son.  I had met and chatted to Debey on Sunday, they were leaving on Thursday around midday after their sons correspondence class and were able to drop me on route. Praise the Lord.

I packed as much as I could into my original bag but had since been given gifts and collected a few items which meant I needed my extra bag! With everything loaded into the ute we took off earlier than expected as the correspondence lesson was cancelled.  When we were just about at the airport Debey remembered she had left perishables in the hotel freezer.  Fortunately she had remembered before driving all the way back home.

It was my first time traveling with Bangkok Air and was delighted to know they have a lounge with free coffee and snacks for members.  It was a nice way to relax while waiting for my 2pm flight.  I drank all my water or throught I had before going through the baggage check only to be reminded of the two small bottles in my extra bag.  Then when visiting the ladies toilet my glasses flew off into the neighbouring cubical.  I politely asked for them back (in Thai).  There was not reply so after looking under the partition …. I couldn’t see any feet … I located the wayward specks, retrieving them then on exiting the cubical washed them before returning them to my face.  When I exited the cubical I noticed the door was closed and soon after someone came out. I think the woman must have been standing on the seat making it difficult to reach my spectacles from her elevated position. These new specks (ones I’d had made in Malaysia and later brought to Cambodia) have a life of their own as they are often jumping off my face.  The next incident they were nearly lost into the sea at Phang Nga!

It was a pleasant flight sitting next to a Dutch family on holiday.  On arrival at the Phuket International Airport, Yui, who is pastor and Jamie the worship leader at the Phang Nga church, picked me up in Yui’s little Mazda 2 which made me think of my little car.  I have known Yui since working with the Seri church in Bangkok.  She drove from Phuket across the bridge to the mainland and up through Khok Kloi to Bang Klee which is a small town in the Phang Nga province.

We stopped on route where I was shouted a lovely southern meal before being taken back to the Cornerstone Centre (facebook page) where I was shown my very comfortable room.  Behind the room was a rubber plantation.  I just love how the straight, slender, white trunks form avenues with a leafy canopy of arches overhead.

The property is in front of Mercy Ministries orphanage, House of Peace (Baan Santisuk) which was set up after the devastating tsunami hit in December 2004.

Yui was asked if she was interested in buying the land in front of the orphanage as Mercy Ministries foundation didn’t want it bought by a big commercial hotel due to the sensitive nature of the orphanage.  So the church raised the funds not only for the land but to build chalets and a café.  This wonderful coffee shop ‘Cup of Joy’ is quite renowned in the area as it serves fresh western style muffins, slices and brownies and real coffee which I indulged with a cappuccino daily.  Well one must support the local ministries.

I have also been totally blessed since coming here.  I shouldn’t be surprised as it is something the Lord continues to do wherever I go.  I wasn’t expecting to see many of the sites and definitely didn’t expect to see Phang Nga Bay which is an amazing array of limestone rocks jutting out of the sea.  Yui first took me to see the shores close to the Cornerstone Centre which unfortunately are becoming built out with enormous resorts.  Then after sharing at the Sunday service the visiting Hawaiian team had invited me to join them on a long tail boat ride around the bay.  I was amazed at the height of the rocks that rose straight out of the sea, the colours and shapes and vegetation that clung to the rocks face were spectacular.  There was very little shore line except on the mainland which was mostly covered with mangroves.

We left from one of these mangroves at high tide from a floating ramp which was parallel to the shore.  On our return it was low tide with a steep assent up the ramp back to the shore.

During our trip we passed the James Bond’s Island which was swarming with tourists, manoeuvred our way through a swarm of canoes paddled by locals taking tourists under an amazing natural rock arch, long tail boats of all colours and sizes zipped by us, we slowed to viewed rock paintings from the boat before eventually stopping at a remarkable village which is built out over the water on large stilts.  We disembarked to explore Koh (pronounced Goh) Panyee which was originally a quiet fishing settlement but now caters for the many tourists who come for lunch and shop for handicrafts.

Koh Panyee has an amazing story of their floating soccer field.  The building of the field was inspired by the 1986 FIFA World Cup, children built the pitch from old scraps of wood and fishing rafts. The island team made it to the Semi-final on an inland tournament, due to their skilled foot work which of course came about while trying to prevent the ball from entering the water.  After the tournament all the village were inspired to take up the sport.  They built a brand new pitch, although the wooden one still remains and is popular among tourists. Since 2011, Panyee FC is one of the most successful youth soccer clubs in Southern Thailand, the boys who built the pitch back in 1986 are now grown men.  Here is a video link for the story of The Floating Soccer Field.

For more information on the Islands of Phangnag Bay.

The Lord has truly spoilt me, a bit of ministry mixed in with seeing the sights. Lots of relaxing, feasting, durian and fellowship with friends.

Today Yui and Jamie took me around Phuket.  Can you believe it I haven’t been to Phuket before even after all my time in Thailand in the past.  We left just after lunch to give us time to sightsee before picking up Peter (helper from Switzerland) from the airport who is returning from Penang on a visa run.  This so reminds me of my visa run every 3 months by train from Bangkok to Georgetown and the Thai Embassy in Penang.

I felt I had been taken around nearly all the island.  We stopped at several interesting spots; beach and lookouts, passing through the tourist hub with the massage/prostitute parlours, drinking bars and shops with souvenir trinkets, fabrics and clothing for the holidaymakers before stopping for something to eat at Central which is a large shopping complex. Here I was also able to change some of my Thai Baht back to Aussie dollars before leaving on Thursday. This maybe the only time I am really glad the Aussie dollar has fallen so much.  I received quite a good exchange rate!

We picked Peter up from the airport just after nine, it is a half hour drive back but we stopped just after the bridge so I could buy two small pineapples.  I mean they are tiny!

I had had a lovely day in Phuket. One thing I did notice was that the price of EVERYTHING here was well above average.  The Central food court meal was 50 baht instead of 30.  To buy the tiny pineapples it would have cost me 50 baht for one instead of 10 baht!  I don’t envy my Aussie friends living here especially with the drop of the dollar!

Thursday before I leave I am having a special lunch for the staff which should be fun.  I’ll tell you more about that next time.

Pictures:   1. Bird of Paradise  2. Rubber plantation    3.  Cup of Joy Cafe    4.Ministry team lunch    5. Limestone Rocks   6. James Bond Island    7. Canoes    8. Jamie, Peter, Yui & I    9.  Phuket from lookout

Prayer & Praise Points:
Praise the Lord for an opportunity to visit the south of Thailand and the ministry Yui and her team are involved with.

Praise the Lord for holding back the rain while we were out on the bay and for the refreshing rain when we weren’t needing to keep dry. It’s lovely to be able to sleep with the natural flow of cool air and not even have to use of a fan! The cooler weather has been a great relief.

Praise the Lord for so many opportunities and all the blessings He is showering on me during my travels.

Please continue to pray for the Lord’s divine health and safety for the remainder of my travels in Malaysia, Thailand and India.

Praise Him for all my friends and their generosity and love during my travels.

Please pray for my trip to Malaysia, for easy entry and safe journeys as I travel around catching up with friends in KL, Ipoh and Ayer Tawer.

Praise the Lord for friends and family who have been helping with mum’s recovery at home and helping her adjust to having extra home help.  Please continued to pray as she recovers and gains more independence.