So Christmas Day was a bit out of the ordinary with Sports Day, but even odder was the fact that we got on a 14 hour overnight bus in BKK to Phuket that night. The bus was pretty ghetto and not too comfortable, but I guess you can't complain when you pay $15. Well, maybe you can complain when the bus drivers are singing/playing music/talking all through the night...Potato Patato.
Dec. 26: We finally made it to Phuket Town the next morning where Jenny's dad picked us up from the bus station. We spent the 26-28 at Jenny's Dad's house on the island--talk about amazing. 
He picked us up and drove us through Phuket Town to Kahtu (the village where the house is). It's a beautiful home that is more like a walled in complex nestled in the verrrry green mountains. Inside the white walls is a long driveway leading to a guesthouse, infinity pool and main house that are all beautifully designed and have an amazing view of the village/surrounding hills. I can't tell you how incredible it felt to be at a home. A real house with couches and tvs and beds and separate rooms and a big fridge and tables to eat at and A/C! Jenny's dad and his Thai wife, Nat, are the most welcoming people and made us feel right at home. We claimed our beds in the upstairs guest room/loft and threw on our suits. We swam for a good part of the day after eating lunch and retreated into the A/C to watch a movie in the afternoon. We were really roughing it. We all piled in the car and went to a local noodle shop that made their own Baat Mii (egg noodles) and the food was amazing--we thought that was dinner but found out it was just a midday snack. That night we had a wonderful homecooked meal out on the patio (no mosquitos!) and afterward we had some drinks and played some cards. We were all pretty exhausted and headed up to our chilly, comfortable rooms!
He picked us up and drove us through Phuket Town to Kahtu (the village where the house is). It's a beautiful home that is more like a walled in complex nestled in the verrrry green mountains. Inside the white walls is a long driveway leading to a guesthouse, infinity pool and main house that are all beautifully designed and have an amazing view of the village/surrounding hills. I can't tell you how incredible it felt to be at a home. A real house with couches and tvs and beds and separate rooms and a big fridge and tables to eat at and A/C! Jenny's dad and his Thai wife, Nat, are the most welcoming people and made us feel right at home. We claimed our beds in the upstairs guest room/loft and threw on our suits. We swam for a good part of the day after eating lunch and retreated into the A/C to watch a movie in the afternoon. We were really roughing it. We all piled in the car and went to a local noodle shop that made their own Baat Mii (egg noodles) and the food was amazing--we thought that was dinner but found out it was just a midday snack. That night we had a wonderful homecooked meal out on the patio (no mosquitos!) and afterward we had some drinks and played some cards. We were all pretty exhausted and headed up to our chilly, comfortable rooms!Dec. 27-29: The next few days were filled with some much needed R & R. We went to the famed Patong Beach which is actually a seedy tourist trap filled with copious amounts of bars and umbrellas/beach chairs for rent for as far as the
eye could see. Granted we had fun bartering with the beach salesman who were shocked and amazed that some Farang (white people) could actually hold a conversation in Thai and that we weren't going to settle for the prices they usually offered people like us. To get to Patong we took a Songtow which comfortably holds about 20 people and there were more than 40 people on this thing. A few of us were on the floor, 2 of us sat on the roof and I literally was holding on a ladder on the back going up an 80 degree incline (I think that's steep--if not change the number so that it shows how steep it was!) There were so many people that we had to pull over a couple times as the Songtow stalled on the way up. Jenny's dad also took us to Nai Han beach which is a much less popular, more local beach that is SO beautiful. It was soft, fine sand surrounded by a pine tree forest. Thailand is really unique in that manner--not all the beaches are tropical/palm tree beaches, but a lot of times they are surrounded by mountains and lush forests. The water there is also a beautiful, clear blue that stretches out of the bay to the horizon. It's times like these 
that I realize why I'm here :)
eye could see. Granted we had fun bartering with the beach salesman who were shocked and amazed that some Farang (white people) could actually hold a conversation in Thai and that we weren't going to settle for the prices they usually offered people like us. To get to Patong we took a Songtow which comfortably holds about 20 people and there were more than 40 people on this thing. A few of us were on the floor, 2 of us sat on the roof and I literally was holding on a ladder on the back going up an 80 degree incline (I think that's steep--if not change the number so that it shows how steep it was!) There were so many people that we had to pull over a couple times as the Songtow stalled on the way up. Jenny's dad also took us to Nai Han beach which is a much less popular, more local beach that is SO beautiful. It was soft, fine sand surrounded by a pine tree forest. Thailand is really unique in that manner--not all the beaches are tropical/palm tree beaches, but a lot of times they are surrounded by mountains and lush forests. The water there is also a beautiful, clear blue that stretches out of the bay to the horizon. It's times like these 
that I realize why I'm here :)Our afternoons were usually filled with time in the pool playing volleyball or just looking out over the mountains (oh and great food). One night we went to a locally favorite restaurant--Raya-- in Phuket Town that has been there for over 100 years. We had some of the best Thai food I've ever had including a coconut milk/yellow curry crab dish that I could have eaten everyday for the rest of my life. The last night we were there we had a real American BBQ w/ grilled meat, baked potatoes and the works. One of the best things too, about 
being at Jenny's dad's was the wine! It's really hard to find good wine in Thailand as the cheap stuff is made from rice and tastes a little bit like vomit and the nice stuff is REALLY expensive...but her dad had real red/white wine that he graciouslyshared. We weren't sure if we actually wanted to leave! We didn't even go out on the town at night in Phuket because we were so content just hanging out in the confines of the complex: watching movies, relaxing, sitting on couches, sleeping on non-straw mattresses, spending time with friends, etc. The comforts of home right there in Phuket.
being at Jenny's dad's was the wine! It's really hard to find good wine in Thailand as the cheap stuff is made from rice and tastes a little bit like vomit and the nice stuff is REALLY expensive...but her dad had real red/white wine that he graciouslyshared. We weren't sure if we actually wanted to leave! We didn't even go out on the town at night in Phuket because we were so content just hanging out in the confines of the complex: watching movies, relaxing, sitting on couches, sleeping on non-straw mattresses, spending time with friends, etc. The comforts of home right there in Phuket.
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