Lost Cap in Phang Nga !

At this rate my Dad will be way below his kg limit on the way home ... he's now lost cycling cap!  Apparently he went check out the room in a hotel, liked it and threw his hat on the bed as if to say "that's my bed" and then legged it back to find Dave! Between them checking in and getting back to the room someone must have come in and tidied up and now Dad's hat has gone!  So now they are trying to track down the missing hat.  Never a dull moment on holiday with my Dad.

Well today they have clocked 88 km (just under 55 miles) and they have made it over the bridge to Phang Nga and are currently staying at Phunga Hotel. The blurb of the hotel says ...."The hotel boasts luxurious accommodation with the finest facilities and located in beautiful natural surroundings which offers visitors peace and tranquility."  That sounds a bit posh for a couple of cyclists !  Made me smile as one of the amenities is listed as hot/cold shower .... is that a luxury?

They will now continue north east heading to the east coast tomorrow but it will probably take a couple of days get there.


I've updated the route so far - it's a bit of guess work and I'm relying on "directions" from Google maps but it gives you some idea of roughly where they are and where they've been.

Kamala

Well Dad and Dave have "hit the road" and the cycle trip around Thailand has commenced. They are currently in Kamala which is only 10km up the road from Patong so it wasn't a long day in the saddle!  Tomorrow they are heading north past the airport and over the bridge to the mainland. They had just stopped for a "curry stop" and managed to get free wifi.

Food looking good !

Dad and Dave at the restaurant

Sounds like they have found some budget accommodation at 500 Bhat (approx £10.50) for the room but not wifi .... not surprising at that price ! Just been reading the blurb on Kamala and it says "with its quieter pace, over the last few years, Kamala has become a favoured spot for retirees" ... Dad will fit in quite well there :)

Got an update on Dad's mobile. He'd taken it down to breakfast with him. When he got back to the room he realised he'd not got his phone. Legged it back to the restaurant and the plastic bag he keeps his mobile phone in was there (it's his own mobile phone case!) but unfortunately the phone was gone :( The phone was worth very little - it's an extremely basic text and call only phone. Had around £30 of credit though but that won't last long if they are using it in Thailand. It's more of an inconvenience than anything else.

Edited to say just testing Google Maps - I think this was today's route.

Communication hiccup ...

Got a text off Dad yesterday to say he was out for his second Thai meal. He must have been in the restaurant when he was texting as he said "food has arrived".  I wonder what was on the menu.

During the day he'd been out on the bike and cycled north from Patong along what I assume was the coastal road as he had taken in three beaches. He'd then gone off to meet up with Dave at the airport before popping out for something to eat.

Well between eating out last night and this morning he's "lost" his mobile as I got a text off Dave to let me know. Not sure how yet ... whether he left it in the restaurant, dropped it on the way back or had it stolen. Will find out more later when Dave gets online. A bit of a hiccup but at least this trip we have other ways of communication!  Parents are a nightmare at times !

More later ...

Airport Run

Had a text off Dad this morning to say he was at Phuket airport waiting for Dave to arrive. I'd been tracking Dave's flight and shortly after it landed I got another text off Dad to say they were in the taxi back to the hotel.

We've now stepped up a gear communication-wise and Thailand has been calling Keele and we've been exchanging Skype conversations. Apparently Dad is slightly bemused by this new form of communication. Wait until we have a video call !  Thailand is +7 hours ahead of GMT so video calling may be difficult but I'm sure we will find a way!

Better watch what I write on here ... no doubt Dad and Dave will be checking on the blog!

Edited to say - just got this photo of Dad in the hotel room. Don't you just love technology.

Out on the bike

Got a text off Dad earlier to say he's had a day out on the bike. Had a breakfast stop and managed to get bacon, three eggs, toast, juice and coffee for £3.00.  He'll be doing a guide to the "best bacon butties in Thailand" next !

After breakfast he cycled into old Phuket Town. Only saw two other cyclists but he saw thousands of scooters some with three passengers on.

Room in hotel good. He's still at the Paradise Mansion. It's en-suite with TV, fridge and aircon ... which Dad said was most useful so it must be a tad on the warm side. Mind you after the last few weeks anywhere would be warmer than the UK.  Dave is en-route out to Dad and they should meet up early tomorrow evening.

Massages !

Well he's been in Phuket less than 24 hours and already he's been out and about. Got a text earlier to say he'd been out for a beer. Area is a bit seedy and he'd had many offers of a massage !  Perhaps he'd gone out in his cycling gear and they were offering him a sports massage!  He'll be glad of one of those massages when he's been on the bike a few weeks!

However he did say that hotel will store the bike boxes for his return so that's an added bonus.

I text him the cycling and football news.  He'll be happy with Hoy's gold and with the Stoke result.

He's made it !

Got a text off Dad at 5.30 am !  Only picked it up when I got up. He's made it safely to Phuket along with his bike!  He managed to break his reading glasses (probably in the coat of many pockets!) at Heathrow airport but picked up a pair in Boots for £17.50!  I can hear him now "how much!" as the ones he'd broke probably came from the Pound Shop!

He's staying at Paradise Mansion, Patong Beach. The blurb says ...  "Located at the quiet end of a bustling area off Rat-U-Thit Road".  Somehow with a Road name like that it no longer sounds like Paradise !  Patong is the main tourist area of Phuket which doesn't really sound like Dad's cup of tea! However he is only using this as a base while he waits for Dave to arrive. Hopefully they will also store Dad's bike box for the return journey.

I'd text him the cycling results from last night and he text back to ask how Stoke had gone on! They play today.