Back Sign of life from Phuket 17-07-2005 While the bread in the bread-machine is backing and I catch the smell of freshly backed bread, I try to get some inspiration to give you a briefing over our ‘goodies and less goodies. First the less goodies so we have got rid of that. Done repairs and preventive maintenance. The motor is running smoothly again with the help of MulderMotors/Rotterdam and a local Malaysian. Great to experience their creative/innovating solving minds A few stunning examples: The heater? Do you need one in Malaysia? No/Yes because once every couple of weeks we do run all our electrical equipment, which we don’t use daily It seemed to be that the heater did not do anything anymore. The inner part where the fan is standing on, was thoroughly rusted and the motor had broke done. Spar-parts were not available. Tin-smiths still exist in Malaysia and this job was done by making a new part of tin and a new motor with the same fan for 15 euro! To the broken fans in the mid-cabin, a new switch was made for 1 euro. Most of the time they will thrown away and for a new fan you pay at least 70 euro. That’s a nice feeling! The tachometer of the motor stopped and Ed already soldered the bits but no way. The eye of an expert: He changed the bolt of 10mm into 13mm and it is working again! Neco pilot, no spare-parts for sale so new contact-brushes were made. Happily Ed is able to solve and repair things himself. The water-maker and after some thinking how about and what could have happened? A fuse had scorched. We never keep on the electrical equipment while we are not on board How it is to have water in your diesel that we now know as well and that’s solved as well! It is a sailing-yacht so just we had hoisted the sails, the motor stopped. Ed had forgotten to close the wing-nut of the ventilation properly. Nobody is perfect! Just doing one load in the washing-machine before we cast off the hawsers! A rattling sound-stop button-happily the valve was on the topside-clean/wet laundry could taken out-the drum a couple of degrees out of the centre and the motor jammed so a new job for Ed. Miele-servicecentre mailed that there is an agent in Singapore! In the meantime the laundry will be taken to the local ladies and the washing-machine we will leave it for what it is. It is getting time to tell the ‘goodies’ Great to head for open sea in accompanied by our friends, Anne and Errol, from Nelson. The wind on this trip was quite calm but yeah you can’t have it all. A couple of weeks ago some sailing-friends of ours made the trip Phuket to Langkawi- strong winds/no wind In daytrips from Langkawi to Phuket is very fascinating, every time call in different islands, is a treat. This time at the east-side instead of the west-side of the island drop the anchor because of the wet season. Not much rain. Of course there are tropical showers with strong winds to match but not on this trip. Via Koh(means island)Lipi (small)- great swimming in crystal water- to Koh Kradan. 270605 Nice sail and 50 nm is written in the log-book. Via Koh Muk where Anne and Ed with helmets on, went into the Mozakot, a tour of 80 metres under the rocks, only possible during LW and by a very exciting dinghy-trip, they arrived into a ‘HONG’. A Thai inside-room, the walls are formed by rocks and the daylight is coming in by an open ceiling. Actual You enter a crater of a volcano. The water is clear-green, the colour of emerald. To Koh Ngai where we could take a buoy before a nice resort. Time for a lunch ashore. We felt with our noses into Dutch butter. What was going on? This was the last tv-shooting day of 7 weeks of the ‘terra incognito’ program what will be broadcast somewhere in October/November this year. No I don’t tell anything about it! Some one showed her finger because I had taken a shooting scheme. I was not aware of anything, just reading it. Suddenly a lady, who was in charge, was heading towards me and made her excuses but it was a ‘top secret’! And we thought it was a shooting scheme because earlier that morning we heard some shooting! A very beautiful island with a breathtaking view. Stayed another day and that was quite convenient. Ed and Anne did not want to miss the closing ceremony with 120 people and closing fireworks/fire-eaters and they really enjoyed themselves. From the boat it was a great view and some one has to do the anchorage dance! With pleasure, a clear sky full with stars! Nice to be on my own. Errol was already laying into Morpheus his or her arms. From Koh Ngai to Phi Phi Don is about 55 nm and on the way we saw a bunch of dolphins, the first time in the waters around Phuket. For the first time ashore on Phi Phi Don and ah this island is badly damaged by the tsunami. The middle part is almost totally destroyed and the heap of ruins are piled, ready to be taken to the waiting ships. When? We did not see any shovels. Logistic? Who knows it, says it. We could see that already a big job has done and still another big job has to be done. The tourists/Japanese and especially many backpackers were taken from and to the locations, which are still intact mainly the sides of the bay. We spoke people and one said: in November we start rebuilding in the middle part and another said: oh it will take another three years before they start. We are very impressed of what we saw and felt, a spontaneous fit of weeping is allowed. With a former manager of one of the resorts we drank a beer out of his cool box, which we paid for. His wife cooked a delicious meal for us, we also pay our part to her. They have not heard of an allowance and so they managed themselves to survive. We shared a table with an Australian, who is visiting this island for more than 6 years, made build him a longtailer, took the sails and mast of a dinghy out of Australia! When he is not around during the year a local fisherman is allowed to use the boat. Just before dark. Ed are you going with me for a sail, it will be the maiden trip. Name of the boat: Think it/Do it! They sailed! The next day we wanted to plant a sprouted cocos nut near the beach and we peddle ashore and met the skipper of last night with a scoop in his hand. What has been happening? The swell during the night had filled ‘Think it/Do it’ with water so I she sunk. With a lot of helping hands she was pulled ashore but the next time, take the sails off! Time to pull up the anchor and motoring to our next goal, Phang Nga Bay. A spectacular bay! See pictures click pictures Phang Nga bay. Enjoying very much, after our friends left us after 12 days and we dropped them at the airport after a great time together, our freedom and being together. Nothing is a must, the allowance feeling! Occasionally we rent a car to explore more this beautiful island, new beaches-the sea is always calling us-splendid surf!, We keep in touch and you? Please, send us an email? We appreciate and enjoy this very much! Be happy! Cheers and love from Ed and Carla