Stage 5 - 9th February 2014

Had a restless nights sleep after Dianne's phone started vibrating at 01:30 with a text message. Tried to get back to sleep but failed. Finally got up at 05:00 to be picked up by a taxi at 06:00 - well eventually after some strange dialogue with a guy on reception who speaks no English! Don't know what happens if there's an emergency! The conversation goes something like this:
Hello, I have a taxi booked for 6 am, could you send the buggy for the luggage please?
Hello?
Hello, can you hear me?
Yes.
I have a taxi booked at 6:00 am, could you send a buggy for the luggage?
A taxi?
Yes, I have a taxi booked.
You want taxi?
No, taxi booked, I just need help with the luggage.
Hello?
Why do you keep saying 'hello'?

What comes to mind is Fawlty Towers, I'm just waiting the 'K?'

Then silence. So I put the phone down and head for reception where there are 3 guys on duty, none of whom speak English but, thankfully the taxi driver has turned up so I take him round to the villa and pack up the luggage.

The flight to Phuket is uneventful with some great views over the countryside, especially as we approach the airport when we fly over some of the iconic islands; looking forward to seeing them from a boat.

We booked a limo from the airport - we've done this each time because it only costs a few pounds more than a standard taxi but there is so much more space for us and the luggage.

The hotel - Treetops Resort - is on the west coast of Phuket Island on a bay called Kamala but it's a mile or so from the beach; thankfully they have a shuttle bus setting off every hour to take people into the town.

We are allocated an apartment - lounge, dining area, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom, very spacious but on the ground floor. The trouble is all the walls a glass so there's no privacy! So we ask to change and we are offered a second floor room, much better and totally private. Then we discover there's no hot water - again - then the safe doesn't function! So we decide to catch the shuttle into town to find a restaurant, which we do. There are several that look OK but we select one offering fresh fish and both choose the red mullet, which is delicious, with a bottle of French white wine, which isn't but is expensive. The bill was £56, the wine £26!

Back in the room which now has hot water and a functioning safe!

View from our room

Looking from our balcony to other parts of the hotel