Well, hopes of a sunny afternoon yesterday were dashed by several hours of quite heavy rain. Wettest day for a while, thank the Lord we had our party on Saturday! It was dry when I got home, so I played outside with the kids. Unfortunately, baby boy fell while trying to climb off his bike, banged his head on a stone and started bleeding. It looked bad at first. There was blood dripping on the floor, so we decided to dash off to the hospital...

Bangkok Phuket Hospital is great. We use it for everything. Baby boy was born there, I had a hernia operation there, the kids get their jabs there. And although it's a private hospital and is not really cheap, we find that, like last night, they are honest. The doctor gave us an ice pack to put on his head (which had stopped bleeding), gave him a quick examination and told us not to worry. You might think a private hospital would at least charge you for doctors time, wound cleaning etc.. but no.

Monday has started cloudy but dry. Stay tuned for more weather...

Why am I working on Sunday? Have a sore head, but we have a nice new coffee machine in the office..The day started wet, dark clouds over the hills, wind and rain delaying my ride to Patong a while. We have had a good spell, so one might expect a bit of rain, but we would like to head for Bang Wad Dam this afternoon for my daughter to ride her new bike.

Great new weather link for Phuket weather:

http://weather.phuket-info.com/

Nicke has set up a weather station with real time reporting (well, it updates hourly). You can see the temperature, rainfall, humidity and even (!) the wind chill factor (not sure we need that data here). Good on ya, Nicke!

Thankfully, Saturday was dry and warm. Indeed I caught the sun while cleaning up the garden in preparation for a party and BBQ. About 45 people arrived at our house and were able to eat and drink and be merry. Lots of kids running around all over the place, everyone having fun. Saw some folks I'd not seen in a while, and finally met our neighbour David who is the director of a charity based in Khao Lak..

The 4Kali.org Foundation was set up by the family of a girl who died in the tsunami. They are continuing their support for the local people around Khao Lak, helping with building and educational projects, and also have a Support a Child program. Many kids were left orphaned after the tsunami. The effect on the local community along the west coast was largely ignored by the media who concentrated more on the tourists, but thousands died, among them many illegal Burmese immigrants and construction workers. I've heard numbers quoted like several thousand Burmese died. Not in Myanmar, but in Thailand.

Weather - Awoke to darkness. I wondered if maybe my daughter had been fiddling with the alarm clock and I'd been woken at 4am. No, it was just dark skies. Lots of black clouds around and I got a little wet on the ride to work on my valiant steed. No worries, it got brighter later in the morning. Please, oh please stay dry tomorrow - we have invited about 20 people round for a BBQ. Rain is not welcome!

Tour de France - well, having been a great race, we now have the possibility that Floyd was doped up, or maybe his body just produces large anounts of testosterone? I mean that 17th stage he was well pumped and was not taking any **** from anyone, so maybe he went into testosterone overdrive? I hope so, or I may not bother watching Le Tour again.

Amusing Link for today:

If you have never seen Weebl and Bob, now is the time...
Weebl and Bob - Blind Date
A Handy Guide for Cat Owners

Yesterday was hot again, a real toaster of a day. Thank God for air con. Had lunch at a local Thai eatery with Mandy and Brian. Who? Exactly. Mandy is a vague relative of mine from Canada. Something like my 4th cousin. I believe we share the same great grandparents or maybe great-great grandparents. My mum enjoys a spot of genealogy and has researched our family history back to the dark ages where it seems we are all decended from William the Conquerer. So where's my darn crown, then? One imagines that the conquering King decided to conquer a few maidens, something like: Vidi, Vici, Veni (yes, I know he was not Roman). Anyway, somewhere back down the line some of the family decided Canada looked nice and went over there. Nice people. They are teachers in Taiwan.

Then yesterday evening we met Steve, Fran and George again, took them up to a restaurant called "Thai-Italy" on Nanai Road (the quiet back road of Patong) for pizza, pasta and Singha. I really must add that restaurant to the restaurant section on Jamie's Phuket. Maybe tomorrow..

Oh I forgot, this is supposed to be a weather blog, sorry.

Today has started cloudy and a bit grey, though I have not seen any rain. You're bound to have the odd grey day after so many hot ones, and nobody really complains about a cooler day.

Amusing Link of the day:
Dragostea Din Taksin

Yesterday we had a gorgeous sunny evening, almost clear skies. We took advantage and went out to eat at Dairy Hut in Phuket Town, one of our fave restaurants. My daughter wolfed down a huge plate of spaghetti, my son threw fried rice all over the place, even managing to eat a fair amount. I had the Yam Dairy Hut. Yam? Yum Yum.

Today has been cloudier, though I don't think we will have any rain.

World News. I am totally dismayed by the situation in the middle East. It's like I want to get between them and say "Oy! You lot, stop fighting!". But can you say that to Israel or to Hezbollah? They just hate each other too much. Part of me just says "let them get on with it", but it's not the leaders or the soldiers who suffer, it's kids and innocent civilians. It's terrible.

Here's a little video which made me laugh, titled "Israelis in India"...

Sunday was another warm day, no rain, partly cloudy. We met some old friends who are here on holiday - Steve and Fran used to run the Bundu Cafe on Utila. I first met them 10 years ago when I was doing my divemaster course and they were customers. A couple of years later I went back to Utila and found they were still there! They had a baby and decided to head back to the UK. Their "baby" is now 7. They have a cafe in Loughborough (England) called the Baobab Cafe (www.baobabcafe.com). Time passes.

We picked them up from the Dusit Laguna, and went for lunch with them to Laem Hin Seafood. Aside from my usual Yam Gung Seab (dried shrimp salad) we ordered Yam Kai Bla (fish roe salad) - Delicious! For 4 adults and the kids to eat cost 600 Baht (15 dollars, 8 quid).

After showing off our house, we took them up Buddha Mountain for some views. It's great up there. One can only imagine what it will be like when it's finished.

Monday has started sunny again - now this is normal July weather. It's a good month to visit Phuket.

Sunny and Hot. Just the way most people like it. There was actually some rain on my house at about 6am, but the day has been mostly clear, nice and warm, good weather for tourists.

Started watching a movie last night, The Longest Yard. I like Adam Sandler, but did not realise the film was about American Football. Turned it off halfway. Sorry, Adam, I think American Football is a silly game.

Le Tour is nearly over, today is the time trial, and Floyd could win. Not sure if I want anyone called Floyd to win, although you have to feel sorry for him. He is going to have hip replacement surgery after the tour and is unlikely to race again. But do we need another American winner? Come on Carlos Sastre!

Another warm sunny day in Patong. At least it has started that way. I just went for lunch in the sunshine, though as I was eating a shower rattled down for about 2 minutes. I often eat at the same place for lunch, a small restaurant on a back road and always seems to have the same customers, as it would be hard to find if you don't know where it is. Excellent Panang Gai.

Later we'll be going out for a friend's birthday. I guess we'll eat at a little Italian place called "Thai-Italy" on the back road of Patong (Nanai Road). Great pizza there, cooked al forno just as it should be.

Tour de France - Well, after the last 2 days you thought nothing else would happen..then Landis runs away with the stage and almost gets the Maillot Jaune back despite starting the day 8 minutes off the lead! He was continually holding a water bottle dousing his head with water and drinking, afraid to get dehydrated - and it worked. Amazing race, truly.

Yesterday's Tour - BBC Sport

The sun continues this week. Yesterday was a lovely day again. Had a brief shower on my house this morning, but the roads in Patong just a few km away were dry. Long may the sun shine, much as I like things to cool off a bit.

Tour de France - I found that our cable TV show the whole race live, rather than the usual 30 minute highlights show. I've been glued to the screen for the last 2 days as the race has been excellent, even in the shadow of the drug problems that led to the main favourites not being allowed to take part. The last 2 days have been in the Alps and there have been all kinds of changes. I've not really kept up with Le Tour for a few years now. I used to be an addict and was a keen cyclist myself. Back in 1990, along with Rob and Giles, we made a 2500km tour through France and into Spain, including a week in the Pyrenees.

Link: Le Tour de France (BBC Sport Cycling Section)

Sunday 16th July - Glorious day. Hoorah. Too much rain last week, I really needed a dose of sun. The rain gets everything green, but on Sunday, everything was shining. We took a drive around - I fancied some fresh air, and where better than up the highest hill in Phuket - Radar Hill. You can see a view over Patong Beach below:



Radar Hill on "Jamie's Phuket"

The wind was still blowing. We drove along Kata beach and there was not much beach to be seen as the wind was pushing the waves so high up. Same story at Karon, which I have to say was looking very neat and tidy. There's been a lot of work in Karon over the last couple of years and now it puts Patong to shame, though the trouble with Karon is, there ain't much there except the hotels..

Monday - another hot day, mostly sunny, though there was a brief shower in the afternoon. Sea looking a bit calmer.

News - Phuket was nowhere near the tsunami/earthquake that struck Southern Java yesterday more than 2,000km from here. BBC News Report

Is it sunny today? Well, let's say it's nicer than yesterday. Not wet, not sunny, could be getting better for tomorrow? Hope so. Sunday - my day of rest! Ha!

By the way, I had a decent 25 Baht bowl of noodles for lunch, right here in the heart of Patong from a passing noodle stall on wheels. The street food is all over, as obviously the people working here are not going to eat at tourist restaurants for lunch. For breakfast, aside from coffee, I had a bag of "pa tong goh", (spelling doesn't matter) - these are little fried donuts that look like )( . Tasty and good with coffee. Street food.

Today reminds me of a quote:

So foul and fair a day I have not seen.

Answers on a postcard please - where is the quote from?

Also reminds me of a song:

In the morning I awake,
My arms my legs my body aches,
The sky outside is wet and grey,
So begins another weary day. (Madness, Grey Day)

Was dark as a dungeon this morning, one can only hope it will improve. Yesterday was also rather dark, with some small patches of brightness. This green season is wetter than I have seen before. July is normally quite nice! Hell, I'll be getting S.A.D soon! I...need..sun....

Hope it's nicer where you are, dear reader.

Tuesday was a public holiday in Thailand - the start of Buddhist Lent, or Wan Kao Pansa. Weather was grey, looked like rain all day, but very little actually fell. Quite windy too, which would mean nice big waves out at sea. Today has started wet and grey again...and continued that way most of the day. Some heavy rain in the centre of the island in the late afternoon. Wife called to say she had to stop the car, it was raining too hard to see. But I got home with hardly a drip on me. Rain can be very localised here.

Phuket was nice and sunny on Sunday, a very relaxing day off...well, quite a bit of work to do around the garden. Wall and gate now all painted fresh. Must take a photo. We went to "Super Cheap" - a huge warehouse type shop, only 2nd time I have ever been there, and we bought some wooden garden furniture. Real heavy wooden furniture. A table and 4 benches for 2700 Baht. Will be delivered today. Once you have a house and garden the work never ends!

Monday has started very gloomy indeed. Had been rain during the night. Slowly seems to be getting brighter..Lunch at Fiddy's on Soi Sansabai. Fiddy's does a great breakfast, and the burger I had was pretty decent too.

World Cup - c'est finis. Decided on penalties. Well done Italy. Zidane, you are a nonce. See Zidane's Headbutt.

Mind you, here's the Italians in training:



Wimbledon also over. I did manage to watch some of the Federer-Nadal final. Some great tennis. In fact, I would say the men's tennis is now more exciting than the ladies. A few years back the men's was getting rather dull, but these boys really know how to play!

Phuket weather for the last 2 days...Partly Cloudy, some rain around - a 10 minute shower yesterday lunchtime, some sunshine, quite windy, with fair sized waves at the beaches - the SW monsoon winds have started now, which makes the weather a bit fresher. Looks like a mixed bag for the next day or two.

Today (Thursday) started grey and cloudy, looking like rain, but this has not come to pass. Things have got brighter and it's hot. Well, it's nearly always hot here. It ain't half hot, mum. Meet the gang coz the boys are here, the boys to entertain you...Work has started at our house today - cleaning and painting the wall around the garden, which currently looks awful with lots of black mold growing. Should be all done in a few days and will make our house look so much better.

I'l be off for lunch in a moment, another cheap and filling Thai lunch.

World Cup - see below:



So, it will be France v Italy in the final. Interesting, but as a depressed Englishman, not worth staying awake for.

BBC Report - France 1 Portugal a big fat ZERO - serves them right for having the nerve to beat England

Again, a sunny and bright morning. Some would say hot. Did see some dark clouds over the hills as we drove through Phuket Town, coming back from the Immigration office and the Work Permit office, but 20 minutes later as I drove over the hill to Patong, no sign of rain anywhere. Firecrackers were going off at the temple on the hill, almost drowning out the beeps.

World Cup - Who cares? Last night's score: Italy 2 - Germany NIL. Maybe I do care about tonight. Come on France and beat those cheating Portuguese!

More importantly, well done indeed to David Walliams (from Little Britain) for swimming the English Channel for charity. What a star:

See here: http://www.sportrelief.com/superswim/

Sunny! Oh say, can you see by the dawn's early light? Yes, it's July 4th. Guess that means flag waving time if you're a Yankee. I imagine lots of folk in England sheepishly putting flags away after the usual sporting disappointments. World Cup - gone. Wimbledon - no British players left. Tour de France - a total fracas, but no Brits involved anyway except the guy who was banned for 2 years and has now come back. I have no time for drug users in sport. Life Ban would be the best medicine and the best deterrent.

Did I mention it's sunny in Phuket today? Well, it is.

Sunday was actually quite nice, though I am not sure we put it to good use. Wife and baby dozed much of the afternoon while I did some colouring with my nearly 5 year old girl. The morning was spent waiting in the hospital to see a doctor, as she has been coughing all week. Doctor said it was bronchitis. Hope she's better today. Evening we at at Dairy Hut in Phuket Town, everyone stuffed full. Then took a drive via a back road up Rang Hill, a nice drive in the early evening light.

World Cup is now over, well it's not, but England lost on penalties AGAIN, after playing better football after Rooney was sent off. Maybe even deserved to win, but nobody could find the back of the net. England have now lost on penalties in 1990, 1996, 1998, 2004 and 2006 in major championships. So, in the great English tradition, let's find someone to blame. I choose Sven.

I choose Sven because of this:



The photo is from the World Cup 2002. The whole England bench celebrates as Beckham scores against Argentina. Sven sits there quietly looking like he's waiting for a doctor's appointment while releasing a sneaky fart, and wishing all those noisy guys would shut up. What's there to be excited about, lads? I rest my case.

July already? Blink and you miss it.

Another warm, dry, vaguely sunny day in Phuket. Have just eaten a fine Panang Chicken Curry for lunch, along with some cha yen (ice tea). Bit of a party tonight for 2 reasons - it's a friends birthday. He's German but is not interested in football....but we will have a good BBQ and a few cold ones....and also tonight England have a chance to make the World Cup semi finals. Will they do it? Will they play good football, or will they try endless long balls and run around like headless chickens? My spider sense tells me England will win tonight. But, I'm not a spider, so that could be wildly inaccurate.

Last night's footie: Germany won, when it looked like they might be gone. The Argie manager did a Sven, and took off 2 of his best players when leading 1-0.



BBC Report on Germany v Argentina