It's like a Heatwave!

Some more great low season weather in Phuket over the last 2 days. Things have been rather mixed over the previous 2 weeks, but yesterday and today have been hot and sunny, the beaches have been becalmed - I reckon we might be in for an early start to the high season. Last year the rains continued into November which was unusual -so we need a long high season to make up for it - and to make up for coups, tsunamis, terror threats, bird flu and SARS scares etc... EVERYONE here hopes, prays and wishes for a tourist high season with no major disasters or negative news.

Yesterday, I went to the shipyards in the east of Phuket town with the boss. We wanted to visit a couple of liveaboard dive boats and catch 'em with their pants down kind of thing - seeing a boat during repairs and rehaul does not make them pretty but gives us a good feel for how the boat is run and a chance to see the boat "warts and all". We took a tour around the MV Jazz and the Queen Scuba (who were not expecting our visit at all!). Nice boats - Jazz is a good mid price dive boat, Queen Scuba a bit fancier and pricier. We intend to visit the port of Thap Lamu next week to see boats there and take in Khao Lak too.



Today - lovely day for aircon. I have been busy in the office. Quick Phad Thai for lunch, and got a 1GB RAM fitted to my computer. Feel the Speed!

Todays' Photos - Kata Beach and Painting our little temple in Karon Plaza:

 

Finally, farewell to Luciano Pavarotti. The voice. Like many millions I had just about zero interest in Opera until the World Cup 1990 and Nessun Dorma. In 1996 I carried a "3 Tenors" cassette with me for a year in my backpack. Still got the cassette in my house here in Phuket. Cancer does not respect icons.

Finally finally, Hurricane Felix may have missed my old hangout of Utila, but hit the coastal areas of Nicaragua and Honduras killing many people - see BBC News.

AND FINALLY - the Rugby World Cup Starts TODAY! See the BBC Sport Rugby pages.