Blue Skies in October

Well, it's been a week now since we got back from our little holiday to Hua Hin (quite nice place, we might go back - see here for Hua Hin hotels), Suan Phung and Chumphon. I'm back at work at Sunrise Divers, high season seems to be here early, but I am sure there's got to be a bit more wet weather to come sometime before the real high season starts. This week has been almost all blue skies.



(above) Karon Beach, 10th October

People were freaking 5 or 6 days ago about tropical storm Gaemi which was heading inland on the usual route across Vietnam, people were worried it would "hit" Bangkok, even though it was clear to see that the storm would be downgraded to a depression by then anyway. Nothing happened. Of course. For storm tracking, there's a great website called Tropical Storm Risk - you can sign up for storm alerts by email too (I have). I don't think Phuket has ever in recorded history been hit by a tropical storm strength system. And only once in the last more than 100 years has Thailand been hit by a big storm, that was called Typhoon Gay in 1989 and it hit my wife's home town Chumphon. Wasn't funny, she said. Especially as her family's house was right by the river.

I have not been doing daily weather photos, no time for that, back at work .. but on the 10th as well as the blue sky photo above, I did a little video at Karon beach :



And then we had a fantastic sunset later while eating dinner at The Beach Bar, a little restaurant at Cape Panwa.



Great weather! Yes, it is still low season. But looking at Windguru, looks like the winds are changing in the next week. Hardly any wind at all forecast. Once the winds change to a solid northeast, then it's high season, the beaches are calm and the temperature is a tiny bit cooler. This end of October period coming up might have some thunderstorms. If it's hot and there's not much wind, you have to get thunderstorms. But looks good overall for anyone visiting this coming week.

AND on Sunday 14th the Phuket Vegetarian Festival starts! My favourite festival continues until 24th October. I plan to see some of the big street processions in Phuket Town, these take place early morning every day from the 17th to 23rd. And I do plan to try very hard to stick to the special festival diet. What is the festival all about? Well, try reading : The Phuket Vegetarian Festival. Or here are a few photos from last year ...











Here's a Schedule for the Phuket Vegetarian Festival 2012. I am looking forward to the next 2 weeks!