March Already?

Let me start this off by saying I am sorry.  It has been over two weeks since my last post and I know there is no better way of losing readers than making them wait soo long for new posts.  Hopefully after reading this post you will get a better sense of whats been going on.

When I last posted it was the Friday morning after the event.  The event which I am still hearing raves about and just got an 1hr 30 minute long video of.  I hope to post a part of it onto facebook.  Friday night I went out with some friends to see a Thai Reggae band called Job2do.  They had their show at a reggae bar at the far south end of Kata beach.  The bar was jumping and it was a lot of fun.  I got to hear them play their most famous song.  I think its a pretty awesome jam.  They totally look the part of a reggae band too.  The show was literally on the beach perfect spot for it and there were some fireworks(unrelated to the show) going on in the background to complete the event.  Overall a really fun night with a good group of people.

Saturday I slept in before Claire met me and we went to go get some dinner.  We were supposed to have some free bbq at Skyla Bar but got there late so there wasnt any left.  We hung out having a beer with her friend and an american we met.  As we were a half beer from leaving a torrential downpour hit and we were stuck.  We were stuck there for another 2 hours eating nothing but potatoe chips before we eventually got some bread and salad.  Not exactly the BBQ we had been hoping for.  When the rain finally let up we were all in need of some real food.  Claire and I made plans to meet up with the other two later and went to the rooftop bar where we ate and then ended up getting free wine.  We ended up staying there until 4 am.  Remember things are supposed to close at 2 am here.  Claire stayed in the second bedroom with Biscuit (my arch nemesis) and he couldnt have been happier to have company.

Sunday I was invited to join Claire at the opening of East 88 a bar inside Serenity.  Truly an amazing place.  It took me so long to get there because its on the other side of the island but when I did wow!  Free food and drink and the food was good.  The first time I had seen smoked salmon and Caesar salad.  Serenity is located on the south eastern side of the island where the beaches arent as nice but the views are still amazing.  I took some photos and will post them at the bottom. Overall a fun event and Pascal the manager is a nice guy.  I wish I could afford to go to some of these places more often.

Monday was back to work.  Work went well and then it was onto another event Claire got me into.  This was the Calvin Harris show.  He is most known for this.  He is a DJ and the club was bumping.  Something I would have never gone to unless I was on the VIP list.  We went up to the club around 10 and it was dead.  Luckily we went into the VIP section where beers were $6  unfathomable!!!!!  Sorry you get used to different things here.  I met two of the DJ's at the radio station which is affiliated with the news paper Claire works for.  They were cool guys who ended up wanting to maybe do an interview about the foundation.  I know I must always bring business cards when I go places with Claire cause she has all the connections.  Around 12:30 Calvin finally came on but I was starting to get exhausted so I didnt even make it to his most famous song.  I left around 1:30.  I am lame I know.  The club seen just really isnt my scene unless I have had a few to drink and at those prices I could afford to.


Tuesday I made it to work hating the fact that I had gone out the night before.  The day went fine and I was happy to have a night in.  Today was lazy, well after work atleast.

Wednesday I decided to make the long trek to Kathu where Jen and Allie two of Claires friends were going to dinner.  We had what in Laos we call Sendat.  I have posts about this earlier in the blog.  This was a giant restaurant where the food was selected buffet style.  I just kept thinking about Lao Lao Beer garden in Luang Prabang.  I miss those guys.  Anyways dinner was fun and we had some drinks.  We decided to keep the night going and went to a bar the girls had driven by a hundred times but never gone in.  We pull up and the place seems interesting there is a live band inside and little outdoor seating area.  We are the only white people there....about time!  Too many farang on the island.  Anyways so I need to use the restroom.  I go into the mens room and no one else is there and then all the sudden I hear footsteps and them BAM!!  There is a warm towel on the back of my neck and thai guy is massaging my neck.  Needless to say this was unexpected.  I finished my business then went over to the sink while he followed.  He then turned on the water and gave me soap while massaging my neck and making small talk.  When I was finished washing my hands he gave me a towel and then stood there.  I gave him a 20.  Baht that is.  He smiled said thank you and then went on his way.  That was a first for me and hopefully the last.  I didnt see a single other person getting such treatment the rest of the night.  The cover band was pretty good and even did some requests.  The girls requested Job2Do and then Too Much Soo Much Very Much.  If you have been to SE Asia in the last few years you have heard this song.  Its so hard to erase from your memory too.  The crowd got into those songs and after they were done I had to make the long trek home.  I have no idea what time it was.  Another fun and interesting night in the books.

Thursday I woke up with one of these.  I made it to work and then found out that one of our students had won an art competition run by Claires newspaper.  We needed to get the student their vouchers so my boss told me I had to go to the club which I was invited to.  I wanted to go anyways its just always amazing when your boss tells you to do something like that.  I met Allie and Claire (who gave me the tickets for the student) at one of the only micro breweries in Phuket.  It was good but not great beer and super expensive for here.  I had an amazing fish and chips though.  Later Claire and I went to the Famous night club.  This is one of the coolest clubs I have ever seen.  It covers the third and fourth floor of a building.  The third floor looks like a traditional club with some cool seating and a skylight. The 4th floor is a rooftop beach club with beach chairs and lounges with a pool in the middle but the bottom of the pool is glass looking down onto the club below.  An awesome idea.  Some people went into the pool mind you it was like 75 degrees at 11pm when I was there.  There was a fire dancers who was spectacular.  I ran out of gas pretty early probably around midnight and made my break.

Friday I played some basketball at the school with some of the teachers and WOW I am out of shape. They play a physical form of the game that I really dont play so that didnt help things.

Saturday morning I was up bright and early going with one of the teachers to teach the children swimming lessons.  They are such a good group of children.  They are did really well and then after we had some relaxation time before we had another birthday party at Bliss Beach Club.  This was very similar to the one we had a few weeks ago but worse because I was in charge.  Everyone had a great time so I am told but there are things I know I could have done better.  Around 5pm I wanted to pass out but instead went out drinking with some of the teachers and stayed out until things closed around 2.

Sunday I woke up to find out that a bar literally 100m from me burned down around 3am.  I have no idea how I missed it happen.  We find out now that they think its some sort of insurance thing.  If I know thats what it is you have to think they arent getting their insurance money.

Monday Biscuit got snipped.  He was not a happy camper after that but now he is back to normal.  The last straw for Tina was when she saw him trying to create kittens with another neighborhood cat.

Tuesday Ryan the morning DJ came over to interview me.  I think it went well.  I should have the file to post up here at some point.

Wednesday I went out to dinner at a mexican food place which had some good tacos...not great or something that would come from the southwest but good.  It was surprising that the entire staff seemed to be pregnant.  Must be a special sauce or something.

Thursday was a half sick day.  I was sick and only made it half the day at work ie downstairs.  The half I was downstairs I got to listen to my interview on the radio.  It went much better than I thought and hopefully we get some volunteers from it.

Friday was an all sick day and my ankle had swollen up.  Weird stuff.

Today (Saturday)  I am feeling much better my ankle is no longer swollen and I think I can see two bite marks.  No idea what caused it but I am just happy its done now.  I might have a sinus infection of sorts but I have an event to go to tonight.  I wont drink but I must been seen!  Plus I am getting a little stir crazy.

Sorry again about the lack of posting I will try to keep it more regular.

Here are some photos.

 Food stations at East 88

 The pool area at East 88.

 One of the lounges upstairs at East 88.  I could sit there all day couldnt you?

 I do some work with children in case you thought I was just partying all the time. 

 Coconut Club our after school activities group.

I do a lot more arts and crafts at my job than I thought I would.

Thanks again for reading and if you have any questions or comments I always appreciate them.