Surprise surprise we are still in Phuket because we are shouting Musketelle a delayed xmas present by way of some tlc to her teak work. With Thailand being the land of teak we could not avoid rejuvinating some of our dear lady's teak timber work, both below and above decks. Wear and tear is one of those things that goes hand in hand with cruising and given the price of labour and access to teak this is the place to do it.
In saying that like anything anywhere it still requires undertaking market research into who you entrust your business and getting a fair deal.
We had heard that Thailand was "the place" to do boatwork but in reality global market forces have reached everywhere and it is nowhere near as good value as we had been lead to believe. For one thing marina berthage charges are no different to Tijuana or Tutukaka (actually Tutukaka is probably cheaper) and, if
it were not for the labour charges, Auckland would be better particularly as you have to stand over these guys to ensure they get it right.
it were not for the labour charges, Auckland would be better particularly as you have to stand over these guys to ensure they get it right.
We have had an average of 6 boys busying themselves on a mixture of small jobs for the whole week when one guy with all the tools would crunch the work in 2 days in NZ.
Had to do a double take at an economic comment in the Bangkok Post today that stated the government is anticipating an increase in unemployment but this would not surface whilst the cost of labour remains less than tool costs!!
We are also immersing ourselves in the culinary delights of Thai cooking most evenings as its cheaper to dine ashore rather than aboard (in truth the oven is sitting on the saloon seat whilst the edge of its wooden surround is redone and the galley floor is being ripped up and replaced in part so cooking facilities are a bit difficult). When we say dine, do not think formal restaurant with local body hygiene certification.... no, imagine a shed on the beach adjacent to the marina serving fine local cuisine for an average nz$5/8 per main course and cold beer for $2. Last night B had a superb chicken green curry and P had fresh calamari in garlic with black pepper and a salad.
There are a handful of eateries in the environs and one quickly picks up on the pecking order from other yachties, and most often its not the flashest physically that gets the vote but the cook with skill and personality.
Food is very much top of mind aboard at the moment because when the Navigator checked in to the Bangkok Phuket Hospital for her 'dental root canal' last week they expressed concern about her BMI being low. B weighs in at least 5kg lower than she was in NZ and that is after putting on quite a bit of weight (3 kg) in the last few months. For years P has been insisting on wholesome breakfasts and regular lunches without avail so now when a 3rd party climbs in we have got traction and she takes notice. (B says: I am working on increasing my chocolate intake - that should help).
Temperatures here have been surprisingly cooler than normal at around 28c, cooler at night and windier than normal. They are predicting the rice harvest will be delayed 2 weeks as a result. (heres a tip...as Thailand is the worlds biggest rice producer expect prices to rise in the short term).
On the subject of wind - we have had 30 plus knots for days and the Yacht Haven marina which does not have a breakwater, is experiencing white capped waves in the fairways. Another marina down the coast, the new Ao Po, has a wave attenuator but also no breakwater. Apparently one of it's pontoon broke loose in the same blow causing some major problems. A local boating publication says that the regional government will not permit breakwaters to be built for environmental reasons - bit strange when they seem to exercise no control over how the land is developed, with "condominium" mayhem becoming a blot on the landscape.
Thai driving habits continue to leave us bemused. In fact P is showing signs of developing an unhealthy road rage mental state due to bikes going the wrong way, bikes and cars pulling out in front with no warning and no checking, cars travelling down the centre line in a two lane carriageway, and cars making new lanes altogether! The other thing that is amusing is that at busy times the roundabouts are closed and everyone has to drive past to the next U turn area in order to get where they want to go. This is because no one gives way to anything or anyone so the vehicles coming onto the roundabout see no need to give way to those already on it and vice versa - and so the roundabouts simply clog up. Solution close them !!
One of the less nice things we have noticed is the abundance of mangy dogs and cats. Quite sad really and some horrible examples of injured dogs in particular. Mange is a common problem and all the cats have fleas, at the least. There are 2 animal welfare societies but they are fighting an uphill battle.
