What better way to celebrate our graduation  anniversary than a  3 day getaway to the island of Phuket- the beachy paradise  with  College friends(Amigos : Ajith, Narayan (our Able Team Leader), Rajendran, Tina, Sindhu, Santhosh ( Our Tour Ideation  Manager), Salim, Suraj (and ye the two  teenagers:  my son Aditya who staunchly believed that he had to do this trip despite giving his school a miss  since after all we only live once 😉 and Sindhu’s son Achu) ) !

We met at the Kochi  airport  to catch the 1 am flight to Bangkok amidst surprise birthday celebrations  and excitement galore ,setting the holiday mood,( thanks to the ones who plotted the same) . Thailand has On  Arrival visa and a couple of us opted for the same.  The whole process got completed in about 45 min and we were ready to board our  next flight to Phuket .

We  were picked up from Phuket airport by a representative from the travel agent and transported to Amari Phuket  resort  that nestles along side the  much famed touristy Patong beach.  The drive took about one hour plus  and we had lunch on way at an Indian restaurant. Surprisingly the landscape enroute saw a lot of rubber plantations and greenery which gave a feel of homeland ! The rainforests and mountains lend this place an alluring  charm. With good infrastructure and friendly people ,  the way Phuket has bounced back after the Tsunami in 2004 is  quite commendable.

Amari Resort sits  majestically  perched on a hill top overlooking the azure blue waters of Andaman Sea. We were welcomed with scented towels and flavoured tea  that was quite refreshing. After checking in to our rooms  and freshening up   , we  stepped out to explore the  beach lining the resort and its  rocky premises.

A narrow winding pathway through a dense  thicket led us to a  long pier which  summed up as a swimming deck . It extended into the waters where once could see coloured fishes swimming around . It seemed out of the world- this  idyllic experience!

With the vast blue expanse shimmering in the sun and the breeze , the place lend a surreal effect that  let oneself lose in the moment. Bliss Indeed!

Needless to say it ended up as my favourite spot for the next three days as a part of  my early morning walks.

FantaSea  Show was on the agenda for the evening . The theme  park  with its sculpted gardens , water falls and lighting   teemed with tourists .We entered a  colourful market place which had  stalls where creative  artisans demonstrated as well as sold their  beautiful work and wares.

After a stroll of the place checking out on the various exhibits and the white tigers that were housed in an enclosure    , we decided to head for dinner. A buffet dinner spread across a huge banquet dining area served different cuisines. Once done, we queued up for the cultural show based on a fantasy legend  themed the magical kingdom of Kamala.

Soon, I realized, I was the only one awake(apart from my son whom I occasionally nudged from his sleep  to watch the performance much to his irritation)  with my eyes glued to the stage which glittered with various dancers ,magicians  and elephants  performing ,  while my friends were busy  dozing after the long day of travel (occasionally being jolted awake  by the loud bang of fireworks)!

We were dropped back to the resort in a  mini van whose interiors  gave a feel of a  dance floor with its flickering light effects .

As Morning broke, Tina and myself  went for a walk in the beach ,while my son went for a swim in the pool.   Pattalam  aka Rajendran  was already on the beach  immersed in his fitness regime and Yoga .

Sadly, Sindhu decided to give the sight seeing a miss and take rest in the hotel due to ill health. Soon the rest of us  met at  the breakfast table and we were ready to take on day 2.

Our first  stop  was at the Wat SuwanKhuha  a  Buddha temple located  in a limestone cave. The largest of the caves houses a stunning 15-metre reclining Buddha and this cave is decorated throughout with attractive Benjarong tiles. We explored  and walked  around the cavern   which had many other Buddha statues  and cultural relics too for about 20 min before heading to our next destination: Phang Nga Bay and James Bond Island tour.

We were to board the  long tailed boat that was docked in an area that was mostly covered with mangrove thickets.

As the boat sped rapidly through the waters  splashing salty droplets  on our faces  , views of the imposing   limestone cliffs  jutting out of the sea painted an amazingly exquisite scene.

We then alighted from the boat  at Talu island to later on step into smaller  rubber canoes for kayaking around the stalactites caves, towering limestone cliffs   and mangroves in the emerald green waters. The picturesque setting and the environment was delightful – the whole experience was  simply mind blowing !

Our next stop was Khao Phing Kan island (also known as James Bond island after it appeared in the movie  The Man With The Golden Gun) where we strolled around the  rocky cliffs and  tiny stretch of sandy beaches. Souvenir shacks lined the pathway where they sold knick knacks made from shells mostly. The limestone rock Koh Tapu  is around 20 meters tall with a diameter ranging from about 4 meters at the bottom and up to 8 meters at the top .

We were then taken to the fishing village on the  island of Koh Panyee where houses rested on stilts in water. Lunch was served (Thai cuisine is  a sea food lover’s delight)  here following which we had a look around the souvenir shops.

Soon, we cruised back to the pier  in the  boat and were dropped  back at the resort by van .

Evening was spent  strolling on the Patong beach catching up with all  in general on the past  and reminiscing  over the good old times and  accounting of campus tales that left one in splits.

Later on, we walked  around the bustling streets  which is famous for its vibrant markets and nightlife . It rained for a while too and we retired to the rooms post dinner  , hiring a tuk -tuk .

That said, Phuket is not only about neon lights and loud music.  As a striking contrast ,there is the Old Phuket town with  its row of coloured  buildings with tiled roofs(like a set of crayons packed)  giving the place a  quaint look.  We visited this part of the town on day 3 , thanks to our guide who offered to take us there.  The Sino Portugese architectural  influence is evident and a walk along the historical colorful  streets  with graffitis and shops selling interesting artifacts and curios is a unique experience  .

Big Buddha was on our itinerary next. The 45 m tall marble Buddha sits on top of Nakkerd Hills  and the site offers a 360 view of Phuket island.

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The last on our agenda was the Wat Chalong temple. Magnificent paintings illustrating the life of Buddha decorate the walls and ceilings. The Grand Pagoda dominating the temple contains a splinter of Lord Buddha’s bone.

We headed back to the airport ,carrying with us great memories of a short and funfilled  getaway  that commemorated 25 yrs of friendship !Cheers until Toronto 2018 😀 😀