Glen’s 40th Birthday Thai Extravaganza: Part Two

Monday was Glen’s actual 40th birthday which meant we could sing Happy Birthday to him all day long – he hates it being sung even once, let alone the six times we managed throughout the day.

It was another early start as we were going to Phi Phi Islands that day and had to drive across Phuket for our departure from the harbour. We’d booked a reasonable sized catamaran for the ten of us, preferring to set our own pace and have our own space, rather than join the cruises that have 30+ people on them. The horror!

We boarded the boat and set course for the first island, getting off to go snorkelling for a bit. The island was small – I can’t remember its name – but it had a couple of little bays where we could snorkel. One of the amazing things was walking into the water off the beach and having hundreds of brightly coloured fish swarm around us. We almost didn’t need to snorkel.

Almost.

Because snorkelling is the best way to see the giant jellyfish you’re swimming into.

I got stung. Twice! Once across my shoulder and another across my stomach. It stung. It was painful. I got out of the water. Donna and Dion also got stung. One of the culprits was a big pink powderpuff type of jellyfish. Big bastard with a big sting.

We got back on the boat and cruised around to Phi Phi Ley where we went snorkelling again. The variety of fish was amazing including angel fish and a couple of the blue dory fish. A slight sting here and there but nothing like before. We swam beneath the shaded overhand of the giant rocky cliffs above us. It was like you imagine it will be when you see the photos (although without all the people and boats around).

Next was Phi Phi Don (maybe? I could have the names wrong) but we didn’t stop and disembark. More stunning scenery. More boats. Don’t go expecting it’ll just be you.

Monkeys (or macaques) on another island and then we went to one of the big islands for lunch. This place was set up with resorts and restaurants and was a bit hideous but we had a decent lunch (like we ever go hungry) and then got back on the boat.

I think because we had a private boat and set our own times we were able to avoid too many people. When we got back to our boat from lunch, the beach was full of boats whereas when we arrived there were only a few.

We hightailed it out for another spot of snorkelling. No stingers (yay!) but so many fish. Colourful green ones, angel fish, completely yellow ones, sea cucumbers, purple amoebas, sea urchins… A few of the group even saw reef sharks!

Swimming back to the boat, Donna and Callum were throwing small pieces of watermelon into the water in front of me and the fish SWARMED including once when the food landed right in front of my snorkel. I screamed through my snorkel but it was so much fun. This then set us off for the next while, making the fish swarm in front of whomever was coming back to the boat. Hilarious!

Phi Phi Islands done, we headed back to the mainland. The hour-long ride saw most of us dozing to while away the time (nothing to do with being so tired from all the sun and sea).

When we got back to the villa, there was a bunch of flowers for Glen from the villa staff and they’d got some balloons for our bedroom. The smell of cake baking wafted up the stairs. I denied they were baking him a cake and said it was just pad Thai. I don’t think he believed me.

We spent a few hours in the pool, drinking and chatting and watching a stunning sunset. Then we dressed for dinner. A few of us sat outside and watched the amazing lightning storm happening over the water.

Dinner was a feast and we all struggled to finish it (in fact, we couldn’t finish everything). Somehow we’d ordered way too much. We sat there, talking and trying not to pass out from overeating, and then the lights went out. The staff came in with Glen’s cake, a fantastic chocolate and mousse cake with delicate chocolate flowers on top. It was wonderful! And we got to sing happy birthday again.

We couldn’t finish the cake so we gave a quarter of it to the staff. Glen said they were pleased. Birthday celebrations done, we watched RuPaul’s Drag Race: Untucked and by 9:30pm were heading off to bed. I’ve never wanted my bed more.