Our second day in Phuket was spent in Phi Phi Island, a very famous tourist spot. Phi Phi Island is a small island off Phuket, and it takes about 45 minutes to get there via speedboat (which is what we did!).
Our group consisted of about 12 people, led by a tour guide who told us to call him Oak. He was really professional and knew a lot! As he brought us to our designated speedboat, we took some time to explore the ocean marina. It kind of reminds me of Mandurah and Hillarys Boat Harbour.
And off we went! The speedboat ride was pretty smooth, but there were a few bumps here and there. Every now and then, some seawater would splash in, and I just happened to be sitting by the side! I was kind of spared - the girls sitting beside me weren't too lucky and got quite drenched! I later had small conversations with them and found out that they were from South Africa - one was a teacher and the other was a high school graduate. They were really friendly!
Throughout the boat ride, I could see small offshore islands every now and then, so I took as many pics as I could.
We stopped by at a small lagoon for people to have a short swim. And I'm still awed by how pristine the water is! I could literally see what's below it! The colour of the water was also really beautiful.
As people swam happily around, I climbed to the front of the boat (only permitted when the boat's stationary!) to take pictures. It was pretty easy as I'm really small-sized.
After the people (including the 2 girls sitting beside me) had their fun swimming, we set off to Maya Bay - where people were allowed to snorkel! I didn't bring my bathers...so no snorkelling for me! Besides, I wanted to take pictures. So I sat on the deck.
Oak (our tour guide) had invited his co-worker on board as well, and he was in charge of taking videos for the day. Our videocamera-man jumped in together with the snorkelling folks and filmed them swimming in the clear waters. And he got Oak to throw in some food for the fishes!
Oak happened to see me standing on the deck, and by then he had climbed to the top of the boat. So he invited me to join him, and I did! Climbing to the top of the boat was pretty easy - I had to climb up via the windshield, which was slippery, but Oak gripped on tightly and yanked me up. I had a nice time standing on top of the boat, before sliding back down to join the rest of the group.
And while I was on top, I took lots and lots of pictures of course!
The movie ends with DiCaprio's character saying, "Of course you could never forget what we have done [throughout our adventure], but we adapt. We carry on. And me I still believe in paradise. But now at least I'll know it's not some place you can look for because it's not where you go. It's how you feel for a moment in life when you're a part of something. And if you find that moment, it lasts forever." It's such a nice quote!
Our stop at the beach lasted 45 minutes, so I made full use of it! My mum had gone off to meditate, while my dad and bro found a shady spot.
We had to wade through knee-deep water to get to the beach, and my legs were totally drenched! Part of my pants were too, but I changed later on. Anyway there were so many people around! All from tourist boats, I presume!
And damn it, I dropped my lens cap twice into the water. Now it's sandy and I've to get all the sand out slowly. Yes - the sand's still trapped in there...
Stopped by a smaller beach known as Monkey Beach on our way to lunch. Well - we all know why it's called Monkey Beach! Lots and lots of macaque monkeys were happily swinging away and enjoying the food we brought for them!
Ended up in a major hub in Phi Phi Island for lunch. I had tomyam soup, green curry, rice and green veggies. Our lunch was set out in a buffet style, and was really decent! In fact it tasted pretty good!
Ominous looking dark clouds were starting to gather as we left. And it started drizzling shortly after.
Our next stop was to be Bamboo Island. But when we travelled to the island, we were hit by more rainy weather. Here comes the most epic part of the whole trip! The boat was extremely rocky, and the waves were so violent. Our boat was literally rocked from side to side, and the waves (instead of the captain!) was in full control. At one point water kept splashing into the boat and one of the guys sitting next to me always got splashed! The South African girls (I met earlier) and I were sitting towards the front, and the three of us shared a towel to prevent ourselves from being splashed. Our biggest fear was the strong winds, and at one point Oak had to pull the blinds to cover up any exposed areas. He was really calm, and somehow managed to keep his balance.
It was quite a scary ordeal. The boat was so rocky that I thought it would capsize. Fortunately it didn't. All of us had to cling on tightly to our seats. However...there was one guy who just HAD to pee in the middle of the journey, and we laughed raucously as he stumbled into the toilet! He came out a few minutes later and everyone applauded for him. Later on, the guy whispered to his partner, "I had hell pissing in there!" and that sent us into more laughter! Seriously I wonder how he managed to pee during the bumpy ride!
Lots of stuff had fallen to the floor by the time we reached the next island. We were so relieved when we saw land.
Some people (including the 2 girls next to me) decided to go for a swim, while others headed to a small bar within the island. Including the guy who pissed during the tempest. Many came back with beers and drinks!
Again - we had to wade through some seawater in order to get to the island. I opted not to. I stayed in the boat and took pictures of the surroundings. In fact, the islands and boats looked pretty nice despite the horrid weather!
By the time everyone returned from the bar, we decided to call it a day, and we headed back to Phuket. It was such a tiring day, and we totally didn't expect the rainy weather! Throughout that day, I felt as if I was on the rocky boat. Oak himself was drenched from jumping into the sea, but he was friendly as always, thanking us for bearing with the tempest and also for giving him support. He was so popular amongst our group!
Anyway that's what happened on Day 2! We stayed inland on Day 3 - going to places like the Seashell Museum, Wat Chalong monastery and walking around Phuket Town itself. Stay tuned!