Some of my favourite memories were (not in order):
‘Hong by Starlight’ cave kayaking tour with John Gray
I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Phuket. Each kayak was accompanied by a guide who paddled us inside the ‘Hongs’ (a sea cave). We entered some of the Hongs at dusk when the tide was quite high. Trying to lie as flat as possible in the inflatable kayak, we still had some too-close-to-comfort moments where the sharp shell encrusted ceiling was only a few centimetres away from the tip of our noses! Definitely not an experience for the claustrophobics! Inside the Hongs, we lit floating ‘Kratongs’ (offerings) as a sign of new beginnings and for good luck. The most magical moment was seeing the plankton glow like stars in the darkness when we waved our hands through the water. If you take the tour, make sure that your guide is an official ‘John Gray’ tour. Some of our friends had inexperienced tour guides and had a terrifying experience.Seeing Andara for the first time
On the second day of our arrival in Phuket, we went to meet the Andara wedding preparation team and see our wedding venue – for the first time. When we arrived we were completely awestruck by the luxury and beauty of the place. F & I were so excited that we could hardly contain ourselves from clapping and dancing like little kids!
Hen’s night spent with girls and girl boys
At my suggestion (but honestly without much persuasion needed!) my girlfriends/bridesmaids treated me to dinner and an evening of very classy entertainment – a Simon Cabaret show!! Some of these girly boys were, frankly, quite spectacular specimens. They had legs and torsos that would give any girl a good run for their money.
The wedding day
What can I say? It was so much fun, so beautiful and so memorable – and I wish we could do it again and again. I loved the excitement of getting ready in the morning with my bridesmaids (Kaz, Yoz and Lis). I loved seeing F’s face at the altar and recognising some of the 48 familiar faces in the crowd as I walked down the aisle. I loved that the light rain drizzle stopped just in time and gave way to a beautiful rainbow backdrop. Most of all, I loved making a promise of life together with my soul mate and having my loved ones there to witness it.
My dad the celebrity
When I asked my dad if he could do a speech, his first response was “is it really necessary?” Then he spent several months working, re-working, reciting and re-reciting his speech. Just before the reception, with the heat and nerves, he downed several cocktails thinking that they were just orange juice. My dad, bless him, has virtually zero tolerance to alcohol. He promptly turned a fire engine red and tried to hide near the shrubs so that we wouldn’t see that he was unsteady on his feet. So when it came time for his speech, I wasn’t really sure what to expect! He turned out to be such a pro with his speech (possibly enhanced by the alcohol) and I was so proud of him. At the end, everyone gave him a hero’s cheer and in response, he stood for a few moments giving everyone a Queen’s thank you wave! I could not stop laughing!
Seafood, seafood, seafood
You expect nothing less than fantastic seafood in Phuket and boy were we not disappointed! Mai, our Thai friend from Beijing, said we absolutely had to check out the Lotus restaurant as it has the best pick-your-own seafood in town. The seafood was awesome and most people (with the exception of Fabbo ;) ) had fun picking out their own lobster/fish. Here’s the website – another must visit when you’re in Phuket!
You can also check out some of the professional photos from our wedding here and of our other activities on facebook.
What can I say? It was so much fun, so beautiful and so memorable – and I wish we could do it again and again. I loved the excitement of getting ready in the morning with my bridesmaids (Kaz, Yoz and Lis). I loved seeing F’s face at the altar and recognising some of the 48 familiar faces in the crowd as I walked down the aisle. I loved that the light rain drizzle stopped just in time and gave way to a beautiful rainbow backdrop. Most of all, I loved making a promise of life together with my soul mate and having my loved ones there to witness it.My dad the celebrity
When I asked my dad if he could do a speech, his first response was “is it really necessary?” Then he spent several months working, re-working, reciting and re-reciting his speech. Just before the reception, with the heat and nerves, he downed several cocktails thinking that they were just orange juice. My dad, bless him, has virtually zero tolerance to alcohol. He promptly turned a fire engine red and tried to hide near the shrubs so that we wouldn’t see that he was unsteady on his feet. So when it came time for his speech, I wasn’t really sure what to expect! He turned out to be such a pro with his speech (possibly enhanced by the alcohol) and I was so proud of him. At the end, everyone gave him a hero’s cheer and in response, he stood for a few moments giving everyone a Queen’s thank you wave! I could not stop laughing!Seafood, seafood, seafood
You expect nothing less than fantastic seafood in Phuket and boy were we not disappointed! Mai, our Thai friend from Beijing, said we absolutely had to check out the Lotus restaurant as it has the best pick-your-own seafood in town. The seafood was awesome and most people (with the exception of Fabbo ;) ) had fun picking out their own lobster/fish. Here’s the website – another must visit when you’re in Phuket!You can also check out some of the professional photos from our wedding here and of our other activities on facebook.
A huge thank you to:
- Our family for their oceans of love, support and generous presents
- Our friends, also for their generous gifts and for travelling from all over the world to be with us - some only staying overnight (Will!).
- The Andara team for making the day such a beautiful and memorable one!
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