28th June 2005

Phuket Zoo I might add, changed every feeling and opinion I had as a vet nurse and animal lover.

Enclosures small, leopard in a room big for a small domestic cat, Bengal tiger sedated for pictures and enclosures unkempt and animals pacing. BUT, these people are poor, they work for a crap wage and do the best they can. One guy had reared the tiger from a cub and although the tiger was sedated, he recognised his 'owner' and kept licking, head rubbing him. 'My cat' The zoo keeper proudly announced.

The average wage in Thailand is £2.50 a day and to work in a zoo, you must really want to do it. Its a poor country and the people are kind and gentle, and whilst the animals are kept in conditions that would not be acceptable in England, well lets just say they do the best they can do. I met a lovely orangutang (?) called Billy and shook his hand. Such a flirt, he kept kissing me and shaking my hand, totally memorable. As was touching the elephants, the babies playfully grabbing your hands with their trunks and drinking water from hosepipes.

We went to Kata beach and saw how the Tsunami tore the beach apart, it was awash with flip flops, I even found some kiddies flip flops. That reminds me, in Patong hospital, they had pictures of Tsunami victims including bodies on the walls. But when you ask them, its not how many died, its how many survived. They are still nervous though, Karon beach, Patong Beach and Kata beach have been declared unsafe since the 'big wave' as they call it. They display their pictures and stories with pride though, they don't moan and are the happiest people it has been a privilege to meet.

We are going to Phi Phi Island on Thursday, and who knows what the next day will bring, here anything is possible. I have travelled everywhere around the world, I love Australia and yes, I want to migrate there. But nothing and I mean nothing, tops Thailand. At the moment, they are having Post Tsunami prices. When I next come here, I hope to see it running at full capacity and the price these wonderful people work hard for and deserve.

29th June 2005

Tonight, we went into this bar that played only Bob Marley. Apparently we were his only two customers that night, which could be true as every time we went past, it was empty. We try to eat somewhere different every night so local restaurants benefit even in a small way.

What I must ask is that have any of you ever been on holiday and had a moment where you 're-shuffle your own cards of life'? so to speak. Well whilst swimming in the pool on one leg as other was in a bandage, this record came on that reminded me of work. Now working in a hospital with spoilt, self centered doctors that think they are God, they complain if they have smoked salmon for two weeks in a row when we do their meetings. Well this record came on and I was watching our waiters try and cram some food in their mouths when they thought no-one was looking and I thought of our fat spoilt doctors and students that complain of the most stupidest things whilst filling their over privileged faces with food they haven't worked or paid for. Then I looked round to the local Thai people that work all hours they can for a couple of quid a day to feed themselves or their families. And you could say at that point that my own 'cards of life' were instantly re-shuffled and re-prioritised. I can honestly say that after this holiday, I cannot go back to that job, pandering to the needs of those I work with and I must ASAP look for something that wont make me hate the people that I work with.

Tonight, I had this barman say to me that he didn't lose too many in the Tsunami and how for his 20th birthday, he was going to have burgers 'and everything'.

Because last night, we saw this house that was so damaged by the 'big wave' that the furniture was taped together and the kids sitting on the floor playing a game with their parents. Turning round to see where the laughter was coming from, Abdel and I spotted the Dad hugging his kids whilst Mum looked on. Not a pot to piss in, about 95 degrees, and conditions Westerners would moan at. I have never seen nor heard people laugh like that. Rich, that's what I would say. A week on into our holiday and I'm well on the way in my learning curve.