Day 48 - Phuket, Thailand

June fed an elephant today, we had a long drive seeing communities along the side as we drove. We saw the Big Buddha. That is all I can nicely say about today. If you want to know more, read on after the photos. 

Today was a most disappointing day. We are tendered today, even though Phuket apparently has a deep water port. No reason given, no questions asked. We have a private tour. We met the woman, Kathy, in Crooner's as required. However, we are then told by the "girls" handing out tender tickets that the water is choppy... as it often is in the ocean! There seems to be ongoing challenges with tenders. So a large catamaran from the port is supposed to come. We cannot use the tenders. Now after 2.5 hour waiting our tender number is STILL NOT CALLED. Kathy tells us we should all just go when the next number is called, no matter what our number is. We followed her. No questions were asked about numbers or anything else. Now, meanwhile, early on a man brought his wife to go on the tour. To say the least she was frail and a bit feeble. I guess he thought someone would watch out for her. She was lost in the crowd. When we finally got off the ship we found the transfer, they loaded us up in the 2 vans and we waited... and waited... what is going on? No one tells us. Finally someone in the front of the van got out and went to find Kathy to ask her. She did not know but went to find out. Oh, they were waiting for 1 more, the elderly woman was missing. I thought we waited 30 minutes in the hot van, sitting in the sun, June said it was over an hour. Now it is 4.5 hours since arriving for our tour in Crooner's. So discouraging. One couple swore and got out of the van and left. Finally we are on our way. Now things have changed and we will have a quick stop at the Big Buddha, which was fine. However, it was not quick so we are delayed even further. 

Arrival at last to the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary. Now we are herded into a very small room to pay our balance. There are 30+ people in this small room with shouting out numbers in Thai. Finally we are all paid and we are back in that darn van again! What?!? So another 15 minute ride and we are to the sanctuary. It is not at all like we imagined but we are here at last. It is now 1:50p and Kathy tells us we have to be back to the vans by 2:15p. June got to feed an elephant, what happened to them roaming freely? Oh well... I dared to ask about lunch and Kathy didn't know. I asked a guide and June and I, along with 3 or 4 others went upstairs to eat a cold buffet lunch. It was pleasant enough. No explanation about anything, so we are not sure if we are to have a cold drink or not, so we didn't take any. A tree top lodge it was NOT.

We are back to the van by the time Kathy said, but of course NO ONE else is there. 3-4 of us are there waiting. Now a little golf cart comes along and offers us a ride out toward the elephants. Why not? Kathy is not here and we aren't going anywhere. When we get out there, guess what? Kathy and the others are out there!!!  Thanks a lot for telling us! What a mess. So back to the vans... we did not see the documentary, or others items mentioned in the description. At this point we are so hot and fed up we don't even care. We head back feeling totally discouraged, hot, and tired mostly from waiting most of the day. The couple that left the tour when waiting in the vans were the smart ones. We could have gone into town at port and enjoyed the day like that. There were tons of mini vans waiting to show people around. This "sanctuary" was no different than a small zoo, our Fresno Zoo was more humane. No film, no explanations, no personal info about the elephants, etc.  

After all the rushing of the day, of course we did not leave the port when scheduled, an announcement was made at 7p that we would leave soon, I fell asleep after that. This seems to be a theme for the cruise, late arrivals and late departures with little info given about either. The tender problems seem to be unceasing. Today I am going to double check tender ports and if we have a private excursion, I will cancel it.  

Anyway, I learned a LOT today. 1) A person putting together a private tour doesn't necessarily know what they are doing. 2) On this ship, tenders cannot be counted on. This has not been the case in the past or on any other ship. 3) If tendered, use a ship tour for sure on this cruise. 

Sorry for venting but writing this will help me put it behind us and look forward to better days ahead. Such a shame the day turned out that way. Life is not perfect, no reason to think it will be each day of a cruise either I suppose.