M-whY

In addition to making millions of dollars for the producers, the movie has also given tour operators a theme to run a trip around. I booked the tour, despite having read lukewarm reviews, because it's one of those things that, if you're in the area, you might as well do.

I've decided there are three things that can make or break a tour. First, is the guide. My guide worked double duty, explaining everything in english for me and the Australian couple, then repeating it in Thai for the three Thai couples. His ability to speak competent english was an surprising bonus. I was expecting nothing more than a sightseeing trip.

We were driven two hours to Phang Nga, crossing the bridge that connected Phuket to the mainland. A quick stop at Suwankuha temple to see the reclining Buddha, and then it was off to the jetty. The nine of us were fitted with lifejackets and taken out to the longtail boats. A noisy engine propelled us past the scenic bay of limestone mountains and mangrove forests.

The second thing that determines how enjoyable a tour is are my fellow tourists. Over the roar of the engine, I got to know the Thai couple sitting in front of me. Nando and Deer were very friendly.

"How long have you been in Thailand?" asked Deer.

"Only about a week or so."

"How long will you be here?"

"Not sure yet, maybe a few more weeks? I plan on going to Bangkok and then maybe heading up to northern Thailand."

"Oh. I live in Chiang Rai." She wrote down her cell number for me. "You can call me if you go there."

Accompanied by other longtail boats, we sped through the murky waters, passing phallic and mammary shaped mountains on the way. Trees and bushes grew precariously on the side of the cliffs. We arrived at a sea cave, where our driver tried to take us through. The current was too strong though, so we circled around and entered from the other direction.

Finally, it was time for the main event. In the movie, the arch villain Scaramanga sets up base on these odd shaped islands, most famous of which is this needle shaped protrusion from the water. James Bond Island has become extremely touristy, with dozens of stalls selling trinkets and souvenirs to the hordes of sightseers. I had my James Bond moment, stole Nando's girlfriend for my Bond girl picture, and then just loitered around until it was time to go.

The third and last component of a good trip is the weather. Some sunshine would've been nice for my pictures (I've had to 'warmify' a few of them before uploading), but the mist hanging around the mountain peaks had its own appeal. If I wasn't keeping a picture blog, I would've had no complaints at all. The dreary skies seemed to suit this landscape perfectly.

By the time we reached the Muslim fishing village for lunch though, it had begun to rain. The boat docked and everyone scrambled under the roof just as it started to really pour.

"Hopefully the rain will stop after we finish eating so we can go back," our guide told us.

"It looks like we might have to spend the night here if it doesn't," said Mick, the Australian guy.

Faced with the prospects of being stuck here for a while, everyone decided to get to know each other over lunch. I'm not sure whether it's the fact that I'm travelling alone or simply my stunning good looks (I prefer to think the latter), but I seem to attract a lot of attention from local Thais.

"You come alone?" asked Noi, the Thai woman wearing blue in the group picture.

"Yeah."

"I see couple, couple, couple, then you," she smiled. "No girlfriend in America?" We had already gone around in a circle, stating our names and nationalities.

"Nope, no one. Just me."

"You need a Thai girlfriend then! I can introduce you! Nobody should be alone in Thailand!"

"Find a job and stay here," laughed Deer.

I couldn't tell if they were joking or not. But I played along when she grilled me on my age, occupation, and vital statistics.

"All this is going to end up on the internet," cracked Mick.

She took out her digital camera to take pictures of everyone around the table, but ostensibly took longer when it was my turn.

"Wait, wait!" I fixed my hair. Just in case I do end up on some Thai dating website.

As if planned, the rain stopped falling just as it was time to go. We were brought back to the shuttle began the return journey to Phuket. Deer was extremely talkative to me during ride, giving me all sorts of tips on what to do, where to go, and how to avoid the crowds.

"We're going to see the FantaSea show tonight," she said. "You should see it, it's really good. Give me a call if you do decide to go."

I ended up not going. I felt it was something I wouldn't regret missing.

We stopped at a cashew nut plantation and the world's largest jewelry store (I had no idea this was on Phuket) before being taken back to our hotels. Noi, the matchmaker, gave me her cell phone number and asked that I call her when I reached Bangkok.

A friend of mine emailed me several days ago, warning me to watch out when it came to women in Asian countries. If all this had transpired while I was having a cup of coffee at Starbucks, I'd be more wary. But my instincts tell me that unless the scams have extended their operations to tour groups, this was just a case of someone genuinely being sociable. I haven't yet decided whether I'm going to call them, but I have to say, the friendliness of the Thai just continues to amaze me!

Thanks to everyone for their support and comments! Knowing people are reading keeps me motivated to continue the updates!