Back to Railay 2016

We arrived to the Phuket airport at midnight after the usual long flights across the Pacific Ocean.  Our flights went well but sitting on an airplane for 20 plus hours is always hard on the body.  We still had a two hour taxi ride through the countryside of Thailand to get to the small town where we catch the long-tail boat out to Railay.  We stayed at a cheap but nice hotel we discovered several trips ago that is walking distance from the pier.  When we arrived there at 3 am we had to wake the night desk guy who was asleep on a couch in the lobby.  The clean bed and cool shower was so needed and we quickly fell asleep.  The boat ride over was on rough seas as there was a lot of wind today but the familiar sight of Railay Beach was long awaited.  After checking in at the Bhu Nga Thani Resort we hit the beach and swam in the warm waters.  In no time I was working on a sunburn.  It is obvious that the area continues to become more popular as we noticed several upgrades and changes and additions throughout the hotel area.  Many Europeans and Russians.  More than ever.  About the same number of climbers, just more general tourists.  Bummer.  While swimming by some rocks I gashed my middle finger on a sharp rock.  Looking at my bleeding wound I could see a cut that I would put three stitches into if I was seeing myself in the ER.  Not a good way to start a climbing trip!  Eventually I got Deb off the beach and into her climbing harness.  We climbed at the 123 Wall near our hotel.  Fun climbing on stalactites and tufas right on the beach.  I clearly will have trouble this week with a cut on the pad of my middle finger.  I bandaged and taped it up tight.  Somehow I will make it work.  Dinner tonight was delicious.  It cost us 250 baht.  A little less than ten dollars.
This is Deb using a stalactite to get up a climb today.