Was pretty bad in Kata where I'm staying. Heavy wind, trees down, power outage for 2-3 hours. Quite a bummer on our vacation really. But I epected the worst so no surprises....

Bad luck. You choose the wrong time to visit Phuket. I can't really remember such a bad weather week in my 16 years here.

Thanks for that. Just got back to C.M. Sunday. And thanks for all your help with my other questions. Yes indeed it was bad luck. Shortly after my last post we were flooded in the back at Kata Country House. Had to get out in water up to our knees after about 6 hours with no electricity. 4 guys had to come (with nothing more than machetes) and dismantle a huge tree that came down right in front of our room to clear the pathway. We moved on to Patong because we were so bored in Kata. The 2 hours we spent on the beach in Kata was nice though. Wow has it changed with all the development! The storm when we reached Patong was fierce and the huge waves were washing right into the hotels across the beach road on Th. Taweewong which was a little scary. Patong was terrible. Couldn't wait to get out. From there we went to Nai Yang. I really liked it there and on the last day we had sun. Honestly, it was the worst trip I have had in Thailand since I first started coming 22 years ago.

This was Bangla road last week during the big rains, crazy or what!!!!!

This was Bangla road last week during the big rains, crazy or what!!!!!

I was there. What a zoo that place has become over the years! What's up with all the Russian girls selling 'services'? That was a new one to me.

Tried to post a pic of flooded Kata Country House last week but can't get it to upload.

This was Bangla road last week during the big rains, crazy or what!!!!!

I was there. What a zoo that place has become over the years! What's up with all the Russian girls selling 'services'? That was a new one to me.

Tried to post a pic of flooded Kata Country House last week but can't get it to upload.

Many of our clients are Russian both the expat variety who live here full time running their real estate ventures, holiday villa rentals, latex shops and whatever else they do to eek out a living, along with a large percentage of their friends or clients who are here on holiday. I don't ask too many questions for obvious reasons and wouldn't get the true answer anyway. I can honestly state I have never seen any one of them even the obvious bachelor playboy types with a Thai Lady. Only Russian. Thai ladies if in their presence are invariably nanny's or real maids.

I think it proves they are not walking ATM machines that are subject to attack and subsequent downfall by local ladies and they have the money to be selective to rent what they want especially if there is no language barrier. Not a large percentage speak fluent English. There is a large market of Russians here that want service and if sex is part of that menu a Russian Ho speaking their native tongue is what they want. Money is not a problem.