Went to the old area of Phuket on Sunday afternoon, which was literally a feast for the senses – cliché intended.

Row upon row of exquisite shop houses were thrust upon us as we walked towards the market, their bold colours almost blinding in the light. Many of the houses have been converted into boutique guest houses, which we made a mental note to look into for our next stay.

The market street was a-buzz with food stalls, selling bite size morsels of meat, vegetables and seafood. Oysters were being shucked as we walked by – fast food at its finest.

The searing heat soon got to us so we ducked into a cafe to escape. More icecream for the Rykersaurus, fresh juice for me and iced coffee for Jason (who no doubt needed it, lugging that backpack with all his camera equipment in it!) Then back to the hotel via taxi in the hectic traffic, where men, women, children and dogs fend for themselves, yet sometimes appear on the back of a motorbike together.