My parents have just arrived in Phuket for a month-long holiday and their visit has inadvertently made me realise just how fortunate I am to be able to call the island of Phuket my home.

It has been a very interesting experience for me to see the island through their eyes. To live and work here is very different to retire here. I spend my time stressed-out, running around in traffic, sweating over business licenses and queuing for an exit visa on my day off.

My parents hire a car, buy a map and head off to quiet beaches and peaceful nature reserves.

I have found that I can sometimes be negative about living in Phuket. I hear myself saying ?I need a holiday far away from here on some island sipping cocktails? and my parents gently remind me that I live on an island and it?s my choice to sip cocktails or not.

I complain about having to cook dinner every night and my parents tell me how it?s cheaper to eat out anyway so why bother? I know this, but I get so wrapped-up in my daily life that I revert to how I used to live in South Africa where eating out is a treat and eating in saves money.

I am often so exhausted after a day?s work and the tiring heat that I head home and stay there, glued in front of BBC News whilst heating up a ready-made tuna bake from Villa Market. My parents then call me from some fabulous local restaurant over-looking the ocean to tell me how many different species of birds they have spotted from their vantage point and the new curry they have discovered for just 80 Baht.

I found myself warning them about the sometimes appalling driving on the island. I told them to watch out for scooters heading towards them on the wrong side of the road and buses hogging the fast lane over Patong Hill.

My mother than exclaimed how wonderful it is that although there are some rather hairy maneuvers taking place, no one hoots, shouts or flips the finger. Back home road rage is rife. Not a week will pass without you spotting two idiots (generally men) who have leaped out their cars at the traffic lights with their chests puffed-out screaming obscenities at each other.

I told them to take care at the local markets and to make sure they negotiate on all items purchased. They ended up chatting for ages with the stall owners, trying on clothes and generally having a blast. They paid more than I would have, but, it didn?t bother them as the entire experience was fun and a little bit like an adventure.

I told my mum not to make a fuss when ordering food (she insists on her salad dressing to be served on the side and a glass of ice to accompany any wine) and just to take it as it comes. Everywhere she has gone for lunch or dinner the staff have got it spot-on, give and take a few moments of charades. She simply cannot complain.

I point out the scantily-clad sun burnt tourists wearing Speedos in the shopping mall (and other fashion disasters outlined in issue 124) and instead of rolling their eyes and giving dirty stares they smile and say ?I guess being on holiday in Phuket means letting it all hang out? and laugh in good humour.

So, the moral of this story is quite simply, stop to smell the roses. Don?t forget you live on a gorgeous tropical island, surrounded by the warm Andaman Ocean, where the sun shines every day and hidden treasures are there for the taking if you take the time to venture a little further from where you live and work. I have a renewed love for Phuket by seeing it through their eyes and for that I am grateful. Now I?m off to warn
them about Phuket Zoo...