The international cosmetic surgery April 2011 group tour.
Gold Coast to Phuket; Hosted by Claire Licciardo
Day 1 April 18: Monday
The day had finally arrived with a mixture of excitement, nerves and butterflies.
The April Gold Coast group tour is being held over this year’s Easter time in Buddhist Thailand to symbolize the original pagan celebration of renewal and rebirth.
We are leaving the chocolate bunnies behind on this cosmetic surgery/holiday experience-of-a-lifetime to the experience of renewal and transformation.
We are off to Phuket, the land where dreams come true….
We boarded the flight, shared stories and got to know each other before a special birthday surprise from Singapore Airlines. It was Nick’s birthday tomorrow and Nick and I were given a free upgrade to business class!
Upon arrival into Phuket, we were greeted by our wonderful hospital staff Maam and Nok to the hospital.
Robyn said: "Everything Claire said about the quality of the hospital, the nursing staff and in particular the doctors were spot on.
In fact, they exceeded my hopes and expectations.”
After our registration at the airport and medical tests, we then checked into our hotel the Burasari with a special night to celebrate.
“Getting together at the perfect venue for dinner on the first night was very much appreciated,” said Robyn.
As the full moon lit the luminous sky, we watched the sunset over glorious Patong Beach and dined on Thai cuisine.
It was a magical night.
Day 2 April 19: Surgeries begin
We had an early start to the day, with more consultations with our surgeons.
Nick had his consultation with Dr Piyapas, then an appointment with a specialist.
His tummy tuck and liposuction was scheduled for today, but unfortunately he had arrived in Phuket with a sinus infection.
With a box full of antibiotics, his surgery would need to be delayed until he was fit and healthy for surgery.
Rachael and Kate had their consultations and surgery while Tee and Robyn had further medical testing.
Tee said: “I am so happy with the overall trip from the consultation to the travel to the arrival at the hospital to the nurses,
surgeon and hotel staff and of course Claire! It was an amazing experience. The group was wonderful and everyone was so supportive.
I would recommend RBG to anyone!”
The rest of the day was spent discovering the shopping in Patong Beach, Thai massages and hot oil foot massages and dinner at our hotel.
Day 3 April 20: Surgery
Tee and Robyn have surgeries today, both ladies so nervous but also so very excited!
Kate had already bounced back from her breast lift and implant yesterday,
off the pain killers and enjoying her book and some rest in the opulence of The Presidential Suite.
Katherine had her consultation with Dr Piyapas, and then we went back to our hotel.
We shared an utterly delightful afternoon browsing the shops,
indulging in some retail therapy with handbags and DVDs and then a few hours at the pool bar.
Refreshed, cool and relaxed we met the RBG Perth group and Perth Director Rebecca Degenaar for dinner on their last night in Phuket at the Coyote Mexican Restaurant at 7.15pm before a walk on Bangla Road.
It was great for Katherine to meet the ladies who had already had their surgeries, to see first-hand their results and hear the wonderfully positive stories and experiences in anticipation of her surgery on a few days.
Day 3 April 20: Surgery
Robyn from the Gold Coast was recovering very well from her breast revision surgery.
“Talk about confidence in your surgeon. My surgeon Dr Jib was so wonderful!
He was charming, polite, and gentle and explained in detail the procedure in language that I could understand.
Both serious and professional, he had a wonderful sense of humour and a lovely bedside manner.
Apart from that, he is dishy.” she said. “The world is blessed for having surgeons of this caliber.”
Tee had her surgery and how did she feel? “I feel I need to get up and run-I am not used to having to do nothing!” she said.
”No pain at all!”
Kate is feeling great. “I am looking forward to getting out of hospital and hitting the shops and look a round” she said.
Together Nick, Rachael, Kate and I enjoyed dinner together at our hotel, dining on seafood, enjoyed the Thai music and dancers.
Kate, Nick and Rachael kicked on exploring the shops in Patong.
Day 4 April 21: Thursday
Dental appointments, teeth whitening, follow-up appointments with the surgeons, shopping,
lunch by the pool and more shopping and I went to visit Tee, Kate and Robyn in the hospital.
Day 5 April 22: Good Friday
We enjoyed breakfast together before the morning, and we had a lazy day recovering,
watching DVDs in the ladies rooms and exploring the shops.
Kate had her follow-up with her surgeon Dr Jib and the results? “They are just so perfect and everything that I dreamed about.
I was nervous about doing it but I absolutely loved it. I had a great time!”
We dined together in our hotel restaurant, had a few cocktails,
Tiger beers and fresh juice and enjoyed the freshly cooked seafood that has make Thailand a food lovers paradise.
Day 6 April 23: Easter Saturday
Lazy sleep-ins, long breakfasts and chill out time were just what the doctor ordered for this Easter weekend.
Katherine was recovering well after her breast augmentation and lift, tummy tuck and liposuction and as feeling better each day.
The rest of our group spent the day relaxing by the pool, exploring Patong Beach and this afternoon went on an adventure to the Big Buddha and explored Phuket Town markets.
We had the best afternoon visiting the Big Buddha, riding the elephants and exploring the markets.
Day 7 April 24: Easter Sunday
Our hotel of choice, the boutique Burasari resort in the heart of Patong has an exclusive tour one of the secrets of Phuket- Paradise Beach.
It was a very relaxing day, as everyone did as they pleased lying by the pool, resting and getting some sun.
Then in the evening, Tee and I had a girly sleepover, ordered room service and watched DVDs…
Day 8 April 25: Easter Monday-Anzac Day
Katherine was discharged from hospital, Tee, Kate and Robyn had their follow ups and Nick had his Brite Smile teeth whitening.
Robyn and Kate did Thai cooking classes at our hotel, and Tee and I helped the ladies finish the never-ending courses of the delicious Thai recipes that the ladies learnt to cook.
Katherine and I spent the afternoon being pampered in the beauty salon, as we put the finishing touches to our “Yummy mummy make-over’s” with manicures, pedicures, eyelash and hair extensions, eyebrow waxing and tints.
It is beauty central in Phuket where you can have everything you want very cheap.
It’s amazing what can be done in just over ten days and is definitely a must-do list after surgery so you can come home feeling like a million dollars.
Robyn said: “The concept of a ‘medical holiday’ may seem like an oxymoron, but RBG certainly pulled it off. Claire was always ready to answer all my questions and deal with problems promptly and I especially appreciated Claire’s calm reassuring manner.”
Day 9 April 26: Easter Tuesday
We all had the buffet breakfast together this morning, then it was off to the hospital for more follow-ups with our surgeons and dental appointments.
Wow, how quick this trip went! We are leaving tomorrow, but we all could easily stay another week in this bubble of paradise. The rest of the day was spent last minute shopping before a special dinner tonight to celebrate our last night in Phuket. We dined on seafood, cocktails and beer, had a laugh and organized to catch up in a few months at one of the Gold Coast’s best Thai restaurants when everyone has fully recovered.
Day 10: Wednesday 27 April
It was time to go, as our flight departed Phuket airport, with a stop-over in Singapore then home.
Katherine is so happy with her results. “Thanks Claire for a great trip.
I have had lots of positive comments from everyone when I arrived home. I am happy, my local doctor is happy, my husband is happy.
So all up, very happy!”