Rating
:  (4.9 stars)
Phuket, Thailand
Nov 04, 2003 04:08
Pros: interesting and inexpensive place, alot to see
and do
Cons: none
Up for gorgeous breakfast, fresh fresh fruit with yoghurt for Nic
and PW has best omelette he has ever had. Done to beach at 11am
and hire snorkelling mask and fins, 200 baht each. Loads of colourful
fish to be seen around the rocks, it is amazing. Wish we had got
used to snorkelling before diving as it is excellent and the water
in Thailand is so clear and calm compared to Tofo Beach. Lie until
about 3pm then back to luxurious room, quick shower and wander into
town. Sasha and Tina advised that Peter should buy Birkenstock sandals,
copies of course, which he buys for 350 baht, approx five pounds.
Offered sales assistant 300 baht as we are trying to get used to
bargaining but she insisted on 50 extra for her baby, so we of course
paid up. Had dinner in Kuan Chang, another recommendation of Sashas
and Tina and had gorgeous green curry and chicken and cashew for
Nicola. Two piece band strike up with Donny Osmonds classic Puppy
Love with their own interpretation of the words. Then for for another
dander at other end of town where we find ourselves in pole dancing
bar. Dont stay and head back to hotel for pint with Sasha and Tina.
Decided this is our new favourite place and may stay a few extra
days if we can get the same rate as we are paying, 2000 baht per
night, approx 30 pounds. High season starts 1 Nov and rate goes
up to 5000 baht per night.
Day 65 - Wednesday 29 October
Up for another gorgeous breakfast and discover its raining outside.
Go to v modern internet cafe to upload photos and reply to emails.
Three and a half hours finish due to a power cut caused by another
thunder and lightning storm. We sneakily rate our own travelpod
site but Nic hits 1 - Very Poor option by mistake, which serves
us right. Short argument ensues. Buy some drinks, crisps, etc and
go to room. PW sets up chairs overlooking beach where he reads and
Nic writes postcards. V enjoyable. Decide to take tuk tuk to next
beach up Kata Beach. Have couple of drinks in Mom Tris Boathouse
which is recommended in Lets Go and other guides but the food is
very expensive so head back to Karon Beach. Have nice Thai dinner
but on way out notice chef baiting live rat trap.
Day 66 - Thursday 30 October
Up for another lazy day on the beach - heaven. The peace occasionally
disturbed by the heavy artillery fire of the German accents interspersed
by the light machine gun fire of their children. While I am at it,
who runs Japan whilst they are all on holiday? Although the Japs
are a personable bunch they have two annoying habits, three if you
count POW camps. First is crowding the best view points for taking
photos, thankfully this is easy to overcome by shooting over their
heads. The second is their propensity to hack up phlegm and gob
it on the nearest available space, be that marble hotel lobby or
the childrens paddling pool. Hopefully everyone knows this is a
Peter rant. Extend stay in hotel by two nights at same rate. Book
Thai boxing for tomorrow night and ferry one way to Phi Phi on Monday.
Also snorkelling to Rayai Island for Sunday, 2600 baht. Dine quietly
in hotel restaurant.
Mosquitoes and two interesting facts
We have tried sprays, creams and garlic tables all with varying
degrees of failure to prevent mosquito bites.
Fact One
In America you can hire dwarfs by the hour for whatever use you
might have. Apart from the obvious, how delicious it would be to
hire an ambidextrious one to scratch ones ankles until dawn. Whilst
he was at it he could perhaps check out -
Fact Two
If you catch a mosquito in flagrante and forcibly hold it in place
it will continue to suck your blood until it bursts. The mosquito
that is not your ankle.
Kind thanks for these dubious facts to Juanito and Bill in Tofo
Beach, respectively.
Day 67 - Friday 31 October
After breakfast ankles gently bleeding we head to the beach. Early
dinner before pick up for Thai Boxing at 7pm. One hours drive in
minibus picking up others at various hotels across the ilsand on
the way to the stadium in Phuket town. Boxing v good although mostly
kids. CJ would have been devastated to witness both boxing and young
kids. Live music atmospheric and locals betting and cheering adds
to the whole effect. Back to hotel for midnight. Day 68 -
Saturday 1 November
Another morning on our beautiful beach, it will be hard to leave
here. PW still putting off first Thai massage from girls on beach.
His reply of - maybe no - seems to amuse the girls. Both got good
colour now although Peters silver chest hairs, a result of being
hit by lightning when golfing, not old age, more apparent than
ever. Tell Nicola that I think I look like important gorilla.
Tuk tuk to Patong Beach to watch Irish match in Molly Malones
Irish Bar. Five Irish, fifty Aussies. Ireland loose by one. Back
for early night as up at 7am to get speedboat to Rayai.
Day 69 - Sunday 2 November
Set alarm for 7am and lazily get out of bed. Trip costs 2600 bahts
for both of us, equals about 50 pounds but includes lunch, snorkels,
trip around islands and snorkelling trip on coral reef and return
ferry to Phuket Town. Delayed for one hour waiting for two Germans.
Head off but one of the two hundred horse power Yamahas breaks
down. So return to pier and change boats. One of those days. 28
km to Rayia Island in half an hour. Approach Island and waters
are completely clear and sand is v white. Plans change a little
due to lateness of departure and guide informs us we will stay
from 11am until 12.30pm when we will have lunch, then leave for
snorkelling trip at 2pm. Have surprisingly nice lunch with three
other Japanese tourists and doze on lounger until 2pm. Gather
belongings to watch our boat head out of the port without us.
Guide says we can snorkel around island. Decide to do so and see
amazing sights but sadly not much coral. Cannot believe boat has
left without us and guide just apologises. Head back to Phuket
at 3.30pm and back to hotel and on way back decide we wont have
any drink today.
Until 6pm when we finish remains of Malibu, couple of tins of
Chang beer and into town for sad final meal on Phuket, with beer
and wine which Nicola vowed to stop drinking until Oz. Nic burning
up and blames crap Nivea suncream for burning up as opposed to
hours of lying in the sun. Head back to hotel to sadly pack and
bed for 9pm as up v early next day.
Day 70 - Monday 3 November
Nicola ignores 6am alarm and dozes on whilst Peter gets up for
last supreme breakfast. Cornies then two slices of toast, ham
and cheese omelette with three crispy bacon, two frankfurters,
breakfast ham and baked beans. Perfect. Take girls version down
to Nicola in room. Taxi to ferry. Nice big boat holding three
hundred passengers. Surprisingly breakfast and free water and
juice supplied. Many such boats heading to Phi Phi so get a feeling
its going to be v touristy. It is. Walk past all the touts on
the jetty and check out Islands most expensive hotel, Cabana,
costing 3600 baht for cheapest room, equals 60 pounds per night
our maximum budget is 30 pounds per night. Decide to let tout
take us to bungalow. Book in for one night at 500 baht. Have gone
from the most expensive to the cheapest. V basic but clean. Discover
that it is the only place that our guide book doesnt recommend.
Go for a couple of pints to review situation. Have a few extra
so go back for a lie down. Up at tea time and head into town.
Town surprisingly nice and have lovely Italian dinner in Cosmic
Restaurant. Spag Bol and lasagne, v good. Both have a caraf of
white and red wine. Here we go again. Back and try to sleep with
fan instead of air con. This coupled with the tardy cockrels makes
for a sleepless night. At this point we decide instead of staying
any length of time on Koh Phi Phi we will catch the 11.30am ferry
to Koh Lanta next morning. |
