Still alive and well in Thailand

Hello Everyone! I'm still alive here in Thailand! I uploaded some pics to the photo album if you want to check them out too!

I guess I should start at the beginning of this trip...

First off, 27 hours of traveling is just what i remembered. not so much fun. The Korean Air ladies saw it was my birthday and upgraded me to Business class! I got an OK seat and a little care package. It had socks, an eye over, and a single use toothbrush with toothpaste haha.

After 18,000 kms and 3 long plane rides I finally arrived in Phuket around midnight. Thankfully my backpack made it too! My hotel had arranged for a driver to pick me up and was supposed to be out front with my name on a sign.... but he was no where to be found. There was a thai local out front who helped me, he called the hotel and found out that they thought i was arriving the next day (I arrived at midnight) So he arranged for a taxi to take me to my hotel. It was only $15 for a 65km trip. not bad for a taxi.

My first day I decided to take a stroll along Patong beach. I forgot what it's like to be a tourist. Everyone is trying to get you to buy something. I couldn't walk 15 feet without someone asking if i wanted a beach chair, go jetski, wakeboard, or parasail. I doubled back and walked along the beach front and it was the same deal there. "You want massage? you want buy t-shirt? you want taxi? you want a nice suit? you want come eat?" repeat these questions every 50 feet. Just a tad annoying. The place reminds me of Waikiki beach if the carnival came to town. Every shop is trying to lure you in just like a carnie would. I did go in and buy a few t-shirts though. I bought 2 Diesel shirts and board shorts for $15! So, day 1 complete and still alive!



The second day I went for a swim on Karon beach - the beach close to my hotel, much different than Patong. Very laid back here, no one selling you things every 15 feet, and only a few dozen tourists around. Perfect. The water was crystal clear and 27 degrees. After my swim I took a tuk tuk (a taxi, only it looks like an adult hotwheels car) up to see the big budda on the hill. Its 45ft high and you can see it from all around the island. The tuk tuk driver (Dim) showed me where to go and pointed out all the beaches to me. Such an amazing view from there, the pics dont do it justice. After his little tour he gave me, I went out for supper and ended up eating with a couple from Australia. They were lots of fun, and it was nice not to eat alone haha. The food here is amazing! Its so tastey and cheap! I had prawns with curry and veggies, steamed rice, a beer, and a sunday for less than 180baht (about $5). On the way back to the hotel I came across a man walking a baby elephant down the sidewalk! You could feed him for 20baht (about 80 cents)

Day 3 - another hot day... I went for a swim at the beach again, and bought some new shorts on the way home ($6 for billabong cargo shorts - I needed something with zippers haha). Its so hot out that walking anywhere turns you into a sweaty mess. I had put on about 30kms wearing flip flops the past few days, now it was time to get mobile. I rented a motorcycle (more of a scooter really, but i didnt want to explain the difference to them...) and went exploring. I had a map with me, but most of the roads dont have signs or are in Thai, so its not going to be much help anyway. Phuket is an Island, so I figuired I couldnt get that lost, plus I could see my budda buddy from almost anywhere on the island. The thing about driving here is there arent really many "rules of the road"... the solid yellow line is mostly a suggestion, and most of the time people drive on the left. Red lights have a 5 second rule., just keep on going if it changed... And dont get run over. I ended up riding around for about 7 hours! I was zig zaging up and down roads all along the coast and saw some amazing views. I even ran into two Canadian guys (I spotted the one with a Molson shirt on) we ended up chatting for about 15mins about thailand and CFL football haha.

I found some really nice area's that were off the main tourist strip, which was a welcome change... a fish market, a free aquarium with a sea turtle hatchery, some kind of elephant shrine, and I saw 4 adult Elephants just off the road doing some kind of yard work haha. Seriously, one was clearing tree's in the front yard! It seemed like he was having a good time throwing things around. At the end of the day I found a reggae bar high up on the side of a hill. You could sit at the table with your feet dangling over the edge. So I had a beer and another tasty thai dinner and watched the sun set into the ocean. That was one of the best days I've had in my life.




Today I am burnt to a crisp. My nose are forearms are a bright red. I guess sunscreen doesnt last 7hours. I've got a few things to do today, not quite as adventurous as yesterday, just going to book a hostel in Phuket Town, take my laundry in for a wash, line up a snorkel trip to Ko Phi Phi (where they filmed "the beach") and get in touch with the company I'm doing the scuba cert course with.

There are so many more little details I wish I could add, but I dont want to ramble on, and some things are rated a little 18+.(ie many clubs with thai girly-boys dancing on the bar and the men watching with big grins on their faces) I'll have to tell you about those stories in person or make another blog for that sort of thing.

So long for now!
Nate.