Phuket

Thailand

June 2005
5 days

Gavin wrote:
well after about 14 hours in really uncomfortable mini vans we ended up in phuket - we quickly found a place to stay which was run by really enthusiastic and friendly belgiums - they had just opened and were so helpful and the room was surprisingly nice considering it was 5 quid a night!

phuket was prettty sleazy with all the go-go bars everywhere but there were lots of nice food options and the beach was really nice - not as wed expected - there were few high rise buildings or anything, just big white sandy streches - bliss....we stayed in phuket for a week i think - it was supposed to be a couple of days but we were so comfortable.

oh yeah, we also went on a tour about james bond island which wasi n the man with the golden gun - pretty cool but my camera ran out of batteries at just the wrong time. oh, on the tour i managed to tread on this concealed broken pipe, which went right through my flip-flop and into my foot (not too deep, my flipflop took the brunt) but that hurt for a few days (ive just got over my limp) - oh and on phuket i got stung by a jelly fish behing my knee which wasnt nice.

Lorraine wrote:
The bus ride to Phuket was pretty horrible - it was in a very cramped mini bus and took about 14 hours. We were intending only to stay in Phuket for about a couple of days but it has turned into a week. Staying at a really cheap lovely guest house. The beach place we are staying is called Patong and as expected its pretty tacky and sleazy around here. Full of old fat men with v. young thai girls. Also, I have lost count of the amount of pictures you get shoved in your face showing naked women with ping pongs coming out! Lots of sex shows here and stuff like that. But have been realxing at beach most days and going to quiet pubs at night to watch the tennis.

Have been on one day trip here - involved going to a temple in a cave and feeding the monkeys, and going for a boat ride to james bond Island (from the man with the golden gun). Also, visited a village that is built on stilts. Quite interesting but a pretty grim place - one hour was enough.

Am still lucky with the weather - still sunny and warm although it should be rainy season here. Will most likely leave tomorrow and go to the Phi Phi islands, which is v. close to Phuket- was quite effected by the tsunami, but I think its ok there now. Although last time i was there it rained constantly for about 2 weeks! Hopefully this time I will have better luck and actually spend some time on the beach.