Save Will

Monday, January 30, 2012

Ate an American breakfast at a restaurant across the street. Rode the minibus to the Ko Phuket airport and arrived at 1:30 p.m. Ate lunch at Burger King and then had four or so hours to kill. Drank some beers in a bar to use their free wifi. Flew to Chiang Mai at about 7:30 p.m. and arrived at about 9:30 p.m. Rode a taxi to my hostel, A Little Bird Guesthouse, in the old quarter of the city. Walked around the nearby streets a little, then returned and went to bed.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Rode a minibus to a nearby pier and boarded a ferry bound for Ko Phi Phi. Was a little worried about my pack — as I usually am — after I stowed it on the deck like everyone else, but it was soon buried under a bunch of packs. Safety in numbers. Got off the boat without trouble a couple hours later. Wandered the streets of Tonsai Village for over an hour in the burning sun, sweat running down to my chin and in my eyes, looking for a dorm bed somewhere. The first three or four places I went to were full. I found a hotel room for 800 baht, but wasn’t ready to pay that just yet. I made another round of the streets and managed to find a dorm I had missed before and got a bed there for 300 baht. I wouldn’t call it a hostel; it was just a tattoo parlor with a dorm and showers attached. The dorm was open to the air, no air con, several fans, “mattresses” were hard as boards, and my torso was covered in small, red bites by the end. Showers were challenging. But it was cheap. Laid down my stuff, cooled off in a 7-11, then ate lunch. Returned to the dorm, changed into my swimsuit, and hung out at the nearby beach for a couple hours reading a book until the light faded. The tide was low and the water had gross bits floating in it. Booked a boat tour of the Ko Phi Phi islands. Bought a few Chang beers and wandered around town and up and down the beach watching the fire dancers and fire breathers. Called it an early night.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Decided to stay in Ko Phuket one more day to see a beach or two and get a feel for the place.

Got up at 9 a.m., ate toast for breakfast, got ready, and was out the door by 11 a.m. Walked twenty minutes to the bus spot in Phuket Town and rode a bus to Hat Kata. Got off and followed a woman to the beach.

Beheld the beach, took some snaps, then walked along the surf for a little ways. Decided to go for a dip and left my bag on an empty chair. Locked my camera and stuff in the big pouch with a luggage lock. Kicked myself for not thinking of bringing my luggage cable to tie the bag to the chair. Waded into the surf, submerged my head, and floated for a few minutes. Took in the scenery. Hat Kata felt crowded, but the sand and water were nice. Too many chairs and umbrellas, too close together. Saw several topless women by the end of the day. Kept an eye on my bag.

Got out, dried off, and continued walking south along the beach. Ate pork fried rice at a restaurant at the far end and cooled off with a Coke. Ordered seconds for both.

Walked to the road and then walked to the southern half of Hat Kata and continued my stroll along the surf. Got to the southern end and walked all the way back to the north end of Hat Kata where I started, then continued north to see Hat Karon.

I liked Hat Karon more than Hat Kata. It was bigger, so things were more spread out, and the sand was nicer; it was so finely grained that it kind of squeaked when I walked on it.

Looked for a bus back to Phuket Town at 4 p.m. because they stop running early and the cost of taking a taxi is exorbitant. Had trouble spotting the buses in time to flag them down. Got one, rode it back, walked to my hostel, showered, went out again for some quick Thai food nearby, then returned to my hostel again.

Bought a ticket for Ko Phi Phi. Settled in for the evening.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Woke up and felt much better.

Went on a boat and kayak tour of the Phang Nga islands to the north of Ko Phuket. A minibus picked me up around 8 a.m. and took me to Ao Por Pier in the northern part of the island. The boat was large and had two stories. There were about forty to fifty customers on board.

Visited the famous island that was in the James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun.

Ate a buffet lunch on the boat. The food was just okay.

Went to Hong Island. Rode a kayak and went through a dark tunnel with a low ceiling and entered a secluded lagoon in the interior of the island. We went under yet another low ceiling and entered a second interior lagoon. Then we backtracked. Entered another cave that opened into a cavern with the ceiling missing, with sunlight streaming down into the water. Very beautiful.

Went to Panak Island. Rode a kayak through a tunnel to an interior lagoon with sheer cliffs on either side covered in lush foliage. Again, very beautiful.

Went to another island and rode a kayak by myself and explored some interesting rock formations and a deep sandy cave.

Returned to Ko Phuket and rode a minibus back to my hostel.

Chatted with a couple Germans in my room, one of them the one from the night before. We went out for food and ate on the street. Was still hungry, so bought some meat on a stick and some ice cream at a Swenson’s.

Returned to my hostel and relaxed. Decided to stay on Ko Phuket one more day to see the beach area. Planning to take a bus to Hat Kata tomorrow, and then maybe I will walk to some other beaches nearby.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Woke up still sick. Went downstairs for a breakfast of cereal and toast. Took a while getting ready. Called Tess. Wanted to talk to the hostel staff about getting a map of Ko Phuket, where to get lunch, and where to rent a scooter, but I couldn’t find anyone. It was already past 1 p.m., so I left on my own.

Found a small place for lunch and had pork fried rice. Kept going and found a couple places that rented scooters, but neither had a helmet that fit me, and one shop didn’t even have an automatic shift scooter. Walked up and down the streets of Phuket Town looking for a rental shop with a helmet that fit me, but never found one. Returned to my hostel to ask where I could buy my own helmet, then went there, but the helmets were much too expensive for a one-time use. It was late in the afternoon by then and the light was waning. Resigned to losing the day.

Returned to my hostel and arranged through the front desk to do a boat and kayak tour of the nearby Phang Nga islands (as seen in the James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun) the next day. Researched where to stay on Ko Phi Phi. Caught up on my blog. Chatted with a German in my room. Prepared for bed, then went to sleep.