THAILAND - PHUKET - PATONG - 28 July to 5 August, 2014 - 'OLD FRIENDS, LADYBOYS AND SURF'

Info

taxi  - hotel to Bali airport –100 000R

Airport departure tax Bali - 200 000R each

Phuket shuttle – return transfers - +66835504308

Ibis Phuket hotel – breakfast – 8 nights – standard room - 10 Chalermphrakiat Road, Patong - +66 2/6592888

Khai islands - half day snorkel - 1200B

Our journey

From Bali to Patong here we go!

BUT at the airport, we are told the plane is delayed and because it is delayed we need to change our flights as we can’t make the connecting flight. Our only choice was to fly Denpasar – KL – Bangkok – Phuket. Now we will arrive in Phuket around midnight instead of 5pm. So now we have to contact the shuttle bus of the flight change… not that happy so what do we get for compensation… free VIP lounge entry.  OK. Check in, etc and off to the lounge… two bottles of red wine later… maybe a delayed flight isn’t too bad after all.

Well, we nearly missed the flight leaving Bali as we were enjoying the lounge. The transits were smooth and we arrived tired at Phuket airport.

The shuttle bus was there. I had a battle with the ATM. We arrived at the Ibis Hotel in Patong, Settled in and flaked out!

The next day, we were able to see/feel the hotel. It had a large foyer with helpful staff, a pool with deck chairs. The rooms and bathroom were small but comfortable. The rooms weren’t sound proof but there was only one night when people were a little noisy. It also had a small balcony overlooking the pool.

I had an early walk along beach and streets. I had a second walk after breakfast with Jacinta along the streets and beach. We got a Thai Sim card for 50B plus 100B credit and Atm withdrawal of 20 000B.

The weather wasn’t the best but it was okay for sitting around in the shelter of the pool and having a swim.

I had contacted an old friend earlier and we had made arrangements to have dinner at their house. Peter picked us up in his car. He and his wife were living at the International School. The dinner was so good! Kaey, Peter’s wife is Thai and an excellent cook. Also at the dinner, were two other old friends, Stew and Julie and their daughter Caitlin and her boyfriend. It was such a good night! Beautiful people!

The next day, we walked, ate, shopped, massaged and swam at the beach. That night, we walked down to Banga Street – drinks, people watch, nightclub, live music. The best parts were the ladyboys, who were so dressed up in the street posing for photos and the lady boy show that was entertaining and funny. One walked right up to me with just his/her panties on and wiggled his/her massive boobs at me and huffed away.

Over the next two days, we beached and ate. I had four okay surfs on Patong Beach and my toe was fine.

The next day, I went on a snorkelling boat trip to the Khai islands for a half day snorkel 1200B. The other tourists were friendly - three Honkies, 1 Chinese/Malaysian and 1 Australian/Chinese. The Thai host lady was nice and entertaining.

1^st dive – fish, poor visibility, crowd

2^nd dive – off boat, fed food to fish

3^rd dive – crowded, poor visibility and nowhere to snorkel

On a couple of days, I hired a mountain bike and rode around Patong streets and beach. It was heaps of fun weaving along the paths and traffic.

On the second last day, Jacinta was flying back to Australia. We were going to travel together for 2 more months but she had to head back as our daughter wasn’t well. It was a sad day!


We drove out to the airport and she jumped on the plane at 9:20 pm. I returned to the hotel.

The following day, I was up early, walked and sat on the beach. I had a short massage and a short shop then I was off to the airport for my flight to Jakarta, Java, Indonesia

In reflection, Patong was fun! I enjoyed seeing my old friends, riding a bike, snorkelling, surfing, the ladyboys and of course, Jacinta’s company.


Sekarang, saya ke jawa!