Thailand

Oh how i love your beaches, massages and flavourful food!!
Well the second stop on our journey was in Thailand. Another first for me. We flew from Singapore (after a night of sleeping on the marble like floor in the Singapore airport and waking up to some teenage Indian girls taking my picture) to Phuket. The airline was a budget airline (hence the sleeping on the floor...no early check in, Jet Star Asia...cheap..cheap...cheap. I think our flight cost a whopping 6 American dollars plus about 50 dollars tax. The plane was virtually empty. Once we took off, we realized why. Despite its luxurious appearance inside..well it sounded like a lawn mower that was mowing its LAST lawn..eek. We had an oh so terrible sandwich lunch which cost an arm and a leg, after which we stretched out, Carol and I both having 3 seats to ourselves. We landed in Phuket safe and sound, and taxied to the ferry dock. Here are some of the highlights of my Thailand (Koh Phi Phi) experience.




Well first thing...the name is pee pee..yeh!!
Second..great beaches, wonderful food...and cold beer!! Heaven.
Next..long boat rides to and from our hotel and town. The guys who drive these things are amazing..a little scary at times..and sometimes good singers so we found out.










This was by far one of the most scary and exciting moments..THE MONKEY ATTACK..yes. Julie...all these years I laughed at your monkey phobia..well I've joined the club.
Carol and I were quietly reading and somewhat observing the cute and fuzzy creatures munching away on some coconuts when out of the blue two of them sprung up at us from underneath our sarongs which were hung on the railing to dry. After trying to save Carol from the maniac monkey (growling and bearing his teeth at us) by swatting at him with my book, and trying hard not to lose my page. I had to resort to the small grass broom. This only aggravated the beast more. So, we were forced to retreat quickly, without turning to run, into our room. By the time wc closed the door and went to the window, beast number 1 had called his posse and they were pacing the railings of our porch. Then, seeing us in the window, the beast jumped across to the table so that we could be face to face with only the glass to separate us. We were safe. Wow, and from this distance we noticed that this angry little bugger had a man purse (if you know what i mean) the size of a couple of coconuts. That's when we realized he was just coming on to us. Right.

Ahh, how could i almost forget the wonderful aloe Thai massages..every morning after breakfast and before the beach. This was a lifestyle that i could totally get used to.







Besides beaching, snorkeling and shopping, my favourite experience during our visit to Koh Phi Phi had to have been the night that Carol and I drank beer and smoked cigars in sling back chairs under the stars on the beach..then moved to a pair of hammocks to drink more beer..then in wandering in search of yet more beer found a great beach ..pub..if you will. There were mats out on the sand with pillows and small tables each adorned with a small candle lantern. Here we sipped more beer (beer in Thailand commonly comes in bottles the size of wine bottles, very difficult for people with little hands..but i managed) and smoked more cigars and talked bullshit while listening to David Gray in the background and staring up at the stars. This is not where our night came to a close my friends. We stumbled back along the beach until we saw some iridescent algae on the shore, very beautiful, this stop allowed us a few seconds to come up with the idea of skinny dipping..and yes the water was fantastic. Oh, Thailand, I miss you.

Upon leaving the island on route to Bangkok, we arranged a bus to a train station and then a 14 hour overnight train ride to Bangkok. This was the most fun travel day for me. We get to a "bus station," more like a concrete garage with a number of lounging stray dogs laying in amongst old tires and trash..lol. Some dude who was working there gave us a coloured sticker to put on our shirt and told us to wait. Most of the people waiting got onto a bus. we were told to continue waiting...soon after a van pulled up and we were shuffled in with a few others. No prob. The van drives us a couple of hours to another town..here we get out at..someones house..but they have a little food counter so we decide to get some rice and beer. Confused..we ask about the train station..she tells us..its OK, the bus will come in half an hour. Well half an hour later a bus does arrive, low and behold its the people with other coloured stickers from the bus station..weird. So we continue to wait and drink. Soon a pick up truck arrives and they tell us he will take us to the train station..NOPE. After a trip in the back of the truck, the driver stops on a side street and kicks us off...strange. Then he ushers us onto a city bus. This thing was no shit...was 50 years old, at least. We squeeze on, not knowing what the hell is going on, but having some fun none the less. We soon realize that there are no regular stops..but a guy at the back of the bus jumps off yelling at people, trying to strum up business and then jumps back on. This continues for about 30 minutes. So far no train station..but also no money. We're not charged any money..so we're happy. Finally they stop at a train station and kick us out. What a great day. It was so fun.

Things I'd like to forget about Thailand...water lice, public toilets, overcrowded death trap ferries to the main land