This is where we stayed - Patong City Hotel. This place is surrounded by some shops and a block of 3-storey high flats in town. The hotel is actually at the end of a small road. Room very hot when we reached as my guess is that long time nobody stay but quite clean. No kettle to boil water but the hotel provide 2 bottles of mineral water everyday. It's probably pipe water who knows? The noisy air-cond is the ancient type fixed near the bed and it really irritates during the nite when you are not sure if its the air-cond sound or 'other sound' you heard in the room (no thanks to someone reminded me of the Tsunami incident where many people died) ... creeps. Managed to sleep thru the 3 nites but not recommended. There are other better hotels e.g. the Patong Beach Hotel (directly opposite Patong beach) .
Pure breed mongrel owned by a tailor outside the hotel ... cute fella
This is the famous Patong beach with the 100 baht (RM10) chair for rent . You can use it for the whole day but who would like to use it as it's the rainy season in Phuket during that time. Not many tourist as it's not the peak season. No bikini view so my cousins and sister did a yoga session on the sandy beach ... crazy!
Opposite Patong beach ... rows of shops selling imitations i.e. tees, sandals, bikinis, bags, etc
Places we visited ...
Elephant Farm - the thing which greeted us upon arrival are the elephant's shit. The portion is like "aint' no mountain high enough" (euwww). The elephants are all chained to a block of wood with the shortest chain available so that they can only stand for the whole day. There's no place for them to sit as their shit is everywhere. They will munch some leaves and wait for the day to end so that they can take a rest before the start of yet another torturing day. The elephant ride cost about 800 bhat (RM80) for 1/2 hour or something. Nobody go for it. We even have to buy a pathetic 50 baht rotten bananas to feed one poor baby jumbo which is also chained up.
Baby jumbo waiting for his food ... please feed me i need food as these bloody fellas never give me anything to eat except grass &*%$^#@!
Prompthep Cape - where you can view Phuket island and the surrounding beaches. Quite a spectacular view.
One of the 1st stop when we arrived in Phuket as part of the tour. Apparently this is the place to go if you are interested in Thailand's jewelry. Design a bit chunky and very pricey ... not part of my budget so just take a look and left.
Wat Chalong Temple
Monkey mountain ... hmm wonder which is the monkey king with 72 changes?
On the boat ride along Phang Nga Bay to James Bond island (40 mins from the hotel to reach the jetty and 45 mins to the island) . The engine is very noisy ... have to shout on top of our lungs and the water from the river will splashed all over our face during the ride - better than any 'miracle water' ...
I wish i bought my umbrella along &%$#
The ride ...
Elephant mountain - no elephants but part of the mountain is sort of look like an elephant trunk
Doggies mountain - no dogs either
James Bond island - the entrance ... we are allowed to explore for 30 mins nothing much to see lah
The official signage, also known as Tapu Island by the Thai people. This is where Christopher Lee and Roger Moore filmed those James Bond movies some 25 years ago.
The famous rock
Stalls selling souvenirs next to each other ... same products but different proprietor who speaks excellent English with an even excellent Thai accent with a mixture of one or two words in mandarin. Stuff they sell not cheap but need to do some heavy bargaining ... just threaten them to go next stall and they will ask you "How much?" then take out their calculator and give you their price. Some even pulled us when we are bargaining at the stall and said they will offer cheap cheap price ... hmm sang yi nan jo (business hard to do). Managed to bought some necklace and elephant statues made of sea shells.
The food
Fried glass noodles thai style - ingredients more than noodles
Tom Yam Kung - the best dish ... just the right taste, hot and sour all blended so well together
Phad Thai - this dish so so only
Pineapple fried rice - eh why not in a pineapple skin ah? They used ham and sausages but the taste don't go well with the pineapple. Not very tasty.
Curry veggies - not bad
Fried veggies - tasty
Prawn and squid salad - nice
Fish paste - ok lah
Phuket McDonalds - glutinous rice burger with pork. They used glutinous rice stick together as bread with a slice of pork grilled in some sauce with cabbage and onions. Err very 'jelak' after eating the 1st piece of glutinous rice. Just wanna to give it a try ...
Err not part of the food but a cute shih tzu looking after the shop (an tourist information centre) for her owner ... sawadeeka!
Overall we had a good trip. We did a lot of walking (very tiring) around the beach and town area shopping for the best deal. Not everyone entertain us as they are more interested to do business with kwai lohs probably because they are loaded. But not all are willing to part with the monies even the kwai lohs. Most of the kwai lohs (especially the men, young or old) go to Phuket to look for Thai girls.
The nightlife is really an eye opener for a first timer to Phuket. The famous road is called 'Bangla Road' in the middle of Phuket town. There are bars, disco, clubs everywhere with skimpy dress Thai girls dancing on the table. Some of the girls just sit on the bar stools and wait for any kwai lohs to come along. The truth is there are more supply than demand so no wonder those Thai girls are so desperate to get a client. All the shortest skirts and sexiest top will be seen on them. Anyway not all girls are girls and you need to really look carefully for the original breed ...
One thing which is very irritating is when we walked past by those tailor shops and the workers (mostly indians) outside the shop will asked you this question everytime - "Hello, where are you from? Singapore? Malaysia? Korea? Japan?" Usually we just ignored them and move along until one day I can't stand it anymore and replied "India"! They got a shocked but was quick to replied "Indian women very strong" ... duh!
We tried the famous Thai body and foot massage for 400 baht quite cheap for a 2-hour treat. The masseuse are all professionals who know where to hit the right spot! I can feel my muscles all loosen up. Highly recommended but must look for the right kind of shop and not those who offer other extra services ...
Our plan is to go to Los Angeles next year but all have to depend on whether the holes in our pocket can be mended or will it get bigger and bigger. In the mean time we will just need to concentrate on getting the big bucks (any ideas?) or else start saving loh ... tighten tummy 'sigh'
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