New Years in Thailand
Trip Start
Jul 27, 2006
1
19
Trip End
Aug 2007
Most of the day we just hung out around our hostel. The International House of Travellers. Its kinda right in the middle between Phuket town and Patong Beach. It wasnt terrible. In the morning we had breakfast. It was good. Could rival any continental breakfast Ive had at any hotel in the states. Anyway, some wandering, and then lunch at the restaurant next door. I had this huge steamed fish. I mean huge. And TASTY! For less than 3 USD. Can you believe it. It was so damn tasty. Then we went to some shopping area near Patong beach. It was so cool!!!!!! There were so many things that were cool to just look at let alone buy. Actually we didnt do too much here besides shopping and laying on beaches. But, it was cool. We ended up going back to our hostel then and yup, watched a movie. Boy are we bums. But, it worked out quite well cause a little later that night, the owner of the hostel was giving rides to Patong beach to celebrate new years. It was cool. We didnt have to worry abt getting a rickshaw or a taxi. We get to Patong beach and just wander and stare at the crazies that are out on New Year`s. Andy had blisters on his feet so we stop in at a pharmacy so he can get some bandaids. This was a huge mistake. He got the bandaids just fine, but the lady proceeds to tell me that there were just 6 bombs going off in Bangkok. GREAT!! Thanks for the info. Wish I was drunk so I coulda ignored her. But, I couldnt. Then I told Andy what the lady told me and he kinda wished I didnt tell him. Ignorance is bliss. I know this for a fact now. For the next eternity, I debated going back to the hotel just incase anyone was planning to blow up Patong beach. The pharmacy lady told me that Patong is safe cause its small and its on an island and that we should still enjoy new year`s. I was like yeah, thats easier said than done. I decide to stick it out for awhile. But, I was seriously stressed as was Andy. We found this cheap ass bar and had a beer thinking this would ease the tension. It didnt. Not at this bar anyhow. There were bikes and cars back firing and huge garbage trucks parking infront of us. I was like you have got to be kidding me. I cant sit here. They are clearly going to use that garbage truck to blow up this particular bar. We must leave. So we did. On our walk I decided its New Years. I cant go back to the hotel. Im in Thailand for crying out loud. And I felt bad cause I could tell Andy wanted to stay out. I spotted a nice Irish pub not on the corner so even if there was a plot to blow anythign up near it, the bar was surrounded by enough other buildings to block anything was my thinking. I proceeded to slam three beers, met some Irish boys who hung out with us the rest of the night and relaxed. Right around midnight we head to the beach for the most kick-ass new Years every. Seriously. All up and down Patong Beach there were fire works being lit off. Right near us too. And paper lanterns being sent up into the sky. It was cool. And it went on for like 45 mins. Then, the Irish boys, Andy and I walked down the beach a ways and found a dance party on the beach. It was perfect. Just what I needed to relieve the stress of the day and reflect on the day. New Years 2007 was a good one!! That is definite. I think we stayed at the dance party till 3 or 4 am. There were these Thai break dancers there. Amazing. So much fun. Well, while I was dancing Andy got drunk. Drunkity drunk drunk. Getting him home was ridiculous. Almost as bad as getting to phuket. We took a rickshaw with the Irish boys and tried to tell the driver two stops, our place and their place. He ignored us and brought us all the way to their place in Phuket town 10K from where Andy and I need to be. Hmmm....one of the Irish boys yelled at the rickshaw driver so he left. Thus, leaving Andy and I without an option. Not that Andy minded much, he was resting on a flower pot!! hahahaha! The nice Irish boys decided not to strand us and walked around with us to find a cab or something. We found a man with a motorbike. Clealy both of us will not fit and Andy might fall off. So this poor man takes us to his own personal car. Which I might add is a pile of S**T. Big time. I really didnt think it was going to make it the 10K. Plus it was running low on gas. He stopped and put in a smige of gas and we make it to IHOT but, he cant break my bill. GREAT!!!! Im so mad by this point and I feel really bad because this guy is actually really nice and is trying his best but Im beyond it. I have to go to this 7 eleven to get change. As I get outta the car some Thai boys cat call me which clearly Im not in the mood for so I give them the evil eye. Then, Im like wow that was probably a really bad idea. Better get in the store. So I go in 7 eleven and ask them for change but you have to buy something. Im so angy Im just emitting this anger vibe and Im really trying not too cause Im the only white person surrounded by Thai men at 4 am in a 7 eleven. I get some gum and my change and book out with out a problem trying to ignore what they`re saying to me. Finally we get back to IHOT without any further complications. Happy New Year`s!! It really will go down as one of the best new year`s ever. It was cool. Even the part about trying to get back to the hotel. It all worked out so no problems. Just a kick ass new years memory. Till next time!
Comments
Wow
Sounded like a great New Year's in Phuket. I am so very glad you got to see the fire works and avoided the bombs that went off in Bangkok though. I am even more glad that you made it back to Japan safe. Love mom