Phuket with Marky George!

  Phuket, Thailand
Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Got the ferry over to Surat thani,about 2hour crossing from Ko Samui,and then herded onto a bus.Got on and off about 4 different tiny tuk tuks,and driven into a forest where we waited for 2 hours to then be transported to Surat Thani town and onto an air con bus.
5 Hour journey on the bus,the weather had been rainy for the last 5 days in Samui and was pretty much the same over on the Andaman coast and the journey took forever as the driver drove even slower as the rain was lashing down and thunderstorms hitting.Even had to put a shirt and trousers on when we stopped half way!
Shared the whole journey and had to watch an old German fella kissing and mauling a young thai lad for the whole way who he'd obviously paid to come away with him-hmmm nice!
Had read in the book that Phuket Town was much cheaper than Patong and so decided to base myself there and save on some money until Mark came and we hit Patong Beach.
Wandered off the bus around 6pm and walked down the roads of Phuket town.Found a guest house from Lonely PLanet "penang" which was literally a canteen chinese with rooms up top,but for 120baht didnt complain!Room was like a box,with no toilet or basin with a fan,and had a potty in the corner to use as a toilet and empty in a massive vat down the corridor!
hired a scooter for the next couple of days,not a lot to do in Phuket town so spent the days driving over the windy hill roads to Patong beach which was only 20mins drive away.

Patong Beach,Phuket

Patong a real tourist place,lined with brit bars,girly bars,macdonalds and everything you could ask for but accomodation more expensive.Did a day reccying for hotels for the week with murk and after walking in and out of about 10 hotels and being quoted 1500baht a night,found the "beach resotel",right on the front,with twin beds,air con,mini bar,tv and fridge for 500each a night so booked it up ready for when mark landed.Day before mark arrived even more rain,was driving across the mountains to Karen beach which was great for surf until the heavens opened and so spent a few hours hiding in a bar talking to a couple of girls from California.Did a trial run to see if i could pick mark up from the airport hanging off the back of a bike but thought he wouldnt like it after realising it was about an hours drive,especially if it rained!

Too Cool!

On way back to Penang hotel on last night before moving to Patong and our nice hotel on the beach was walking along when i tripped over something and looking back realised it was a massive rat that was scuttling around my feet and ran round the back of the chinese where i was staying.Slung the backpack on and hopped on the motorbike to take my gear over to the hotel to save lugging it onto a bus and checked into our hotel on Patong beach.On way back to drop bike back at hire place i get waved over by a copper,although hadnt worn a helmet every other time saw it was the law in Phuket and so wondered why he was pulling me over."WHERE YOUR LICEN?" Had to leave your license at the hire company before you could take the bike,so i told him.He starts filling out a form and pointing to motorbike taxi,"he take you police station,you pay fine and come back!"
What fine? tried to tell him about hire company having my licence but didnt wash,so had to get on back of motor taxi,pay him 80baht,marched into police station where i had to pay 300baht fine,and then back again.
How was i supposed to get a bike if the hire place wanted my license,but then i get fined for it!?An ozzie bloke puled over too said they werent supposed to do it but you had no choice,so when i got back to the bloke whod pulled me over who was smiling with my keys he says "ok?" i said ,yeah great, just like in england,Easy money for the police!he spoke better english than i thought and didnt look impressed!so grabbed my keys hopped on the bike and sped off before he might arrest me!
Got up at 6 and after walking round for ages trying to get a lift got a bloke called Karim to agree to take me to airport,pick Murk up and come back for 700baht
Waited for half hour then there he comes,ambling over the arrivals half dead from the journey!fair play hed flown 15odd hours with no sleep but the next 6 days were a scream!
We got up at 4pm,to the subway for a sandwich EVERY day,then some changs in the room,out at 9pm,busted our moves on the dance floors,then back at 8am every night.quality!
Out one of the nights in a bar when looked across and there were the lads from manchester again!went for few beers but they didnt like the bars in phuket as full of thai girls!?kind of expect it dont you being inthailand!
Managed to get done by a jellyfish while in the sea so had to run to the shower and do the deed,managed it myself so didnt have to ask Murk to pee on my ankle!
theyd been to Phi Phi and said was nice,so morning got up with mark at 6,he got taxi to airport felt weird after spending week with him felt like i should be going back too.Was great for week to see someone i knew,could go out talk about stuff from ages ago and not make effort just go out have a laugh.But morning he left got minibus to ferry port and got ferry 2hour crossing to Ko Phi Phi