Safe Travels by Waterway

I really did not want to peel myself out of bed so early this morning (615), but I had to pack up and rearrange my backpack again and get down to the pier for my ferry to Phuket. My backpack is super heavy at this point and awkward to carry around...especially uncomfortable since I have fresh sunburn and the straps dig into it in exactly the worst possible spots...

Anyway, had a quick breakfast of "Cornflacks and milk" at the Thai Cat restaurant before jumping on the back of a pickup truck along with a group of other weary eyed travelers...I was sorry to leave Ko Lanta today...aside from the weird-ness of last night, I really enjoyed the quiet of this island. It would have been SO nice to just climb into my hammock and fall back asleep. The weather was perfect once again...sun shining brightly and not a cloud in the sky...but I knew I had to get going for Phuket, as it was I was only going to have half a day there anyway...

Boarded the ferry and fell asleep almost immediately...after about an hour I woke up when the boat started slowing down. I looked out the window and saw an island right before me, 'could we be there already' I wondered? It looked familiar...? Turns out it was Koh Phi Phi. The boat was slowing down so that the Phuket passengers could hop onto a different boat!! It was totally crazy...we pulled up alongside another ferry mid-sea, and they threw a walkway down and ushered everyone w/the green circle stickers on their shirts (one-way to Phuket) onto the new boat. I'm just glad I woke up in time to make the switch!

Settled into an over-air-conditioned section of the new ferry and finished my new book... Phuket, the largest of the Thai islands, appeared to be pretty developed from a distance, much more so than Ko Lanta. We pulled into the dock and it was pure chaos as the staff started tossing backpacks onto the pier and I was practically attacked by taxi drivers and motorbike drivers all wanting to know "Where you go?" "You need taxi" "I take you there", etc etc etc.

I sifted through the growing pile of bags and eventually found mine. Getting it on my back was another story...you'd think all these insistent taxi drivers might help a woman in distress...? As I wandered around the pier in seach of affordable transportation, I couldn't help but notice a large number of homosexual and transgendered people...one person, sporting huge bright yellow sunglasses (which made him resemble a bee) was even carrying a clear plastic case filled with be-jeweled tiaras! I am in for some good people watching today!

Eventually I discovered a mini bus station which seemed to be my cheapest option at getting to my hotel at 150B (about $5). After waiting about 10 minutes our driver started loading us and our bags into his van...it was then that I noticed the enormous board of rules, or (and I quote): "Suggestions for Safe Travels by Waterway" (I jotted down a few highlights...)
1) Don't wear clothes that confine, thick and too weight. For example: jeans.
2) Don't be afraid wet and sun because when you avoid the spray or change your seat to avoid the sun it can make the boat lose its balance. (since when does the weight of one person disrupt the balance of a huge ferry?)
3)The passenger should can swim to help another one and yourself. (what???!)
4) Avoid take the patient that can't help themselves to travel by boat. (???)

In addition to this helpful advice, I also learned that "breaking, removing or possessing coral from any beaches in Phuket is subject to 40,000 B fine and/or up to 4 years in prison". Good to know.

We drove through Phuket town which was reminiscent of Bangkok, but on a much smaller scale. I was the only one on the van who already had my accomodations booked so I got dropped off first :) I walked into the hotel and was greeted by an older Thai woman...I noticed baby formula on her desk and realized that she had a baby sleeping on the floor next to her desk chair. Next to the desk was a line of washers and dryers, not to mention all the noise on the streets with the motorbikes and people yelling...we were only steps away. "How can that kid sleep through all this noise...?" At first she handed me a key for room 508...I was hoping there was an elevator, there was no way I was making it up 5 flights w/this backpack! There was no elevator, but the woman doing laundry noticed that I wasn't happy about being on the top floor and told me to wait...she took my key from me and switched my room to the 2nd floor...Thank God!

My room is really basic...fake hard wood floors, fan, very small bathroom. I quickly changed into my bathing suit and headed down to the beach...Patong beach, or the most frequented beach in Phuket and also, the most devastated by the tsunami...however, 4 years later you would never know it.

This beach was very different from the beaches of Ko Lanta, or Koh Phi Phi for that matter. I had to cross a busy street and then a concrete pathway following the curves of Patong. There seemed to be many Thai locals spralled out on Bamboo mats having lunch (how sweet is that?)...there were also numerous food carts serving up everything from fresh coconuts to Pad Thai to meat on a stick. I maneuvered my way through the plethora of yellow umbrellas to get down to the water...I walked down part of the beach just to see if I could get a deal on a chair...but seems they're all in on it with each other...100B was the going price. All the "front row" (aka beach front) chairs were taken, but the guy promised that as soon as someone got up, I could move up...

It was sweltering hot, I was already sunburned, and running out of my imitation Hawaiian tropic. I bought a fresh coconut and laid under my very own yellow umbrella. The water was clear but there were so many people in it! The swimming area was sectioned off with rope and just beyond it jet skiis whizzed back and forth...so many that I was sure I would witness a collision. People were parasailing as well and of course many people were trying to sell things on the beach...sarongs, watches, aloe vera, t-shirts, ice cream, temporary tatoos...you name it.

After about an hour, a couple moved from the front row so I was able to move up. Unfortunately, I was placed right next to 2 German guys and a very annoying Thai woman who did not shut up the entire time! I'm not sure what their deal was, but she kept saying she wanted "chick-in, chick-in, you want some chick-in too? let's get some chick-in" and a guy with a huge tray of roasted chickens came over...once she had the chicken she wanted to talk about them helping her with her visa...woman: 'you go with me to bangkok and bring your passport so i get visa. i get visa for 90 days. ok? you go with me right?' german guy: 'maybe, we'll see tomorrow', woman: 'why not just tell me now if you go with me?'. And so she went on and on. Chick-in and visa. And then she talked about how she flies to Bangkok, buys a whole bunch of stuff, then comes back here to sell it on the beach at an inflated price. Then the 2 German guys would start speaking to each other in German so she couldn't understand them. Damn I wish I knew what they were saying!

Around 5 pm I had had more than enough of Patong (I'm so thankful I took a detour to Ko Lanta instead of being here for 4 days). Was absolutely delighted to have a hot water shower...my first proper shower in weeks! Venturing down to the Patong Bazaar now for some dinner. Think I'm going to bed early tonight, leaving for Bangkok bright and early tomorrow morning...