Arriving back in Bangkok this time by minibus, we checked into the D&D Inn, took our big bags out of storage and sorted some stuff out to post home. The room in the D&D wasn’t quite as we expected as it had no window and an ant problem. Due to us being on a visa run the next day we were unable to change rooms for two days, so had to rather grin and bear it (they did at least get rid of the ants).
Setting off at 8am the next morning, we boarded the bus bound for the Cambodian border and then preceded to spend the next hour driving around Bangkok. Five hours later we finally arrived at the border (via the bus company’s own restaurant) and queued up to leave the country. Thirty minutes later we queued up to re-enter the country (if the Thai govt would just give you a decent extension it would save so much hassle). Five hours later we were back in Bangkok with a brand new 30 day visa. Thoroughly exhausted, we grabbed some food and had an early night.
As Sarah was due to arrive today we got up fairly early, changed rooms (this time we had a window) and headed to Wat Arun (temple of the dawn). The temple is fairly impressive but is definitely better seen from across the river. The guide book implies that you can climb up to a higher level, but that appears to have changed as metal gates bar your progress. Having had a look around we caught the ferry back to Khaosan road and set off to the post office to send a parcel home.
After a busy morning, Debs went to meet Sarah at the airport, while I went for a haircut and generally just hung around. After a few hours Debs arrived back at the hotel with Sarah; we quickly got her checked in and headed up to the roof to have a cooling swim in the pool. After travelling for so long just the two of us, it was quite strange having someone else with us.
With one day left in Bangkok before going to Phuket, the girls had a good time shopping, having facials, massages, etc. Later that afternoon we wandered down to Wat Po (home of a huge reclining Buddha), watching some Thai boxing and kite flying in the park en route. We then had dinner in a small local restaurant and watched the sun set on Wat Arun before catching the ferry back to Khaosan road.
Checking out in good time and with no rush to catch our flight, we had a last look around and headed off to the airport. The problems of flying budget airline ‘Air Asia’ then revealed themselves when we found out we only had a 15kg baggage allowance. What had started out as a cheap flight got slightly more expensive when we had to pay 22kg excess baggage! The rest of the journey went without hitch and we arrived in Phuket relatively unflustered. We had already booked a taxi to take us to the resort and looked forward to getting settled in. The hotel suite was not quite as grand as we had been lead to believe, but it did have a great view and a very nice Jacuzzi on the balcony. We enjoyed a nice meal on the beach that evening and had a few drinks at the very friendly Niki’s Handlebars (a Harley Davidson shop, tattoo studio and bar),
Aside from sunbathing, eating and drinking, we went snorkelling on a dive boat with ‘West Coast Divers’ (Hi Eric). This was really fun as we got to feed the fish bananas (how a fish discovers it likes bananas is surely one of life’s mysteries). The whole day was really good apart from the abundance of jellyfish at the first dive site, which ended up with Debs frightened and Sarah and I stung (they had vinegar on board so no one had to wee on us before you ask!).
The beachside became a glitzy paradise for one evening when the annual Phuket gay pride came to Patong beach. The night was alive with tiny shorts, angel wings, tiaras and kitsch dance music not to mention very cheap buckets of whisky, coke and redbull. When the beachside party ended, the girls carried on with the revellers to a nearby nightclub, where an apparently hilarious cabaret took place.
On another day we hired a jeep and explored a bit of the island. The girls fed an elephant at Bang Pae national park and we visited the Gibbon rehabilitation centre. We then stopped briefly at Wat Phra Thong where the head and shoulders of a half buried gold Buddha reside (supposedly bad luck will befall the people if it is ever dug up). Heading back out towards the coast we stopped at the very nice Nai Thon beach, where we swam and then had a pleasant lunch. Leaving Nai Thon beach behind, we stopped at Kamala beach as the sun was setting before heading back to Patong beach and our hotel.
That evening the girls went for a massage and I got involved in a farewell party for one of the ‘West Coast Divers’ crew. A very drunk Eric offered me an extremely strong whisky and soda with the instructions that all the alcohol had to be finished before we left. By the time the girls found me I was already very drunk. If only I had followed Scott’s (it was good to meet you mate, take care) lead and moved on to beer, I wouldn’t have spent most of the next day feeling like I was dying.
The week went really quickly and it was soon time to leave. Sarah decided to head down the coast rather than follow us to Khao Sok national park, so we arranged to meet up later on. Deciding that we could stand another few days in Phuket we booked into a nearby hotel and spent the time shopping, sending yet another parcel home and booking our bus to Khao Sok.
Next Khao Sok national park
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