Phuket

Went Phuket last month coz there was a Jetstar Asia promotion. The ticket only cost me $60 plus. Wee How and Paul were very 讲义气. They knew that I had some problems and won't be able to able to proceed with my original plan, so they agreed to go with me instead. But they so poor thing. That time, they bought their tickets at non-promotional rate which was around triple of what i paid for.

Day 1

It was really early in the morning. We are supposed to meet at 6 plus in Terminal 1. But i reached around 7am and i suggested to go my favourite staff canteen to eat breakfast.

While on the plane, Paul was quite irritated when Wee How and myself kept talking when he about to fall asleep. Heehee.

When we reached Phuket airport, there was a counter which distributed free SIM card. Wee How took it and called his gf on our way back to Singapore. Phuket tele-company was so nice, gave free calls for 7 mins and you could top up if you needed to make more calls. Oh ya, Wee How really did a lot of homework. When we walked out, he told us that we must take the cab at the right hand side of the airport exit. He told me that the guidebook indicated that it was the cheapest cab to town. But i think it cost around the same price actually. Anyway the cab cost us 540 baht to reach Casa Brazil at Karon Beach. But the hotel was full so we have to walk to other hotels which i have recommended to Wee How before our trip. Wee How is supposed to find the direction of these hotels. But it took us a super long walk, in fact nearly 2 hours (with the help of police) before we reached the hotel that i want to stay. Next time, cannot believe his sense of direction. Heehee.. Luckily, i like to walk. Btw, the guys were really kind. They knew that my bag was heavy so they offered to help me carried it during that long walk. But i told them that I am 新时代独立女性 so i could not accept help from guys. Heehee.

After hours of searching, we finally found the Angus & Arfur O'Tool's at Karon Beach. A very nice guesthouse and only cost me 1000 baht per night. The guys shared their room so they paid even lesser. The guesthouse even had free wifi and also free mineral water.

As we hadn't had any decent meal yet, we went out to makan and this simple lunch cost us 450 baht which was shared by 3 of us. It was a restaurant near our guesthouse.

After that, i suggested to visit the tour agencies so that we could make plans for the rest of our trip. Before this trip, I have done some homework and already knew which were the areas that i wanted to visit. So the job was only to find the cheapest rate. We managed to find one agency with chinese wordings saying that was the cheapest package in town. When we asked for the price, the boss asked me to quote the price i wanted. Surprisingly, he really agreed to the price i quoted. Very cheap compared to other agency. We paid 1500 baht each for the James Bond Island canoeing trip and 1000 baht for the Phi Phi Island trip. We also booked a hotel at Phi Phi Island which cost 1500 baht for triple sharing. Btw, all the sales staff at these agencies were very friendly. They gave us a lot of tips on Phuket's interesting places to go such as the temple market near our guesthouse and the beautiful sunset venue.

After booking all the trips, we went to Karon beach. It was a nice and quiet beach. I love it. Better than Patong Beach which was really too crowded. Oh ya, i realised a lot of people like to do para-sailing here. Maybe i should try it next time if i go Phuket again.

Oh ya, i passed by my favourite pancake stall after our visit to the temple market. Yummy pancake is a must-eat when i go Thailand. Only cost me 35 baht for the banana chocolate flavour.

After a simple and yummy dinner of 550 baht, we went for massage. Wee How was very troublesome in this area. He said massage was a spiritual thing for him. So he must look for somewhere that he could feel the connection. So in the end, we went to one that was really very good. My leg massage was 200 baht and the service was good. Wee How's "massager" even declared her love and offered to go home with him.

Coz we didnt drink a lot of water so the guys suggested that we played poker cards every night and loser would have to drink water. So tiring coz we played till 2 or 3am sometimes.

Day 2

As we had to meet the driver at 7.30am, most of the eateries were not opened yet. We had to settle our breakfast at 7-11. My burger cost me 40 baht but it was very nice. It was real fresh meat and not the frozen patty. After we met the tour guide, we went to Hilton Hotel to wait for other guests. We waited very long for them, almost an hour. But nobody turned up. In the end, we headed to jetty without them.

The cruise was a super fun cruise with free flow of drinks. The guy at the bar counter folded a rose which the tour guide kneeled down to give me. So drama. Heehee. After that, the bar counter guy offered to take us on his canoe. The guys told me that luckily they were with me coz would have people offered to canoe our boat. So funny.

I love this cruise coz the people in this cruise was so fun. The pretty little girl tried to show off her new rose to me after pestering her dad to get one from tour guide. Then some of the couples there were really very pretty and handsome. Looked like Spanish to me though Wee How told me they looked like Australians. The staff on cruise were very entertaining too. They did breakdance and thai dance for us whenever they were free. So funny. I like them!

The cruise brought us to the James Bond Island but there was nothing much to do on the island. We went back to the cruise after taking some pictures at the landmark area. We also tried some stupid cliff climbing photos there though. So funny.

On our way back to the cruise, i took photo in front of the tailboat. Then an ang mo uncle came over to ask me take photo with him. So strange. I felt like an exhibit. After that, he took photos of me whenever he saw me. I think i must have looked like a Thai girl.

After that, we went canoeing at Hong Island and saw very nice scenes. So much like those in the movies. Secluded and pretty. Eagles were flying everywhere. We also went swimming at Lawa Island (muddy clean water) and cave-trekking at the Daimond Cave. The cave was super dark. I wonder whether i have slight night blindness. I really could not see a thing in the cave. Luckily, Paul and the bar counter guy helped me to navigate in the cave. Scary...

The lunch on cruise was quite yummy especially the chicken drumlets. Everything on this cruise was perfect. When we returned, we alighted at Hilton Hotel and attempted to walk to Kata Beach. But it was really too far and we gave up after the sky turned dark.

We passed by a small eatery and ate our dinner there. It was very cheap and only cost me 45 baht. But it was not very nice and the caucasians behind us were smoking all the way. We ate fast and left. Coz our dear Wee How could not massage without cleaning himself thoroughly, we went back to hotel for him to bath before going to find our massage for the night. I did a Thai massage for 200 baht and the guys did their aroma oil massage.

Day 3

This day, we had to leave my favourite Phuket guesthouse and headed for Phi Phi Island (pronounced as pi pi and not phi phi). As we only need to meet the driver at 8am, we walked

out to find interesting Thai breakfast. We managed to find this noodle stall near our guesthouse and only cost us 140 baht for 3 bowls of noodles and 2 cups of drinks.

The cruise that day was a cruise with aircon but very stuffy and crowded. Luckily, we managed to find a table and play poker cards for the whole trip. A caucasian uncle asked me what we were playing and i replied Chinese Poker! Everyone was laughing at my answer coz we didn't know how to explain 大老二 in English.

1st stop, we took longtail boat to Khai Nok Island. It was a pretty little island but too crowded for snorkelling. We tried to look for quieter area but failed.

The lunch on board was not as nice as the James Bond's one. Thus, the guys didn't eat as much as me.

The next stop, we went to Maya Bay for swim. We had the option of taking longtail boat to

Maya Bay for photo taking or stay around the cruise for swimming. Coz Wee How really wanted to swim, we stayed at the cruise. Luckily, the staff objected to us jumping into the sea so i could slowly climb down. The sea was calm so it was pretty easy for me especially with my life jacket on. Paul was fascinated coz it was his first time snorkelling and he think the under water was very pretty. Actually, i should have told him that the water near Monkey Island and Bamboo Island looked even prettier. But i didn't pour cold water at that time. Anyway, i enjoyed snorkelling there too coz it was really easy for me this round.

We were wet and dirty after the swim but I tried to tahan the uncomfortable feeling and continued to kill time by playing poker cards with the guys.

After an hour or so, we finally reached Phi Phi Island and found our guesthouse - kinnaree hotel. The bathroom was rusty and small. The towel was grey and with holes. The floor felt very sandy. The TV was not clear. Though it wasn't as pleasant looking as the one in Phuket, it looked "stayable". Didn't know why the guesthouse in Phi Phi Island was so expensive.

Before dinner, Wee How suggested to go sunset viewing so we climbed all the way up to the hilltop. It was a tiring climb and we had to wait 2 hours for the sun to set. While climbing, we

saw some cashew nut trees. Wee How said that the fruits were poisonous. But i saw a caucasian guy eating it. Wee How asked me to see whether anything happened to him after an hour. Apparently, Wee How's info was totally wrong. The guy was still ok even after we walked down the hill.

Anyway, while waiting for the sun to set, I suggested eating the conetto ice-cream which was more expensive than the ones in Singapore. The guys told me that we had to pay for their effort to bring up the ice-cream. Ok, maybe that was why i was willing to pay 50 baht for it. My hand was so dirty after eating the ice-cream, we had to pay for another 20 baht to buy water to clean my hands. Luckily, we were kind of thirsty too. As the time passed, more people reached the sunset view point. It was very crowded by the time we saw the sunset. Luckily, we reached early and got a good "seat".

After the sunset watch, we went to the beach. It was low tide and we could walk till very very far and it looked like we were floating on the sea. So amazing!

As Wee How wanted to try cliff jumping and shark watching, we tried to source for cheap packages. I kept telling him that we should just booked a boat and go there directly coz all the packages were too expensive. In the end, they chose to listen to my 老人 advise and hired a boat for 600 baht (the package cost 600 baht too but was per pax). But Wee How gave up the cliff jumping idea even though Paul was still quite keen.

After settling this, we ate our dinner at a small eatery. My pad thai dinner and drink cost me 90 baht. Very expensive compared to Bangkok. We went back to hotel after dinner and continue our poker card routine.

Day 4

We woke up very early to meet the boatman at 6.40am but he didn't appear. Luckily, we managed to get another boat at 7.15am for the same price. We couldn't wait too long as the sharks would be gone by 8 or 9am. The sharks point was very near to us and we reached there shortly. We couldn't see any shark at the beginning. But the fishes there were more beautiful. We saw different kinds of fishes with all kinds of colours. Wee How even showed me the sea cucumbers. In the end, we managed to see some small black sharks. But we couldn't take pictures of them coz the guys were too busy saving me from the strong currents. The currents were so strong that i kept sweeping away by them. I think the guys were really very tired after that. They had to save themselves and still had to save me. I felt really bad that they couldn't even wake up in the morning to run. Heehee. Oh ya, I was cut by the rocks while trying my very best to station somewhere to wait for the boat to fetch me. Such a scary incident. But I think i was really brave coz i wasn't as scare as i think i should be. Maybe i knew that i would be saved by the 2 "personal lifeguards". So glad to have them around. :)

When we returned to Phi Phi Island, the boatman dropped his propeller fan. So poor thing. He told us that he had to pay 2000 baht for a new one. Luckily, another boat was nearby so we were dragged back by that boat. The caucasian guy in that boat had more worst cuts than mine.

After we reached Phi Phi Island, we went for breakfast after our bath. The thai stall holder didn't understand my order and gave me the wrong stuff. In the end, i got to eat fried rice for breakfast which cost 60 baht each. We headed straight to the beach after that. The morning beach view of Phi Phi Island was pretty and crowded. I wonder why so many people were sun-tanning. Won't they feel very hot?

As our ferry would only reach at 3.30pm, we went for massage again to kill time after checking out. I left my white Topshop tank top there after washing. So sad. Dunno why so blur.

Anyway, this time round, i chose the massage venue coz i wanted to do body scrub and not every shop did this. I chose one that looked big and nice. The scrub cost 400 baht. It wasn't very nice coz the area was too open for body scrub and i developed rashes right after the scrub. My mood was very bad after that coz i looked super ugly with the rashes. Paul said next time cannot trust my taste in massage shop, better follow Wee How's spiritual connection. Sian. When they went for drinks, i wasn't even in the mood to talk to them. But i could still remember the ice tea cost me 40 baht though.

We went to the ferry around 3pm so that we could get good seats before the crowd came back at 3.30pm. To kill time on ferry back to Phuket, we played Poker cards again. I was really very sad while playing cards. Moreover, Wee How kept pushing the cards to me, acted as if i would be the loser and must do the card shuffling. So i told him that as a 新时代独立女性, i won't lose to a guy. Amazingly, i really didn't lose. In the end, i asked him to let me off and stopped pushing the cards to me. When he stopped pushing, i lost. So Wee How told me that i could only perform under stress. Heehee.

At the ferry terminal, we told the ferry guy to bring us back to Patong Beach this round. In

Patong, we stayed at the Tatum Mansion. This was a place i found online. Nice place with no wifi access and only cost me 1000 baht.

As i wanted to go to the weekend market in Phuket Town, we had to rush to Phuket Town immediately after my thorough wash up to try "eliminating" my rashes. We took a tuk tuk there which cost us 350 baht after a lot of bargaining. The weekend market there was very huge and happening. I bought my "branded" slippers for 170 baht and some pouches for 10 baht each.

The food there was very happening too. We ordered a lot of stuff such as the chicken rice that cost 40 baht, the pork knuckles rice that cost 35 baht, the pig blood that Wee How has been looking for since he reached Phuket, etc...

After our shopping trip at the weekend market, Wee How

brought us back to Patong Beach by taking an illegal cab that cost us 350 baht too. Wee How was very excited over the Patong nightlife. So we went to his Tiger disco to recce. It was quite cheap as customers only needed to order a drink that cost 150 baht. But it would only open after 12am so we were still early when we reached at 10 plus. Thus, we walked down the pub street. It was really happening. Sexy girls dancing on the bar tables and at the balcony to attract customers. When we walked passed them, they even offered to take photos with me. No wonder Wee How like there so much. Heehee.

As I was still very sad over my rashes, I suggested to stay in the hotel after we went back for bath. I think Wee How must be very glad that i made this decision. Heehee. He has been hinting this since the start of the trip.

Day 5

I told the guys that this day was free and easy day so they could wake up at whatever time they like. I waited until 11 plus and the guesthouse was super noisy since the early morning. I wondered why the guys could still sleep so well. As I got impatient waiting, i went to knock at their door. Paul told me in his sleepy face that Wee How got home around 4 plus. So happening.

Paul said he couldn't take it after drinking 1 glass of vodka lime thus he came back without Wee How. I laughed at his low alcohol limit. So funny. But Wee How was really happening to stay so long all by himself. He even told us that the "massager" near our guesthouse kept pestering him for special service. So funny.

Anyway, we went out for brunch but we couldn't find any cheap place thus we ate at the restaurant opposite our guesthouse. I had the pineapple rice for 100 baht and ice lemon tea for 30 baht.

We went to Jungceylon after checking out from the guesthouse. Wee How was very nice. He headed straight to the pharmacy to buy cream for me to apply. When i offered to pay, he refused coz he said i weren't had gotten the rashes if he didn't insist to stay at Phi Phi Island for a night. So touched. Paul said this act must learn. Heehee.

The shopping centre was quite big and Paul found a lot of camping stuff that he wanted to buy. But the guys changed very small amount of Thai baht so they didn't have enough money by then.

The carrefour there was also almost as big as the one in Singapore. I bought a cute tea filter for 70 baht.

After brunch, we went to Patong Beach. Very crowded with a lot of activities. We also bought our dinner at a mobile stall. My omelette rice cost 60 baht. So expensive! Anyway, Wee How seem to be very excited sitting and eating at the roadside. Oh ya, i managed to take photos of the advertising lorry with thai boxers on top to advertise on Thai boxing match.

After makaning, we went to search for my nail art. Though it was common in Karon, i had difficulties finding in Patong. I think Patong massage shop only catered to massage and special service. Sian. Anyway after walking very long, I managed to find 1 hair salon that did nail art. But it was ugly and the nail art cost me 400 baht for feet and hands. When we walked back to Jungceylun, we passed by a noodle stall that sold pig blood. So in the end, we ate another dinner there coz we wanted Wee How to have his pig blood noodle.

After that, i went to buy my lingerie at Robinson while the guys waited for me at the sitting area. We also saw a super cheap facial promotion where a lot of caucasians were queuing for the service. I would have tried it if I didn't get the rashes in Phi Phi Island. I wouldn't want my face to have rashes too. We also saw a property promotion there. So happening. I wanted to buy one of the houses with seaview. So romantic. But i doubt i would ever earn that much to buy it.

After that, we went to the night market behind the shopping centre. Nothing much there. But i tried this super yummy potato rings for 20 baht.

As it was getting late, we walked back to the guesthouse to meet our cab driver around 10.30pm. Wee How got this cab driver for 500 baht. A good bargain coz a lot of them didn't agree to this pricing. The cab driver was very nice too. He waited for us when the guys ran to get flower soap for their girlfriends. I heard the "massager" near our guesthouse even gave Wee How a hug when he walked pass.

During the waiting period, i even went to buy Pad Thai for supper.

Another nice act of the cab driver was that when he was driving to the airport, i asked him to stop when i saw Hard Rock Cafe coz i wanted to buy my shot glass again. He actually stopped without complained. But the shot glass here wasn't as nice and it cost me 399 baht.

We were informed that our plane was delayed and won't take off till 12.45am. So we had quite some time there doing nothing. Luckily, i could eat my pad thai and Wee How could call his gf.

I was so tired after i got onto the plane. When Paul suggested to play cards, i objected to it and carried on with my sleep. But the journey was too short for me to have sufficient sleep. We reached around 4 plus in the morning and we spent quite some time in the duty free shop to buy alcohol. I didn't know what to buy so I bought the limited edition tropical flavour vodka when i saw Wee How taking it.

Wee How suggested going straight back to the office but i really missed my bed so i didnt go back with the guys.

That's the end of the trip's story.

Conclusion - I enjoyed this trip despite the rashes incident ;)