So let me tell you about Phuket. This was an impromptu trip (kind of) booked at the beginning of the year. I had four months to save for this and thankfully I survived! We booked for the accommodation a month after and research paved its way to convincing us to book tours when we landed.
I hope someday I could write a "travel blog" with tips and expense reports but clearly this blog isn't (hihi) so I'll just tell you what we did on our full first day. Took a look at Kata Beach which did not wow me, nevertheless it's a beach, got (henna) inked while I knew all along that I'm allergic, visited the elephants and tried to ride on them (which really made me feel guilty afterwards when I saw how their legs trembled in every step, nope, not gonna do it again), went to see the Big Buddha, toured a mall, and had the SCARE (well at least for me) of our lives at Patong Beach.
Do you want to hear the story? Do you really want to know? Are you sure? 'Cause I cried, like literally, while I was showering that night. All my morals along with my tears down the drain. But whatever, I did it anyway so...
Scroll down for it. :D
 |
| Marina |
 |
| Reactions to the unexpected cuddles |
 |
| Nancy and them |
 |
| Mari and me |
 |
| Monk blessing |
 |
| Buddha angles |
 |
| Black Canyon Coffee is famous here |
 |
| Pad Thai on the right |
When we arrived at Patong, clearly the streets were busy, strewn with people -- tourists -- for the night life. We took pictures by that sign above then someone approached us with a "menu". There listed a lot of things I didn't understand and remember, but with my two friends (who always bring me to this kind of experiences) with me, I was okay, but still nervous, but generally okay. So we went down the street, took a right turn in an alley and entered a club. With girls slow dancing. On, you know, just their underthings. Anyway, well, that alarmed me. The three of us were seated at a tall table on the right side of the stage, they ordered drinks at around 900THB (PHP 1,200) which I paid too after a while, because the server girl said I can't watch "the show" if I didn't pay. So I paid the sort of entrance fee and hoped my Coke would "chill me out". Very much to my chagrin, it didn't. Especially when the show started. Oh, just research about the
Ping Pong Show to get the idea. Things went from weird, to weirdo, to shoot-i-can't-handle-this, to me nearly covering my eyes not caring if people who went to see the show see me covering my eyes, and the two girls hiding behind me in attempt to be safe from an arrow. Yes, a literal arrow.
I'm sorry I can't really publish the story in detail. But yes I silently cried in my bath that night (so that the girls wouldn't hear hahahaha!)
But you know for Day 1, getting to know Thailand's wild side isn't such a bad thing. It's culture, and I reminded myself that traveling is opening myself up to heal my being judgmental.
