PHUKET

Thanks to everyone who sent me messages hoping that I would soon feel better. The antibiotics did the trick and I feel a lot better. It is nice to get the messages on the blog and the emails from everyone. I do love my own company and travelling. But it is nice to keep in contact and Know what is going on in your lives.




Rob and Heather from Melbourne whom I made friends with on Ko Pi Pi have kindly taken some of the weight from my rucksac. I will collect it from them when I arrive in Melbourne in the early part of next year. They were really nice and saw me off on the boat to my next destination..Phuket

It was scortching hot on the boat trip so I was glad to take some shade at the back of the boat. When we got to Phuket it was unbearably hot. I got a minibus to the hotel. Along the route you could see where there had been a lot of rebuilding post Tsunami. This Island was hit particularly hard. Many roads and properties were destroyed. It is just mind blowing as I go from Island to Island trying to imagine how they have rebuilt their lives. There is something just not right about the way we come and holiday in places where there was so much loss of life. But I do know that they rely on tourism and the revenue it generates, so I reconcile my concerns with that knowledge.

I am really pleased with my hotel..it is set back about fifteen minutes from the beach. It has the most amazing little swimming pool.There is only enough room to do about ten strokes. But it is so beautifully made and the water feature at the end creates a very relaxing atmosphere. I love to go and relax there and read my book. And chill out in the heat.




I have to say that I was really looking forward to coming to Phuket because I had heard so much about the island. But it is making me feel very unsettled. There are so many dodgy looking foreign men with beautiful Thai women. On the route from my hotel to the beach there is just bar after bar with loads of beautiful Thai women just waiting for the letcherous foreigners and there money.It is making me so angry. I am at Patong beach, which is just a big pick up joint with lots of shops selling loads of cheap goods. It is everything I hate. The beach was packed with sunbeds and umberellas for miles.


I walked the full length and found a quiet place to sunbathe.



The only problem was when I came to go home I had to walk the full length in the full glare of the sun. Consequently I am very red tonight! I need to think that one through in future. Tomorrow I am going to get a taxi or bus and find a quiet little cove somewhere away from the shops and touting.

I have just had the most amazing massage!!! yeh!! There is nothing wrong with the traditional Thai massages and I know some of you were concerned that I thought foot massages were not good(Particularly you Paul..great to get your messages by the way x) but they are good, its just my body is in such bad shape that they have to push and prod so much to try and get my ching and chang in line, that it is very painful for me.I am sure the better shape I get into the less they will hurt!
The massage today was a mixture of Thai and western oil massage and I felt a lot better afterwards. It only cost three pounds which is incredible. Back home the same kind of thing would cost about fifty pounds!.
I am going to try and fit another one in before I leave the island. I do hope I discover some redeeming places in Phuket before I fly off to Ko Samui on Sunday.