Ahhhhh the final post of 2015!
Greetings from the lovely Patong Beach in Phuket. We arrived on Tuesday 29 December via A/C minivan with Hat Yai World Tour Co Ltd. We had been collected by a minivan from our hotel at 11.15am that morning and driven for about 15 minutes outside of Krabi. After a short while I began to think that maybe this cramped minivan was in fact our transport to Phuket. Luckily, we pulled up to what I could only call a warehouse with some seating inside and Thai men shouting orders to unsuspecting tourists and their colleagues alike. Turns out we were going to Phuket via minivan and we had to wait our turn before being loaded on-board.
We tried to board one van that was going to Phuket however we were informed quite abruptly that it was full and we would have to wait. Little or no other information was given. We basically had to wait around until another bus arrived. Shortly after, another one pulled up and we were on our way at 12.15pm. We were due to leave at 11.30am however.
I may have mentioned in previous posts about the Thai’s and their driving but this was by far the worst! His driving was the most erratic I have ever in my life experienced. We were easily hitting about 100km/hr in 60km/hr zones. Talk about freaked. Luckily most of the luggage was stacked high in the seats in front of me so I had little or no view of his driving! But we made it in one piece around 4pm and we were even dropped straight to our hotel.
We booked four nights in a guesthouse called Troy Guesthouse, which is approximately a 10 minute walk to the beach. The hotel is lovely however we are on the fourth floor and there is no lift! Ugh….first world problems I know! We chose to include breakfast when booking and I must say they do a lovely buffet, small spread, but a good spread nonetheless including scrambled egg, fried egg, ready-made toasties, corn on the cob, chicken wings (unusual one I know) and toast and cereal! Needless to say we stock up in the mornings!
On Wednesday after breakfast we decided we would head to the big shopping centre of Patong called Jungceylon and maybe catch a screening of Star Wars. We were in luck and caught a show at 1.30pm that afternoon. I’m nearly afraid to admit that I had never seen a Star Wars movie before and Jamie was a little sceptical that I would like it however I thoroughly enjoyed it. You never know, I could be a fanatic before you all know it! We caught a bite to eat then after the movie and made our way back to the hotel.
Jungceylon Shopping Centre, Patong
We had a lovely meal then that evening in the Hard Rock Café right near Patong Beach. The food is always so good in the HRC. I got the Hickory Smoked Pulled burger and Jamie the Texan burger. The place was so busy and there was even live music outside the venue. We then went for a short stroll on the beach; I didn’t realise how touristy Phuket is, quite similar to Bangkok even!
This morning we went to the beach however we didn’t last very long. The temperature was in around 34 degrees and there was no little or shade so we made our way back to the hotel after about 2 hours. This afternoon then we went to a little café called Chou Chou Deli Shop, a little café situated in the foyer of Hotel Grand Mercure Phuket Patong, a fab looking hotel about a 10 minute stroll from our hotel. I must say I have a soft spot for a good cappuccino and cake, any cake! For this occasion I opted for the lemon tart and it was exquisite!
Patong Beach
That's some heat!
Chou Chou Deli
We are not too sure what we are doing for the remainder of the evening. We will be ringing in the New Year in less than 6 hours so Happy New Year folks and I’ll catch you all in 2016!