Please press play to set the vibes for the Phuket read
OKAY OKAY – PINO D’ANGIO
DAY 24 – Poolside and Part 3?
Again, I was not feeling my freshest self this morning. I managed to pick up some tasty looking food on the way to the ferry, however it turned out to be absolutely horrible so the it was not the best start to the day. I did manage to have a little nap on my 2hr journey to Phuket. People on my travels had told me that there was not much point visiting Phuket as it is just heaving with tourists and is prolific for its sex industry, but I was flying from here to Vietnam so I booked 2 nights in a hostel with a hope and a dream.
I arrived at the port and realised that taxis were much more expensive in Phuket than anywhere else I had been. I also found out that Phuket is actually a really big area so this didn’t help with the cost of taxi situation. I decided to jump on a motorbike (bare in mind I have all my stuff) because I am a cheapskate and in 40 mins I had paid my £9 and was at the hostel in Rawai Beach at the South (please refer to the map below). To be fair, being on the back of a bike is a really nice way of seeing somewhere so I always try to get on one in the first day or two of being in a new place.
I was staying at Selina Hostel, Rawai Beach and my god was I impressed. It is mostly a hotel/resort situation with a few of the rooms made into hostel rooms. I paid £10 a night to sleep in a bed more comfortable than my bed at home, with a massive bathroom and lovely people. The whole place was immaculate and they offer morning yoga and meditation classes for free. Apparently Selina have these kind of hostels all over the world, I will absolutely stay in them in the future. The food/drinks are a bit more pricey than your average place, but to sit by a pool which overlooks the sea with wifi and good tunes is just a no brainer for me (after all, I am seeking luxury on a budget).
I had been out for 2 nights on the bounce so decided that I would use my free drinks voucher post nap, then take it easy for the rest of the evening. Plans changed, however, when one Italian fellow was looking for someone to party with in Bangala Road. Naturally I volunteered as tribute and we embarked on the 40 minute motorbike journey to Patong Beach (please refer to the above map). This place was absolutely insane, rammed with Russian families and just felt like Vegas. We grabbed some dinner at a night market, then booked onto a pub crawl. I was very sceptical but Mr Italian was very keen. This decision led to me having one of the best nights out of my life.
FIT CHECK – CLURB READY
The pub crawl is where I met my new friend Lauren, a London lady who had moved to Aus and decided to travel Asia with her Aussie budget. We literally danced all night and my mouth hurt from laughing so much. Watching her barter for a vape was a true highlight. After a couple of buckets we left the pub crawl and opted for Sugar Club instead (ladies go in for free). The tunes were absolutely popping off and we locked and popped till the early hours. Lauren bartered for me to get a disco taxi home, so I mooched all the way back to my lovely hostel, singing full blast to the following tunes (they sound like sad songs, but the vibes were euphoric);
- In Love With Another Man – Jasmine Sullivan
- Rain (A Colours Show Version) – The Tesky Brothers
- Too Late To Turn Back Now – Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose
- Lazy Nina – Greg Phillinganes
DAY 25 – PHUKET OLD TOWN
After a bit of a lie in and feeling an earache coming on, Lauren and I met up in Phuket Old Town. It was truly one of my favourite days of my trip. We bonded over our love for cold brew and did some shopping.
BOOKHEMIAN CAFE – REALLY GOOD COFFEE
We ended up plotting up at a Japanese Cafe where I tried a few new things including toast with Kaya Jam, kind of a coconut caramel. T’was very tasty. I also had an orange juice and americano for the first time, it’s a very common drink in Thailand. What a taste journey, Lauren and I surprised ourselves and really enjoyed it.
JOKES ALL THE TIME
By the end of the day my ear was wigging out and I started to feel quite unwell, but I was so happy I got to spend the day with Lauren before I headed to Vietnam. I also managed to catch a lovely sunset on the way back too!
When I got back to my hostel I started chatting to the guy in my room who was Russian. After hysterically laughing for about half an hour and conversing in the most broken Russian I have ever spoken, it transpires he was really high which made the whole thing so much more funny (I see how high he was now I’m looking at the photo). I packed my bags ready for my 11am flight the next morning.
Phuket probably gets a bad rep from people with no taste. I had so much fun here and have never laughed so much in my life. People need to live a little and be young wild and free, and if someone tells you Phuket is shit and not to bother, tell them to shove it up their arse and that they are boring.
What a perfect end to the Thailand diaries. Next stop, Ho Chi Minh!