Phuket on a Scooter

At 9:30 AM, we woke up to a clear blue sky. Good thing we didn’t wake up too early. It seems like we’re already settling into the right sleep rhythm—no jet lag for us! The breakfast buffet was quite impressive. Chefs were cooking eggs to order, and there was a mix of European and Thai breakfast options. Everything we could possibly want was there. We rented a scooter to explore more of the island. Phuket is the largest island in Thailand, and while there are several beaches, the biggest ones are Kata, Karon, and Patong. Patong is the largest and most touristy beach. We’re staying at Karon but also plan to check out Patong, where the nightlife really kicks off. Like other places in Thailand, there are plenty of men with young Thai girls here, but there are also many families, especially around Karon. There’s definitely something for everyone to see. The red flag is up on the beach today, so we need to be careful if we decide to swim. The current is pretty strong. After the devastation of the tsunami, signs have been put up showing evacuation routes up into the mountains to higher ground. Other than that, we haven’t seen any signs of the disaster. I wasn’t keen on riding the scooter this time—200 baht per day. We rented one to see more of the island. We rode over to Patong, where we had lunch by the beach. Then we ventured further inland to the highlands, where we found a go-kart rental place. I’ve never tried go-karting before, so it was a thrilling experience and so much fun—550 baht for a car for two people for 10 minutes. The sun sets around 6 PM, so we managed to squeeze in a swim in the hotel pool before it got dark. The garden around the hotel and pool is absolutely beautiful, with several orchid gardens, waterfalls, and sculptures. The price level in Phuket is the highest in all of Thailand, and we can definitely feel it. Everything is a bit more expensive than we remember from other places in Thailand, but it’s still much cheaper than Denmark. Our dinner at a decent Thai restaurant, including drinks (water, beer, and rum and cola), cost about 160 kr. There are an awful lot of men with Thai girls at all the bars. The Thai girls also call out to us as we walk by, making it incredibly easy for lonely older men to find a Thai girl. We popped into an Irish pub, where we struck up a conversation with an Irish guy and an American girl. They weren’t your typical package tourists either. They had met three years ago in Korea while both teaching English. They were in need of a little vacation before heading to Vietnam to teach.