Partying in Phuket

14th - 19th of July
Well after we arrive a good few hours later than hoped, we negotiate a taxi fare to the most popular part of Phuket, 20 minutes from the sleepy main town and we’re amongst the grime in the bright lights of Patong. By day, there are a couple of main roads of shopping centres, restaurants, coffee shops and fast food joints that run parallel to the white sandy beach and are connected by numerous lanes full of market stalls and massage parlours. By night, there is Soi Bangla. A pedestrianised street of strip bars, sports bars, Irish bars, Aussie bars, rock bars, ladyboy bars, hooker bars and every other type of bar and those expecting parties and prostitutes won’t be disappointed. But we are expecting the parties and prostitutes and yet the four of us, while taking our first trip down this street and holding our bags a little tighter, can’t help but think how did this happen to Thailand? That aside, there is definitely a vibe here and we’re also pleasantly surprised to find that the Lonely Planet seems to be (once again) written by people who haven’t been so there is no ‘hotel envy’ or ‘slumming it’ and we settle into cable TV, maid service, Wi-Fi, a minibar and a balcony for £4 each a night. Ok, there are no twin rooms so we bunk into doubles but we did rock up unannounced at 10pm on a weekend so whose fault is that?

It takes a day of massages on the beach, leisurely meals, pre-drinks in the hotel before we find ourselves prepared for the bright lights and debauchery. Eyes averted from the greasy western men who are here to score out of their own ball park and we head for the pole free Irish bar for some Irish songs by a Scotsman and then onto the rock club. After this, we take another day or 2 of much the same, adding a Harry Potter cinema and ice cream trip for when it rains and it’s slowly becoming clear that Patong sucks you in. Eventually though, visas and flights take president and we unanimously decide that enough is enough so Katy and I make the most of the location and venture off for a snorkeling and diving trip on the last day. It only takes us showing up at 6am for a 7 o’clock bus (Malaysia time, oops), a few hours clinging onto a table through some seriously violent waves, enduring seasickness and Thai stomachs and then we’re back in beauty of elsewhere Thailand. Well worth it! Actually it was, the waters were crystal clear and tropical and on the way back the water was calm and we even got a few hours sunbathing on the deck, which was essential in preparation for our last night together before the girls head North to Koh Tao and I move South to Krabie. Another night of Irish bars and Rock bars ensues and then a fairly sad goodbye the next day and another week has flown past. My (albeit very vague) plan of travelling through the Malaysian jungle of Taman Negara has turned into Phuket and Krabie but I’ve met some great friends and had a wicked time so while I’m at it and in the area, I think I might just head to Phi Phi…