48 HOURS IN PHUKET
Air Asia touched down at Phuket Airport at 1:20PM on Sat 17 August 2007. The moment we stepped out of the arrival hall, the sky opened up to welcome us with a heavy down pour.
A tout approached us on rental car. After some negotiation, got ourselves a good deal. A Toyota Vios for 48 hours at1800 Baht, much less than the official quoted rates. The return taxi fare to and fro from the airport alone would cost more than half the rental price and we have the convenience of own transport. Surely a good start although it rained all the way in the 45 minutes drive to Patong beach.
Unfortunately the weather was crappy. The persistent intermittent rain continued right through to the early hours of Monday. Shopping at the street stalls was virtually out of question. So we hang around at the new shopping mall Jungceylon. Things sold were not particularly exciting and @ departmental store price. The petulant and whining daughter made the evening even more tiring. So we decided to return to the hotel and turned in early. What a boring 1st day!
The next day after breakfast at the hotel we were off on a sight seeing tour to Karon and Kata beach, a detour to visit a Wat (temple) in Chalong and then on to Phuket town. Parked the car at the basement of Robinson Departmental store and shopped around the surrounding area. Noticed that they have a unique parking system in Phuket. One can double park but the vehicle has to be in neutral gear. The parking attendant will then push the car up or down the aisle for others to get in or out of the parking bay. In this way more vehicles can be parked within a confined space like a basement. Hm…. Interesting idea. After lunch in town we headed back to Patong beach.
After a short rest at the hotel, we ventured out to the beach for a drink and stroll. The beach was rather deserted due to the cloudy drizzly weather. The wind was really gusty and the sea rough. Did not notice any one swimming in the water.
After dinner at the hotel we went out to do some last minute shopping. The daughter spotted a nail art shop and went in to get her nails painted. Thai massage is still cheap at half the price charged in Malaysia and every other 3rd shop on the block offers either foot reflex logy or Thai massage all the way to the beach.
Food is no longer cheap in Patong. A bowl of beef noodle costs 50 baht and it didn’t even taste like the genuine thing they used to have at the road side.
The sun finally broke through on Monday morning, the day we have to leave for home. Fortunately, our flight was in the afternoon. The morning spent on the beach and the hotel pool somewhat made up for the lost time caused by the rain. At least the daughter was happy. The trip was in part to celebrate her 11th birthday which falls on 19th August. She managed to collect a few hundred Lala shells on the beach and a bit of tan to show for. Coming to Phuket without spending time on the beach will be a total lost.
48 hours is definitely too short a time to cover the whole of Phuket island - so there is every reason for a return trip to continue the exploration.
5 September 2007
A tout approached us on rental car. After some negotiation, got ourselves a good deal. A Toyota Vios for 48 hours at1800 Baht, much less than the official quoted rates. The return taxi fare to and fro from the airport alone would cost more than half the rental price and we have the convenience of own transport. Surely a good start although it rained all the way in the 45 minutes drive to Patong beach.
Unfortunately the weather was crappy. The persistent intermittent rain continued right through to the early hours of Monday. Shopping at the street stalls was virtually out of question. So we hang around at the new shopping mall Jungceylon. Things sold were not particularly exciting and @ departmental store price. The petulant and whining daughter made the evening even more tiring. So we decided to return to the hotel and turned in early. What a boring 1st day!
The next day after breakfast at the hotel we were off on a sight seeing tour to Karon and Kata beach, a detour to visit a Wat (temple) in Chalong and then on to Phuket town. Parked the car at the basement of Robinson Departmental store and shopped around the surrounding area. Noticed that they have a unique parking system in Phuket. One can double park but the vehicle has to be in neutral gear. The parking attendant will then push the car up or down the aisle for others to get in or out of the parking bay. In this way more vehicles can be parked within a confined space like a basement. Hm…. Interesting idea. After lunch in town we headed back to Patong beach.
After a short rest at the hotel, we ventured out to the beach for a drink and stroll. The beach was rather deserted due to the cloudy drizzly weather. The wind was really gusty and the sea rough. Did not notice any one swimming in the water.
After dinner at the hotel we went out to do some last minute shopping. The daughter spotted a nail art shop and went in to get her nails painted. Thai massage is still cheap at half the price charged in Malaysia and every other 3rd shop on the block offers either foot reflex logy or Thai massage all the way to the beach.
Food is no longer cheap in Patong. A bowl of beef noodle costs 50 baht and it didn’t even taste like the genuine thing they used to have at the road side.
The sun finally broke through on Monday morning, the day we have to leave for home. Fortunately, our flight was in the afternoon. The morning spent on the beach and the hotel pool somewhat made up for the lost time caused by the rain. At least the daughter was happy. The trip was in part to celebrate her 11th birthday which falls on 19th August. She managed to collect a few hundred Lala shells on the beach and a bit of tan to show for. Coming to Phuket without spending time on the beach will be a total lost.
48 hours is definitely too short a time to cover the whole of Phuket island - so there is every reason for a return trip to continue the exploration.
5 September 2007
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