Dateline: Tupkaek and Patong, Thailand-
It’s been a quiet day. I slept in a bit, had breakfast, and then did a quick face time call to the family in Seattle because, while it was boxing day morning here in Thailand, it was time for Christmas dinner there and the clan was gathered for greetings and remembrances. I got my belongs stuffed back into the luggage and a very nice driver picked me up for the drive from Tup Kaek and Krabi to Phuket and Patong. While the two destinations are only about 30 miles apart, they’re on opposite sides of a bay which required a drive of pushing four hours with traffic and well over 100 miles. I didn’t have any place else to be so I just watched the world pass by outside the van windows.
Limestone and granite cliffs and pillars jutting suddenly out of agricultural land spelled by rural towns dedicated to agriculture or fishing or tourism. The area seems to be a vacation destination for the world so signs in many languages advertising home cooking for French, Germans, Italians, Russians, Iranians, Indians, and the list goes on. We stopped half way for snacks at a 7-11 (ubiquitous in this part of the world) where the aisles were full of snack foods I did not recognize. Lots of them seemed to contain seafood or algae of various sorts. I did find some M & Ms hiding in a corner and bought and ate those.
Eventually we crossed the bridge across the narrow strait that separates the island of Phuket from the mainland and headed down the coast to the town of the same name. From there, up and over the spine of the island on a windy little road to the beach town of Patong. My hotel turned out to be a rather chi chi resort up on the hill to the south of the beach, out of the hustle and bustle of the town proper. I got myself checked in, put on my bathing suit, and explored the large complex of infinity pools that seem to be the hotel’s major calling card.
After a light dinner at the hotel restaurant, I decided to stay in for the evening. I have an all day adventure involving speedboats and island hopping tomorrow and sleep is in order.
Just not very much to say today. Perhaps more tomorrow…
Life, The Universe, and Everything 