15 December 2014 - exploring Phuket Old Town and Patong Beach

15 December 2014

It was time to venture further than our local area.  We had heard that as we are about 11 kms from Phuket Old Town, we would need to either take a taxi or hire a car to get around although we had spotted one tuk-tuk and driver next to 7-11.  We were a little dismayed when we realised that the tuk-tuk had gone for the day and the locals all shook their heads.  We nearly took up the offer of a taxi (500 baht) when the “Aquarium “bus rocked up.  Yeah!!  Local transport for 30 Baht each, breezy and fun and what the locals use.  We want our time away to be a “lived experience” of doing local things, fitting in with the surrounding culture and not getting too caught up in the touristy things on offer.  It turns out that the “Aquarium” bus runs every 20 minutes or so until 3 or 4 PM which means that we can get into town cheaply.  The end of the bus route is at the Phuket Old Town Market where there are a number other buses to various beaches.

 

The local Aquarium bus ride into Phuket Old Town

A breezy ride

Anyone for chillies?

We wandered through the narrow market alleyways taking in all the smells and differences: the meats, the spices, the vegetables and other little stalls selling clothes and material.  The stall that really caught our eye was the woman making fresh coconut milk and selling it in plastic bags.  If only we were game enough to try it….We wandered around the streets taking in the general ambience and fending off quite a few offers for taxis.  Initially, we were guar9ding our backpacks but it soon seemed that we were unlikely to be pickpocketed around this area.  We were all really feeling the heat and humidity of the tropics and the kids were flagging.  An icecream from 7-11  (15 Baht – 60 cents) revived us and I also bought an “old man coffee” for 40 Baht. The kids and I had headaches which we think were probably just an adjustment to time difference, tiredness and the humid heat. 

The bus for Patong Beach was waiting so we hopped on board and headed off to the beach. It was an excellent ride especially spotting all the elaborate and dangerous wiring hanging off power poles and a good vantage point to see local stalls and villages.  It is a very hilly road and the bus driver nearly lost the gears several times on our ascent.  (I did read in the Phuket Times that on the following day, a tourist bus lost its brakes on the descent!) So this is where all the tourists are!!!!!  Packed with mostly Russian tourists.  I was probably the only one wearing a one-piece bathing suit on the beach but there were many women who SHOULD have been wearing a one-piece or something other than really unbecoming bikinis.  No-one really wants to see blobs and rolls hanging out of a bikini on a middle-aged woman.  No Aussie would be seen wearing such attire and so as we listened to their conversations and realised there were many Russian signs, we concluded that Russians make up a great part of the tourist market in Phuket at this time of year (when it is – 30 in Moscow!).

  

Power lines

Chicken wings tasted wonderful!

The kids and I enjoyed the warm water of the Andaman Sea whilst Karl sat in the shade. We bravely tried chicken wings for lunch which were tasty.  We wandered around the streets and came across a market and other interesting things of note.  One of which was an open air veterinary service which was de-sexing stray dogs, one of whom was being operated on as we stopped and stared.  This must be similar to the Animal Ark where Stephen Cutter works in Northern Territory.  We reflected that there weren’t as many stray dogs as we thought there might be so this de-sexing program had clearly had good effect.

We took the bus back to Phuket Old Town Market and it was very crowded.  We had hit peak hour traffic in Phuket and so the journey was slow.  It was on our arrival that the locals told us that the Aquarium bus at stops at 3 PM.  The taxi driver, who we now know as “One Tooth” , approached us for a lift back to Bel Air. After a bit of haggling, we agreed on 320 Baht.  This turned out to be good for us and for him as he was regularly waiting for us at the end of a day to drive us back to our apartment.

Outdoor dog de-sexing

At Patong Beach

Gasoline anyone?

Dinner was again a variety of sausages from our “Sausage Lady’s” cart plus some home cooked rice and bok choy.  We had fresh carrots and cucumber, too.  All really eager for something crunchy to eat!!  Then, of course, we enjoyed swimming in the amazing pools.  This time it was the lower pool which is 150 metres long and is located the front of the complex. My personal challenge was to swim the length of the pool and back without stopping! Seriously luxurious by our standards!  The end of day swims are pure heaven and make the evenings so much more pleasant after the humid days. Our large balcony is perfect for lounging on and also for drying our clothes – you know, the traveller’s laundry – wash your own undies and socks in the shower every day so you keep up a constant supply!!!