5/30 - Jungle Trails to City Streets

It's 7pm on Monday and we're sitting in an internet cafe we found in a back alley in Phuket. It's our cheapest access yet - about 50 cents per hour. On Phi Phi it cost about $4.50 per hour.

On Saturday we hiked for about three hours on a jungle trail in Khao Sok National Park. It started as a jeep road and became a single-track trail. The steamy hike was punctuated by some incredible yet sparse wildlife. We briefly saw monitor lizards on three separate occasions before these three foot monsters scurried off into the jungle as we approached on the trail. At one point a monkey howled at us from above - apparently we were encroaching on his/her territory. We think it was a long-tailed macaca; probably the same kind of monkey we awoke to on both mornings of our stay in Khao Sok. Near the end of our hike we were able to observe a white-crowned hornbill at close range. There are 13 species of hornbill in Thailand, and this is one of the more rare types. See the following link to check out this huge bird: http://www.orientalbirdimages.org/images/data/wchornoby.jpg

We went back to the same area with a guide and our two Israeli friends that night to try to spot some additional wildlife. Unfortunately we struck out so we feel fortunate to have seen some amazing stuff on our own. One thing we didn't actually see but were aware might exist were leeches. Ken must have picked up a couple of them as he found evidence of two bites and a surprising amount of blood on his ankle following the night hike.

A number of factors helped us decide to leave Khao Sok a day earlier than planned. On Sunday morning we headed back south to Phuket by our only available means of transportation: public bus. When we got on the bus, we were two of six on the full-size sixties-era bus. The first half of the trip was rather enjoyable with a beautiful rural landscape and few stops. As our journey played out, we stopped frequently and the bus filled to capacity. Needless to say, after four and a half hours we were excited to get off our $2 bus ride at the bus station in Phuket Town.

Geography buffs might like to check out this map which shows several of the places we've traveled including Ao Nang, Phuket, and Phi Phi:
http://www.phuket-guide.net/images/around-phuket.gif

We came to Phuket because we will be flying back to Bangkok from here on Tuesday. This is the first leg of our journey home. On Wednesday we fly from Bangkok to Taipei and on Thursday, after a day in Taipei, we fly to Los Angeles. Phuket has offered us a very different view of Thailand. Phuket province has a resort area, which is probably similar to Ao Nang. However, we're staying in the older city center, on the east side of the island, so we're getting a good urban (less-touristy) experience. What makes Phuket unique is that about 100 years ago the governor of the province created an urban plan. As a result, shopping, government, and housing are not piled on top of each other and an architectural influence (Sino-Portuguese) had a chance to take hold. Apparently our guesthouse, which has distinctive pillars and arches, is a good example of this style. We were lucky enough to find the third floor room that our guidebook recommended, with a huge balcony overlooking the narrow street, available.

When we got here yesterday we were thrilled to enjoy one thing that we haven't seen for weeks: an air-conditioned, surround-sound movie. We paid just $2 apiece to see the new Star Wars movie. However, we were reminded that we're still in Thailand when the theatre ran a video montage in tribute to the King of Thailand after the movie trailers. Good thing Steve noticed early on that all of the other movie-goers (all behind us) were standing and singing along in praise to the King. We quickly followed suit - minus the singing.

While we've found Phuket interesting, the consensus is that we're ready to go home. We'll update you from either Bangkok or Taipei.

Other random items:

"The Man with the Golden Gun" (007), with it's unique limestone landscape, was filmed not far from Phuket.

The scooter situation (especially in Phuket) is out of control. We doubt anyone at home would believe a family of four (including an infant and toddler) could fit on one - oh, but they do. Between left side driving and the lack of pedestrian right-of-way, we're having to use the buddy system to scramble across the road and avoid the insane traffic.

We are told the South of Thailand has two seasons, "hot" in winter and spring, and "hot and wet" in summer and fall. So we are here as the wet season is beginning, although we have been lucky with very little rain.

We have seen a lot of the following in the last 24 hours: concrete, signage, school kids in uniform, mangy dogs, healthy rats, and relentlessly soliciting tuk-tuk and taxi drivers.