Patong Party Street

At Phuket Airport, I pick up Fanny and we take a bus to the hotel. I am very excited to spend the next few days with a familiar person again. Our first accommodation is located in Patong, just a few meters from the beach. The resort is very well maintained and paths wind through lush greenery like in a dense jungle. The beach is not quite what we expected. Hundreds of sun-hungry people and many water sports offerings to pass the time. From banana boating to paragliding to water skiing, there is everything. It should be said that the matter of people being strapped to a parachute and pulled by a boat for a few minutes is quite amusing to watch. There is always a Thai person who runs after them without any safety equipment. Skillfully, he hangs onto the ropes with his hands and casually swings his legs over them, mainly to help with the landing. Some of them go wrong and end up in the water. Others already have difficulties at takeoff. Literally. In a tandem flight, two girls stumble and are dragged face-first into the water until the parachute lifts them up.

After a long sunbath and splashing in the ocean, we dive into the nightlife. At a night market, we fill our bellies first and then end up at a bar with a live band. Not only is the music pretty good, but the band also entertains the audience extraordinarily. Unfortunately, it must be said that in the street with the most bars and clubs, there are also many "easy girls" on offer....this business still exists here and is no secret. Our hotel is very centrally located and right next to a big disco, which makes us fall asleep to a lot of 'boom boom'.

The next morning, we start fresh and lively and treat ourselves to a foot massage that also includes hands, head, and shoulders. Unlike the classic Thai massage, you can relax and fully enjoy the time. Deeply relaxed, we rent a scooter and look for a beach with less action. After just a few kilometers and a winding road along the coast, we reach Surin Beach and are more than satisfied with our choice. A small beach with fine sand, shady palm trees, clear water, and several mobile food stalls. The water is so clear that you can observe various fish without diving goggles. Time flies by and as dusk sets in, we make our way back. We can see elephants on the side of the road and even encounter mounted pachyderms on the street. Sadly, these animals spend their lives on a construction site, doing heavy tasks. I wish they could find sanctuary at Kanta Elephant Sanctuary.

Just in time, we reach the hotel and are safe from a heavy rain shower. The sky pours down for about an hour, creating a tremendous sound. After the floodgates close again, we want to drive to a local night market with the scooter. The vehicle is parked in the courtyard of our accommodation and is in a huge puddle. That is a very mild way of putting it, as the scooter is practically in a shallow pool. I wait with my already ruined flip-flops in ankle-deep water and pick up Fanny on dry ground. But the wet feet were worth it and we stroll through the market with its various fragrant smells. Many Thais also go shopping here, which makes the prices cheaper and the people more relaxed. The atmosphere tempts you to return home with one or two bags and a full stomach.