From Kuala Lumpur I took a bus going to Hatyai (Thailand Border to Malaysia). I originally plan to take the night bus so I could get to Thailand in the morning. So I guess this was one of the things I learned from traveling, some things would not turned out as planned. People were going out of the country for holidays and the bus tickets were all sold out. I have no choice but to take the morning bus. I think it's ok to take the morning bus, because I get to see nice views along the way. I left Kuala Lumpur around 9am and reached Hatyai around 5:30pm. In Malaysia people thought I'm a local, in Thailand I'm a Thai.
There were a lot of touts everywhere, they will follow you, sell you something, ask for a higher fare. So if people haven't done any research before traveling, they will be most likely get ripped off here. From Hatyai I took another bus going to Phuket, inside the bus there were no tourists. I am a little bit scared because it was already night time. It took 5 hours to get to the Phuket town. Approximately 14 hour bus ride in total from Malaysia. My back hurt and I was really tired and sleepy. I thought Phuket town will be filled with tourists just like Kuala Lumpur. I was wrong, I reached Phuket in the wee hours of the morning and I didn't see any tourists there. I panicked, I still have to go to Patong Beach where I'm going to meet my couchsurfer host who lives there. I went to the tourist information, asking how to go to Patong Beach from Phuket town, the guy from the agency told me to ride the minivan (taxi) for 500 baht. I asked him how much it costs to stay in a guesthouse instead, he told me that the cheapest was for 550 Baht. So I don't really know what to do that time, I'm not really comfortable going alone in the taxi in the middle of the night. And I can't afford to spend too much for staying in a guesthouse. So I paid him 500 Baht to get to the Patong Beach by Taxi.
Then I saw 4 travelers passing along the way, I asked them if they were also going to the Patong Beach but they said no. I told them I am not really comfortable going there alone in the taxi. They offered me to stay with them instead. The girl from France told me that some people were nice and helpful, but sometimes they were just trying to get more money from me. So we were like out there walking and asking people but I felt more safe with them. The guy from France told me that we were tourists and that we need to help each other. They said they knew a very nice place to stay for only 150-250 Baht. Luckily we found one. I stayed in the hostel for a night then I said goodbye to them the next morning, we took pictures and exchanged facebook. I will never forget them.
Meto helped me book a trip to Phi Phi islands. I said goodbye to him the next day. The minivan picked me up in Patong Beach and drove us to the Port. I had a nice chat with a guy from Malaysia who was traveling with his nice family. He was really friendly, he talked to other fellow travelers. I also met a nice couple from finland who also knew about couchsurfing. They told me that when I come to Finland I can surf their couch. I met a guy from France he was also traveling alone, but does not socialize that much, the woman from Finland told me that he does not speak english really well, maybe that's why. We did island hopping, and stopped in one of the islands for a 1 hour buffet Lunch (inlcuded in the package). I met a couple, 1 Filipina with her Canadian husband. We shared table and had a little converstation. She is the only filipina I met in Thailand so far. I went outside the boat to see more views and had a nice chat with an American guy who was traveling alone as well. He quit his job to travel, we shared some insights about traveling.
I think it's nice to travel alone because I can go with anyone and not be stuck with just one person or group. We had a stop in Maya Beach, popularly known in the movie "The Beach". I really like the movie, but before, I never thought that I can actually go there. We did not swim there though, the big boat just parked around there so we can take our pictures because the beach was quite sharp and wavy. It was really beautiful. We also made a quick stop for snorkling, then swam to the Monkey beach.
From Phi Phi islands we were taken back to the port around 5:30pm, I asked to be dropped off to the bus station in Phuket town. I am headed to Bangkok this time. I said goodbye to my new found friends, took some pictures, exchanged facebook and email addresses. It was really fun. Phi Phi Islands was one of the highlights of my southeast asian trip, definitely worth it!
Heaven and Hell in Pattaya.
Heaven and Hell in Pattaya.
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