Ocean of water..not people

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So....a bus to Puket...why Puket..no clue other than it sounded ok. Oh yes..it's a 12 hr bus ride turns into a 20 hr ride. At first it was not too bad...a/c..t.v. but then the other tourist become very annoyingly rude. They bother me the most about this whole trip...even pad thai isn't as bad. So after that bus ride...we transfer to a rest area that we think is where we catch the boat to Puket...only to sadly discover we are getting on a minivan to Puket. Fine...i sit in the back..not by choice..and my claustrophobia kicks in...not good. I have to will myself not to freak out...wow..i can do this...and i do. Then something breaks on the van...something that holds the wheels in place!!!!!!!!! only in Thailand...good thing we didn't know what was going on. No problem says the driver...we'll get someone to come pick us up. So they do and we continue on our uncomfortable journey. Finally we get closer to our destination then we get let off where we must barter a rate with the taxi driver....we met some english people who seemed fairly experienced with this so we all 6 of us with backpacks hop onto this tuk tuk/taxi thing and head out to Patong....up the hill, down the hill, around the corner...and up another hill...finally we arrive. So there is the ocean...oh my..the waves...the shells..i'm in heaven now. I have quite a fine collection. Patong is definitely not our cup of tea...very unfriendly locals....upscale american tourist..not many backpackers...lovely couples strolling the beach together....ugh...must leave this place. So we decide to go to Kho Phi Phi ...it turns out to be a lovely place which we stay for 3-4 days.. The water is so blue...we decided to go on a day trip on a long boat. It's great fun. snorkeling..the fish are so colorful...i feel them rice and they eat out of my hand..pretty cool. We swim...snorkel...swim some more...what a great day this has been. Phi Phi Island was completely wiped out by the tsunami...there are signs posted everywhere as to where the evacuation routes are...don't know how much good they'd do tho..it's a small island. I talked to a local who lost all 7 of his family members...pretty tragic. Didn't know what to say to him...wanted to cry. After Phi Phi we head north.

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