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Published: March 7th 2006
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Anna on Patong Beach
The most popular beach on Phuket It's Monday, January 23 and I'm in Phuket Town on the island of Phuket. I've been staying here for a couple of days. It's not on the beach but it is a great hub to getting to every beach.
Yesterday I went to Patong Beach. Patong Beach is the most popular beach on Phuket, and likely one of the most popular in Thailand. I can't imagine why. It's a hole. Ummm, what I mean to say is that it's really not all that nice. I met a girl yesterday (Anna from England) in Phuket Town and we both decided to check out Patong to see what all the hype was about. We took the songthaew (sort of like an open air bus with 3 bench seats spanning the length of the vehicle) for 20 baht (50 cents). The sand was good, but not as white, fine or clean as Kata Beach or Karon Beach (and not even close to the Similans). The real negatives though were that the water was murky and the beach was packed with tourists and vendors alike. Every few minutes Anna and I were approached by vendors trying to sell something. Likely my last time in
Kamala Beach
decent beach north of Patong Beach Patong.
I checked out Kamala Beach briefly today and that beach is nicer but there is a lot of construction happening on the beach right now.
But let me get to the topic at hand. As the title of this entry suggests, my ears hurt. It all began with my scuba dive trip (see previous blog entries). I bought ear drops in Khao Lak after the dives and used them a couple of times. Although my ears have improved, it's been almost a week and they're still a bit plugged.
So I asked around and ended up going to the International Phuket Hospital (supposedly this hospital has the best doctors on the island and they generally speak English). I get to the hospital this afternoon (directly from Kamala Beach) and find out that the ear specialist is not working today, and in fact, is not working at any time when I am available. So the hospital gives me a referral to a doctor in Phuket Town (I'm given a name and telephone #). I try to make the call at that time to the doctor but my cell phone has no juice.
I stroll through the
Thavorn Hotel room
checking out a room at the Thavorn hotel before deciding to check-in. 650 baht (around $16 per night). Yes, the sheets have holes in them, and the hotel has seen better days, but with a/c and hot water, I'm in. nearby Big C (similar to Wallmart) and the new Central Festival (modern mall that actually had an Oakley store in it) for an hour or so, and then try to get a ride back to Phuket Town. The taxi drivers at the Central Festival wouldn't take anything under 150 baht for the short drive. "Wow, really? You want 150 baht ($4) for a 10 minute ride?" I smile (as usual) and keep walking. I find some moped taxis (the licensed taxis/tuk-tuks have yellow license plates; the moto (moped) taxi drivers have red vests). The moto driver only wanted 50 baht for the ride to Phuket Town. That was much better. I hop on the moped behind the driver, and off I went.
Safely back to my hotel (changed hotels by the way; paying only $15 at the Thavorn), it's time to find that ear doctor. I make the call and after about 15 minutes on the phone trying to understand one another, I figure out where they're located and that the doctor is available now. I start walking. 10 minutes later, I'm there. I take off my Teva's before entering the office (standard to remove your shoes before going
Ear doctor's office
Dr. Fukiat's office in Phuket Town indoors here). The doctor's office lobby looked pretty normal. There are two ladies behind the front desk. One asks for my name, and I sit and wait for the doctor. 5 minutes later, I'm directed to the doctor's office, which is located directly behind the receptionist desk. It happens to have a saloon type door (you know, the type of door that doesn't reach the floor or ceiling). I enter to find the Thai doctor who proceeds to ask me about my ears. We carry on a basic conversation. I say "my ears hurt, plugged, not good (I use as many adjectives to describe my ears as possible, hoping he may know what one of them means), especially my left ear after scuba diving." He nods, and says "how nose? have cough?" I respond, "nose congested, no cough." He nods and proceeds to ask me to plug my nose and breathe out. While I do this, he uses ear equipment I've seen American doctors use to look in my ears. He says, "you have water left ear; must drain." I say, "ok, what I do?" (my English skills are obviously deteriorating by now). "Plug nose, equalize 30 times a day".
Phuket Town
view of Rasada Road from my balcony (Thavorn hotel). I say, "that's it?" He says, "yes, water drain through (points to throat)."
Ok, there you have it. Me ok. I head back out to the receptionist and they give me decongestant pills and antihistamine pills right there on the spot, and ask for 650 baht (about $16). I hand over a 1,000 baht bill (I love this part), and the receptionist takes it and turns around and puts it on a little counter with an opening to the doctors office. The doctor at this time is already seeing another patient but takes the 1,000 baht bill and gives the receptionist change through the same opening. All I see is the doctor's hand. Classic.
In other news, I've got my ticket to Bangkok for the 25th. I used a travel agent to see what it would be like. It was kind of a comical experience really. I walk into this travel agent's office near my hotel and find that they don't do the cheap airfare bookings but they walk me down to another travel agent's office (well, really a desk located in the back of a small liquor/grocery store) with an old man at the front of the
Dragon fruit?
Walking through the Big C store/market, I find this fruit. What is it? I want it. I'm buying some later. store. There is nobody at the travel agency desk, but the old man starts yelling upstairs. No response, so the old man shuffles, and I mean shuffles, back to the stairs and yells again. This time there is a response. A few minutes later a nice lady with wet hair comes downstairs and helps me out with some flights. She seems pretty knowledgeable about the flight times and costs. I book a flight with 1-2-Go! (I'm taking Air Asia for most of my flights so I wanted to mix it up a bit). I'll be flying out of Phuket at about 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the 25th. I also booked a room at KT Guesthouse in Bangkok where I will be meeting up with Jonathan.
Tomorrow, I head off for a sea kayaking trip to Phang Nga that includes "James Bond" island. Should be pretty cool.
As for my Denver Broncos football team, I was sorry to hear they lost. I really would have loved to have seen the game but I had a couple of things working against me. First of all, it was on at 3:00 a.m. here. The second, where would I have been able to see it? It certainly wasn't on in my room (yes, I tried). Some sports bars with satellite dishes could have got it, but would they have been open until the end (around 6:30 a.m.)? I doubt it. So, I had to read about it online this morning. My second favorite team though happens to be the Steelers, so I'm routing for them in the Super Bowl. That game I should be able to see.
Ok, that's it for now. Thanks for reading...
Look! There goes Dave!
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Fucci
non-member comment
Simply stated: You're my HERO!!! Looks like you are having a blast...keep up the good work!!!