BIG MAC SET

BIG MAC SET or meal costs at 125baht. It comes with large fries and drink. Although I prefered this day to have a Double Cheeseburger. Oh how I craved for this! 

The Phuket Now!

In retrospect to my previous blog, THIS IS PHUKET NOW!

How they have stepped up and considered the tragedy they encountered. Just one of the sights that they have securedly build to become one of the tourist spot, again! Everybody's help should be accounted for in making this city anew. How I envy their government and the department of tourism in building this city back on their feet again.

Our country can be at par with Thailand. We also have a lot of tourist spots/destinations to build tourism. I believe the Philippines can...everyone just have to contribute in making. The way the Thais believed in themselves nad making contribtuions to bring back Phuket. Alive and kicking again. 

Depressing

I was told that this site burned down around the day I arrived here in Phuket. So, thats 2 weeks ago. Its a tragic thing to happen. Most passersby will stopby and look for a while to ponder. I myself thought of this unfortunate event and the time the tsunami consumed the whole Phuket.

After a while, I looked around. This is the only sorry sight you will ever find here in Phuket. Teh Land of Smile is very much SMILING now. Everyone bounced back from the disaster. I dont see any place that is destroyed. The owners will bounce back, as we normally do.

Visit Phuket and you will be surprised...never thought that a disaster once occured in this place.

Lightning doesnt strike twice.

Thai women work as hard

This sight is very humbling for me. A thai woman, carrying her load of goods for sale on her shoulders. How she strives to sell her goods..straining both her physical might and mental tensions. Mentally because she have to communicate with all of us foreigners in selling her goods.

This struck me when I saw her. I am in the same predicament of finding retailers and distributors of our sunblock product. I have to be mentally tough in trying to communicate and understand the negotiations in making a sale in a foreign country, with unfamiliar cultures and languages I am still to comprehend. 

Pinoys Abroad

It was very exhilarating to find "kababayans" in this district of Phuket. I never thought that I would be able to meet and talk to my fellow countrymen in this tourist spot. This confirms how great filipinos are in entertaining people.

Tita Lily, Michael, tin-tin, Noel, Lando, Manong Ed and those whom I cant remember your names, you know who you are, all of you were great. I had a great time with you that evening. The way you made those foreigners dance and really have the time in their life having a great vacation here in Patong Phuket, Thailand. you all make us proud. You guys really know how to have a good time despite the years you've been out of the country. Come this Sunday during your restdays, i will be honored to be with you guys and have a tour in Phuket or whatever your plans may be.

They even introduced me to their Thai freind Ik who is a lawyer. He is also very interested in Beach Hut. I hope everything will be fruitful after this. 

21st of June

It was a terrible day for me. This is my room; my place of solitude right now; my place for relaxation. I really need to rest.

I shouldnt have walked the whole Patong up until night time. Now I have a sore left foot. Its was aching too much that I cant even walk.. even just by sitting down and writing this blog, my foot really hurts so much that I nearly cried. Well, thats the pain you get, walking for 2.5 hours. I cant help myself and wander around to see the place. To look at possible shops where Beach Hut can be placed and of course, to see the wonders of Phuket, at least Patong Beach first.

No pain no gain. I was able to see the whole Patong Beach. The place is really big and it took me up until this night to be able to witness what the district looks like. And I’ve seen everything just by merely walking. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to carry my camera this that night. My bad. And unfortunately for me, my foot still hurts like hell....so I rested.I know it was stupid of me to view the entire place just by walking. It’s the time you spend to appreciate the view that only by walking you could do. A motorbike would cover the distance faster but it will only give you a glimpse on what to appreciate here. That’s why I opted walking.

Well now I know which to spend time again. And I promise, I will be taking pictures of them. At least now I know where and which places to go. But for now, its time to rest for another day. 

Thai Street Food

Authentic Thai Food can be found in the streets using carts. I will try everyone of these. Its the cheapest you can find in the area. I’ll keep you posted.

Beef Noodles

You wont have a taste of Thailand without trying their noodles. I saw a foreigner trying out this street food so I might as well try it now. I was hungry then too at that time.

The beef noodle was great. The broth used is very much superb from the noodles I had back in the Philippines. The beef was very tender and they have included two balls of pork that looks like egg inside. The noodles was perfectly cooked. Al dente as they say in italian. Its like 'sotanghon' noodles but thicker. Add to that, you get a free fresh vegetables on the side. String beans, bean sprouts and leaves which I dont know where it came from. The vegetables were raw and yet the taste is sweet. Maybe its how they prepare them...they soak them in cold water I think. Well, its a must try. Its very good... something to refresh my day.

Earlier, I was speaking with a thai in this pharmacy. We really had trouble understanding each other. I was very polite and trying very hard understanding what he is saying to me. I know that he was talking to me in English, I can understand some bits and pieces of it. But still, I am having great difficulty deciphering what he is saying to me. His pronunciation of words is different. How different? The number 20 to them sounds seventy to us. What a difficult predicament I was in then. I really wished I know how to speak Thai to be easier for me.

I have finished my noodles when I have thought of the situation. I paid the bill and surprised myself on how we both understood each other just by hand gestures. Sign language is a means of communicating. Maybe when I get back to the pharmacy, he will understand my sign languages…I doubt it. It’s a lot complicated in negotiations.

AUSSIE BAR

As my previous posted picture, WORLD CUP mania is very much alive here. Every single game is being tracked by bars, restaurants and resorts. Game schedules are even posted outside the establishments. Well this shows the much support of Thai in their tourism. Most foreigners here (or "farangs" in Thai) are from the West and very much fans of soccer or futbol. The picture here shows Australians in AUSSIE BAR (at least 98% Australians) watching their country men play against Brazil. Every fumble, every good pass, every fouls committed by either teams, you could hear their different remarks. I feel their intensity too..I myself was a varsity player in this field. And I miss playing the sport watching this game with them.I wont forget this moment. I was watching the game standing along the street beside two bars. I felt like I was in between of two groups of "hooligans" as they call it in Europe (i think); the Brazil fans (previous post) and the Australians here at the Aussie Bar. I was a chilling moment for me. You could hear the remarks of either sides whenever the referee makes a call. You could see hand gestures made towards the other group whenever there was a missed opportunity or a goal was scored. It was a chilling moment and at the same time intimidating. I know that this kind of situations can lead to a brawl. And then Brazil won. Their fans celebrated on the street(see pictures of previous blog). The Australians lost 2-0. Although you can feel the tension between the two groups, luckiliy for me, the clash didnt happen after the game. The Australians were sport. They accepted defeat and let the others celebrate and cheer for their team.It was a kind gesture for the Australians. I'll give them a high five. it was thei 2nd appearance in the World Cup. Teh defeat was nothing to be ashamed of. Being in the World Cup finals is proof enough that they excel too in futbol. Its was a sweet victory to lose to the best team to date. i wont doubt it if Brazil wins the World Cup.Well, how I really miss the playing futbol again...I wished i had the opportunity of playing for my country too. Damn! now I miss watching games with my friends. Oh well...life goes on. 

World Cup Mania in Thailand

Scenes on the Beach, Enjoy!

KRA-TEOYS

Lady boys. Shemales.

There’s a bunch of them along the streets, especially at night. You could have mistaken them for girls. You’ll have an idea if they are truly gays the way they dress themselves up. Some women won’t even dare to wear the outfit they are dressed in at public places. So if you see a lady wearing an outfit you know your friend won’t wear in public, it’s a huge possibility that she is gay.

Yes, there are a lot of them on the streets. I could even count at around eight of them that I could have mistakenly thought of as beautiful women. So, if you are interested in having a sex change, I will vouch for Thailand’s expertise on this. To see is to believe!!!

BANG LA ROAD

This is BANG LA ROAD. The street is lined with Bars on both sides of it. Its like Nakpil St., Malate in the Philippines. All types of foreigners can be found here enjoying the night with booze. Beers here costs form 50baht to 70baht, not bad for a tourist spot. Most of the bars here doesn’t even have a door. It is open for everyone to see and enjoy the people inside the bars. It is already common in this street to find women dancing on the tables with their skimpy outfits. At least 6 bars along the road have this strategy to attract customers… there may be more in the inner streets. A word of caution for any newbies, be careful and be wary on women you see in this place. They may be KRA-TEOYS; or lady-boys. [if gte vml 1]>

7Eleven!?

What does the color of these stores remind you? Yes, I believe so that these are imitations of the renowned 7Eleven 24hrs convenience stores. I believe that 7Eleven was prominent enough that some would replicate their operations and even replicate their look. I really don’t know why they would prefer on NOT having a unique identity. Well, I guess they just wanted to have a share of the market and not own it. I cant even remember the name of the store…its just the 7Eleven look alike. They are just targeting the limited area that customer’s passes-by. The stores above can change their strategy and maybe be a big time player in Patong Beach. Its alright to be a small. Sometimes small can be BIG. It really depends on what perspective you are looking into. Small getting BIG!? I’ll expound this in some of my blogs. I have to rest for awhile.

New Age TUKTUKs

Am having trouble sleeping at my first night here in Phuket. So I decided to stroll along the area and look for Tuktuks here in Patong Beach. In front of Family Mart, gusy will always get your attention and ask you “Tuktuk?,” simply offering a ride. I was looking for a 3-wheeled vehicle or a tricycle but these are the new Tuktuks, the 4-wheeled mini van or the 2-wheeled motorcycles for a back ride. I guess that Tuktuks nowadays are defined as public transportations.

My friends tell me that riding Tuktuks will give you an adrenaline rush. I’ve seen it pass-by the street and it was not a daring ride. Maybe its different in Bangkok, where most stories told. In Bangkok, drivers were daredevils. They ride at their optimum speed like crazy…I have to ride with them. When I get in Bangkok, I will surely take the dare!

Immigrations

As I got of the bus, I really didn’t know where to go. Bangkok airport is bigger than I am used to back in my country. I was lost in this newness. Luckily I was pointed to the hallway where most people are going. And there it leads me to a line of people…getting past the immigrations, as shown in this picture. I waited for my turn for at least 20 minutes and even had a small talk with some Filipinos working just outside Bangkok.

It was my turn. And I was rejected. I had the right idea of passing the immigrations but the line for Phuket was a 5minute walk from where I am. I looked stupid and bit humiliated for my arrogance. Now I only have 15minutes left before my flight to Phuket leaves. Now I am rushing…

Lesson learned: I felt like an ant back there. I waited in line because everyone was lining up. It’s better to ask around and appear foolish than waste your time at nothing. I think it’s a man thing who would rather read than ask around.

Oh well, it was my first time. Its my excuse! Hehehehhehe! J

Bangkok Shuttle

Whenever your on your own, alone, you cant help yourself to contemplate. Or better yet, there are things that would remind you of what you had back where you came from. Two months alone in a place, unacquainted with (they speak in a different language I am not familiar with) is not that really easy.

The ride was very gentle. The seats were neat, doesn’t smell and very comforting. It reminds me about friendship. Whenever you are with them, you have that feeling of comfort; as friends help each other to get you to places and move you to be better. Well, I miss my both family and friends.

Hmmmm…as I look into this picture again, I just recalled that I have a friend who loves the basic color used on the bus (and even the plane). What color is this again? Purple?

Friend/s, that’s what I should look for. I know it wont be easy in a foreign land with unfamiliar language and unusual customs. I feel like starting a new life. It scares me and at the same time excites me…well, my two months has only just begun.

Snacks / Meals on the plane

I was surprised again! I thought the snack was all that I am going to have, but I was mistaken. It was just an appetizer. It was some sort of a pork stew curry, rice, beans, a bread, butter and a salad which I cant figure what it was composed of. The salad was like minced pork with some vegetables mixed with it. It’s a bit spicy and a bit weird for my taste. Thanks to the can of beer I had, I appreciated the different mix and preparation of the food I had. The next picture was the food I had going to Phuket from Bangkok. It’s a mixture of salad with chicken…yes the potato shaped brown picture is a chicken. More tastes like a chicken empanada in the Philippines. The dessert wa a gelatin. A cup of water and juice is served and I had a coffee to wake myself up. To rate all the food I had that THAI AIRWAYS serves, I will give it a perfect 10…never had this kind of meal in a plane! Especially the “drink all you can” alcoholic beverages they offer. Something I never really had tried before…getting drunk in a plane. Maybe next time!!! Just for kicks!

Authentic Thai Beer

Above is the snack I had on Thai Airways. As compared with the local airlines we have in the Philippines, I was surprised to have options of what beverage to take; from regular juices to beers and wines. Well of course (as seen on the picture) I have chosen to taste their locally brewed beer SINGHA and having it mile high in an airplane has no difference…well, every first experience is exciting to talk about! Singha beer will do fine for now but I would prefer the taste of our home brewed San Miguel Pale Pilsen.

I would have taken 3 cans of beer if only I didn’t drink the night before. I still felt like dehydrated then. Yes I drink but I don’t consider myself as an alchohol addict. Its just that the pressure is still inside me…am embarking into I place I havnt been. I know the basics of their language but I think its not enough to help me around in starting a business in Thailand. So much to learn!!!!

Thai Airways

Yup! That’s how my plane looked like from the outside. I really appreciated Mara for booking me along the aisle…I really hated fighting for the arm rest with an unknown person beside you. Fortunately for me, I don’t have anybody sitting at the other side, next to me. I loved my social space; gives me breathing room to ponder on things and think where I am now.

The flight in general was good in THAI Airways. I was expecting better looking stewardess though, Arden told me most of the THAIs are really sexy and gorgeous. I should have remembered of taking their pictures and show it to Arden…their selection was not the same as Philippine Airlines or maybe I was just hyped up too much on his story. They were all sexy, I agree, but old enough to be my auntie. Somehow they forget to smile more often. Maybe it was the last flight and they are already tired in putting up that smile.

Well, I have to be corrected as I get near to the end of my flight. I was unfortunately positioned inside the plane and there were 3 really good looking Thai stewardess inside. My bad Arden! I have to agree with your story…the Thais look really wonderful and pleasing to my eyes. Having a glance at them excites me…thinking that my whole 2 months in Thailand would be something interesting and breathtaking. I smiled to one and she gave me a decent and genuine smile back at me.

Well, I guess I have to always wear a smiling face. And hope it affects them and make them cheerful. Would you agree with me that a smile can be contagious? A smile can really bring your spirits high. Come to think of it, I felt good in having this tip.

Beach Hut Backpacker Lands in Phuket!

We are a small company who thinks BIG and who wants to make a BIG difference globally.Thus, we start by sharing with you and making public the adventures of our two backpackers as they start their separate Beach Hut journeys in Asia-Brian who invades Phuket, Thailand and King, who has touchdown in Bali, Indonesia. Read on, and join us as we explore Phuket.Brian's journey starts here!