My New Adventure So Far - Thailand

Thailand gets a reputation with people who don't know much about it, there's a lot of prejudice that it is a place with health issues and rife with crime. This is however far from the truth, healthcare in Thailand is better than you may think and it is unlikely you would get ill on a visit there. Crime is incredibly rare even in the big city of Bangkok there is no threat of getting mugged or robbed however you must be careful to stay away from people who will approach you and may scam you. Of course the main demographics of people who visit Thailand are young people or old men on their own who are there for the "scenery."

Bangkok is a good start to experience Thailand, it may not be the most beautiful of cities but it is the most vibrant, there is something going on everywhere in the city. It has everything you'll need, Pharmacies, McDonald's and 7-11s everywhere.

I had flown in with Emirates from Dubai, a first for me. I have to say I rate Emirates highly, their sheer professionalism and quality is something that isn't provided by airlines like KLM, KLM can piss off. 

I only got to spend 1 night in Bangkok but even then I got to know a bit more about the city. What you must know is that it's important to negotiate prices when getting a taxi. They will always give a high price at first which I was charged 1400 baht which is about 30 quid to go from the airport to my hotel which was more expensive than the flight I had booked to Phuket. 

When I got to the hotel I was beyond tired because I don't sleep on long haul flights, I had decided to go to the Asiatique which is a shopping centre in which I saw a stunt show about Muay Thai which explained the history of it showing impressive athletic stunts.

These folks must spend hours everyday practicing the art of eight limbs
After that I had a KFC for dinner and was surprised by the different in Thailand, I bet you didn't know that they had KFC chicken nuggets there - a big cultural difference. When I got back I went on a bit of a walk trying to find my hotel along the Khao San Road, the biggest place for street partying in Bangkok but was too tired to join in. 

Next morning I was prepared to get to Phuket, the flight was nice and easy. But when I got there I found the bus journey to Patong hectic but was worth 80 baht (2 quid) Eventually I got to my hotel in Phuket and was too tired to even eat so I simply decided to sleep.

The next morning I was ready to get the Phuket experience, Phuket is a perfect holiday destination for anyone it has everything, you can go to the beach, eat the local cuisine, go jet skiing as the sky is the limit. 

Patong beach, just like North Berwick
For breakfast I did what every stupid traveller does and went to a McDonald's for breakfast and was exposed to how McDonald's is in Thailand, the restaurant felt cleaner compared to one you'd see in Scotland and the people working there were greatly friendly as I ordered pancakes and scrambled eggs.

After that I had a look around Patong, it is a very interesting place I must say and on the streets I had been approached by guys trying to sell suits in which my interest is 0% and there are also the standard imitation markets in which I bought a magnet for the collection.

I spent most of that day getting over my jet lag and ate a pad Thai for lunch, the national dish of Thailand noodles with cashew nuts, prawns and chicken. Easily one of my favourite foods.

The next day I spent the morning doing a whole new experience, jet skiing. I simply loved it, I tried to see how fast I could go and it made me feel alive.After that I took a boat out to Freedom beach and relaxed there, the good thing about this beach is that it was chaos free unlike the Brazilian beaches, kept clean as well. Unfortunately I wasn't protected from sunburn.



Easily better than Copacabana
Felt like I was in GTA




After that I went to see a big Muay Thai event getting myself a ringside seat, the experience is definitely something I'd recommend to floating voters, I had never been to a fighting event before and had enjoyed every minute with each fight getting more and more brutal.

Exciting moments like these during fights
The day after that I went to James Bond Island, the Island that was used to film The Man With The Golden Gun, the scenery around the area just ignites the eyes and is something I'd highly recommend seeing even though it is 100% a tourist spot.





The next day I was very hungover from having a bit of a late one and decided to visit the Big Buddha statue, I'd say it's almost better than Christ the Redeemer as it was a statue that actually looked quite big from a view. The view of the jungle in Phuket is quite a sight from here as well.

In conclusion Thailand is more than you may think, it's fascinating to see a completely different culture and for people who want to travel it's a perfect spot for beginners.


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