Day 10: First Day in Hong Kong

Today was a rest day. We are both showing signs of getting sick (scratchy throats, achy muscles, general fatigue, etc.) so we decided we were better off just taking it easy today. It's also a holiday here in Hong Kong (the Mid-Autumn Festival) so many shops were closing early. Seemed like a good day to just stay in.

We slept in late, then I wandered off in search of cold and sinus medicine for Che. Our hotel is connected to Pacific Place, a large upscale shopping mall full of high-end boutique stores (Versace, Fendi, Escada, Tiffany, Hermes, etc.) and cafes and restaurants. Fortunately, there is also a Watson's drugstore, where I picked up meds. I then followed the signs that said "Great Foodhall," thinking I could pick up food for lunch and take it back to the hotel room. Great Foodhall, however, was not a food court like I thought it would be. It's actually a fantastic Western-style grocery store complete with a gelato bar, juice bar, deli, and amazing bakery. I picked us both up fresh-squeezed juices chock full of Vitamin C and headed back to the hotel room. By then, Che was up and about, so we headed back to the mall for some lunch.

Pacific Place does not have a standard fast-food food court area like most malls. Everything here is a sit-down restaurant. Che was craving an American breakfast/brunch, so we hit a grill-style restaurant and afterwards he started feeling lousy again. He headed back to the room, and I headed off to the grocery store to get pastries for breakfast and a coffee from Starbucks. When I got back to the room, he was asleep. I was pretty beat too, so I laid down for a nap, and that's been our day - lounging around the hotel room, resting, and watching TV. I've also mapped out an itinerary for the week, so it wasn't a completely wasted day. Plus, we have great views from our hotel room (if you look past the reflection back into the hotel room):






High-end shopping at Pacific Place Mall:

Day 9: Leaving Phuket, Arriving Hong Kong

It was a long day but not much to write about. We had planned an early morning swim before checkout, but the rain was coming down and the winds were gusty. So we packed up leisurely, then checked out and headed towards Phuket Town for some last-minute souvenir shopping. We picked up some great things at a shop on Rasada Street selling all Thai handmade goods, then grabbed a quick lunch before heading to the airport.

First task was dropping off the rental car. I neglected to mention that earlier in the week, we had a minor casualty with the car when Che backed it into a big cement post and dented and scratched the bumper plus broke the tail light out. Hey, at least it wasn't another car or, worse, a guy on a scooter. Thankfully, we had picked up the insurance (something we never do in the states but would definitely do again when renting a car abroad), so we handed over the keys and all was good.

We had an uneventful flight to Singapore and then to Hong Kong, arriving Hong Kong late Saturday night. We took the subway to Hong Kong Island and then a short cab ride later, we were arriving at the JW Marriott Hotel at just after midnight, just in time for bed.

The nicest subway by far! It was more like riding a passenger train from the airport to Hong Kong Island.

Day 8: Khao Phra Thaeo, Wat Chalong, and Muay Thai Boxing

Finally, our first sunny day in Phuket! It would turn out to be our only sunny day in Phuket, but it was a gorgeous one. We had another lazy morning swimming at the resort and relaxing in the hot tub and sauna before cleaning up and headed off for the day. First stop was Khao Phra Thaeo, a national park with hiking trails to Ton Sai and Bang Prae Waterfalls. Time didn't allow for the full hike to both waterfalls, but we did hike about 5 km through the forest and along Ton Sai Waterfall. The waterfalls in Phuket are small, not like the tall falls you might see in Hawaii, but feed into long, flowing streams.

After sweating in the forest for a couple of hours, we headed down to the southern part of Phuket to visit Wat Chalong, the largest of the 29 Buddhist monasteries/temples in Phuket. This is an active Buddhist temple and, surprisingly, they invited us inside despite that we were not dressed appropriately. We had only planned to walk the grounds and take pictures from outside, but the temple was closing to visitors and before shutting the doors, the guard motioned for us to come in. Inside, the temple has granite floors and marble staircases as well as detailed and intricate painted woodwork and large colorful murals. There was also a small market on the temple grounds with various food and craft vendors.

Next stop was Phromthep Cape, the southern tip of Phuket Island, to watch the sunset. Unfortunately, our sunset was obscured by clouds despite it being a gorgeous sunny day, but we still had beautiful views of the shoreline from the Cape.

Jay does Muay Thai Boxing, and he really wanted to see some real fights in Thailand, so we headed to Suwit Boxing Stadium to pick up tickets for their weekly Friday night fights. With tickets in hand, we had some time to kill before the fights started at 8:30, so we headed off in search of dinner. Instead, we ended up at a night market selling produce and meats, much like a Farmer's market. We walked around just to look, then headed off again in search of food, not just ingredients. We ended up at a roadside "restaurant" for more stir-fried noodles and rice. A half hour and $6 US later (that's for all four of us), we were full and happy and ready to watch some fights.

Muay Thai Boxing is sort of a combination of regular boxing and kickboxing. Striking with fists, shins, knees, and elbows is all allowed during a fight. Matches are 5 rounds, 3 minutes each round. There were seven fights leading up to the main event, which was a 130-pound weight class fight. The first six fights were youth of all ages, some as young as 6 or 7, the oldest being late teens or early twenties. The fight just before the main event was one of only two adult fights, and the only one with a foreigner (Australian) fighting. It was an interesting cultural experience, particularly to see many of the rituals associated with the fights. For example, fighters pray and perform a Ram Muay ritual dance before each fight, wearing Mongkon headbands and Prajed woven armbands for blessings and protection.

We arrived back at the resort at midnight and had a late night of laundry and packing. Headed off to Hong Kong tomorrow. This week has flown by.

A gorgeous sunny day in Phuket:


Hiking through Khao Phra Thaeo to the Ton Sai Waterfall:

Wat Chalong Buddhist Temple:

Eva & Che at Phromthep Cape:

Ringside seats for Muay Thai Boxing:

Day 7: Relaxation

We slept in again and spent the morning just relaxing around the resort and enjoying the property's beautiful pools. On our way to the pool, though, we stopped to take in a ride on the beach on an elephant! It was scarier and harder than I thought it would be. The elephant was very sweet, though, and his handler very accommodating. I could have spent the day just hanging out with the elephant. We checked out both the pool closest to our villa (which had a fabulous swim-up bar where we enjoyed pina coladas and mango daiquiris) and the main pool, which is huge and beautiful. The water was a bit chilly and we got a little bit of light rain, but once you got in, the water felt great. And looking out towards the ocean and watching the huge waves breaking in the distance from the relaxing resort pool was sheer heaven.

After a lazy morning swim and liquid breakfast, we cleaned up and headed into town for the day, stopping at the seafood restaurant we missed the previous night for lunch. The restaurant was right on the bay and we saw all of our lunch selections live in tanks just before they were cooked and served, so we knew it was fresh. It was the most expensive meal we've had in Thailand but well worth it and still cheaper than what we'd pay in the states for a comparable meal.

In town, we hit the spa again for massages. This time, we chose a different spa. It was just as nice as the first but I still think my first foot massage was the best. I opted for an hour-long aromatherapy massage plus an hour-long foot massage, for a total of $20 US including tip. Soooo relaxing. (Happy, Em?) Afterwards, we ate street food for dinner, shopped in Phuket Town, and headed back to the hotel.

Che & Eva riding an elephant on the beach!


Che getting elephant kisses:

Eva & Che enjoying drinks at the swim-up bar:

Che & Eva at Tha Lay Long for lunch, with a view of the bay:

Eva's squid in chili sauce for lunch:

Day 6: Surfing!

Not for me. Che wanted to try his hand at surfing, so we headed down south to Kata Main Beach, which is reputed to be the best beginner beach in Phuket for surfing. On the drive down, we got hit hard by more rain. By the time we arrived at Kata Main Beach (this was only the tenth time, I think, that we've gotten lost - the maps and road signs are terrible!), even though it was only drizzling, most of the surfboard rental stands on the beach (as well as every other kind of stand) had shut down from being poured on all day long. We found one stand still open, only because the guy was out surfing himself. We happened to catch him when he came back to shore between runs, and Che & Jay were able to rent surfboards for about $12 US for 3 hours.

Cheron & I watched from the shore for about 30 minutes, taking pictures (of them floating in the water mostly, since we never saw them catch any waves), and eventually got bored. We headed off to find a place to get massages. Perfect timing too, as about 5 minutes after we got inside the spa, the rain started coming down in buckets. This "spa" was more like a hair and nail salon. Not nearly as pampering-feeling as the spa earlier in the week, but my foot massage was nearly as good. And for $7 US, who can really complain?

An hour later, we headed back to the beach in the pouring rain. Che had already returned his surfboard and was just playing in the water; we called Jay in and headed back to the resort to clean up and shower. Apparently the boys did catch waves (or so they say) after we left. But there's no photographic evidence of that. Either way, they had a great time so time and money well spent.

We called the concierge for a local seafood restaurant recommendation and managed to get a name and cryptic directions. Amazingly enough, we found it, but it was closed. So we headed north from the hotel and ended up crossing Sarasin Bridge into mainland Thailand (Phang Nga province) and stopping at the first roadside restaurant we saw. Dinner was very good, although more expensive than other places we've eaten. Still, less than $20 US for four people for a full meal isn't too shabby, especially when three of those dishes were seafood. We drove around afterwards for a place that was still open for dessert but came up short - everything was already closed.

Che gearing up for his first surfing attempt!

Che & Jay headed out to sea:

View from Kata Main Beach:

Dinner at Thanoon:

Day 5: Snorkeling Excursion to Phi Phi Islands

We booked a full day boat trip to the Phi Phi Islands for Tuesday for about $50 US each. The van picked us up at our hotel bright and early at 7:30 a.m. and drove us to Ratsada Pier, where we enjoyed coffee while others trickled in. A speedboat loaded up with passengers left the pier at about 9:00 a.m. for a 45-minute boat ride to Phi Phi Leh Island in the Andaman Sea. We stopped first at Maya Bay, the backdrop for the movie "The Beach." The Phi Phi Islands were hit hard by the tsunami and redevelopment has been slow, but the islands looked beautiful to us. The limestone cliffs jutting out of the middle of the ocean were amazing. The speedboat ride, though, was miserable. Next time, I have to remember to take Dramamine earlier. Blech.

Once the drugs kicked in, it was better. We circled around the Islands just to look at the beautiful scenery and take pictures, then headed next to Phi Phi Don Island, the largest of the Phi Phi Islands and the only one with permanent inhabitants. We stopped first at Monkey Beach, which is inhabited by, yes, monkeys. Lots of them. And they're not at all afraid of humans. They will come right up and grab any food you have right out of your hands. Che, of course, was creeped out by the monkey hands. We left there, then anchored just off the island to snorkel. We saw lots of cool corals and fish, including tons of giant and super colorful clams. After the first snorkeling stop, we headed to the beach for lunch. After lunch, we took the boat to Khai Nok Island for more snorkeling and relaxing. The snorkeling and relaxing were cut short by a big storm that blew in, so we took shelter from the rain and eventually headed back in the 9-foot swells. Thank god for Dramamine.

We got back to the resort late and ended up eating dinner at the resort and calling it a night early after our long day.

Che & Eva headed to Phi Phi Islands:


Phi Phi Leh:

Che & Eva at Maya Bay:

Phi Phi Don:

Leaving Phi Phi Don:

Day 4: Phuket Aquarium, Butterfly Garden, and Spa

After a lazy start and seeing a baby elephant on the beach at our resort, we headed out by rental car to Phuket Aquarium on the far southern tip of Phuket Island. The entrance fee to the Aquarium was a modest 100 Baht (approx. $3 US) per person, and that was the price for foreigners. Residents get in for half. The Aquarium was small but nice for its size, and it was part of a bigger Marine Center complex that also included a sea turtle breeding pool, an aquaculture facility, and a science and nature trail. It was raining, though, so we didn't spend much time outside the Aquarium itself. After the Aquarium, we grabbed lunch at a roadside restaurant and headed back north through Phuket Town to the Butterfly Garden and Insectarium, which was more than twice the cost of the Aquarium and not nearly as nice. We killed a little bit of time there, then headed into town for the evening.

First stop: a spa. The one we ended up (randomly) choosing was very nice. Inside, the decor reminded me of any nice US day spa, and for only 250 Baht (which is just over $7 US) each, we got hour-long massages. Che opted for the Thai massage, I chose (of course) a foot massage. SO nice. We are definitely going back at least once, maybe twice, before the end of the week. When you consider we spent more than that just to look at some butterflies, it was definitely a great value. After the spa, we grabbed delicious cheap food at a random restaurant in Phuket Town and headed back to get a good night's rest for our big snorkeling trip the next day.

Eva with a baby elephant at the resort's beach:


Che & Eva at the Aquarium:

Che & Eva outside the Aquarium:

The spa where we had $7/hr massages:

Eva & Che post-massage:

Day 3: Phuket Town

Jet lag must be catching up to us differently. Che woke up at 5:00 a.m.; I slept in until 11:00. Shortly after we were both up ready to go, down came a torrential downpour of rain. We braved the rain with umbrellas to tour the resort grounds, which were beautiful. I'm sure they'll be even nicer when the weather clears. We ate lunch at the resort then headed to the airport to pick up our friends Jay and Cheron. We dropped off their stuff back at the hotel, then headed out for Phuket Town.

The rain eventually let up and we were able to walk around through town, browsing the markets and shops. I thought driving from the airport to the hotel last night was scary, but that didn't even compare to driving through town. Che had a few drinks so I took the keys after dinner, but after about an hour of driving through town, getting more lost along the way (we didn't have a good map of town nor did any of us have a good bearing on where we were or where we were trying to go), and nearly having a heart attack the whole time, I had to pull over and hand him back the keys. Scooters and mopeds pull up on all sides of you and don't really care about turning in front of you or going straight past you while you're trying to turn - I think they assume cars will stop for them. Stoplights and stopsigns are apparently just a guide, as are lane lines, so no one really feels obligated to follow them. And that's all scary enough without having to also drive on the wrong side of the road and the wrong side of the car while trying to navigate street signs that aren't in English! I can't tell you how many times I turned on the windshield wipers when I was trying to signal a turn. When it came time to maneuver a roundabout, I was done. This was all way too adventurous for me. Che handled it much better.

After hitting a grocery store and finally making it back to the main highway to our hotel, we called it a day. Jay was jet-lagged, and the rest of us were pretty tired too. So we're perusing the guide books tonight to make a plan for the rest of the week and we'll be off tomorrow, weather permitting, to see the sights.

This is the view from our condo balcony:

The reflection pond, which is the view from the open-air lobby of the hotel/resort looking towards the ocean:

Our rental car:

Phuket is congested with scooters and mopeds:

The Municipal Market, which are streets lined with mostly food vendors. We weren't quite ready to brave street food on our first day. We'll be up for it later in the week.

Day 2: Singapore, Arrival in Phuket

I was surprised by how modern, Western, and amazingly clean Singapore is. Our cab driver said Singapore used to be called a "fine country," meaning residents were fined for nearly everything, including litter. It obviously worked, because there's no trash to be found anywhere. It's also supposed to be one of the safest cities in the world. And it's beautifully lush.

We got up early today and headed out first for the Botanic Gardens. The first challenge, though, was to get past the mob outside the Marriott. That was apparently the popular place to be. First, it's the Mid-Autumn festival, so that means mooncakes. Mooncakes are baked filled pastries, and a lot of higher end restaurants and hotels come up with new and interesting varieties each year. The Marriott introduces a new signature mooncake flavor each year, and the stand outside was bombarded with taste testers and people buying boxes of mooncakes. On top of that, Formula 1 Racing is coming to Singapore for its first-ever night race, and there was a full-size Formula 1 car replica on display outside the Marriott. Construction is going on all around the city in preparation for the race, and we caught a glimpse of the spectator grandstands that are going up along the streets when we were headed back to the airport.

We walked to the Botanic Gardens and strolled through the Gardens (which are free to the public), which reminded me a lot of walking through Central Park. We headed directly for our intended destination, the National Orchid Garden located inside the park. Admission to the Orchid Garden is a little over $3 US per person, and for that, we were rewarded with the most spectactular exhibits of orchids you could imagine. I was overwhelmed by how many varieties there were and how gorgeous they are. I think I took at least a hundred pictures of orchids, most of which don't capture just how beautiful and delicate these flowers are. My favorite were the fragranced varieties, and the vanilla one in particular. Really lovely.

After a few hours at the Garden, we caught a cab to the Jurong Bird Park, which was not even on my radar for this trip. But our guide book flipped to it when I was looking for something else, it looked interesting, and it was closer (and smaller) than the Zoo, which I would have loved to have seen if we had had more time. Admission was more expensive ($12 US) but well worth it. The Bird Park was incredible. There were thousands of species of birds, many of which I'd never seen, and the exhibits and enclosures were amazing - huge, lush, and resembling natural habitats as much as possible. Many of the exhibits were actually free-flying aviaries, so once inside, it was a game to spot as many birds as possible. We could have spent hours in one aviary just trying to pick out the hundreds of birds inside. After seeing how beautiful the Orchid Garden and the Bird Park are, I was even more disappointed that we didn't get to the Zoo, which I have heard is one of the best in the world. Next time, I guess.

We had no problems getting to Phuket, which was a huge relief. We arrived after dark, though, so haven't yet had a chance to see how beautiful the island is. Driving ourselves from the airport to the hotel in a rental car was scary as hell, but we made it and checked in around 8:00 p.m. The service here has been impeccable, everyone is so friendly and nice, and the condo is fabulous. I can't wait to relax here for the next seven days.

Entrance to the Singapore Botanic Gardens:



Entrance to the National Orchid Garden:

One of about a hundred orchid photos I took at the Garden:

Waterfall Aviary at the Jurong Bird Park:

This cute little guy greeted us in our condo upon arrival in Phuket:

Singapore

We finally arrived here, our first destination (just barely, though, as we are only staying 24 hours), after 26 hours of travel. Immigration and customs took about 10 minutes in Hong Kong, so we managed to catch an earlier connection to Singapore and arrive here about three hours earlier than planned. We then spent almost as much time trying to figure out the subway system to get to our hotel, which is located in the heart of Singapore's shopping district. The shopping, though, is not that different than what you'd see back home: the Gap, Borders, Swatch, Starbucks, and a McDonald's on every corner. And Singapore is EXPENSIVE. We spent the equivalent of $35 US on two (yes, TWO) drinks at the Raffles Hotel. Ouch.

The flight over was not as bad as we thought it would be. It helped that we were both completely exhausted, so we both slept about 10 hours of the 13-hour flight from SFO to Hong Kong. Arrived pretty fresh in Singapore around lunch time and spent the afternoon walking around the city, enjoying a Singapore Sling at the Raffles Hotel (which is beautiful), and then cruising through the Singapore Art Museum. It's now about 9:00 p.m. (Friday) and we are ready for bed. Tomorrow's agenda is the Botanical Gardens, then we'll catch an afternoon flight to Phuket. So far, no news of cancellations on flights to Thailand, so I think we're good to go.

Our entire trip album is on Smugmug, but here are some highlights of the day.

The bathrooms at the Singapore Airport were beautiful!!


We were looking and feeling much more refreshed after we took hot showers and changed into clean clothes upon arriving in Singapore:

The Singapore Art Museum (which has free admission on Friday nights):

The Raffles Hotel, which is absolutely gorgeous. My pictures don't do it justice.

The Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel, birthplace of the Singapore Sling (which is actually very tasty!):