No Thank-You, We Don't Want a Tuk Tuk, Taxi or a Custom Suit!

It all began we arrived at the Christchurch Airport at 4:30 p.m. on the 24th August only to wait out the evening (with approx 30 others) and night for our early check-in at 3:30 a.m. and flight to Sydney at 6:30 a.m. After our three hour flight to Sydney we waited at the Airport for five hours only to get on another plane for our nine hour and twenty-seven minute flight before we arrived in Phuket. We were smart and booked a motel 100 meters away from the airport so we could crash for the evening. We don't even want to think about our accumulated 25 hour flight (three different planes) on our way home!

We woke to a beautiful day in Phuket and it wasn't long before we were both in shorts and planning our first destination - Patong Beach. It was a forty-five minute drive from Phuket and it wasn't long before we were being asked if we would like a hotel room from a lady standing outside the one we chose for 500 Baht - which works out to be $15 per night for the two of us. We've only been here for three days but we've quickly come to realize just how cheap it is to travel here. You can eat a delicious meal for $3 or have a mug of beer for $1.80. The only problem is we are constantly being hounded for a taxi ride, tuk tuk ride, t-shirt, sunglasses, tailored suit or just anything imaginable really. It's hard on the head but you have to realize that these people have close to nothing in their pockets and it's their only way of making a living. So yes, they are quite pushy but super friendly at the same time.

Tomorrow we plan to leave Patong Beach and traveling to a few beautiful islands that we were told were a must when you come to Thailand. One of which being the set for the movie "The Beach".

All in all things are great and we are enjoying ourselves immensely and trying to soak up as much culture - and sunshine - we can possibly get before returning home:)

'Till next time!

Love, Amy & Elliot x

PS We apologize for the lack of pictures. We are having trouble uploading them! We will upload more on the next post.