Phuket

Another minivan later and we arrive at Patong beach, this accommodation was booked with STA at the start so is actually a hotel, About 10minutes walk from the beach and a little further to the area of down with all the shops and bars. Most our time spent here was spent on the beach although we did have to check out the pool and I think probably for the safer side of things, the sun had been having quite an effect on our pasty white skin, so escaping under an umbrella for the middle of the day gave us some well needed rest for our sunburnt shoulders.

We decided that we had to go and check out the night-life even if we wouldn't go for drinks or such to save some money for later in the trip. Most of the streets seem fariyl ordinary with the standard variation of sports bars at the time showing mostly Manchester United games who are quite well supported here or the tennis. However if you continue southerly along the beachfront road you quickly come to the busy area marked by the yellow lights above the road. Then the whole area and atmosphere starts to change into something else, the streets are lined with bars either side all of which have girls dancing on the tables or on poles. Then there are the black fronted strip clubs and sellers lining the seat trying to sell everything and anything from glowsticks and light up things you might find on fireworks night to lapdances and pingpong shows.
Another morning trying to fill up as much as possible on the breakfast and fill the lunchbox for later and then a few hours on the beach – a coconut for a drink and then back the the hotel to be picked up and taken off to the bus depot.