Today we set off early on our first full day in Phuket. Over the hotel breakfast, which was an interesting mix of food, we discussed what we wanted to see and do.
We decided to head to the Big Buddha first. So we dressed accordingly and found a tuk tuk driver for the next few hours. His tuk tuk was slightly less fancy than the previous one but it was still a wild ride. I neglected to say yesterday that you have to hold the railings or you could fall out of the windows while moving.
Riding up through the hills was amazing. Greenery, elephants, stray dogs, big houses,tiny houses and everything in between. It was quite interesting because around every curve was something different.
We get to the top of the mountain and there is was, the Big Buddha. It was glorious. We walked all around and took a million photos. There was a lookout with a thatched roof. I stepped in and this was the point it really hit me, that I was in Thailand actually seeing these sights for myself!
We hopped back into our tuk tuk and made our way to Wat Chalong. There were so many amazing buildings, most of them covered with beautifully carved decorations. In every temple you have to take your shoes off, it’s funny to see all the empty shoes outside.
It was approaching noon, so it was getting too hot to walk around. We found our tuk tuk and ventured off to the next location…Tiger Kingdom.
It was not the most ethical location, but where else in the world are they going to let you do this? Definitely not in America. Most of the tigers were obviously sedated, I felt a little twinge of sadness because I know this isn’t a life for a tiger. The guide said they were not sedated, just full. Apparently most tigers that are well fed and bred in captivity, are really chil. I’m not sure if I believe that. They were very clean and so was the enclosure. I was stuck somewhere between guilt and wonder. Tigers are majestic and it was awe inspiring to be that close to one. We were in a huge enclosed area with four large tigers, a trainer, and a photographer. Of course when Denali posed with the final tiger, it yawned and look like it was roaring. In my pictures the tigers could careless. We left with a bunch of photos on a CD and the glee of a small child.
We then headed into town to get some drinks. We had a blast. Our bartender was named Nooun and she hustled us at connect four. It was quite impressive.
After drinks we walked around, found a mall, and soaked up some much needed AC. We happened upon a 30 minute escape room. Neither one of us had ever done one, so we decided to give it a try.
We we got out with 30 seconds to spare! But we got out in time lol. After winning, we enjoyed a celebratory lunch. I chose a place in the malls atrium that said it served traditional Thai food and it had AC and free wifi. Bad idea. Denali was not pleased with the unspicy “traditional Thai” food. I was just glad to eat. I got veggie spring rolls. They had glass noodles inside. I love glass noodles. I want to know how they are made. After eating it was time to rest….
Ashley's Good Vibes 