standard.
the public bus ride from krabi to phuket was a much easier jaunt for bryn & india than their long distance public bus escapade in india. thailand's bus system was well organized and on time. mangoes dusted in chili powder were served in plastic bags with toothpicks. sweet thai pop melodies played low over the bus' loudspeaker. compared to their rocky and uncomfortable indian ride, this one was a piece of cake. and another classic example of the major differences between third world india and tourist-packed thailand.
bryn & india arrived in phuket in the early evening and were helped along through a modern city to an unmarked bus stop. around six pm, bryn & india hopped in a commuter bus headed from phuket town to patong beach where they would stay. the bus, a large pick up truck with bench seats build into the sides of the bed, roared over the solitary mountain in the center of the island and down into a glistening bay on the andaman coast. that night, bryn & india shared pad thai by the pool at their hotel, club bamboo, and soaked in the warm night air with limey cocktails.
the next morning, the two awoke early and strolled the twenty minute walk to the beach. india was surprised to find how gentrified phuket was. dozens of mcdonalds and starbucks. familiar pharmacy chains stood next to mom and pop souvenir stands. but what was most shocking were the people. patong beach held every kind of traveler one could imagine. greasy european men slathered themselves with raw coconut oil, trying to avoid the heavy gold on their wrists and chests. tan toddlers with braids and beads sewn into their hair threw sand at their baby brothers. bejeweled indian women avoided the sun in their bright saris. american boys threw frisbees and beer cans. and among them all were hundreds of hard working thai men and women, dragging their feet through the sand, jovially offering their goods, whether it be a bundle of bananas or ceramic dinner plates. here, bryn & india spent their day running in and out of the warm water, body surfing, and repeatedly refusing the dread locked thai boys for 'cheap cheap' rides on their jetskis.
that night, india was reminded of christmas morning as bryn prepared to pick up his friend zach harrison from the airport. zach, who is living in australia, had spontaneously decided to come and travel with bryn & india throughout the islands for two weeks, and bryn bounced his way around the hotel room, preparing bottles of beer and a witty sign to greet zach with. bryn left for the airport, and two hours later returned to the hotel room with zach, tipsy, punching each others arms and burping loudly. india said a private prayer: 'please don't let me get over boy-ed.'
on zach's first night in thailand, bryn & india led the way into the crowded strip of busy bars on patong beach. after tom yum dinner and (maybe, now, retrospectively, too many) changs, india introduced zach to a favorite drink special of hers: the bucket. in thailand, the bucket of booze reigns as the most bang for your buck. around 200 baht, or about six american dollars, will get you a pint of whiskey, a can of sprite, a bottle of syrupy thai red bull, and a nice primary colored plastic bucket to mix them all up in. after doing so, grab a straw, wrap your fingers around the handle, and you've got the largest, cheapest, most portable mixed drink on the block. and because zach is a party boy graduate of the university of oregon, he, of course, took to the bucket quickly.
zach even had the shirt to match.
friends don't let friends drink alone.
a few hours - and a few buckets - later, bryn, india & zach were shedding their sweaty clothes for a midnight swim with their four new thai girlfriends. the group was led into the water by a round faced beauty named apple who caught crabs in her bare hands and flipped her long flat hair like a mermaid. the night concluded with a long, sobering walk back to the hotel.
beach side nighttime picnic.
apple (in the blue) and the gang.
needless to say, the three amigos didn't feel too hot the next morning.
but zach's enthusiasm for the sun rubbed off on bryn & india and the three gulped gatorades as they rode in a tuk tuk down to the south of phuket island. hidden just a few miles south of the tourist center of patong beach was the quieter, white sanded stretch of karon. here, the tourists were fewer and the waves were bigger, and the three got some color on their cheeks and water in their pores. they burnt off their hangovers in the hot sun, rubbed out their aches with hour long thai massages, and nursed their stomachs back to regularity at a deserted beach side cafe. that afternoon, the group returned to their hotel and swam in the deep blue pool while india listened as the boy reminisced about the good ol' days of brotherhood in the sigma chi house at university of oregon.
bro-ing out #1.
bro-ing out #2.
a few, short hours later... disaster struck.
first, it was india, complaining of a sore stomach. then, it was bryn, whining about his throbbing head. and before either of them knew what was happening, they were cursing themselves for ordering uncooked sandwiches at their lunchtime restaurant ("why would we ever go to a restaurant with no one in it?!") while holding each other in a disgusting pile on the bathroom floor.
food poisoning struck the duo at the worst possible time. zach had been in the country for a mere 24 hours and now his partners in crime were huddled in bed, muffling moans and cries of 'why me'. though a valiant attempt at composure was attempted by bryn, the two lovebirds had turned to sickdogs. and zach was forced to tackle his second night in thailand alone.
the next morning, the trios plan to take a ferry boat to the island of koh phi phi had to be followed through on. weak kneed, india was carried to the dock by her two handsome friends and cuddled under a blanket for the two hour boat ride. bryn, ever the fighter, had almost entirely recovered overnight, and kept zach company on the top deck, taking in the sights of the turquoise waters and bikini clad tourists while they headed towards the snorkeling mecca of koh phi phi.
(thanks to zach harrison for the gorgeous technicolor photos!)
