So long Phuket!

​I really am not sure why Ed took us to Old Phuket. There is no beach access and in my opinion it is just another polluted, dilapidated, congested, grungy 2nd world city. I suppose one does get a sense of local city life without the tourist scene. Food stalls, street vendors, hustle and bustle of traffic which is 80% mopeds. With not much else to do we went for a swim in the pool of a neighboring hotel. It 
was a dilapidated old sky rise that may have been magnificent once upon a time, but with brown and peeling water marked ceilings, stained carpets and long, wide empty halls, it had a post apocalyptic feel to it. 

I retired back to my room early while Ed set out for his evening beer ritual. Later for dinner Ed wanted us to eat from the street food stalls of which there were many. Soups, noodles, rice, sweets, exotic seafood and fruits, its all there. Not feeling too adventurous I ordered rice noodle soup but was disappointed when I discovered it was full of random fat and gristle chicken parts that I couldn’t recognize. 

The following morning, this morning was one of most challenging on this trip so far. Spending so much time with anyone with limited personal space, there is bound to be personality differences or clashes (though haven’t really had any differences with Ken).  Ed can be rather controlling and this morning after not sleeping well two nights in a row, I just wasn’t in the mood for it. Ed’s inability to hear things continues to be a big problem and I can see Ken getting a little frustrated too. It could potentially be quite dangerous if anything went wrong on the boat. When things are all happening quite fast - sails need adjusting, gusts of winds, oncoming boats, etc. and if I ask Ed for clarification or give him pertinent information he sometimes doesn't hear me. When Ed decided we should take the Tuk Tuk - the pickup truck like cab the long way back to Chalong just for the “experience," without asking me or Ken, I was quite annoyed. I seriously didn’t need or want the experience of riding in the heat and inhaling diesel fumes for 40 minutes. And when I told Ed that for breakfast I needed to eat protein, preferably chicken or eggs, I certainly didn’t mean boiled chicken feet. I passed on breakfast and thankfully had a gluten free granola bar in my bag.

My mood improved significantly after we checked out of immigration, topped off our fuel and water, and got back on the boat. It felt good to be away from the city chaos and grime and in our own space again and I welcomed my cozy little bed which I share with my suitcase and two blue plastic storage bins. By noon we set sail for Yao Yai island and once on the water, the beauty of the sea, the salt air, the gentle rocking of the boat and the wind reminded me of why I came on this trip. When you are on the boat is when time slows down, when you can forget all the plights and politics of humanity - when its just you, the wind and the water...and two old guys.