I love my Tia, but walking around new streets is by far my favorite thing to do in a foreign country. I’m always discovering new streets that are not necessarily on google maps, finding interesting shops, trying new drinks and love the challenge of the local sidewalks. (you just never know what is and what isn’t going to be stable)

Last night I wandered unknowingly to The Walk of Kata which is a street of nothing by bars lining both sides and tiki hut cocktail bars in the middle. I found a Magners cider and drank a toast to Kassie. In all honesty I was just walking on the hunt for peanut butter, but if you know me I’m happy to settle for a beer instead.

*** Also to note I started a new Instagram called Tonyatakesthailand to feature all the street art I am seeing. Please check it out- share-follow.

You can read all you can on a place but until you actually experience it, at least for me, it doesn’t click. Low Season in Phuket is one of those things. I read that for five months (May -Sept) the tourists occupancy is down and even heard from charter boat Tim that he goes back home to Michigan during the summers. Ton, the paddle boarder at Bang Tao beach, even took off to teach kickboxing in China during these months.

The weather this week said 88 with 80% chance of thunderstorms every day for seven days straight. The storms come fast and fierce, I’ve learned to watch and hustle when I see them coming. Tia remarkably made it back prior to today’s downpour.

I really wanted to have a sloth day and just catch up on things I wanted to get done. But come 1pm, I needed to get out for food anyways, so I ventured all day on Tia. We literally covered the entire bottom half of Phuket Island today and only had to turn around once due to the steep incline.

I have been wanting to visit Ra Wai beach and never got around to it when Tiff was here. So I memorized the route and actually made it without google maps. Its a beautiful pier with long tail boats awaiting tourists. There is also a fresh seafood market, which is just tent after tent of fresh catch. Seemed like there was some sort of day care action on the pier- either that or that’s just where locals dump their kids on a Sunday 🙂

Set out this morning to eat a healthy breakfast and get some decent coffee. I haven’t had coffee in 3 days and I miss it. I found a coffee place last night when walking home from the night market and decided I was going to hit it up this am. So about 11am (because I mean why would I start my day any earlier?) I stopped in the hostel reception to speak to the owner about the form I need for opening a bank account.

He had never heard of the form. He’s been in Thailand for 7 years. He doesn’t seem to have the same issues I have. So I reached out to Min and she sent me a photo of the form for him to download. SUCCESS! I have the form I need. (or so I think until I get to immigration again and find something else missing) I’m planning on heading to Phuket town maybe later next week, to avoid any govt closing for the coronation of the King.

After breakfast I decided to head to a beach I looked up called Hat Karon Noi. It was the next beach working my way north. I was worried about Tia and the mountains. I talked her through many ups and encouraged her, like the engine that could. I later discovered a few interesting things about driving Tia in the slow lane uphill.

1. There are random electric wires that tend to randomly be dropped or are drooping down so low that they could literally x me off!
2. Tia actually works her way uphill much better when I lean my body forward 🙂

I made it to the street according to the annoying siri voice only to be turned away at the private gate. The guard explained that it was private and the only way to get in is pay a ticket about 1000 baht or come by boat. I guess my puppy dog eyes and disheveled scooter did not win me any brownie points. So tomorrow I will attempt to hire a boat and invade that beach!!! Fuck the Meredian Hotel people.

I set out to hit a different beach today, the one that I saw off in the distance from the On the Rocks Restaurant. So Tia and I hit the road. We are getting along a lot better now that I know how to start her.

I planned my day around wanting to catch another sunset. Didn’t get to the beach until 2:30. Paid the $3 for an umbrella chair. I mean even with my 100 proof, 4 hours is a lot of heat and sun! The waves were crazy!!! I literally was wiped out more than once just trying to cool off. No kids were swimming. There wasn’t a single person beyond the waves either, because you couldn’t get there!

I saw one of the parasailing boats almost capsize. Also saw a parasailing duo fall into the water. I bet that is something to tell people back home. Fail on the view. I see a lot of single women here like myself. I read about them on the FB Expat page too, but yet we all never seem to talk to each other.

One thing that truly disturbed me was the amount of trash the waves were bringing to shore. I must have picked up 10 plastic bottles that washed up just in my small area while there. I took them to the trash and everyone kept looking at me like I was crazie. (shout out to Kassie, who trained me)

Last night I wandered out to see what new streets I could explore and I didn’t get very far. I came across a sign on the sidewalk that promised $1.10 beers. A live band was playing and to my surprise were actually in tune. (This is rare here so far, most are live music is really bad and usually cause me to leave when they start. The muzak is bad enough but live music not in tune is unbearable)

I haven’t seen dollar beers since my college days, so you know I had 5 🙂 The band was from the Philippines (that explains it) She even sang Beyonce’s Halo in tune. My server, I thought was disgusted with me for showing off my endurance, but later when it slowed down a bit she came over and chatted with me. Adorable- she’s worked there 3 years. Made me wonder if in Thai culture they change jobs frequently or not.

Today was my move out of the comfortable Art C to a new hostel where I will be until my big condo move. New hostel is named Sleepy Station, appropriate as this heat creates a need for an afternoon nap. Inappropriate as there is a party rocking here, and I predict every night. Will have to participate in that later this week, but for now have my Bose colored speaker singing Khalid to me.

I sent my luggage off in a taxi this afternoon with a stranger who Min recommended. He was instructed to drop it off at the hostel, while I jumped on my new teal scooter to meet it there.

I put my headphones in and google mapped directions, hopeful the siri voice could be heard over traffic. Recognizing a lot of the roads, I was getting all high and mighty feeling confident, and then—-I approached a very steep hill. My second hand scooter almost literally screamed “hell no” at me. (I think I’m going to have to give this scooter a name, whose speedometer doesn’t work, quite possibly so no one will know it can’t ever reach highway speeds) I had to drop my legs to the side and literally like a kid with training wheels scoot with my feet until we got to the top.

Well folks, that was an experience and I certainly will be more aware of this personality flaw in my teal scooter, come future hills. (name suggestions welcomed) Thank God no monster trucks were barreling their way behind me. I managed to find my way to my hostel where I was hugged by Sud (Tiff and I had met her when we came over here previously) She literally yelled “you made it!”. Was so funny. As if the cab driver and everyone was voting against me. I said, yes, but did my luggage?

Yesterday evening the scooter I purchased was delivered. The mechanic, Anek, cleaned it up and delivered all the paperwork for it to Min. I carry this paperwork with me everywhere I go because if God forbid anything happens I will need this documentation. Basically Anek owns it until I get my residency paperwork done in June, and then we can transfer it into my name. I immediately went and purchased a helmet- which is high standard and expensive and pink! $520 baht. (really about 15 USD :))

I took my scooter on its first run last night to yoga class. I was so proud of myself for knowing where to go and not getting lost. Everyone leaves their helmets on the rear view mirrors and remarkably they never get stolen.

The lady that sold me my beautiful pink helmet wanted to help me get an adhesive sticker for my registration, which I need to put onto my bike. She literally left the shop (which is wide open like a garage) to walk me down the street to speak to the owner of a shop that was already closed, so I could buy the sticker. Everyone here is literally so amazing! Their kindness genuine and seriousness about wanting to help! They feel good by just being able to assist in any way.

Today Min drove my scooter with me on the back because she wanted to test it out and make sure it was okay for me to confidently take to Kata Beach tomorrow. We headed to Kathu to take a look at 4 possible condos that fit into my price range. I would always call the agent and then hand the phone to Min to speak to them for me. Was hilarious! We started at the wrong condo spot, couldn’t figure out why we weren’t seeing each other. (We were at D Condo Creek and we were supposed to be at D Condo Mine)

Then one time the man on the other line only spoke English, not Thai. So she switched over to her English and when she hung up, she said he is English! When we got to Condo Mine we saw the below view and we were like two kids in a candy shop! Like YES PLEASE!!!! I took photos of her posing in front of the pool, she’s so cute.

Today I made a decision to start a new Instagram that would be all street art in Phuket. There is just so much! and I have always appreciated this art form- so stay tuned for that! My goal today was to set out and just wander with hopes of capturing Phuket Town’s street art. As I was doing that- I came across so many other eye catching sites that for some reason I hadn’t yet stumbled across in my month here—-you cant possibly see all it offers. Love it.

Just had to share the beauty in this city blooming- colors untouched.