Boarding the connecting flight from Bangkok to Phuket could only be described as “organized chaos”; a free-for-all, not unlike the systems of Ryanair and EasyJet.Everyone was pushing and shoving through the two lines (only two lines for how many hundred people???) to once again board buses to take us to the 747-400 Jumbo jet (no limo this time).
This quick one-hour hop to the most popular Thai island got off to a bad start. The cabin was great and I had no neighbor to pick his nose for the whole flight; it was the muzak. It’s one thing to have to endure Christmas music over the loudspeaker but Celine Dion AND Mariah Carey? Come on…
Along comes the meal: mystery-surprise chicken and rice served a good ten minutes before the drinks - which was disappointing as there was not only nothing to wash down the dryness but the selection included NO alcohol?. OK I know I am sounding totally spoiled here but Business Class without beer or wine? It’s a cultural thing I guess. Southern Thailand is mostly Muslim – perhaps that’s why.
The adventure continued when I went to collect my luggage. After waiting twenty minutes, watching (nearly) everyone else’s bags roll past, I overheard a complaining American barking for his bags. I thought I was correct in waiting in the Domestic baggage area since I disembarked a domestic flight. It turned out, we who started our journey outside of Thailand had to go to the International section of the terminal, which made sense and it wasn’t that far away.
Next up: airport to hotel transportation. It seemed like every local in town was waiting outside the International baggage room to pounce on tourists (like me) with no concrete transport plans. The airport shuttle to my hotel – The Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket – drove off on it's final run just as I arrived, so that meant I needed to hire a taxi.
There are two ways to travel by taxi. One: a meter is in the cab and the passenger receives an accurate quote beforehand. Oops – make that three ways. The second way involves whether or not the meter gets turned on – which kind of blends into the third way. Negotiating! Bartering for everything is common in Southeast Asia and taxi rides are no exception. Sadly, there are too many scams to allow one to be trusting of those who should be trusted. Popular scams over and above simply jacking up the price include taking passengers to gem factories on the way (hoping to collect commission from any sales) and telling the passenger while on route that the intended hotel is closed down followed by an offer for a room somewhere else (again, for a commission).
My cab was clean, cool and although I am sure we took the longer route out of the airport and the longer route into my hotel’s resort area, I was pleased to arrive safely without hassle.
I was even more pleased with the property. Although it was a very dark, I could tell that this place is something special. The area is a collection of six hotels, spread out over several lagoons with a beach on the Andaman sea only minutes away by foot. There were servants in the reception area coming at me from all angles (I got leid by one) with fresh juice and a cold towel. I was guided to my room where I am preparing for the ultimate slumber.
I can’t wait to wake up tomorrow to enjoy the day. What will I do after breakfast? Yoga? A Sailing Lesson? A swim in Asia’s longest pool??? (The photo was taken on my balcony.)
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