Phuket Town

Amanda and I arrived in Phuket yesterday, we took a quick 1 hour flight from Bangkok to Phuket and then nearly an hour bus ride to our hostel in Phuket Town. Phuket is known for its glamourous beaches and has become very touristy and commercialized over the past decade - so Amanda and I decided to really experience the culture and stay away from the tourist packed beaches, in the southeastern part of Phuket.

We are staying at "Backpacker Hostel" in Phuket Town - this is where I am updating my blog now, thanks to the free internet! This is my first hostel experience, and I am loving it! It is pretty nice for a hostel - great location, great common area/living room with community chairs, kitchen, big screen TV with a wide DVD selection! I couldn't really sleep last night - so I just got up at 5AM and took a shower in our ghetto hostel bathroom - the toilet and shower are right next to each other...no shower curtain, or really seperate shower at all...there is a hot water heater to heat the water, and the sink drains into an open pipe that empties out on the floor! There is no A/C, because Amanda and I are cheap - so we are paying $11 USD a night for a fanned room.

The location is great and the atmosphere is even better! Our hostel is on the main street in Phuket Town, and right now it is the annual Vegetarian Festival in Phuket. The Festival celebrates the Chinese community's belief that abstinence from meat cleanses the body. Last night when Amanda and I toured the main street of Phuket Town for dinner we were bombarded with meatless-fried food options! We ate fried spiral potatoe on a stick, fried donut-like bread balls, corn on the cob, and fresh fruit...

Today we are going to watch a very exciting/gruesome part of the festival...a ceremony to "invoke the gods" where people partake in firewalking, body piercing and other acts of self mortification. Men and women puncture their cheeks with various items including knives, skewers and other household items. It is believed that the Chinese gods will protect such persons from harm, and little blood or scarring results from such mutilation acts!

Considering I can't even watch people give blood at blood drives...I don't know how long I'll last...but I'll try to get a few pictures!