our current home is Ao Yon in Phuket
Life has been trundling along very nicely here in Thailand and then I realised that I actually haven't written about any of this aspect of my life in quite some time.
Life has taken us off the boat recently and whilst I may not be sailing the high seas, I am living in a stunning location. It's time to share my land-based life with all its exciting and mundane moments.
Watusi 2 on a mooring these days
The incongruous and contradictory side of Asia has always caught my attention. The sheer amount of money that is here side by side with the poverty has me scratching my head in disbelief. To see a beautiful mansion with manicured gardens, high walls and fancy gates right next door to one room accommodation blocks, open drains and rubbish piled up just boggles my mind.
demolition by hand in a busy Patong street
You see many blocks of luxury condos overlooking rubbish piles, abandoned buildings or construction sites, where you often see nature taking back in the form of fast growing ivy. One such place was The Par Hotel. Surrounded by a beautifully kept golf course, this hotel's entrance takes you down a rough road full of potholes, past a high rise condo block that has seen better days, a line of overflowing rubbish bins to the left, between two barbed-wire fenced marijuana gardens and onto a dirt allotment for parking.
There are fancy restaurants catering to every european tastebud aimed at tourists with money to burn, while little carts sit out the front selling anything from noodle soup to grilled chicken sticks to freshly chopped fruit to the locals.
There are many local restaurants and cafes made up of makeshift roofs and sides, mismatched chairs and tables and rudimentary kitchens. And some of the best and cheapest Thai food you're ever likely to find.
One of our favourites is The Red Bicycle in Kathu. What started off as a little shelter with a wok and a sink has grown over time to a substantially bigger shelter made up of an eclectic mix of recycled parts, starting with the red bicycle built for two.
The owner was a chef in a hotel restaurant pre-covid. Like so many jobs, covid put paid to that. Now, for a ridiculously small amount of money, you can indulge in some traditional Thai cuisine created by a fabulous chef. No complaints from me.
eclectic decoration style
One thing that has became a game/challenge for us is to find the best Thai food at rock bottom cost. And we have, and still are, succeeding. We have quite the list of places to eat at these days that work within a pauper's budget.
It may be the rainy season but life is sweet, the food is good and the beers are chilled.
Until next time, Watusi Woman - loving life's contradictions, out.