Back in the Saddle Again, I mean Hong Kong

**This blog entry was writing progressively over the past couple days, I just haven’t had any way to post it so sorry for the references to the days. I’m just trying to catch up.

Well I spent both Saturday and Sunday enjoying waterfalls in the jungle and acquiring more and more mosquito bites despite my incessant application of REI’s not-so-effective “Jungle Juice”. Good thing I’m on those Malaria pills! Of all the cool things to see here, I have mostly enjoyed watching the people interact. When we were at a waterfall yesterday, there were Germans, Italians, Australians, Indians, and Englanders (or whatever you want to call them). I think if I were to come back, or do another adventurous trip like this again I would take a camera and just photograph the people.

We attempted to leave Samui on Sunday but the ferries were all booked so we headed back to our beloved hotel and stayed another night. Last night (Sunday night) there was a huge lightening storm on the island. Power went out for a while and I literally stayed up all night as a result of the flashes. Every now and then there would be a big boom. The thunder was spaced just perfectly so that right as your body and heart rate had just settled from the last one, another one would go off. The defibrillator effect. It was a long night, with very little sleep. However, I woke up this morning to a beautiful sunrise as well as another great rainbow – both celebratory of your birthday Mom! Yes, for those reading Mama Clark’s birthday was June 4th, wish her a late Happy Birthday. Just feel free to send Cindy Loo Hoo a text, she’s really good with technology. Or, you could just post something on her facebook wall if that’s easier for you.

We took the 7am ferry this morning (Monday) and drove to Phuket. I literally slept the entire way (Mom, I get that from you). Among Yale speeding through the roads as though it were a racecourse, topping at about 185 km/hr, I was passed out.

It was about 10 feet from the “Welcome to Phuket” sign that it started to downpour – further confirming our decision to stay on sunny Samui an extra couple days. It has been raining all day here. Phuket is far more built-up and touristy than Samui but fun to see it nonetheless. Our hotel here makes me miss Samui, but also makes me realize just how great it was there as well. Patong Beach has much more sand and actual waves but too many people. The tsunami hit Patong really hard and anything within two blocks of the beach was wiped out. It was interesting to see all of the building still taking place. There are now also numerous tsunami evacuation signs all along the beach. Scary.

We went out for dinner and I found a cute little man selling freshly grilled corn on the cob. It was dirt cheap (less than $1) especially in comparison to the prices of everything else. Phuket is far more expensive than Samui and especially than Bangkok. The tricks of tourism. I wasn’t falling for it though. I went with the corn peddler and was very happy. After, I went to McDonald’s for an ice cream cone. I thought I ordered vanilla with chocolate swirl but it happened to be coffee. So my trick to escape the tourist prices didn’t quite work as I bought another cone, this time raspberry. I ended up making friends and giving the coffee cone to a guy on the street.

When we got back to the hotel Pirates 3 was playing on TV – welcome to a country than can be entirely summed up in two words: Canal Street. Ok, maybe not the entire country, but a large majority of it! Later Yale and I watched Rush Hour 2 (we bought a pirated version in Bangkok) and had a good laugh. Right now I am sitting in the tiny Phuket airport waiting for our plane just people watching. I’ve managed to make great progress on my Book of Mormon reading on the trip and finished Mosiah today. My goal is to finish it by the time I take the GMAT, July 17. Signing off…

Mom – Happy Birthday!!!! I love you!