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Up early today and managed a quick chat with Jody while she was in the Manila airport in transit to Bangkok and then Phuket. We had a quick breakfast and then caught the long tail boat to the pier for the 2 1/2 hour trip to Phuket. In order to save ourselves the ordeal of getting mixed into the melee at the dock, we purchased our taxi transfer from the dock on Phi Phi Island to go from the dock in Phuket to the airport hotel. Everyone gets a sticker for their shirt so they can quickly sort people into various groups. We paid for a private taxi. Upon arrival, we have to wait for our taxi driver to show up. He does not help with the luggage and is driving like he's playing a video game and it doesn't matter if we crash. The speed limit is 50 and he's driving 100 km/h. I wanted to flick him on the back of the ear and tell him to settle down. He doesn't listen and wants to take us to the airport. No, we are going to the airport hotel. He pulls up in front of a hotel and wants us to get out, but, ah, this is not the airport hotel. Now he's lost. We show hm the name and address of the hotel on the iPad, but that doesn't help. He pulls over and asks another taxi driver for directions and then drives us to the proper location. We get our luggage out of the trunk and hE demands we "PAY MONEY". Our contract is finished with him, so we walk away and go to reception and check in. He confronts us and demands payment. Dave tells him that we have already paid at the dock and they gave us this sticker and he should talk to them. He says no, and grabs my suitcase and tries to walk away with it. I stood in front of him and Dave knocked his hand off and told him he's not going anywhere with our luggage. Now the "fuu yow" comes out. He starts to posture up and indicates that he wants Dave to follow him. Dave asks him what he wants, to fight, is that what you want? He goes to the car and puts his phone inside. Dave gives me his glasses and steps out of his sandals and follows him. Now the driver changes his mind and decides he better sit in the car and straighten this out. Eventually he drives away, so he must have received confirmation that he was going to get paid, otherwise the cops would have shown up. Yesterday when we went snorkelling, I wore a long sleeve rash guard swim shirt and a bathing suit with a particularly long top. The good news is that I didn't get sunburned, other than my butt cheeks, but the bad news is that is a jellyfish tentacle somehow got inside my suit, and now it can't get out. Now I have another series of itchy stings on my torso, neck and cheek. They are a major pain because you can't see the jellyfish or the tentacles, you just feel a bit of a pin p****
We went to the airport early so we could fill out a damaged luggage claim form with Air Asia. Next time we will just smack our heads on the wall and be done with it. Same result. Jody's flight was on time and we have her here with us now. We all had a quick dip in the pool when we returned to the hotel.
We went across the street to a seafood restaurant for dinner. Jody had some beef noodle soup. The broth was delicious, the beef not so much. We had some mixed veggies and a fried fish with chilli sauce. It was delicious.
We went to the airport early so we could fill out a damaged luggage claim form with Air Asia. Next time we will just smack our heads on the wall and be done with it. Same result. Jody's flight was on time and we have her here with us now. We all had a quick dip in the pool when we returned to the hotel.
We went across the street to a seafood restaurant for dinner. Jody had some beef noodle soup. The broth was delicious, the beef not so much. We had some mixed veggies and a fried fish with chilli sauce. It was delicious.
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