We stayed in a really good backpackers hostel in Phuket town which had a really convenient bus stop right outside the door with buses ready to take you to Karon or Patong beach every 30 mins for a mere 25 - 30 baht.

On day 1 we visited Karon it's a fairly low key town and the beach is quite nice. In the evening we had dinner with some fellow backpackers in a local restaurant and afterwards sat in the hostel garden having a few beers and a chat. At midnight a Thai guy came up to us, we thought he was going to tell us off about the noise but he actually asked us if we wouldn't mind singing happy birthday as he had a cake to give to a guy in one of the rooms who had just come in from a night out. So he lit the candles, knocked on the door, the door opened and we all launched into song but we soon kind of tailed off as the birthday boy's girlfriend was standing in the doorway looking absolutely mortified - she then had to tell all us singing strangers that her boyfriend was actually on the toilet. He was a good sport though and 10 minutes later he emerged with a big smile and so we all sang happy birthday again and shared his cake.

On Day 2 we left our bags at the hostel and jumped on the bus for an overnighter in Patong. Patong was ruined by the Tsunami and appears to have rebuilt itself in the style of say Benidorm. It is so commercial you can't walk 2 steps without someone asking if you want a taxi, a tuk-tuk, a boat, a pair of shorts, a t-shirt....anything, the list is endless!! It drives you absolutely potty!.

Patong has one area which is famous for it's go-go bars. I found it all rather sad and pathetic. Men ogling over dancers and probably wondering is this a women or a lady boy. Have to admit it is difficult to tell sometimes! The best of it is the dancers look absolutely bored senseless and seem to be dancing in some kind of trance.

The following day we headed off to Phi Phi - there was a point where we thought we might miss the ferry as we had to go back for a camera someone had left in a hotel room. But fortunately our stressed out bus driver drove like a maniac with his hand on the horn the whole journey and got us there on time. I think we only slammed our heads on the head rest in front of us twice - so not too bad!!