Patong - The Wake

[zzzzz]

looking down at kata beach
shot last week    ;-(
 

[HighPriority]

1 hour ago, zzzzz said:

looking down at kata beach
shot last week    ;-(
 

Looks like you're about to lose your view ?

[schlog]

2 hours ago, HighPriority said:

Looks like you're about to lose your view ?

At Kamala? Must be a hell of a building in Kata lol.

[xylophone]

Traffic, traffic, crowds and noise – – about sums up my venture into Patong Central last night. However the traffic situation was horrendous with the traffic backed up from the roundabout at the end of Nanai, to Soi Nanai 8, and then further backup on all of the other approach roads, and the reason was......two members of the BIB were endeavouring to direct traffic around the roundabout with absolutely no success whatsoever with cars and motorbikes whizzing by on either side of the roundabout from any direction, despite the BIB guys waving their lighted battens at the perpetrators.

 

It was an absolute disaster and one would have thought that it was a film set for a sketch in an episode of, "Monty Pythons Flying Circus", because it was so unbelievably bad, not funny.

 

However my young motorbike taxi driver managed to weave in and out of a lot of this chaos and got me to Blue Beach Cafe and Restaurant after a 20 minute ride from Nanai! Good man.

 

Blue Beach was a welcome haven from all of this turmoil and I caught up with an old friend there, and much to our surprise and delight, there was only background soft music playing from a DJ, which was brilliant, and allowed us to be able to have a conversation across the table, whilst enjoying the food and a glass or two of wine.

 

It was an enjoyable "catch up", but at about 9:30 PM my friend decided to head off home, whilst I ventured up Bangla, weaving in and out of the endless moving stream of bodies to get to a quiet little bar in Soi Sea Dragon (yes, they do exist). 

 

Bangla was jampacked and it was hard to make my way against the endless stream, most of whom seemed to be heading towards the beach area, and in amongst that melee were Chinese, a fair amount of Indian folk and many others whom I couldn't distinguish by their looks.

 

Whilst the music bar/venue at the bottom of Bangla (the beach end) had only about half a dozen customers in it, despite there being a live band, the live music bar, "New York" was not only packed inside, but had people standing eight deep outside of it listening to the music! Bar funk was not very busy and overall the smaller bars did have some customers, but not many.

 

I headed home on the back of a motorbike taxi at about 11 PM and getting out onto the middle road from Soi Sansabai was a bit like taking your life in your hands, or should I say placing it in the hands of the motorbike taxi driver, because it was downright dangerous, but we managed it okay.

 

During the daytime on Friday the traffic was at times, gridlocked, and as other posters have commented on here and other threads, it is becoming a nightmare which Patong cannot really handle.

 

Just before I sign off, there is a large "depression" in the concrete in Soi Banzaan, which has been there now for about three years or more and is slowly getting deeper, and I do believe it was made when a very large truck was waiting to get into the vacant land beside the small hotel called, "The House". Despite it being there for some time and slowly getting worse, nothing has been done about it and it won't be long before someone is thrown off their motorbike after hitting that – – beware.
 

[London Lowf]

Last night I got to Bangla just as you were leaving! The later you can visit there, the better.

 

I tend to use three bars in the centre of the main drag and all of them had front row seats available when I got there and so I started at Black Horse and saw that there was some sort of fracas at the entrance to Bar Funk - although I made no effort to rubber-neck (so undignified, particularly trying to film it as well) it was clearly the usual pattern of a dozen or so Thai "guards" appearing out of nowhere and dispensing their instant justice. No ambulance was called and so it must have been quite tame, but the bar girls get so excited when these (rare) punch-ups liven up their boring evenings and desperately try to get a good look.

 

On the subject of Bar Funk - that place really is a free show for the typical cheap charlie tourists who just want to block Bangla and ogle the dancers without spending any money. I seem to remember that, during the Sandbox time after Covid, they put plastic drapes across the front so that it effectively became an indoor venue.

 

I probably got home to Kamala quicker than Xylophone got to his place in Patong! A lovely relaxing ride in the warm night air.

[London Lowf]

And yes, New York always seems packed and last night the music that I heard was actually pretty good - unlike the assault on my eardrums from the music venue at the beach road end as I pass by.

 

[xylophone]

Maybe this thread is getting a bit "old hat" now because up until this point in time just about everything that could be said about Patong, has been said!

 

I did venture out to catch up with a friend on Friday evening, and also ate at Blue Beach again, and it was all but packed to the gunwales, with quite a few groups of people, including some "punk-like" Russian young men, a group of investors, overseen by an American "investment specialist/venture capitalist" and quite a few Chinese in amongst the mix.

 

Nothing much different to report about Bangla other than it was crowded, however I did notice more than the usual share of hookers lining either side of Bangla, and that included some ladyboys as well, and am not sure why that should be.

 

The beach road was less crowded than it recently has been, which was a blessing, however the journey home on the back of a motorbike taxi was hair raising because of the volume of traffic weaving in and out of the place!

 

I noticed an article in the Phuket News which stated that there are over 500,000 vehicles in Phuket, and there are times when it would seem that the majority of them are in Patong!!

 

The recently opened Diva hotel (and renovated formally Chang Residence) on Nanai seems to have attracted a few punters and it has been smartened up somewhat, so I hope they succeed. However just metres around the corner the Italian restaurant/guesthouse is devoid of dining customers every time I have been past it, although it looks as if they do have a few residents?

 

I recently visited my old favourite "Sweet Lemongrass" massage establishment in Soi Patong Whiskey after a long absence, and they have been attracting some Russian visitors, according to the manager whom I've known for many years, and not surprising because they do have some excellent massage ladies, all fully trained, and the place is very clean and tidy.

 

I notice that the recently Russian acquired small guesthouse in Soi Banzaan is quite full of Russians, and the place also has a cannabis shop included in it, so an added attraction for them whilst trying to forget about a possible call up to the war!

 

Finally, I wonder if Patong will ever get back to some semblance of normality, without too many Russians, not to mention visitors from other countries who appear to be able to get here "Visa free" at the moment, which makes for a very crowded Patong.
 

[DonniePeverley]

Patong area needs a congestion charge. 

[xylophone]

Yes, Patong certainly is congested now, and it's been like it for at least a couple of months, with no end in sight by the looks of things! Along with the congestion come the idiots on motorbikes weaving in and out of the almost stationary traffic, at speed, shirtless and helmet-less, just looking for trouble, and I hope they find it without damaging another party.

 

There are more people here at the moment, especially in Bangla, although not always sitting in the bars, although Blue Beach Café and Restaurant is almost packed on most nights, however not the case in many bars in Nanai Road, which are struggling – – a recently opened bar called "Bang Bar" has only two motorbike taxi drivers sitting in it at any one time, and then not drinking so the bar won't be making a profit that's for sure.

 

Another large bar in Nanai called (I think) "Chang Bar" which has changed hands a few times over the past many months, is also devoid of customers on the times I have been past it. The same situation at the recently opened "Hurricane Rock Bar" doesn't bode well for the future of that place, although I did spy a table of younger Russian guys in there a while back, so perhaps they'll change the decor from black to red??

 

A couple of other shops in Nanai have closed and are being remodelled into who knows what, and sad to say that the restaurant in Soi Banzaan which opened a few years ago and which had a good but limited menu and a good bar area, which sported a sign of what looked like a moustachioed English gentleman with a monocle, on it (and I can't remember it's name) which has been empty now for a long time is now being worked on/demolished to make way for something else? I hope it is not another restaurant because the location is poor, with no foot traffic or parking area.

 

A little further down Banzaan, the guesthouse "The House" is also having some alterations done to it and it would appear to be in order to accommodate a restaurant in it (a Middle East restaurant?).

 

Jumping back to Nanai, the steakhouse/restaurant at the southern end of it called, "Le Bistrot " doesn't seem to be doing much business, but as I recall, it had a good reputation from its previous location, so as the property folk will tell you, it's all about "Location, Location, Location", so perhaps that's the case with this restaurant as well.......being tucked away off the main drag?

 

Not much else to report, however an old friend is coming back to Patong, after visiting Nepal, so I expect we will catch up for a night out over the coming days and I will be able to get a better look at things.

[LivinginKata]

Pleased to say I have not even been in Patong for almost 6 weeks. As for the Bistrot, you talking about that place just about all bike rentals. As I recall open about 5 years ago, never had any customers. Lot of dark skinned young 'French' guys hang out there.

[jts-khorat]

On 1/28/2024 at 2:04 AM, schlog said:

Guess this is my third and last time that i move away from patong but who knows lol.

 

Whenever I come back to Phuket, it is strictly holiday only. It is fun for a week, but then it just starts to press on my nerves.

 

Maybe I am older, maybe it really is a lot less fun than a decade++ ago.

[xylophone]

12 hours ago, LivinginKata said:

Pleased to say I have not even been in Patong for almost 6 weeks. As for the Bistrot, you talking about that place just about all bike rentals. As I recall open about 5 years ago, never had any customers. Lot of dark skinned young 'French' guys hang out there.

Well LiK you have not missed much by staying away from Patong, other than traffic jams and crazy drivers!

 

I think I know the place you mean, but it's not the one which has the "dark skinned young French guys" hanging out, I believe the place you mean is a little bit further north on the brow of the hill, almost near the spa place?

 

If you were to go south about a hundred metres or so, past the massage place on the right and then a bar of some description, then you have the restaurant "Le Bistrot", and it is just about opposite the entrance to Patong Bay Hill resort. Before that, over the past couple of years it has been a bar, then a small restaurant/café bar and then a bar with a massage place attached, all of which folded after a short period of time – – along with some poor suspecting farangs and their dreams!

 

Haven't heard from you in a while, so I hope you are well.

[LivinginKata]

3 hours ago, xylophone said:

<snip>

If you were to go south about a hundred metres or so, past the massage place on the right and then a bar of some description, then you have the restaurant "Le Bistrot", and it is just about opposite the entrance to Patong Bay Hill resort. Before that, over the past couple of years it has been a bar, then a small restaurant/café bar and then a bar with a massage place attached, all of which folded after a short period of time – – along with some poor suspecting farangs and their dreams!

 

Haven't heard from you in a while, so I hope you are well.

 

Ah yes. Must be another rentor. Been so many those places in the short road open and close repeat. See try Mexican take out again ... again. Just no foot traffic there. Bad business spot.

 

As for me. My usual quiet stay at home life. Sold our business/company 2 month ago so no need travel Patong or deal with guests. Happy in Kata but the traffic on Patak Road is hellish. Takes many minutes get out of our side road, same again to turn in. 

[xylophone]

On 3/4/2024 at 12:57 PM, xylophone said:

restaurant in Soi Banzaan which opened a few years ago and which had a good but limited menu and a good bar area, which sported a sign of what looked like a moustachioed English gentleman with a monocle, on it (and I can't remember it's name) which has been empty now for a long time is now being worked on/demolished to make way for something else? I hope it is not another restaurant because the location is poor, with no foot traffic or parking area.

The restaurant name was "Le Drinkeria"...........now being converted into????

[Patong2]

On 3/5/2024 at 9:38 AM, xylophone said:

 

 

If you were to go south about a hundred metres or so, past the massage place on the right and then a bar of some description, then you have the restaurant "Le Bistrot", and it is just about opposite the entrance to Patong Bay Hill resort. Before that, over the past couple of years it has been a bar, then a small restaurant/café bar and then a bar with a massage place attached, all of which folded after a short period of time – – along with some poor suspecting farangs and their dreams!

 

 

On a whim after you after you mentioned it, we tried Le Bistrot last night. Impressed with the food,

Very generous portions of very nicely cooked food. Will go back.

[xylophone]

19 minutes ago, Patong2 said:

On a whim after you after you mentioned it, we tried Le Bistrot last night. Impressed with the food,

Very generous portions of very nicely cooked food. Will go back.

Thanks Patong2, I will have to give that a try shortly!

[xylophone]

On 3/7/2024 at 1:35 PM, Patong2 said:

On a whim after you after you mentioned it, we tried Le Bistrot last night. Impressed with the food,

Very generous portions of very nicely cooked food. Will go back.

After your recommendation P2, I stopped by Le Bistrot to have a look at the menu and it's not huge by any standards, but has a nice range of options on it. I then looked at the wine list and their house wine is, unfortunately, a fruit wine, which I'm not partial to, so I may ask the owner if I can pay a corkage and take my own wine along??

[xylophone]

Now back onto Patong activities in general, or should I say, nightlife activities........ 

 

Went out to have dinner with friends on Friday night, and unfortunately made a pig of myself and ate too much, which left me very bloated for the walk up Bangla to the Blue Lotus bar, in which we had one drink and moved on.

 

Bangla, as has been the case in the past few visits, was still very crowded and I wondered if this was trickling through to the Thai folk working here, and that "question" was answered when we walked past a Tuk Tuk driver stationed at the beach end of Bangla, who was being asked by a couple and their young daughter, "how much to go to Jungceylon?"

 

Of course he obviously didn't know that Jungceylon was just a very short walk up Bangla, however that being the case, the Tuk Tuk driver quoted 500 baht!!!!! Which of course astounded us – – so rip-offs still abound in Patong and I found the same experience with my motorbike taxi driver this time, because my main one was not available, and whereas I used to pay 140/160 baht for a trip from Soi Nanai six, the new motorbike taxi driver whom I hailed, charged me 200 baht. I wasn't about to argue with him because he was an old bugger who probably needed the money, but in future I will ensure that I book my regular motorbike taxi driver.

 

Back to Bangla – – the bar on the corner of Bangla and Soi Sea Dragon was very crowded, and I'm not surprised because there were quite a few attractive young women in the place, obviously attracting the punters, so that ploy is working, as it always has done here!

 

Jumping around a bit and on the subject of attractive young women, an attractive woman I know who manages a massage shop here, and who I've known for years, has got her boyfriend over Europe, and when I asked after her, one of the other women in the shop said that she and her boyfriend had gone home to the north of Thailand to get married!!

 

I was astounded at this because whenever I had spoken to this particular woman, she had said that she and her boyfriend often had rows and I know she had a couple of other boyfriends in tow, so the thought of her getting married to this particular one was one hell of a surprise.

 

This other woman in the shop who knows me and who speaks pretty good English, gave me a lesson in Thai logic......she said that it might be difficult for me as a farang to understand, but a Thai woman does not confuse love on the one hand with money on the other, saying they are not the same, basically telling me that her friend (the manager) was getting married for money, whereas the boyfriend thought it was love, but based on that "misunderstanding" they could both be happy!

 

We had a little discussion on this and I told her how surprised I was when I first arrived here to see how many really old farangs were walking around with much younger women/wives, and her response was, well that really goes to prove what she had just said: – for "love" and care from the Thai person, the older farang gives financial support to the Thai woman and her family, and thinking about it it's probably been that way forever here. As an addendum to that, I am sure that there are farangs and Thai women who are in love with one another, but IMO a Thai woman's "love" can be a movable feast!

 

Unfortunately the shop/building in which this massage parlour sits has been repossessed by the bank and so the shop and the one next to it will have to close this coming month, which is a shame because it gets a lot of foot traffic and there is parking outside of it. It made me wonder why the bank wouldn't keep the occupants of the shops in place, and sell it as a going concern, and if the buyer doesn't like that, then ask them to move out?

 

Just to end on a positive note; a couple of weeks ago I and a couple of friends had ventured down Soi Freedom to have a drink with a birthday bar owner, and something I'd forgotten all about was happening in that Soi, because the ladyboys were putting on a stage show, and I have to say they were professional not only in their stage gear, but in the routines and the lip syncing of course, only this time it was a little different to the one I remember a few years back, because the "female" singers were often accompanied by a couple of gay boys prancing around either side of them.

 

Either way a whole lot of them seemed pleased with their performance and there were a few onlookers, so perhaps things really are back on track here.

[xylophone]

A night of disappointments on Friday evening, which started with a visit to a restaurant called "West" in Soi Patong Tower, whereby previous visits had been enjoyable and I negotiated being able to bring my own bottle of wine along (because theirs was fruit wine) for a princely sum of 200 baht, which was okay by me.

 

Only this time (and I didn't find out until the bill came along) the charge was 400 baht +10% service charge, and the price of my meal had increased by about 100 baht!! I queried this with the serving guy and he just said that prices had increased everywhere, so they put their price up, or words to that effect. Now 400 baht charge for my own wine was too steep IMO, so I won't be going back to that restaurant, so they have lost my patronage plus the patronage of the other folks I introduced to it.

 

After leaving that restaurant my friend and I went along to another couple of bars in Bangla, but as I've mentioned before "the thrill has gone" and probably went a long time ago if I was truthful, so I don't much enjoy nights out in Bangla these days.

 

I decided to head for home at about 11 PM and as I was walking towards the motorbike taxi place, a group of about six burly guys in their mid-20s or thereabouts, surrounded me and got in my face, with one of them saying, "you dirty bastard, what are you doing here" with a couple of his mates chiming in with similar comments.

 

At the age of 76 I wasn't about to try and take any of these guys on, however I had overheard them in a bar down the road, mention to someone that they were from Nottinghamshire so I basically said to the ringleader what the "fark" are you on about? "You guys are from Nottinghamshire, so what are you playing at, as I was born in England too?".

 

To which he basically said they were only "playing around", but it certainly didn't feel like that although I wasn't unduly threatened, but it was uncomfortable enough. English louts is the best I can say about them.

 

But the worst was yet to come because I got on a motorbike taxi to go home and when we arrived at my Soi, I asked the motorbike taxi driver if his motorbike was strong enough to take me up my steep drive, mainly because my old football knee was playing up a little, to which he replied that it could. So he attempted to get up the drive with me on the back of his motorbike, but unfortunately about halfway up he lost control of it, and I did a backward somersault off the bike and was knocked out for a few minutes and I'm not quite sure what happened next, but I think maybe he picked me up and saw blood gushing out of a head wound so quickly left on his motorbike.

 

I don't remember walking up the remaining part of the drive or the steps to my apartment, but I do remember that the room/my head was spinning and I was in some pain from my back (pelvis area) and my head and I tried to lay down, but think I passed out for a while because I woke up three hours later with my pillow bloodied somewhat, and feeling not well at all.

 

I was feeling very unwell so decided to wait until a bit later when the owners of my apartments were awake to ask them if they could call me a taxi to take me to the hospital, because I was not in a good way and thought I might have fractured my skull. The owners husband decided to take me in their car and I had a CT scan of my head and an x-ray of my hips and chest and I told him to go home and I would get a taxi home, which I did, still feeling very fragile and unwell.

 

The outcome is that I have a couple of wounds on the back of my head, one on my heel, bruising on my shoulders and damage to my lower spine, which I have to go and see the orthopaedic surgeon about next week?

 

Today I went to get the dressing on my head changed and the nurse said that if this was the fault of the motorbike taxi driver, then they were insured and I should claim from him, but how do you claim from someone who decided to do a "runner" after the incident? Not to worry, I said because I had paid it anyway.

 

So an eventful but an unenjoyable evening, which has left me in some pain and questioning why I really need to go to Patong centre, a place I don't enjoy any more and run the risk of all sorts of unsavoury incidents.

 

Moving away from that, the small laundry which opened up about six months ago at the bottom of my drive has closed and somebody who knew the owner said that the woman had borrowed money all over the place and had done a runner. This being one of the small "one-room" like shops in a very small enclave, which also included a Greek restaurant which was recently sold to Russians, plus a café which wasn't doing any business at all and which was sold and bought by someone who has turned it into a coffee and cannabis café, which doesn't seem to be doing much better?

 

The turnover of these small "enterprises" is very high and the above would be typical of what I'm seeing around Patong these days, yet just the other day the ex-girlfriend of a friend of mine asked me if I knew where there were any shops available for rent because she and a friend wanted to rent one and start a little travel advice bureau in it – – this without any experience in the industry at all, but with the burning desire to "open a shop".

 

When I asked her whether she had been seeking out any places that she could use, she basically said she hadn't, but anywhere would do, to which I replied that she really needed to be in an area with a great deal of foot traffic, so that she could sell to the tourists, something which seemed to be alien to her. I would put good money on it that whatever she opens will be destined to fail.

 

Still feeling a little fragile so I will endeavour to get a bit of rest, with the help of a couple of anti-inflammatories plus the antibiotics that the hospital prescribed for my head wounds, hoping that the damage to the base of my spine is not serious.
 

[schlog]

Get well soon Xylo. I guess you had luck. Could be much more serious. My neighbor of many years had not that luck and died some days ago on mc here. Patong sucks these days and is really dangerous.

[London Lowf]

8 hours ago, xylophone said:

I decided to head for home at about 11 PM and as I was walking towards the motorbike taxi place, a group of about six burly guys in their mid-20s or thereabouts, surrounded me and got in my face, with one of them saying, "you dirty bastard, what are you doing here" with a couple of his mates chiming in with similar comments.

 

I think that I also bumped into those guys on Friday!

 

Walking along a crowded Bangla there is a mutual courtesy that ensures that everyone avoids everyone else - however, these guys were not playing by those rules and were clearly looking for trouble - but only with "papa" soft targets like you and I apparently. We bumped slightly and one made a comment to me which I didn't catch but I was in no position to escalate the situation and so simply carried on my way.

 

The point is - the vast majority of people are just fine, whether they be Brits, Russians, Chinese, North Africans, Indians, etc. Howver, it is the minority that get our attention and can lead to negative thoughts - all you can do is ignore them and concentrate on the good guys. Hopefully, Karma (or a bunch of Thai "guards) will teach the yobs a lesson one day but regretfully life doesn't seem to work that way.

[HighPriority]

Sorry to hear of your poor night xylo.

Your usual mc taxi wasn’t around ?

I just can’t believe someone would just dump you like that, though I agree with LL that the good people should be our focus, sometimes it’s difficult to see them for all the riff raff.

It sounds like you are going to need to look for lodgings with better access when you feel better.

Get well soon. 

[xylophone]

19 hours ago, schlog said:

Get well soon Xylo. I guess you had luck. Could be much more serious. My neighbor of many years had not that luck and died some days ago on mc here. Patong sucks these days and is really dangerous.

Thank you for your post schlog, and I'm not sure that I'm over the worst of it yet because this morning I feel particularly grim, so another visit to the hospital is on the cards I think, especially as I am totally unsteady on my feet, with my head spinning, as well as the base of my spine hurting very much.

 

I notice that someone has put a "love it" emoji on my original post, just goes to show that there are some sick "bar stewards" on AN, this especially as I could have fractured my skull and the base of my spine, and the outcome is not fully known yet, especially with the way I'm feeling at the moment.

 

Thanks again.

[HighPriority]

2 minutes ago, xylophone said:

Thank you for your post schlog, and I'm not sure that I'm over the worst of it yet because this morning I feel particularly grim, so another visit to the hospital is on the cards I think, especially as I am totally unsteady on my feet, with my head spinning, as well as the base of my spine hurting very much.

 

I notice that someone has put a "love it" emoji on my original post, just goes to show that there are some sick "bar stewards" on AN, this especially as I could have fractured my skull and the base of my spine, and the outcome is not fully known yet, especially with the way I'm feeling at the moment.

 

Thanks again.

I’m sure the emoticon was meant as giving you hug mate.

Rest and recuperate for you.

Concussions are to be taken seriously, keep in touch with your Dr and hopefully someone is able to keep check on you at home ?

[xylophone]

25 minutes ago, HighPriority said:

It sounds like you are going to need to look for lodgings with better access when you feel better.

I had thought about that a few months back and went looking, but couldn't find anywhere which was suitable or at a similar cost to my current apartment, so I gave it up as a bad job, however now I'm thinking that I should have a look again, but there's not much around at the moment what with the Russians buying and renting places like it's going out of fashion.

 

When I feel better I will do another search – – thanks for the advice HP.

[stoner]

21 hours ago, xylophone said:

Today I went to get the dressing on my head changed and the nurse said that if this was the fault of the motorbike taxi driver, then they were insured and I should claim from him, but how do you claim from someone who decided to do a "runner" after the incident? Not to worry, I said because I had paid it anyway.

 

were you wearing a helmet ? 

[Patong2]

That's a really bad night Xylophone.

Hope you recover quickly and with no lasting effects.

We all enjoy your posts and updates.

 

Finding the traffic starting to ease a trifle in Patong but went down to Nai Harn for a meal last night and surprised to find not a lot of traffic but still lots of people on the pavements so I think retailers in Kata and Karon are still enjoying good sales.

[xylophone]

46 minutes ago, stoner said:

 

were you wearing a helmet ? 

Whenever I'm out and about on my own motorbike I always wear a helmet, but I've never been offered one when riding on the back of a motorbike taxi, and I don't think they carry them for passengers?
 

[xylophone]

3 hours ago, xylophone said:

I notice that someone has put a "love it" emoji on my original post, just goes to show that there are some sick "bar stewards" on AN, this especially as I could have fractured my skull and the base of my spine, and the outcome is not fully known yet, especially with the way I'm feeling at the moment.

I see that it has been removed now.

[xylophone]

UPDATE........ I am afraid there will be no more ventures for me out into Patong, any restaurant or indeed Bangla Road for a couple of months, mainly because the second x-ray on my lower back revealed a fractured coccyx, which was not surprising because I had been in quite extreme pain for five or six days after the accident, so as there is nothing they can do for an injury like this apart from rest, I have been prescribed a huge amount of strong painkillers and told to rest.

 

Trying to rest is more a theory than a practicality, because no matter how many painkillers I take I am still in pain whether sitting or laying down, so sleep is fairly alien to me at the moment.

 

I can shuffle around for a few steps, but that's about it, so until a couple of months have passed, I doubt whether I'll be posting much on this thread.

 

Actually my Thai daughter has come down to Phuket after finishing university in Bangkok, and my ex-girlfriend, her mother, has come down as well and they are both taking care of me, what with cooking, cleaning and shopping, and I am absolutely delighted about this. One thing they have said is that this is not the Patong that they remember from days passed, because of a vast increase in traffic, of tourists, and crazy drivers – – something I have posted about here a few times, so I'm not alone.

 

Bye for now.