Thailand for tourists.

So its official, we have traded in the rose, baguette et fromage along the Cote D’Azur after a fabulous four and a half years for Thai green curry, buckets of spirits, neon painted faces and ‘peel-able’ mango’s. It’s a shock to say the very least, from one foreign language [that we marginally understood and spoke very little of] to a language that I cant even read or identify a letter let alone speak it.

So Et Voila… I mean tvxz ÎÍzf.

And boy … are we learning quick.

So I figure, us being over here must come in some use to the 4 million tourists that Phuket alone sees every year [told ya, learning quick!] This for a island of only a registered 500 000 people, but I’m told by some locals its double that due to the Burmese strolling over the boarder [Sjho sjho sjho, learning!!]

So a few helpful pearls of wisdom that we have either learnt quickly or the hard way I have jotted down for your benefit.

- On arrival you get a departure and arrival card that you fill out on the plane and hand in to the guy at customs. This piece of paper is something you NEED to keep. They don’t say it and the amount of these pieces of paper all over makes one think you can fill it out when you leave. However it has a corresponding code that they match up for your arrival and departure, so they quite like it. If you loose it, or throw it away by a mistake then you are either liable for a fee, which when asked, is at the discretion of the security personnel [in some countries that is called a bribe] or simply money in exchange for them to make a plan [in other words … a bribe]

- Test your driver, your receptionist, waiter, bartender, shop attendant or anyone who claims to understand you. For example; “Is this the right way to the marina?” “Yes”, “Are you sure, we seem to be heading away from the beach?” “yes”, Now comes the test. “Is this the wrong way to the marina?” “Yes”. Case in point.

- Tipping is apparently NOT a thing here. Obviously coming from four and a half years on a yacht where tips were our glory days, I’m always inclined to leave something. But when asking around they simply laughed and said if you REALLY want to “if the service was really good’ then leave 20 Thai Baht [which is nothing] We found this out after tipping 10% at every restaurant and thinking to ourselves that these people are just so happy. Lesson learnt.

So...Pretty much everything and sprite! Ok then!

- I remember writing about this on my first visit to Thailand but I feel that for first timers you have to have to get your head around the idea that there are only two physical states whilst in Thailand. The ‘runs’ and then nothing at all. It sounds gross but trust me the plug is either in or its OUT!

Its not a tough life :)

- Must haves being, hand sanitizer, wipes of some sort [for the filth, for the sweat or simply to cool you down] and as much mozzy stuff as you can. It is cheap over here but you do not want to arrive unprepared, you will be eaten alive.

- When saying thanks throw in the head bow and the hands. It’s a nice touch.

Only a few to get you started for now but rest assured the more mistakes we make, and we will, ill be sure to fill you in.

So for now … tvxz ÎÍzf. tvxz ÎÍzf. [or frenetically, Laaaa Kooorrrnnn Kaaaaaaaaaa] See… learning!