The Tale of the Chicken Who Tried to Cross the Road

You have the brains in your head. You have your feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own and you know what you know. And you are the one who will decide where you go. —Dr. Seuss.

To be fair, the chicken is equally responsible in this story.

I had just landed in Phuket, Thailand after what seemed like a never-ending flight from Atlanta to Tokyo to Bangkok and then Phuket. I vaguely remember hanging out in the Bangkok airport for about 10 hours while waiting on the flight to Phuket. I had a work conference in Phuket (I fully acknowledge I have a good gig for a job) but then had a keynote speaker talk to give in Chengdu, China about a week later.  So, I decided to spend an extra day in Phuket and then fly down to Malaysia for a few days before heading to China. Repeating that flight within a week’s time seemed ludicrous. 

I landed in Phuket and picked up the rental car that I planned to use to go to some of the secluded spots that I would not get to see on any guided tour. I was jet lagged and brain fried but excited to be visiting this part of Thailand for the first time. I quickly figured out that driving was to occur on the other side of the road, and then also quickly learned that in this part of Thailand, lanes are just suggestions.  Cars, scooters, and other sorts of motorized vehicles were everywhere. There literally were no lanes.  Not going to lie…it was a tad intimidating.  I decided to move to the outside lane so I didn’t have quite the chaos happening on both sides of me. At a stop light, I clicked on my iTunes and started blasting whatever music I had cued up for the 6am spin class I taught I had taught the week before. Windows were down (to be honest…just one because it was a hand-crank window type of situation), and I was feeling kind of exhilarated. 

Then the chicken. 

I was rounding a curve with scooters and cars all over me to the right and what I assumed to be food stands to my left. This chicken had wandered out to the middle of what I was calling my lane. I slammed on the brakes, nearly avoiding getting nailed from behind, but the chicken, unfortunately, became a casualty of my first cruise around Phuket. 

As I see it, with many options for a stroll, the chicken made the wrong decision. The chicken could have chosen to wander near its home or go left or right around the food stands, but this chicken clearly disregarded all of the chaos in front of it in the form of moving vehicles. So, I am partially responsible for the death of a chicken in Phuket, but the chicken needs to take ownership of its poor decision making. If only this were my first time taking out a chicken in a foreign country (see the Slovenia post on that). 

I immediately tried to find a place to pull over to assess the situation. What was I supposed to do? My Frommers guide to Thailand had not prepared for me for this. What if the chicken had a family? Maybe it was a suicide attempt? Maybe the chicken had managed to survive (hard no on that one). A quick assessment of the rented Renault I was driven indicated there were quite a few feathers in the grill of the 1988 vehicle but no squawking could be heard. I had no idea where the chicken’s home was, so I realized it was time to regroup and move on. I had research talks to give and cool places to explore. I did feel badly for the chicken and the family that may have been counting on income that the chicken might have assisted in producing. But again, the chicken MADE A POOR DECISION!

I was staying at the fabulous Phuket Marriott Resort and Spa, Nai Yang Beach (thank you, Marriott points for that sweet upgrade). I pulled into the resort, which was just the epitomy of luxury and all things you’d want in a resort. I made my way to a local market to stock up on snacks and water and then quickly found a beach chair and collapsed.  I had been in transit for almost 44 hours, and it was a lot. As the sun was dipping below the horizon, a storm started to whip up. Frommers also failed to highlight (it’s in the book but not in bold and all caps) that I was traveling during monsoon season. Good times. I feel asleep with the sound of the wind roaring and the rain pelting the many windows I had in my room. 

I had two days of research sessions to attend and talks to give, but I stashed my change of clothing in the ‘88 Renault. First on deck was a kayaking tour. I love to kayak; I own a kayak, and I’ve kayaked a ton so I was a tad grumpy I had to join a tour to venture out. Fun fact: there’s a reason for this so excited, adventurous souls like me didn’t wind up in a very bad situation. Think about the team of soccer players who got stranded in the cave, with a guide, I was less likely to get into trouble. Check out the Phang Nga Bay Sea Cave canoeing. This tour takes you through caves and mangroves at Koh Panak, and you’ll paddle past the most amazing rock formations jetting up from the turquoise water. This is a full day tour and includes lunch and snacks. I did not bring my camera along so I only have bad cell phone photos, but I can tell you this tour is worth the $89. It’s possible because I’ve never seen anything like this before that my perpetual state of being was sheer awe. You could see fish in the water and you just literally had rocky cliffs coming up out of the water. The reason a guide is essential is because of the tides, as you don’t want to find yourself stuck in a cave with no way out because the tide came in. I made new friends during this 7 ½ hour excursion and even managed to not fall asleep on the boat. We had two hours on Lawa Beach, where many of the other tour groups stop. 

I was on this trip solo, but I embraced the opportunity to see this beautiful part of Southeast Asia and do the outdoor things that I loved. The passing of the chicken in the unfortunate driving incident lingered in my head, but refer back to previous statements about accountability and fault.

On this trip, I managed to also fit in an elephant tour through the jungle and a snorkeling trip, both of which gave me opportunities to see different parts of Phuket as well as see the beauty of the underwater in a new part of the world. My time was limited, so unfortunately, I wasn’t able to dive because of not having enough time prior to my next flight. Either way, I got a few days in of exploration, adventure, and most importantly, time to commune with nature and the outdoors.

Here are a few takeaways: the guided tours can be frustrating if you are like me and want to do things on your own and not be restricted by the structure of the tour, but if you are solo traveling and wanting to avoid international incidents with livestock, the guided tours may be the way to go. Read reviews of the tour companies and look for recent reviews to guide your decision making. 

When to go: Check the calendar in regard to monsoon season. It does explain why I got a fabulous room at the Marriott on points without blowing through all of my reward points, but it did mean dealing with a lot of rain. 

Food: Experience the food. It’s wonderful and rich with history, culture and tradition. The food stands will give you the best value BUT definitely be mindful of what our bodies are used to in terms of water and other things….

Safety: I found Phuket to be safe. To be fair, I wasn’t seeking out the nightlife scene and never found myself in a situation where I was out at night alone. I don’t typically put myself in those situations. If it is your scene, my recommendation is to find someone to go with you or just take all of the precautious you would take if going out alone in the U.S. Most people speak English in Phuket, and I found Phuket to be more laid-back than Bangkok.

Shopping: The markets are fantastic. If on a guided tour, your group may stop at one or two over the course of the trip. It will be cash only and you can barter! I am terrible at it but it can be done. I brought home three super cute dresses–one for each of my daughters and me for less than $12 USD total.

Tipping: Tip the guides—again, a cash situation—but for many of them, their work may be the only source of income coming in. 

General recs: My recommendation is to have a ton of bottled water with you, have a change of clothing with you, and small coins or bills. If you are using cab service or anything similar, know in advance where you are going and approximately how long it will take to get there. Some cab drivers may take you on an extended tour and try to get more money out of you. Check out the WHO (https://www.who.int/ith/2016-ith-county-list.pdf) for recommended vaccines prior to travel. Thailand requires a yellow fever and malaria vaccination prior to travel and some of these require boosters, so you have to plan accordingly.

Getting around: And, if you are feeling brave, rent a car and drive along the coast. Parts are more scenic than others, but there is nothing to stop you from pulling over, taking it all in and taking pictures. I had been to Bangkok once before for work but Phuket was totally different. The people were friendlier (I know…they want tourist dollars), but they were helpful and kind. While most were not familiar with the state I live in, they were familiar with the U.S., which is more than I can say of many tourists traveling to SE Asia. 

Homework: Read up in your Frommers or Fodors book about religion, religious practices, and customs. Most of the country is Buddhist, so it’s important to understand the basics. It’s especially important if you plan to visit temples or religious sites.

Take it in. I’m prone for jamming my days with all the things because I want to see and do it all when given the opportunity, but sometimes you miss the small things when your eyes are constantly on “what’s ahead”. 

And, when possible, avoid the chicken trying to cross the road. 😊

Recommendations:

Lodging: https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/hktnb-phuket-marriott-resort-and-spa-nai-yang-beach/

Marriott (I am a Marriott girl, so forgive the bias) has many properties throughout Phuket. This one is located further from the “downtown” heart of Phuket. So, if your interested in more of a nightlife scene, you may not want to stay here. But, because it isn’t super close to the centre of Phuket, rates are cheaper!  This property has a fantastic workout center (if you find yourself wide awake at 4am because of the time difference), lovely pools, a great spa, and an excellent beach. And, the food here is AMAZING!!

Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Beach

The Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon Beach hotel is another wonderful choice if you are willing/able to spend $115ish/night.  If you do your research and are able to be a little flexible with your travel days, you can find this property with discounted rates.  

For a hotel closer to the nightlife and other activities, check out the Movenpick Resort & Spa Karon Beach Phuket. 

https://www.movenpick.com/en/asia/thailand/phuket/resort-phuket-karon-beach/overview/

Tours:

Several tour operators will do half-day excursions around the island, which include a stop at Big Buddha. 

My recommendation is to look into a cooking class! Check out tours.co.th or click on this link for the tours operated by Viator: https://www.viator.com/Phuket-tours/Cooking-Classes/d349-g6-c19?m=28353&supag=76382119171&supsc=dsa-649086883411&supai=398470212430&supap=&supdv=c&supnt=nt%3Ag&suplp=9012578&supli=&supti=dsa-649086883411&tsem=true&supci=dsa-649086883411&supap1=&supap2=&gclid=Cj0KCQjw1ouKBhC5ARIsAHXNMI_q0uwQHkOSWwAIwrtjChyD_U89vKd4HVNfTEIBgMblH9bOF-ukvasaAlqKEALw_wcB.

If you are looking for more adventure, check out these tours:

1. Quad Bike ATV tour offered by 1Asia Thailand
2. Phi Phi Island speedboat and longboard tour offered by My Phuket Holiday (and other tour operators). 
3. Or for a combo tour, ATV and zip line tour with lunch operated by Just Go Phuket (and many others). 

Key: check reviews of all tour operators and look at the details of the tour to make sure you are spending more time on the adventure and less time in a market or on a bus!