Caution Elephant crossing! (South East Asia)
Written by Spencer Harrington
After over a year and a half of being back in Auckland, New Zealand, with the familiar places and faces, as well as all the comforts home has to offer, the itch to be among the crazy, the unknown, and the unfamiliar was more present than ever. After catching the travel bug during my time in Japan, I have begun to think it may be incurable.
So, I decided to take the trip to Phuket, Thailand, a journey many before me have taken. This trip was not only an excuse to meet up with my partner in a country I can actually still visit (I was ejected from Japan), but also an opportunity to experience more of this amazing world we live in.
I’m sure it’s obvious from my earlier tales that Asia and South-East Asia hold far more significance for me than the West. Thailand is no exception, and as an artist, writer, traveller, and open minded human being I have attempted to capture a real picture of this place.
Phuket is a resort island about twice the size of Waiheke, located on the West side of long thin Thailand, between the Indian Ocean and the Andaman Sea. It has a small airport at the north of the island and to the east Phuket town, home to the island’s main port. But it’s the beaches on the west coast that sport the best views, warmest waters and the resorts and markets which are the main attraction to travellers.
Covered mostly in jungle and limestone cliffs jutting storeys above the clear blue water, Thailand consists of 39 smaller islands, some of which are uninhabitable, as well as the infamous Phi Phi Don and Phi Phi Ley islands where the movie ‘The Beach’ was filmed. These were among some of the Thai islands I got to experience during my travels.
Unlike Tokyo, Phuket has a lot of foreign signage for tourists and many Thai people can speak enough of your language to make a sale or get you to where you’re going. I was amazed to discover that Russian advertising was far more common than any signage in English, and often I would find myself surrounded by Russian language instead of Thai. I’ve since learned that flights between countries have always been ridiculously cheap and Russia has always treated Thailand as their preferred holiday destination; similar to New Zealand’s relationship with the Pacific Islands.
Another odd thing I discovered is many of the restaurants, bars and eateries all seem to have ‘Love Songs ‘til Midnight’ type soundtracks playing as their background music. It’s as though Thailand received a huge import of music in the 80’s which has never been updated. While amusing to begin with, I heard enough Celine Dion, Whitney Houston, and Brain Adams in those 7 days to last me a lifetime. Perhaps their lack of English helps the Thai people survive it; I really don’t know.
Whilst driving around the island, usually on a scooter (as both myself and what seemed like every other tourist chose to do), I was puzzled to see many large concrete structures scattered all around, like semi-completed buildings. Some were in prime locations on hills near the water or the beach itself. ‘How could these purposeful skeletons in such prime locations be undeveloped and overlooked?’ I kept asking myself. And I was even more puzzled to spot an empty, overgrown but otherwise beautiful Resort Hotel near the Airport. However, before my visit was over, I was reminded that Phuket was one of the worst-hit places in the infamous 2003 Tsunami and that most of these buildings are remnants of that epic tragedy. Although they are a sad reminder of that natural disaster, it made me think, because it seemed like nothing else…not even the attitude of the Thai people, had been negatively affected by the past.
Shopping in Thailand is another experience entirely, and this was my first taste of real bartering. Needless to say, it was intense. A Phuket travel guide advised that you should expect to walk out of a shop or stall with around 40% off what was originally offered. My personal experience proved this, with the added observation; the less interested you appear to be in their shop or product, the more the price goes down. I was even told I was “robbing a guy blind” by walking out of his establishment without buying anything, apparently forcing him to offer the cheapest price he’d ever offered for something. My conscience was saved by the fact that so many stalls are selling identical items to the ones next door. With that in mind, shop around, as you are bound to spot the same souvenir at a lower price. It really seems like a hard road, hoping some tourist will walk into your shop and buy that cute resin elephant ashtray that happens to be sold in every other store on that street.
Phuket, and especially Phi Phi Island, not only have an abundance of picturesque beaches, but they really do offer the complete tropical jungle experience as well. I quickly found myself over-using the word ‘beautiful’ there. Elephants can be spotted all around the main island, most being fed and (sadly) preparing for a new day of carrying tourists around. Monkeys, bats, tropical fish, snakes, bright orange Centipedes or moths covered in racing stripes were among many creatures I spotted in the wild, and one night even revealed, with no exaggeration, millions and millions of termites quite obviously on a mission. Like something straight out of a David Attenborough documentary, the sight was something to behold, giving the illusion the entire floor was moving!
As usual, during my time spent soaking up the sights, sounds, smells and experiences, I made a habit of looking out for art. Whether on the street, amongst junk in a market stall, hidden within Buddhist Temples or on a gallery wall, I suppose I was looking for something new; searching for Thailand’s unique flavour.
Tattoo shops are in abundance all over the island, to an almost ridiculous level. I counted 11 studios on one street while wandering Phi Phi Island. To me, it took the tattoo process and turned it into a souvenir type gimmick. Walking into any of the shops was a gamble, and it proved difficult to find out the quality of tattoos on offer, but I did see some amazing tattoo examples, some still in the process of creation, and even a few done traditionally (using a needle inside a bamboo shoot).
But back to the art - I found it wasn’t hard to encounter many small market galleries and tiny art shops along the main roads and hidden within the busy alleys. Two things instantly stood out to me: 1) 90% of these original paintings for sale in almost ALL stores were in fact hand painted reproductions of screenshots from famous Hollywood movies. Of those, almost all were from Batman, The Dark Knight. It seems so strange to me that this was the common subject matter, and as an artist myself, I felt it was very tacky. Which is a shame because it leads into my second point. 2) These tacky screenshot paintings were IMMACULATELY done. Most were oil paintings and amazingly photo realistic, undoubtedly requiring someone very talented to produce them, and created with skill far better than my painting abilities. But I didn’t get to see much original art in my trip, which is something I personally wanted to absorb. Something to search for on my next visit I guess.
All in all Thailand, and especially Phuket, is a must. It provides a real hands-on experience which demands a relaxed state of being. Life is unquestionably slower here and, although hard, is generally filled with big smiles, a communal harmony, and a real sense of peace. “Mai Pen Rai” is one of the most common expressions in Thai, and it means “It doesn’t matter”, “Don’t worry about it” or “It’s nothing really”, which I think sums up this whole place…truly my type of paradise.
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