Happy New Year!

Chinese New Year, that is. I would say everyone is going nuts here (it is big in Thailand as well), but I've fallen into a tourist trap. Phuket (pronounced poo-ket) would be absolutely lovely if it weren't for all the damn tourists! Ha. Naw, I think I chose a spot right on the main touristy street, so I'll blame myself. I was supposed to be here for five nights, but I've decided to take off tomorrow for a more secluded island -- Phi Phi (pronounced pee-pee). I'm loving the hostel thing. Seriously, I'm paying $8.50 for my own room with a king-sized bed (a little perk -- I signed up for a twin). And rather than charge me for five nights even though I'm leaving, my hostel owner has arranged for my trip to Phi Phi, has set me up with a hostel there, and I can leave my big bag here -- all without charge! Well I'll probably pay a storage fee, but that's cool ...

I'm at Patong Beach in Phuket, which I would call the Cancun of Thailand. I am in the majority here, as a Westerner. Not many Americans, though. Mostly Europeans. And it's a little creepy the number of middle-aged men with young, attractive Thai women. Creepy because you have to assume they're paying for the company. (Prostitution is legal here.) I stopped in a beauty shop yesterday to get a pedicure (badly needed!) and there were these two pretty, skinny, dressed-up Thai women getting their hair straightened. They looked sort of trashy, so I assumed they might be prostitutes. Then they started talking. Not only were they dressed up for a crazy night ... they weren't women at all. They were men, baby! Apparently it's not all that uncommon either. Weird.

Anyway, I have an early boat tomorrow for Phi Phi. Very excited. Snorkeling. Beaching. Not as many Westerners (knock on wood. Random aside -- I made a Danish friend in Bangkok. Instead of saying "knock on wood" they say, in Danish, "seven, nine, thirteen" and then knock twice. Apparently 7 and 13 are unlucky but 9 is meant to ward off their bad luck. Hmmph!)