Left Phi Phi Don before 11:30 a.m. for the one hour speedboat trip back to Phuket. Nicer boat than the one we arrived on. Glad we shelled out for the comfort and reduced travel time by speedboat versus taking the ferry back. Air conditioned, comfortable van picked us up at the pier and drove us out to the airport.
The one hour trip took us through Phuket and the surrounding area. The sights are quite striking - shiny new homes and businesses are built right beside dilapidated, barely standing shacks. This is typical everywhere we've been. It may simply be the owners can't afford to repair their homes or businesses but I suspect it may also be a cultural thing - their living conditions/surroundings don't seem to be important to them. As Canadians, we've grown up learning not to litter and that we should not harm our environment. In Thailand, with the exception of resorts and such catering to tourists, there is litter everywhere - on the beaches, floating on the ocean, on the streets; empty lots are used as dumping grounds for garbage. So many beautiful things about this country; hopefully "progress" will continue and take the country in the right direction.
When we arrived in Bangkok, the Shangri-La had a driver meet us at the airport. Rode in a super-deluxe van 30 km into the city; the view in every direction was of towering high-rises. The hotel and our rooms were outstanding!
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| Rice paddies - flying in to Bangkok |
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| Gorgeous view to our right of the bustling Chao Praya River (River of Kings) |
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| View to the left Skytrain crosses the river just left of these towers |
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