I now have a couple of days before my next appointment I thought I would hire a motorbike and go exploring.

Armed with my licence and my newly acquired international licence I approach end the counter and filled out the form that pretty much tells me “you break you buy”. With no provision on the form to place my licence details I could see this form being a total waste of time should something happen on the bike.
I felt cheated, I paid $39 for my international licence and no one event wanted to see it.
For the cost of 400thb for a two day hire I was set.
Armed with my loosely fitted helmet and a key I got my little Honda Click 125cc and was off.
Where too? Anywhere!
I thought I would retrace my footsteps from late yesterday evening as I searched for the shopping mall and had McDonalds for dinner.  I was glad for the ride home on the back of a motorbike taxi as after dinner I was walking in the wrong direction in the dark and had no idea where I was going.
But today was a new day and last night was behind me. Ahead on top of a hill in the far distance was a huge sculpture. Ahh the Big Buddha, I remember reading a little about this before I left home. Why not go and check it out.
These small motorbikes are just what you need in Phuket, a large bike like what I have back in Australia would be hopeless here in the city. The little Honda is nimble and able to move through the traffic so easy. One slightly different rule here, keep left mean pass the cars in the gutter – on the left, not really sure if its a rule but it seems to be what everyone else is doing so I thought I would follow.
The signs to the Buddha were simple enough, not that I can read Thai, they were simple because they were in English.
The climb to the top of the hill was steep and I wondered how some overweight person would manage on such steep terrain then as I rounded the corner I found my answer. Parked on the side of the road was a small shop that was renting out quad bikes complete with a guide! Why would you need a guide, the road is a dead end road and surely you know which way to go, right?
Honda_Click
As I approached the top the winds started to pick up.
As Phuket is an island there is no protection from the open ocean and the winds can be strong.
Armed with my newly acquired knowledge from my digital camera course and my trusty canon 60D I quickly started snapping shots. The wind was defening, but amidst the noise you could hear the rhythmic chanting of the monks and the sound of thousands of little metal bells that were tied to the trees.
The Big Buddha is an ongoing community project and is asking for donations. If you would like to donate please do, as this is a wonderful site to see the island from. I will have to return here with Elena next week so that she too can share the experience.
Not really knowing any directions I thought I would make my way to the beach for the afternoon.
I rode back toward my hotel searching for a road that would give me an indication of the beach, sure enough the road was right next to the McDonalds where I had eaten the night before. Turning left I followed the swarm of bikes that looked to be having the same idea… Get to the beach.
Back in the hotel I left a piece of paper given to me by a customer of mine who told me he had a bar on the beach. I though about going back and getting it but with so much traffic turning around now would be problematic and hell I was having fun just going with the flow.
Big-Buddha-Phuket
Not knowing the road just made the journey more interesting  Riding over the hill that separates old Phuket town from the madness that is the tourist side of the island was no mean feat for the little bike. This is one place where a little more power could be useful. That is until you get to the top and find that the descent is just as steep and you spend all you time on the breaks hoping that they don’t fail or overheat.
As you get to the bottom of the hill you are speared no reprieve as you arrive smack bang into the thick of the tourist town of Patong.
Now its a game of dodge and weave between people, cars, bikes and tour busses that all give you no quarter.
I just thought,keep riding and see how far along the road will take me as I didn’t have a destination in mind just keep riding and enjoying your day.
Karon, the sign said…. That’s the name of the place where my customer has a bar I’ll go there I thought.
Riding through Karon and take alert at the roundabout I parked outside a small pharmacy and thought it prudent to buy a tube of sunscreen as I could feel my arms now starting to burn from all the wind and sun.
I exited and turned to walk up the street.
Out of the corner of my eye I spied an Australian flag painted on the wall of a bar down an alley. How unbelievable! I had parked right outside Kenney’s Aussie Bar!
With a traditional gidday mate as I walked up the alley Kenny himself greeted me and introduced me to the guys drinking at the bar – Pommo, Johno , Dave and Troy.
Pommo was here with his new Thai wife, Johno was born in Tauranga New Zealand, he was on holiday and drove trucks in Port Headland Western Australia. Dave was an expat from England who moved here a few years back and Troy a young fella who moved here a month ago and bought a 60ft boat and was living on it. Troy didn’t stay long as he just dropped in to show off his new trail bike and left by pulling a huge wheelie down the street. We all wondered how long it would be before he stacked it.
karon-aussie-bar
As it was still early in the afternoon not much was happening in the bar, it was good as it gave us time to all get to know each other.
I soon discovered that the small bar across the alley was part owned by Kenny and my customer back home and that Kenny was once a customer of mine when I owned a fruit shop back in 2009. Kenny lived just around the corner, talk about a small world.
It was decided that we would all meet back as the bar at 10pm as this is when the band started.
I decided that I would keep riding for a while and knowing that it was only a 35minute ride back to the hotel I slowly made my way home for a rest before the nights activities.