(^20) As I wrestled my bike to the summit, the hot and humid air made me
wish for a cooler breeze. In a rather comical moment, I cycled right
out of my sandals and had to pause to slip on some socks to keep my
feet from sliding right out of my shoes.
Once at Patong Beach, we were greeted by Rossouw and Dawn at
their exquisite hotel, perched high upon a hill with breathtaking views
of the beach. After swapping stories over a cold beer, we later
zoomed down the hill in search of more budget-friendly lodging.
Fortunately, Patong was bustling with tourists, making it easy to find
a place to stay amidst the swirl of activity.
The evening was filled with laughter and the clinking of glasses as we
toasted to Dawn’s 50th birthday with a few refreshing Singhas.
Patong Beach was alive with energy, brimming with bars, restaurants,
dive shops, and souvenir stalls. The scene was quite the spectacle,
especially with scantily clad Thai girls captivating the attention of
Farang men, much to the amusement of Ernest and Rossouw.
We spent two days in the lively chaos of Patong. Each day, we would
meet up with Rossouw and Dawn for a chat and drinks. A striking
sight was the elderly foreign men confidently showing off their young
Thai girlfriends, who seemed to have a talent for making these older
gentlemen feel like kings. Yet, the whole notion of sex tourism left a
bitter taste in my mouth—something just didn’t sit right.
I have a love-hate relationship with cities and tourist hotspots. While
they can feel overwhelmingly crowded and costly, they also come
with conveniences like reliable Wi-Fi, laundry services, and a plethora
of delicious pizzas. I took the opportunity to load my photos onto a
CD and picked up small gifts for my nieces and nephews, which
Rossouw and Dawn kindly agreed to take back to South Africa for me.
leana
(Leana)
#1