After two and a half days in Phuket I feel like I've seen majority of what the place has to offer, so it's not really a huge lost that today is pouring rain. On our first day here we decided to start by heading to the beach, which despite it's white sand and blue water was not able to alter my preferences for a vacation in the city instead. 
No matter what body of water, how clear the water or fine the beaches I have yet to find one that has changed my views thus far. After what seemed like an eternity laying under the umbrella I had finally conviced my husband to leave only to find that we had only been there for 2 hrs! Needless to say I am not a water person. Later that day we ventured out to find food and stumbled upon a whole strip of over priced restaurants catered to tourists. Though the prices was outrageous the food was amazing and hands down the best Thai curry I've ever had... 
For those of you that knows just how much I love curry, you should understand the magnitude of this claim. The flavor of the dish was full and abundant, with a creamy coconut finish, much richer than the standard dish. The chilli was spicy yet not so over powering that the other flavors of the lemongrass and shallots were lost. Needless to say this dish has made it on to my "Must Try" to make list for when I get back to the states. 
As far as appetizers we tried the spicy papaya salad, which I'm embarrassed to say was my first ever but definitely not last. The flavors were a balance of sour and spicy, with the green papaya yielding a nice crunchy finish. All in all the restaurant was pretty good, beyond my expectations and definitely a good way to start Phuket.
The next day we took a day tour and went to what the locals now call James Bond Island, made popular by the scene in Tomorrow Never Dies...
The weather unfortunately was everything but sunny however being on the shore, it was easy to see the beauty of the place on a clear day. The numerous mountains that rose out of the sea where vast and in the fog and clouds presented a mystical feel. As the water crashed alongside our boat, which was powered by an engine similar to lawn mower, and equally loud, I wondered to myself how the locals used to live out here. The islands were small and secluded with the only signs of life being the numerous vendors who set up shops, waiting for on the tourists as the boats docked.
As our adventurous day came to an end, we went back into town for a much needed meal and came across what I think is one of the best street food in the world. A blend of crepe and roti, this concoction is simply delicious, with fillings and topping to your hearts desire. 
As I stood there watching the guy roll out the dough and fry it on a pan lid, the show was really half the fun. 
The end result was ever bit what I remembered it to be from my last tasting in Bangkok 5 years ago. The dough was flakey and warm, with the banana in the middle slightly heated and mushy, the top was drizzled with chocolate and finally served on a flimsy plate. 
As much as I love crepes, these little pancakes as they call it are every bit as good, which makes me wonder why no one has started one in the states? As a conclusion to this leg of the trip, we decided it would be incomplete without a visit to the local market. After being exposed to the local flavors we set out to find these spices for ourselves.
Luckily we were able to locate a market nearby which sold not only dry goods but also all the exotic fruits known to southeast asia. Though most of them we now have in the states, given the rare nature of them they still command a premium. My favorite in the array of 花果山 is still the mangosteen, which despite it's name taste nothing like a mango to me!
Unable to read the signs on the rest of the goods we figured most of the jars and bags contained curry and just selected a few, hoping the end result will produce the same flavor which we have come accustom to in Thai foods!
Rating
Atmosphere: All around the area it was clear that tourism was their main source of income. Kuta unlike Patong was more tailored towards families and tour groups, hence the pace was slower, less rowdy and slighty more upscale.
Food: Having never been a huge fan of Thai food, I really wasn't expecting much and thus was pleasantly surprised. Though majority of my meals consisted of curry, like I said above it was some of the best I've had!
People: I forgot how friendly the Thai people are. Not sure if it's a business tactic but all the bowing as you enter and leave is a pretty nice touch. In addition I found them not aggressive and was even a little surprised when they passed up an opportunity to make money just because it was early.
Cleanliness: Ok so maybe it's not really fair to rate any southeast Asian country in this category with the exception of Singapore, which is at the other end of the extreme. Nevertheless it's a category in all my past travel entries and just to keep with the norm... I'd say Phuket wasn't nearly as bad as one would expect but can hardly be considered clean.
Beauty: The beach itself was nice but again nothing spectacular. The town was as to be expected with run down houses and small shops.
Overall: Not a bad experience but not sure there was anything so impressive as to make a return trip. The people were definitely a plus and made the experience a little more enjoyable!
SCALE 1-10: 6
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