The Legend of Iron Lady: Asia on Speed: Thailand and Hong Kong

Day 4-6 Hong Kong
We bought tickets to go back to Hong Kong, after the ferry was ready to leave, we checked the tickets we had before and realized that we left from Kowloon. So here is the deal with Hong Kong- there is Kowloon, Hong Kong, outlying islands and major territories so technically within 5 mins you can be on a different island. So our suitcases were in Kowloon and we were n our way to Hong Kong, so we laughed went to sleep and decided that we'd figure it out since our hotel was in Kowloon anyways. We checked in to our hotel in Kowloon and 2 stops later on a train we were back to where our suitcases where so it really wasnt a big deal.
While in Hong Kong- this was our plan, go to Man Mo Temple, Victoria's Peak, Stanley Market, Repulse Bay, Jumbo Floating Restaurant, Ocean Park, Chinese New Year Parade, Mong Kok. At night, we would fly from Hong Kong to Bangkok

This tour guide was the funniest ever.

Dolphin Show

Chinese New Year Lion dance at Ocean Park

Day 6-9 Thailand
We got to Bangkok at 1030pm; dropped off our suitcases, took a taxi to the night market; after enjoying great culture, street food and people constantly trying to rip us off-- at 3am we left the night market and went back to the airport. We had a flight at 7am to Phuket where we would spend two full days; and then return to Bangkok. Phuket was simply amazing- the first day we arrived at 9am and went to a tour desk, we had plans to go on a tour at 2pm so we changed for an 11am tour. We took a taxi to the hotel (so beautiful and the staff- extremely friendly). We showered, slightly and packed and got ready to ride elephants and have them snot all over us, see a monkey show, take pics with a bufflo and ride and ox. We were very excited to ride an elephant but we once we got there we were all ambivalent because we didnt think the elephants were being treated the way we thought they should be treated- whatever that means :( The elephant show was really good, they were dancing, playing football- Sherane was goal keeper; played basketball and gave Sherane and I massages. I was a bit afraid to let the lephant step on my back- ever heard about animals gone wild or just snap and go crazy but anyways- he gently stepped on my back after which he kissed me ewwww so slimy... the monkey show was very funny. At night, we went to a beach, shopping and a night market
Next day was for water activites, we went to 4 other islands (including Phi island and a monkey beach) which were breathtaking and if you ever doubted the existence of God -- the creation and majestic beauty was just awesome. We went swimming, snorkeling and sunbathing- they also had a snake viewing on the beach and a monkey beach with the rudest monkies ever- they would throw the bananas at people and only accept watermelon!
Flight back to Bangkok- stayed in Bangkok for another day- saw the Grand Palace; every kind of buddha- sitting buddha, standing buddha, and other really beautiful places. The thing with Thais- they are the most charming people I have met, they will rob you blind but still smile- I bought something for 200baht (I had bargained down to 200) which is really cheap but while Sherane was still deciding, I started to wander around, I found the same item- starting price 150! I went back before Sherane had purchased and said to the store owner "sweetheart, why did you try to sell me this bed accssory for 500 when they are 150? She smiled and gave me 50baht back! Obviously that was just to woo Sherane to purchase and in any case she wasnt loosing because they prob cost 50 baht!
So we leave our hotel and 5 minutes down the street is the Grand Palace- it was literally across the street except for the fact that there was a huge manmade structure preventing us from crossing (I forget the technical jargon)- so we asked a taxi how much it would be to literally go across the street (he would just have to drive for 2 mins make a left and drop us off) he stated some ridiculous number so we told him to go. We asked a passerby how to get across but he said his english wasnt very good. So another man was passing us and asked us what we needed, we explained and he told us that the Grand Palace was closed because the monks are praying and would not reopen until after lunch. He suggested that we take a tuk tuk (one of those vehicles with the sides open so you can fall out if there is a sharp turn- kinda looks like a golf buggy) to some other touristy places. He said he was an english teacher and cautioned us against taking the pink tuk tuks because they will cheat us but the yellow one was a GVT one so they couldnt. A few minutes after he told us about good tourist places to go, a gvt tuk tuk passes- he hailed it and told them not to charge us more that 30 baht to go to 4 tourist spots and a Thai expo! We were like what???? we paid 150 baht for a 20 min ride home (conversion rate is about 1US:34baht) so 150 for a taxi really wasnt expensive so 20 wasnt even $1! He told us about a thai expo which was ending that day and would be included in the price. Long story short, the entire thing was a scam, the only reason it was so cheap is because if we bought anything at the thai expo (which turned out to be just a jewelry store) they would get a commission. The whole thing we just choked up to experience and laughed about it because at least we went to 2 other places-- one was closed for cleaning! and the tuk tuk driver only spoke english conveniently- as in he didnt understand when we said it was closed but when we told him we didnt want to go to the expo he spoke very good english and tried to convince us to go! So we told him to take us back where we started and then in a taxi on the way to the Grand Place which was not closed for monks praying, we saw them pullin the same scam on a bug group of tourists. I told the driver I wanted to say hi to my friend but he prob knew so he didnt stop lol.
Flew from Bangkok-Beijing

Elephant giving me a massage

Sherane and I in a tuk tuk

I saw this lil boy and Sherane and I were taking about how cute he was, so I touched his hair and he responded "20 baht"! We told him to take a pic with us and then we would give him money, so he did and we did. Check out the pose.