Today, I went to a local beach, Patong Beach. This area is a hot spot with lots of shops and souvineers and bars and so on. Felt sort of like spring break, but better – obviously.

I had forgotten to pack a beach bag which I knew I would forget. No matter. I would buy a cheap bag here and use that. Fine. So I went in and out of little shops today, listening to the cat calls to the shoppers, myself included.

I bargained myself a bag and sarong from 1050 bhat to 500 even thought that is still too much. Exhilarating, though.

As I continued to walk through the shops, people yell and try to get you to stop to look at what is generally all the same stuff. One lady held up a pair of elastic waistband genie of the lamp pants, and stretched the waist out as far as it and her arms would go. She held them up to me, wide, wider, wider still, and said, “These for you!” I watched her arms shake as she struggled under the tension of the elastic,  trying to hold the waist open for me. REALLY? I scowled at her and kept walking.  Then she yelled,  “No? How ’bout bikini for you?” As though THAT was the salve for the giant burn in trying to sell me men’s XL pants.
No. Thanks.

So thanks, lady, for ruining my morning.

I finally settled on the beach and relaxed.

I did nothing for the rest of the afternoon before heading back to the hotel. I booked a snorkel tour tomorrow,  hopefully in the opposite direction of the crowds. And now, I sit at the pool, because after a day at the beach, you pool.