Thailand - Bangkok and Phuket

After my exchange Gable met me in Hong Kong and we went on a trip to Thailand - Bangkok and Phuket (southern island of Thailand where the Tsunami hit). The trip was amazing and we really felt the lack of finances near the end... can you believe that we were lasting our last few days on about $20 Canadian dollars. My aunt in HK was right, when you are poor you really learn to enjoy yourself... you buy the things that you utmost love and you find cheap things to do. For example... we were at the Grand Palace in Bangkok and this stranger told us that if you ride a government tuk-tuk (a 3 wheel 1/2 motorcycle, 1/2 car taxi that is suppose to be one of the cheapest means of transportation) therefore a tuk tuk with a yellow stamp near it's license plate then the driver will take you around for one hour for only $20 Bhat which is equal to 70 cents canadian... isn't that crazy; the only catch is that you have to go into this jewellery store so that the driver recieves an automatic gas coupon... that is the reason why it was so cheap. The driver also took us to the pier where we got from on end of hte city to the other for only 12 bhat which is 30 cents canadian..
Overall, Bangkok wasn't the greatest place: it's known for shopping and it's not as cheap as Hong Kong because there is a VAT 7%...the night market has great and cheap food especially fruit smoothies... As well the taxi drivers cheat you and you gotta be aware of your surroundings or be like my aunt: Don't look stupid.

Phuket was an amazing place... although you can see that it's a very impoverished area, the place thrives off tourism... taxi's are more expensive there than in Bangkok and when you buy things they give you some ridiculous initial price. There are many water sports you can do there... instead we join some local tours to see the neighbouring islands such as the infamous Phi Phi Islands and James Bond Island... it was the first time i saw crystal waters and white sand.