Thailand

Our driver picks us up from our resort to take us to Kamala Bay for Phuket Fantasea and we are amazed that for once, a taxi cab has seat belts (that work) in the back! We happily strap in and take in the view as we drive along the shoreline.

Phuket Fantasea is definitely an amazing experience. The koi, man-made waterfalls, performances, dance shows, and the elephants make up the reason for why they continue to win the 'Best Attraction' Thailand Tourism Awards. Well, if they say they're the best, then they must be the best.

Our dinner was housed inside a huge dining area, split into two slightly smaller sections. We all had numbered seating, but the buffet was open to whomever wanted more of anything. What really amazed me was the beautiful, individualized areas devoted to specialized entrees.

There's even a gingerbread house at the front of the dining hall, a real one, not one of those made of cotton and glitter. Also, throughout our dinner, they kept playing a repeated track of Christmas songs, and sounded like it was sung by a bunch of mice on helium. H theorizes that its the only way to annoy the crap out of people, making them want to leave, opening up seats and eating less. Seemed to work on us!

Phuket Fantasea was a whole other experience. With its neon, day-glo lights, weird costumes and creatures, one has to wonder if its really Disneyland for the LSD abuser. We felt like we were in a warped, Thai version of Alice in Wonderland.

After dinner, we walked around and looked at some of the handmade crafts, things on display, and waited around until the big show began.

Of all places, we find Hassan's name blown in glass! What are the odds?!

After the main show equipped with acrobats, magic, elephants, traditional Thai dance and song, and which H was so exhausted he slept the entire time, and I nodded off during a few parts of my own, we walked out to greet the stars of the show.