So it's younger... but it's not any less Scandinavianer... which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Spent a couple of days wandering around the island putting dents in the Singha supply. Very few hotel rooms left when i arrived, so i ended up half way up the mountain in a place called "Snow With Resort". I'm pretty confident the last time the place saw snow was at least 2 ice-ages ago, and "resort" is stretching the definition of the word a smidge. It might be no coincidence that some of the actual resorts on the island have started calling themselves "experiences", like the "Phi Phi Village Experience (yours for 48,ooo bhat)", that sort of thing. The trickle down effect means that the massage parlours have to come up with something to rebrand now that "Traditional Thai Experience" is a non-starter. Spent last night at my "Resort" watching Thailand's equivalent of D'unbelievables. Basically the current - deserved - Ms. Thailand on a stage fresh from the Fast Show with anything from 4 to 12 ladyboys screaming at her, the audience and each other. I didn't get it. Must be the heat.
Still, it's a nice island if you are honey-mooning - which i'm not - and the lack of cars would make for a peaceful night's sleep if they could get rid of all the cats, roosters and go-go bars. Confucius probably said something like On Island With No Cars, Man With Vespa Have Many Friends, or maybe Man With Vespa Struggle To Find Petrol Station, or Man With Vespa Have It Stolen On A Regular Basis, or something like that.
Back in Phuket now... on a dive boat tomorrow. I might start taking some photos then.
as you were.