Oh boy, do I have a lot to update. I have been absent from posting here for a few days and I don’t expect updates to be more than sporadic for the time being, but I am safe and in Bali.

I decided not to dwell on long goodbyes and nostalgic moments by leaving Thailand at the earliest possible moment. I finished up work on Tuesday, spent Wednesday gathering my thoughts and possessions, and flew out of Thailand the next morning. On Thursday, my girlfriend and I had breakfast in Phuket, lunch in Singapore and dinner in Bali.

The flight from Phuket to Singapore was straightforward enough. Air Asia does a one-way ticket for about 3,000 baht. Once in Singapore, we had only a handful of hours to keep ourselves occupied before connecting to Bali. It’s possible to store luggage at Changi Airport (follow the signs for “Left baggage”) for about S$3 per (small) bag for 24 hours. We stored four bags between us, including a laptop and other electronics, and nothing went missing while we mooched around Singapore.

Changi Airport is connected to the rest of Singapore by the highly efficient LRT network. A journey between the airport and, say, somewhere such as Orchard Road can be done for less than S$3, which actually includes a refundable S$1 ticket deposit.

Orchard Road is nothing more than Singapore’s version of Thailand’s Siam. I was unimpressed with the large amount of building work going on, although on the whole, Singapore has a kind of shine that you rarely see in Thailand.

A S$6 cab ride took us to China Town with its busy markets and colorful streets. I would like to have spent more time in Singapore, but after half an hour of trundling around China Town we had to race back to Changi Airport, collect out bags and check in for our flight to Bali.

So that’s me up until a couple of days ago. Had I left Phuket on Friday, I might have had to cancel my trip entirely, judging by everything that has happened at Phuket International Airport (PIA). From what I can tell, the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) has continued its insane attempt to take over Thailand, this time locking down airports all over the country.

About 10,000 protesters were at PIA yesterday and all flights were grounded. It looks as if service has yet to resume, with airport officials agreeing to halt flights until the protesters demands have been met.

This is getting silly now. As a foreigner who has lived in Thailand for three years and often sympathized with the PAD, I’ve lost all patience and respect for that group and I hope the PAD leaders are brought to justice and that the government does not buckle to the demands being made.

On a lighter note, I will be in Bali until next Sunday, at which point I will begin my adventure into East Timor.

More info about Singapore hotels here.