Video!

So Patong-don't ever, ever go there! Even if you find a really cheap holiday. We lasted about an hour there. The sea is full of jet skis and brown with all the pollutant and there are western food chains all along the sea front. Food is 3x what we'd normally pay here and you are hassled every step you take. And it started to rain. But the day picked up when we got back to town and had an amazing lunch followed by a lazy afternoon and then a discovery of a new area of town in the evening.
We ate at a fab restaurant and sheltered from the monsoon then found a brilliant bar that had toy cars displayed all over the walls. The owners of both were really friendly. We wondered around the festival and wore white to get in the mood. At 11ish we met up with some of the others and watched the parade through town. There were elaborate tables of food and flowers and candles set up everywhere as offerings and the firecrackers/works went on for ever. In fact they're still going on as I write sat at the window watching them.
I can't explain the atmosphere-it's so out of control but in such a friendly, trustworthy way. There's a kind of pattern behind the chaos that everybody sticks to. But kids plus explosives I'll never be sure is a good idea!
Although you think of the beach when you think of Thailand some of it could be a Costa or a Greek island-Phuket town is so Thai-the smiles, hospitality, sense of laid back fun and actual Thai food!