Well, this was a fun and interesting night!  After a long day on our Phi Phi Islands speedboat tour, we had one more stop to make before our Thailand trip was complete.  The Simon Cabaret is the most famous Ladyboy Show in Phuket.  That’s right, a ladyboy show.  But don’t worry, this show was full of class and entertainment without being seedy or disrespectful.  Performed in a large,  luxurious amphitheater in Patong Beach that seats hundreds of people, the Simon Cabaret has been a staple of entertainment in Phuket for more than 25 years!  We had heard good things about the show but didn’t quite know what to expect since Phuket is internationally known as a destination for sex change operations, resulting in the popularity of Ladyboy shows among tourists.  Thankfully, unlike some less reputable shows, the Simon Cabaret celebrates and promotes these performers in a unique and upbeat way that really impressed us.  From the predictable “Vogue” by Madonna to the choreographically challenging “Single Ladies” by Beyonce, the performers danced and lip-synced while wearing elaborate costumes, sometimes with 30 or more performers on stage at once.  Taking pictures during the performance is strictly prohibited, though.  Because of the threat of a $5,000 USD fine if caught taking photos during the show, we opted to adhere to the rules.  The Ladyboys were available for photos following the performance, but these, of course, were not free.  So my apologies, but we don’t have too many photos to share.  This was our last adventure in Phuket, and after a standard 500 Baht taxi ride back to our hotel in Kamala Beach, we turned in for the night.

You can see us below putting our first Asian pins on our world map.  This map was a great wedding present from my brother and sister-in-law.  Inscribed with “The Adventures of Steven and Emily”, the map hangs in our dining room and will slowly gain pins from all over the world.  It reminds us of how much we love to travel and is a great conversation starter when we are entertaining guests.  

Our week in Hong Kong and Thailand had to come to an end eventually, but we sure weren’t ready for it when it did!  We discovered so many new adventures and made even more fun-filled memories during our time abroad.  Not only this, but we rediscovered a keen love for traveling together and seeing the world.  We will continues to travel as much as we can and update our readers every step of the way!