July 8th, 2009
Still in Ko Samui
Good morning from Ko Samui
We have had a great few days here. Not too much in the way or tourist things accomplished for us here. But lots of great relaxing. Our first day here we chose to stay close to home and no one even left the hotel but Brooklyn and Russ who ventured out mid afternoon for something to eat. They found some 50 baht pad thai–so were happy with that. The full moon celebration that night at the hotel with live entertainment and a buffet supper was great!! We filled out bellies and then wandered back to our rooms for a good nights sleep.
The next day we were hoping to meet up with our friends the Sungs. We caught the shuttle down to the main street in town and then walked up the beach to their hotel, the Amari Palm Reef Resort. OK…now this is a very nice place! The Sungs were hanging out on the beach, so after catching up and having some treats from home that Clover brought the girls (fruit roll ups and sour candy–she has been here before and know what you can not get here) We decided to go get lunch and go “shopping”. We went to a place called Will Wait restaurant. Now how funny of a name is that?? Would you go to a restaurant at home called that? Not sure. We all had a great lunch and then I see they have mango sticky rice–WAHOO! The Sungs have not had this before–so we introduce them—we end up getting three dishes of it–it is so GOOD!!
Then we venture off for our trip down the street. So Rachael and Jean are clearly the best hagglers of the group. Or maybe they just enjoy it the most…So between the little elephants that they want to get for their friends and the wallets they set their hearts on–they pretty much went to every market and booth on the strip and haggled with every shop owner there. It was fun to watch–but by 6:30pm we were all done (probably not Jean and Rachael). So we part ways with the plans for tomorrow to be a day together, hanging out at the pool at the Amari.
The day we spent yesterday at the pool was GREAT! Another day in paradise!! Most of us rented kayaks from a guy on the beach and went kayaking. Jackie and I together, Rachael, Jean and Ruth together in a 3 seater, and BK and Russ in another. We left our trusty family photographer on the beach to capture all he could from there. I was sure that Clover had told me the day before that Ruth and Jean had kayaked around an island/reef that we could see from the beach–so iI convinced Jackie that her and I should also do this. Hmmm….let’s just say it wa sa sight further than it looked like from the beach. Once we went around the reef the water was a little wavier, but still perfectly safe and the view of the coral through the water was gorgeous…very much worth the rowing out there. When we came back and I told Clover where we went, she laughed and said the girls had not rowed AROUND the island, just TO the island…Hahaha–oh well—Jackie and I ARE the great adventurers now : )
At the Amari–the girls from the spa there came out and were giving free little 10 or 15 minute massages to try to get folks to come into the spa there. So Clover, Kelvin, Troy, BK and Russ all partook. I could not bring myself to get out of the water—even for a massage. I guess it was all SO good that Kelvin, Troy, BK and Russ all went down to the beach to get massages…not at the 500+ baht hotel spa–but on the beach for 200 baht ($6USD) smart folks eh?? So now BK and Russ are believers and already talkinjg about their next massage.
We ate on the beach last night—this is very cool except for the chairs sink in the sand when we sit on them…so some adjustment is necessary…There was a marriage celebration down there also, not at our place, but at the next place over—so that was fun to see…
L
