Oh, where has time gone?
I haven't exactly been dozing off under a cushy cave. But a lot has happened since the last entry. Remember back to the days when you were still wearing that tiny pansy of a school uniform (yes, the one that your pair of chopstick legs were sticking out?) and it was the beautiful last day of school for the year?
Yes, the air was warm. Your mates and you were beyond control. Classroom chattering rose to a level undecipherable akin to a jet taking off. Your mind wandered off to how best you can spend your soggy RM1 note tucked away in the gloomy crevice of your pocket. Should I have two sticks of squid satay and a bag of coloured cordial? Or should I buy an ice cream cone and a packet of "Kiss Me" sweets (I kid you not), or perhaps I can coerce my mate to combine her share of our measly income and conquer the canteen world? After all, gluttony was one of the seven deadly sins that led mankind to so much. Just take a look around you!
The day felt unreal, rapidly slow. Then the teacher walked in with a stack of white report cards. You feigned shock, horror, anxiety! Of course you didn't expect to score well, after all, you never really studied well ahead of the final examinations, right? You put on a James Dean's I-couldn't-care-less-if-my-dad-rotan-me look... and presto! You actually did not bad... top ten of the year. All right, perhaps a pocket money increment is in store for next year?
And so, there we stood, coming out of Koh Samui's airport. The day held out her promise of a good time like some warm nuggets of sweet smelling jasmine buds wrapped in a delicate piece of silk. Your happiness for the next 48 hours unfolded in front of you in such a dainty manner that you were almost afraid to yell out of excitement, fearing that you may accidentally blow the magic out of your face and waking up to something far less pleasant.
So the last minute examination cramping was equivalent to the hoards of nightmare that I had to deal with in settling some photography clients' order and enquiries. Liaising with my network of suppliers and playing the role of a rubber ball being tossed from one customer service officer to another when I rang up the logistics company.
Our 48 hour sojourn in Koh Samui was the spectrum opposite in the form of a blissful short trip to our resort, Bhundari. Room was nice and neat. Hey, the bathtub even opens up to the bedroom... how naughty! Not that we spent a lot of time waddling in it (no time!) as there were two pools to conquer, with one that instilled the tedious workout of swimming to the pool bar. Pina Colada never tasted so good. Seriously, they worked up a stiff one and under the sunshine, sunblock and chlorine water, you would find yourself being embraced by the fluffy touch of heaven all over again when the second glass gets drained. How do I know? From the sound of the last remaining droplets being vacuumed through the pink straw.
Now there is nothing much to say about the Thai cuisine, except that you should be shot for not trying. It has to be one of the best inventions since sliced bread (thick cuts please). Although we went mad tucking into our usual suspects of tom yum goong, pad kha prao, grilled tiger prawns in tamarind sauce, coconut milk-inspired dishes such as (this is my top voted dish) the tom kha goong (I can bath and drink at the same time!). The trick is to stay away from the resorts. Take a tuk tuk, negotiated a fair price around RM10 one way and you get this pick-up / ute that usually belongs to a local family on their way down town for some grub too. They drop you off when you ring the bell. Can't be easier!
Koh Samui, being the spa capital of this Land of Smiles, did not fail our aching muscles, pounded by weeks of lactic producing workouts. Again, avoid the resorts. Yes, if you like to be a sucker for the distractions such as thai music tinkling faintly from some Bose speakers, a stalk of lilies in the lobby and a shower, okay then, go spend ten times more in a resort's spa. Otherwise, if you are like us, hardcore metal pushers, you just want your meridian points soothed by the gentle firm touches of the experts. Head nowhere except Chaweng Street and there is a personal favourite of mine, unit 163/167 called "Orchid". Foot massage and half body, a two-hour escape that put me back by RM100. Seriously, I came out all ready to get into more action. Now, should I had come to Koh Samui with the image of paying for some luxurious resort getaway, fair enough, Orchid may disappoint. It was clean, neat and no dodgy business going on. But if you want to maximise your next 48 hours, then you couldn't have come to a better place. As you stepped out, turn left towards more eating places. We got to chill out at some stunning beach side beauties but my top vote again went to "Ninja 24" - the reason? Cheap, local eats, which unfortunately had been discovered too much by the local farang that lived off the island. Albeit, the food was spectacular and being a stickler for the perfect sticky rice (no pun), their warm mango with sticky rice came up perfect score of 10/10.
We're excited and refreshed coming back to KL. It was a special way to celebrate our second anniversary. We took a ute to see a real, blood-banging muay thai fight. We did elephant jungle trekking, waterfall swims and ate like rabid wolves. I know it's not your usual candle-lit dinner but then again, I never do usual.
Hubby went to lengths to arrange a special surprise that came in a little box. How he managed to sneak it on the bed (turn-down service included) while we were out the whole day in the jungle amazed me... but somethings are best left to a little bit of magic I reckon, don't you think? Suffice to say, I'm wearing the special surprise from the little chocolate-coloured box with a lot of love.
Perhaps when you come into your second year together, you do appreciate even more that I-love-you takes the form of more than three words said before bedtime. It's a continuous expression of your devotion in the consistent passage of time.
And with two more weeks to go until we head back to the dusty road of travelling, I sign off here with lots of love to you all.
