The Tuesday (was meant to be Monday) boat trip.....

Good evening all, yes I said evening, I have just come in from another of the most tedious sunsets, on my lounger, by the swing, under the ban yan tree, you know the one, and I thought I would quickly get some of today's goings on down before I go out to try and find another restaurant for you all so that I can eat some more delicious food and take more pictures.  Yawn.

Well, a boat trip.  To Hong Island.  Pick up from the hotel in bus, transfer to the boat, get on the boat, go to the islands, come home.  Easy.  Well no, not for me obviously. 9.10am still no show so went to see the poor woman again, she rang them again, they are on their way.  10 mins past no show, she rings again, they will be here soon.  Then she starts talking to some bloke on a moped and he smiles at me and says 'hello I come transfer you to boat'.  'Not on that my sweet', I say.  After some confused Mr Chang sytle hmmmmmm, ahhhhh, yah, hmmmmmmm da da, he goes off, telling me he will be back.  3 mins later he arrives in a Merc.  Better I think but not registering the amount of time it took for him to get it.  So in I get and off we go, he is fine about the bike thing and before I can say thanks we are at the bloody boat!! I kid you not, 5 min walk from my hotel!!!!! I could have walked there  yesterday when they forgot me.....man alive.

Anyhoo, there is the boat.  Bad news its over booked, good news the packed one has left and they have put another one on for me and 3 lovely young Thai's from Bangkok.  Ok, fab, bring the boat over.  No, bring it nearer.  No, nearer.  Ok, no nearer.  So we have to wade in, waist deep to get on the boat.  Me and my straw beach bag and elephant harem pants (I'm getting into this travelling lark, worn them 5 times and still going strong, hardly worn any other clothes!!)  And we are on the boat and heading out.

Well, a boat trip is a boat trip wherever you go, several stops, but of lunch, swimming, snorkeling, sunbathing etc.  And this was no different.  But what was different was the scenery.  Stunning.  Now I will once again let my pictures hopefully do the talking, but what they cannot convey is priceless.  The peace, the tranquillity, the feeling of the sun on your skin, the so warm water lapping at your feet, the birdsong and just sheer majestic-ness of my old pal, Mother Nature.

So the lagoon first, followed by our longest stop and place for lunch.  The water was clear as crystal, and yes, I got in.  Not just in. in in.  Mainly because I needed sea wee.  We have all had them. And the water was fab.  Like a warm bath.  Before and after.....

Lunch was rice, curry, salads and other yummy stuff with fresh fruit, and then we were onto our next 2 spots for more oooo-ing and ahhh-ing.  It was crowed, but you expect that, but not too bad.  Not like it gets at 'The Beach' in Phi Phi.  But that is the price paid for tourism sometimes. Back in the boat (each time, waist high water) and this time, disaster.  The boat lurched, my leg went up further than my hips would allow and riiiiiiiiip....... there went the crotch on my favourite harem pants!! My Bangkok pants!!!  I'm not sure they can be saved but I'm going to give it my best shot.  We've been through a lot, me and those pants.....

So we finally headed on and after I bid farewell to the Bangkok trio who had kindly translated for me all day, I was also very kindly dropped off right outside Bliss in the boat.  How very civilised.  But shock horror, my spot was taken. The bed by the swing, underneath the ban yan tree, you know the one.  I glared at the occupant and it was off to the shop for supplies (beer and crisps mainly) and back to see if my glaring had worked.  It had and I was safely back into my rightful place ready to take more yawn inducing pictures of the sun that just keeps on setting right in front of me.....

And now I am ready for food, so I shall bid you adieu for a short while whilst I force some more Thai rubbish down my face for your enjoyment only of course......TTFN xxx

Yep, so uploading on the day went well then! Had dinner and went to bed as usual, so here I am the next morning blogging on for the night before.  So where was I, oh yes, off out for dinner.

Up the town again and this time I picked Baan Thai.  Looked lovely, busy and good selection on the menu, fresh seafood outside, but maybe too much selection.  I was ushered to a table at the back after sitting at a table for four that they obviously didn't want little old me sitting at and It became apparent that this really wasn't the kind of place I'd been eating in.  It was the sort of place you take your significant other at the end of the holiday for the 'posh last night meal' before you go home.  Which is nice, if you were middle aged or older, with a significant other, dressed conservatively in the clothes you have been saving all holiday for just this occasion (I'm not knocking it, done it myself many a happy time, and hope to do in the future too)  But not for a single 42 year old wearing a Primark sun frock with no bra and covered in sand and mozzie spray (in equal measure), who is slightly mournful that she had ripped her favourite harem pants.  The Westlife / Boyzone romantic CD didn't help either.  As didn't the bored staff.  Having said that, when the food did arrive, spring rolls, prawns in Thai sauce and chicken rice, it really was special.  Nom once again. 

I came to the conclusion, that for me, what this place lacked was atmosphere.  No smells from the kitchen, no sounds of the metal spatula hitting the wok over and over again, no sizzling oil, no high pitched, rapid Thai chatter and no smiles.  It lacked smiles.  So meal over (still way under a tenner) I meandered my way back to the room with every intention of updating you.  But I got waylaid by looking at all the pictures I had taken and trying to choose which ones to share with you (believe me you only get a few, I know you have lives to get on with).  Also, I didn't want to ruin your now daily routine of blogging on, wherever you are and whatever you are doing, at a different time and potentially knocking your day out of kilter. See I do it all for you.

So another day dawns here in Bliss.  The breakfast things are being prepared, tables are up and Klong Moung beach is waking up to its daily routine.  So I must start mine. Pictures to follow.....

TTFN xx