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Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
  • Lansers on the Loose ...
  • John Lanser
jan. – feb. 2025

Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"

We will be travelling with 'Wheel & Anchor" and enjoying their "Live Away" Tours. We will spend two weeks in Koh Samui and two weeks in Bali. We have booked excursions from each place!! We are excited for the experience! Les mer
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    24. januar 2025
    Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
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    All Kinds of Firsts ... 😉

    24. januar, Canada ⋅ ☁️ -4 °C

    Well ... during a fitful night while neither of us were sleeping too well ... I happened to look out the window and noticed it had snowed. The moon was still really brightening the skies to the south, but it looked really dark and ominous to the north. Yikes.

    North is the direction we needed to be heading first thing in the morning. My anxious mind immediately started fretting about the roads. And, as much as I wanted to soothe my highly-kindled amygdala, the road report confirmed that a stretch of highway that we needed to traverse was ice and snow covered.

    It was clearly not the best start to our 32+hour commute from Lethbridge to Bangkok! And, if we encountered any trouble on the road, we were certainly not dressed for the occasion. We had no coats and had fashionably(?) put socks on with our sandals to help us keep our tootsies warm whilst in Canada!!

    I was sure glad we were in a huge bus. The roads were, indeed, really crappy for the first half of the trip. And, I really liked that our driver had gray hair. I was telling myself that meant he had years of experience on bad roads! It oddly felt like a good thing that the windshield became obscured with road splatter as the sun began melting all the snow and ice.

    This trip holds all kinds of 'firsts' for us! Given that our direct flight from Vancouver to Bangkok is 16.5 hours long ... I thought this would be a good time to cash in one of my bucket list dreams! I've always wanted to fly first class. And, although the price sent me reeling ... I reasoned that I could sleep for 8 hours and then the old boy could catch 8 hours of lay down as well.

    I wasn't sure how the flight crew would take to us changing seats, but I figured it was an economical way to optimize our comfort! But then ... the old boy indicated that he wanted me to enjoy the whole first class experience myself ... and ... invited me to consider it a birthday gift!

    He has always enjoyed the enviable capability of sleeping sitting straight up, so he felt no need to trade places with me in order to get horizontal. So, I graciously accepted his kindness and will be treasuring each and every moment of the experience.

    One of the other 'firsts' kind of surprised me. We got to go through the priority screening and then ... I was routed away from the big x-ray machine where you hold you hands up while it spins you! I briefly thought ... woohoo ... priority is just excellent. I will just get to walk through the normal archway instead. Nope. It was not that easy. 🙃

    I was informed that I was selected for a 'pat down'. I graciously but politely declined her offer to take me to a second location (i.e. go into a private space). I opted for the public search instead. My goodness ... they are incredibly thorough!! Fortunately, I passed inspection and we were back on our way! The old boy was having way too much fun teasing me about it all. He moseyed through the screening process without raising any eyebrows at all. That might be a first as well!! 😉

    We were hungry so we landed ourselves in one of the only restaurants in our boarding area. Fortunately, we ended up with a quiet(er) table near the windows and, even more to our liking, it had a plug in for me to use the laptop and start this blog!! We enjoyed a Korean Wrap and some unique poutine kettle chips that were really delicious too!

    We opted not to order the wine because a nine ounce glass of Pinot Gris was $20.50. Another first! I've seen outrageous prices for wine before, but nothing quite as bad as this. I decided to have a caffeinated green tea instead. According to "Timeshifter" (an app that helps you minimize jet lag through scheduled doses of caffeine, managing your exposure to light and timing napping/sleeping). Apparently, we need to be having 1/2 cup of caffeine drinks/hour until about 10:00pm tonight. We are crossing our fingers that it will help us mitigate the 14 hour time difference between Lethbridge and Bangkok! I'll keep you posted on that!!!

    Between arriving at Calgary and our flight to Vancouver ... we had about four hours to wait. So, we were delighted to have a nice table to play some 'Clever' while we sip our caffeinated drinks!!

    Some alarm bells were triggered when I noticed that our flight was delayed. My fears were that the initially 'short' delay would morph into us missing our connection to Bangkok but, thankfully, that didn't happen. We were only about an hour late. It proved to be no issue, though, because we also had a lengthy wait in Vancouver before our flight to Bangkok.

    And then, the most unexpected and best thing happened as we boarded for Vancouver! I was seated in 1A and the old boy was in 12 F. A fellow sat down beside me and I deduced that he was a pilot with Air Canada because he knew everyone and talked to others about coming back from London. He even ended up going into the cockpit.

    We had not spoken one word to each other while everyone was boarding ... but then ... the old boy came up to take a picture of me to help chronicle my first class experience! My seatmate asked if he was my husband? When I said yes ... he told me that he would swap seats with the old boy!! And ... he did.

    It was such an incredibly kind gesture. The old boy and I got to share happy hour together in the sky ... whilst enjoying the the setting sun ... which was not setting very fast because we were flying west. And so, as we witnessed the yellows and oranges deepen over the snow topped Rocky Mountains, we sipped on Portuguese white wine and nibbled on complimentary cheese platter. It was simply sublime!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    When we arrived in Vancouver, I learned I had gained entry into the Air Canada Lounge so we thought we'd check it out because had another four hours to kill before our flight to Bangkok! The ambiance was lovely in the lounge ... and the menu looked delicious, but ... it would have cost the old boy $61.90 to join me. So, we opted for a Subway sandwich and a Starbucks coffee instead. I do love a nice Subway sandwich ...and ... we still needed to top up our caffeine levels!!

    We were doing our level best to stay awake until we boarded. Timeshifter wanted us to have a short nap between 10:00pm and midnight and then stay awake until 7:00am. Eeek!!

    Flying first class has been such a fabulous experience! I loved being in my own little pod. I enjoyed that my seat reclined and would lay completely flat and could even give my lower back a massage. I got a padded seat cover and a blanket and a perfect little pillow. I also got slippers and a dental kit and lip gloss and socks and hand cream too.

    The pod was loaded with all kinds of electronic buttons and gadgets. Thank goodness for the tutorial from the fellow in 3K. I would never have figured out how to work all of it by myself.

    My big screen TV did everything too! Oh ... and ... I was provided with big earmuff style headphones too! We were offered a huge white linen dinner even though it was already after 11:00pm.

    I failed to stay awake as long as 'Timeshifter' recommended. I did make it to a very commendable 1:30AM though! Not bad for a gal who likes to be tucked away between 8:30pm and 9:00pm typically. And, what a joy to discover I slept for 8 hours!! It was such a treat to be horizontal!!

    The old boy did not get as much sleep as I did ... but ... he never complained. I thoroughly enjoyed the airline breakfast and was feeling pretty darn good by the time we landed!

    Oh ... I can't sign off without sharing one more thing that was absolutely wonderful! I watched "Little Bird". THAT is one of the most touching and thoughtful and inspiring movies that I have ever seen. And, it is especially poignant given the political climate of our globe right now. I sobbed in a couple of places ... and ... had such a lump in my throat that it was hard to eat my breakfast while I watched. I was so deeply moved by the message! If you haven't seen it ... do yourself a favor and watch it with someone so you can talk about it afterwards. I loved it so much that I want to watch it again with the old boy so we can tease apart all the moments of goodness within it.

    Okay ... I need to say goodbye. This blog is way too long. Let me just finish by sharing that flying first class was truly was a remarkable experience! The only thing that would have made it better was having someone to share all my oohs and ahhs with!! Wait. Never mind. I am sharing the wonder and awe of it ... with all of you.

    See you again ... once we are settled in Bangkok,
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    2Waiting for early check - in!
    The Amaranth hotel lobby!4The shower scene!4Despite our best efforts, jet lag is real. 😉4Lunch ...5These yellow flowers smell AMAZING!!2The foyer at the spa!2The bathroom at the spa! Check out the floor mat! 🤩

    Nice to See You Again Thailand!

    26. januar, Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    We were scheduled to arrive in Bangkok at 6:15am but we landed early! We missed the 6:00am shuttle to the hotel so we wandered the enormous airport for a bit and opted to see if we could find a bottle of wine to take to the hotel.

    We learned from "Wheel & Anchor" that wine is very hard to find in Thailand and very expensive. We had already discovered how difficult it was to find good vino about 17 years ago when we were here ... but ... the price wasn't as high back then! Our daily goal was simply to find a nice glass of wine somewhere. And, some days we were not successful. 🥴

    We were delighted to find a store in the airport that had lots of wine ... but interestingly enough ... they had ONE kind of white wine. It was priced at 1,490BAT. I wish I had checked the currency converter BEFORE I bought it. I could not believe my eyes when it worked out to be the equivalent of $63CAD!!!!😲

    Good grief ... three glasses of wine. $21 each. How many sips are in a glass? Gah. I dare not do the math. I can guarantee that each sip is going to be worth a pretty penny tonight! I hope it glitters like gold as it glides down our gullets. 🌟

    Sheesh. Lesson learned. I had no idea that 'expensive' meant outrageously priced. That said, I am thinking that Thailand may force me to become a beer drinker! 😏

    As we were wandering around the airport, I was reminded that one of the things I really loved about Thailand when we visited here in 2008 was the loving energy of the Thai people! They exhibit the most kind, courteous, pleasant and respectful natures. One could just feel the honoring and deference of the individuals working in and around the airport! It's truly such a lovely culture.

    We ensured we got onto the 7:00am shuttle and found ourselves at the hotel by 7:20am. Fortunately, they were able to offer us an early check-in. It cost a bit ... but ... it was worth it! It felt so dang good to rinse off those 30+ cumulative hours of travel!

    After a refreshing shower, we placed our $63 bottle of white wine in the fridge and laid down for a 90 minute nap (as per directed by Timeshifter). The old boy was in more need of it that I was! In fact, he almost dozed off while I was in the shower ... picture posted to prove it! 😉

    Oh ... speaking of the shower. Our room is interesting in that the bathroom wall is glass. Yes. Clear glass! You can watch your roommates doing their business ... or ... watch them drop the soap in the shower. Seriously.

    The blinds can be closed ... but ... only from the outside. The person in the bathroom has no control over their privacy. Am I the only one who thinks this is a bit odd???

    After our nap, we headed down for lunch. It was only 10:30am ... but ... since we had breakfast at 4:00am - we were ready for lunch. And, in all honesty, it was feeling like 3:00pm in our bodies however. We definitely needed a coffee!

    We enjoyed a lovely appetizer ... and ... a plate of Pad Thai. The appy was phenomenal. The Pad Thai was not as good as we remembered having in the past. We'll have to try it again elsewhere.

    We tried to take a little walk, but it felt darn hot. Turns out it was 35° C!! We didn't get very far before we decided to turn back and go sit by the pool instead.

    The old boy headed down before I did! Much to my delight, I passed by a vendor offering "luxury foot massages". 🙌

    Turns out they could take me right away! I was fondly reminded of how strong their hands are ... and because she added some extra body massage ... I also wished I had got the authentic Thai massage.

    We enjoyed our wine before we went for supper! And, the green curry was just as tasty as I remember! Stellar, in fact! So good that I might have to have it again tomorrow. My apologies ... I forgot to capture a photo. My heart is holding it all close and dear though!!

    And, as I write this ... the old boy is already in bed. We are feeling that it's 5:30am at home and 7:30pm here. So, we're off to bed. We held out as long as we could! Hopefully it will be easier tomorrow! See you again then ...

    Much love from Thailand,
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    Breakfast!!
    The cappucino and the delectable Chinese meat buns!!!Not a great hand!!The iced coffee and some fallen flowers from the wind!! Storms are brewing today.Waiting for the shuttle to the airport!They keep everything immaculate in Bangkok Airport!Our lunch!2The bill for our lunch!!The trolleys to the terminal.2The welcome drink at check-in at our resort.4The Hotel Lobby!6Our room!2Our view from our balcony!2The oceanside view from the restaurant!Such gorgeous surroundings at the restaurant!The Pad Thai.4The green curry!! Boy ... did it ever have a bite!!!

    Koh Samui ... Here We Come!!

    27. januar, Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    Good Morning from Bangkok! We were up at 5:30am ... but ... that was actually phenomenal given we went to bed about 10 hours prior. I was worried when I awoke at 12:57am that I was going to be up for the day, but I dozed back off until something really weird happened! At 2:00am, all the overhead lights in our room came on. The light was so bright that it startled both of us. We have absolutely no clue how or why, but it happened. After a little while, I was able to fall back to sleep and we both able to stay in the bed for almost another four hours!!

    Speaking of the bed ... it is the largest king size bed we have ever slept in. I believe they pushed two queen beds together. This morning, the old boy teased that he'd considered packing a lunch in order to make the long journey over to my side!! 🤣

    It's an exciting day today. Today, we finally get to our first "live away" destination. I even put mascara on! 😉 It is wonderful to know that we will be staying in one place for the next couple of weeks. We also get to meet our tour guide and maybe some of our fellow Wheel & Anchor guests! Here's hoping that we will hit it off with some of our fellow travellers! And, with extra good luck, maybe some of them will play bridge!

    We were starving by 7:00am so we headed down to breakfast right away! And, oh my gosh .............. it was SO, SO, SO good!! Although no bacon could be found, we discovered the most amazing mix of Asian and American cuisine. I forgot just how delicious those little Chinese pork buns are!! I forget what they are called. Is it dim sum or something like that??🤷‍♀️

    We wanted to get down to breakfast early because we thought we were going to need to have our lunch before we took the 12:30pm shuttle back to the airport for our 3:15pm flight to Koh Samui! We had all kinds of time to kill before our shuttle, so I even ended up playing some bridge online!!

    However, we changed our minds and decided to head to the airport a bit earlier. Thankfully, the hotel was able to change our reservation and accommodate our desire to leave earlier. The baggage allowances for Bangkok Airlines (as cited on their website) concerned me a little bit. It seemed like we might have to check our carry-on bags due to weight restrictions, rather than size. They warned that bags that were over the weight restrictions would be charged extra. You could prepay ... which would be cheaper ... but, I didn't have a clue how heavy our carry-on bags were.

    So, we anticipated we might be standing in long lines to get our boarding passes and then have our bags weighed to see if we needed to check them. It was so lucky that that there was no line to speak of and they didn't weigh our bags at the ticket counter. She just said yes when I asked if we could carry our bags on. It concerned me a little that she didn't even look at the size of them or ask to weight them.

    They are normal carry-on sized bags, but as I said, their website sounded like they only allowed only one bag of no more than 7kg max for carry on. And, uhm ... we also had our small personal backpacks. You can just imagine what my anxious mind was doing with all this uncertainty!!! 🙄 We carried on (sorry for the crappy pun!) towards security screening despite my anxiousness.

    It seemed reasonable to think we could lunch at at the airport once we were through security. As it turns out though ... there are no food services beyond security in the domestic gate in Bangkok. So, we opted to take one scrambled egg croissant at a particular kiosk because .... they had some white wine! 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

    That was the good news. The bad news was the price ... $37CAD for one sandwich and two 4-5 oz glasses of wine! Once again, I probably should have checked the price before we ordered ... but in reality, I might have ordered it anyway! Sheesh. I wish I didn't have such a pricey palate!

    At any rate ... I was sizing up everyone's bags while we waited in the security line up. We were in the minority. Most people just had one personal item. There were a few with much smaller carry-on bags, but I was convinced they met the 7kg limit. So ... I was worried.

    As it turned out, we made it through the security and ended up at our gate. They announced that they would check any bags that were too big. My heart raced a bit. The old boy annoyed me with his "it'll be fine" attitude. Sometimes I am so jealous of people who don't get anxious. It strikes me that they must lead much more enjoyable lives. Or ... they partner up with someone who will do the worrying for them.🤣

    I could hardly barely stand it as we proceeded up to the gate for boarding. I could see they were eying our bags. I dreaded it was just a matter of time before we were busted and our carry-ons were apprehended and it would cost more than wine when we were forced to check them at the gate!

    No one said anything. Then, as we moseyed down the long corridor to the plane ... there was another employee ... guarding the doorway. Ahhhhhh .... my anxious mind reeled ... THIS is where they are going to snatch our bags from us and drain our wallets. But ........nope. She said nothing either. 🤔

    We got on that plane without any shoes dropping whatsoever!!! Seriously!! What a delight that was!! I am sure all my fretting saved the day, right??? 🥴

    And then, something wonderful happened! Bangkok Air served us a hot meal of Thai noodles with chicken and vegetables during a 55 minute flight!! Sheesh. WestJet and Air Canada offer you a little bag of pretzels OR a cookie. We got the full meal ... complete with metal cutlery! It was pretty darned impressive!

    We landed in Samui and because its an island ... the runway is so short that we shot past the terminal and then had to do a U-Turn on the tarmac to go back to the airport terminal. And ... it is the most stunningly gorgeous airport. Someone said it has been deemed the most beautiful airport in the world. I wish I could have taken pictures. Maybe I'll try to take some on our way to Bali??

    And, when we got to the terminal, they brought out some open-air carts to bring us from the tarmac to the terminal. It was so neat!! There were lots of rain clouds, but we stayed dry.

    Our shuttle was waiting for us and we arrived at our hotel by 5:30pm. We were an hour late, but our first impressions of Koh Samui were so impressive!! The clouds broke open on us as we were walking to our room, but it didn't matter. We were just so awed by our gorgeous surroundings. We took a few minutes to sit on our deck and admire our view. I found a little bottle of wine in the fridge!! Yay. I didn't look at the price. The old boy enjoyed a Singha. It was sublime to finally arrive. No more travelling for two weeks. 🙌

    And then, we went down to the oceanside restaurant to have dinner. The wind and threat of rain didn't stop us from sitting outside. It was still 29 degrees!! We thoroughly enjoyed our food and found ourselves tucked into bed at 7:30pm again.

    All in all ... it was a fabulous day!! And, we can hardly wait for tomorrow so we can get to know more about this exquisite place!!✨✨✨    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    6These are hanging outside our doors. You take them down and put out your instructions for cleaning!Our coffee station!2You can see the wind through the wind screen behind the old boy!23The traditional Thai seating in our room! I prefer a chair with a back!The only chair with a back is at the desk.4A little gift was placed on our table!! Loads of vitamin C, I guess!A suggestion for good dining!Another option for good food was pointed out on our walkabout!6The view from the restaurant in the hotel ... 10 minutes before the clouds broke open again!!2The old boy had more green curry for lunch!5I had a chicken Satay burger!! It was soooo good!1Fancy drinks at the Tiki Bar!2

    Absolutely Jaw-Dropping!

    28. januar, Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    As I shared in my last post ... our first impressions of Koh Samui and our resort were nothing short of jaw-dropping!! It is absolutely gorgeous ... despite the wind and continued forecasts for rain over the next few days.

    Well, I had a hard time sleeping last night. I am not sure if it is jet-lag related or if I am just finally excited to actually be here ... at our 'first' final destination!! I stayed in bed as long as I could, but by 5:00am I was ready to get up and at it! We didn't have any time to wander and explore and acquaint ourselves with our surroundings last evening so my mind was full of things to take care and get organized. ☺️

    My enthusiasm was short-lived when I discovered that the coffee station had no outlet for which to plug in the coffee maker. There was a great machine but we had to move it into the bathroom to plug it in. And, once we got it plugged in .,.. we had a hell of time figuring out how to start it!! 😏

    Then, I also discovered that although I had nicely set up a charging station for my phone on my bedside table ... it didn't work once the light switch was turned off. So, now I know that when you turn out the light, you turn off the electricity to the whole plug. Well then ..... 🥴

    And, there is no table in our room for us to play games. There is not even a comfy place to sit. We have one chair at the desk and some kind of backless sofa by the window. Oh ... and ... mosquitos. There are some mosquitos in our room that have determined that I am the tastiest delight! They don't bother the old boy, but seem to have a honing device which follows me as perfectly as a drone.

    And so, with all this said, I came face-to-face with my entitled, privileged and easily annoyed travelling self even before the sun was up today. Arghhh. I realized I needed to do a turn-around. I must remind myself that I am not in Canada. And, all those privileges and luxuries I get to enjoy because I was born there ... are not offered to everyone, everywhere on the planet. This resort is offering the best experience that they can muster given the circumstances and limitations here.

    Okay. So I am sipping my coffee and giving thanks for the opportunity to experience the 'look' of luxury and inviting myself to be a little less snooty and a little more patient.

    We had an orientation this morning and took time to introduce ourselves to each other by sharing one of our most epic travel experiences. It was heartwarming to hear all the travel stories that had touched people deeply. And, it fostered some deeper connections between one and all as we realized how much we humans really have in common.

    We also learned a few things from our local guide Nina! We were reminded to use the "bum gun" to wash our derrieres and to dry with the paper! No paper is to be put in the pipes! Now, I feel like I need an additional tutorial regarding the best way to point and shoot! 🥴

    She also took us for a tour and pointed out the laundry services as well as some good local options for restaurants along with the way to the mall. We even found a liquor store that had better prices for us wine drinkers! We paid 390BAT for a whole bottle instead of just a glass! Fingers crossed that it will taste okay!

    It wasn't even terribly hot today (only 29°C) but the humidity was so high that we were sweating like crazy by the time we got back. It makes me really leery for how we'll manage when it's a whole lot hotter and sunnier! 😬

    We enjoyed a fabulous lunch at the hotel restaurant again! And then, headed back to the room just before the clouds opened up and offered another huge downpour! It's fascinating to me how fast these tropical rainstorms appear!

    After it quit raining, we went down to the pool for a bit and had some wonderful conversations with a few others in our group! There are a number of single women travelling with us. And, to say the least ... they are a hoot! We have been in stitches already with the amount of laughter shared! It looks like it is going to be a fabulous group!!

    And then, we were off to a cocktail reception at a Tiki Bar! And, once again, we had time to talk and laugh and get to know the other members of our group. We have drawn names and been given 200BAT to be a 'Secret Santa' for one of the other guests in our group. We will need to get to know our people a bit more and then go shopping for something for them!

    Neither the old boy or myself had a chance to connect with our 'secret santa' gift receivers, because they were both seated at the other end of a long table. So we are going to have to cultivate opportunities to get to know them. I love the way Wheel & Anchor creates opportunities to connect!

    Okay. We have one full day behind us. We were laughing and chatting until 8pm. Some of them were going to go get dinner, but we opted to head back to the room and go to bed. I'm not sure if it was the heat, but neither of us were hungry. We just wanted to tuck in and get a good sleep!

    And, it looks like the weather is going to improve! ☀️☀️We are off to a great start indeed!!

    See you all tomorrow! Hope all is well at home,
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    4The view!
    2124The old boy was my handsome rudder!6I couldn't steer this magnificent chair by myself!41The sun could be seen setting a bit onto the beach!7

    A Whole New Day in Paradise!

    29. januar, Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    I am so delighted to share that I had the best sleep last night! We tucked in around 8:00pm and I never woke up the first time until 3:00am. Here's hoping the jet lag is lagging! 😉

    We enjoyed another great breakfast! The hotel's buffet is a scrumptious mix of Thai and American delights. Homemade omelets topped off with spicy Thai options that equate to sublime goodness!

    It looks like we might have sun today. We have absolutely no plans ... thankfully. We decided to drop off our laundry ... and then ... it was hot, so we headed back to the hotel and landed a couple of nice cots right on the water!

    The old boy was happy to snooze, but I had ants in my pants so I decided to take a walk north on the beach. The tide was still pretty high, but it was hot ... so ... the water lapping up against my legs felt really good.

    I noticed lots of fun things along the waterfront ... swings and massage tables and restaurants galore! We might have to go back together and check them out!

    We enjoyed a late lunch in our hotel restaurant and then we wandered up to the Pharmacy. The old boy's sinuses are acting up ... so .... he got something suggested by the pharmacist. I also got some anti-itch salve. The mosquitos continue to have their way with me!!

    Once we got back to the hotel, we played a couple of games of Clever! I lost both of them!!! The better news is that I learned that there are five of us in our group that play bridge ... so ... we might be able to have a game or two before we leave here!!

    The tide goes out in the evening! So, the old boy and I took a walk along the beach in the southern direction! I was hoping I might be able to catch a wee bit of the color from the sunset. And I did manage to capture some pinks in the sky!

    It was also incredible to witness just how much work that each establishment makes in terms of putting chairs and tables and opportunities to enjoy the beach after the tide goes out!

    We haven't walked a whole lot since we left home, but today ... I logged a handsome total of 11, 746 steps today!! Yesterday was 7,548 and the day before was 5,491! We only logged 1,657 on Sunday!! So, it feels good to be a bit more active.

    I should share that the sand on the beach here is so incredibly fine that it packs down so densely by the tide that one doesn't even need to remove their shoes while walking on it. I have never before felt this kind of sand. It might be the nicest feeling beach we have ever walked upon!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    And, on the way back to our resort, we were entertained by some buskers who move from hotel to hotel with their fire show! It's amazing to think that they are working with real fire!! I took four videos ... I will only post one of them! 😉

    We ordered a pizza from the restaurant! We enjoyed a few slices and put the rest in the fridge for another time when we don't need a big meal. Hopefully, we will sleep as well ... or ... even better than last night!

    We are off on our first excursion of the trip tomorrow. We will be enjoying a Thai Culinary Course!! We are looking forward to it because we have so thoroughly enjoyed the chance to savor Thai food again.

    So, I will say good-bye for now! And, I'll catch up with you again tomorrow!
    Hugs from both of us,
    ❤️k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    8The sun coming through the trees was a welcome sight this morning!
    2The breakfast is so good ... and ... changes every single day.The floral arrangements dot the resort ... and ... are so beautifully constructed.3Our ginger drink ... with edible flowers.The pond at "the Nature" ... water lilies in full bloom but the lotus blossoms were not.Gorgeous foliage!lemon grass, kafir lime leaves, different chili peppers, sweet, Thai & holy basilbananas and papayas2Our ingredients for the Pad ThaiThe cooking process starts with the tofu and ends with the bean sprouts6The finished product!Our teacher!4Our pad Thai with cucumbers and chives on the side.4Our green papaya salad served with morning glory leaves!2The ride balls .. in coconut milk cooked with a tied bantan leaf.2Settling in on the beach!106The view from our balcony at night!

    It's a Busy Day Today ... 🤣🤣🤣

    30. januar, Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C

    We have plans!! We even have time lines. Yep. We have things to check off the list! Whoa. It's a busy day in paradise today!

    The weather is spectacular today! The humidity is down and the sun is up and out! After another wonderful breakfast, We enjoyed our first excursion with Wheel & Anchor! We went to an organic farm called The Nature." We were outdoors under a thatched hut and it was wonderful! We were greeted with a very pretty homemade ginger drink adorned with edible flowers! We took a tour of the gardens and got introduced to many different plants used in Thai cuisine.

    We learned to make three recipes. We made Pad Thai, Green Papaya Salad and a rice ball dessert whose name escapes me. I loved both of the first dishes, but I wasn't too fussy about the texture of the rice ball dessert. Some of the others loved it so much that they couldn't stop eating it ... but ... it just wasn't for me. It reminded me of tapioca.

    We certainly learned how complicated it is to make all these lovely dishes though. I had not before thought about all the steps that have been taken when you get a nice plate of Thai food set in front of you. I have a deep appreciation for it now!!

    After enjoying such wonderful food, we headed down the street to pick up our laundry. It only cost 90BAT and was folded and returned in a sealed bag. We notice that presentation, in all things, seems to be so important here in Thailand. I love that they pay such careful and thoughtful attention to detail!

    With our scheduled tasks completed, we donned our swimwear and headed to the pool. It was then that I noticed a couple of empty lounge chairs available right on the beach!! We ordered a drink and simply enjoyed the sound of the waves as they splashed up towards us. It was so cool because the resort is so close to the beach that I could use the wifi while we lazed by the sea!

    With the better weather, the vendors were on the beach selling their products. Oh ... I should also add that the vendors on the street are not bothersome. They walk past and ask but they do not harass or try to guilt you like they do in other parts of the world. One woman was cooking corn and slicing fresh fruit right beside us! People were thoroughly enjoying the sand and the sun! Oh ... I should share that the sea water is warmer than the pool ... and with the rain behind us ... the water is so much calmer and quieter!

    The old boy had a nap. I took a stroll. We visited with passersby. One woman had just bought fresh coconut and offered us a slice. And then, a couple of the other women in our group were going back for a second massage on the beach. I opted to join them for my first. It cost 300BAT (@ $13 CAD). OMG ... there is nothing quite as good as the strong hands of a Thai masseuse!

    I forgot just how amazing the Thai masseuses are in knowing just the right pressure on each part of the body. I especially enjoyed the way she massaged my arms. Yes. Isn't that crazy? What is even more interesting is that they suggest you NOT have a massage everyday or you will be bruised. So .... I will have to wait until tomorrow to go back! And ... I will. I had an oil massage today, but I am going to get a combo next time!!

    After my massage, it was close to 7:00pm, so we opted to go back to the room and have leftover pizza and papaya salad on our deck. I marinated in some Deep Woods Off ... and ... we sat outside looking at the beautiful colors in the pool!

    Our neighbors got home (they went on a longboat tour today) so we swapped stories and then tumbled into bed by 8:00pm. We haven't made 9:00pm ... yet ... but are thinking we might be able to manage that soon!! The jet lag is getting to be less and less.

    Sheesh. Isn't this the life??? Tomorrow we have another free day. I just love that we can pace our excursions and enjoy lots of down time by ourselves too!! So far, I highly recommend Wheel & Anchor if you are looking for a tour company!

    With full, full hearts we are sending hugs across the pond,
    ❤️k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    Ready for the day!Lunch at Mit Samui4🤩🤩🤩🤩2Shopping on the beach!My inspiring friends and our clothing dealer!6Here we are ... wrapped up in our new purchases!The old boy taking a swim!7The sunset was coloring the sky in pretty pinks tonight!!2Our table!81My dinner1The old boy's culinary selection of the evening!

    Another Lazy Day in Paradise ... ☀️☀️

    31. januar, Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    We got down to breakfast later than usual ... because .... we slept in longer than ever before!! 👏👏👏 I had to snap a picture of the sunshine dotting the sea with dazzling diamonds dancing delightfully on the water! What a spectacular welcome! ✨️✨️✨️

    We languished over breakfast ... deepening our connections by getting to know the stories of others in our group. It was so nice we were there until 11:00am!

    After breakfast, we took a walk to the Central Mall! We used a special peeler/shredder in our cooking class that I have never seen in Canada. I thought it would make a great gift for my Secret Santa recipient. I am hoping that whoever has my name will get me one too!! I might buy one for me as well ... and then ... if I end up with two, I'll have a nice gift for someone when we get home.

    And, look what I spied when we were in the grocery store!! Yes! A new flavor of Fisherman Friends!! 👍 They are actually quite tasty! I didn't find anything I wanted at the Central Mall, but it was a nice experience browsing.

    On the way home, we stopped for some red curry and spring rolls at Mit Samui!! It was one of the recommended local favorite restaurants and the food was sensational. They kindly pull a fan up the table for the tourists and only cost us $330BAT ... which is the equivalent of about $14CAD. That even included a Sinha beer for the old boy! 🌟

    And after that, we meandered down to the sea and snagged a couple of chaise loungers right in the water. The tide was receding but the water was still coming right up to our chairs ... which was unique and quite fun to simply set my foot down to cool off!

    A couple of the other ladies had bought swimsuit cover ups from the guy carrying the heavy wooden rack on the beach! I never usually even look at what they are selling, but after admiring their purchases, I was watching for him! I didn't pack a swimsuit cover-up so I decided to get one too! It was super fun trying things on! I settled on an electric blue one! It was $17CAD.

    We sipped on an iced coffee and chatted with passersby. It was glorious! I took a short walk before our 5:00pm date for cocktails by the pool party! The socializing offered up a nice chance to chat with some of the people we haven't had a chance to get to know yet ... including the old boy's secret Santa recipient!

    And then, we finished up the day with supper on the beach under the tripods they set up! It was absolutely magical!

    I thought maybe I'd be able to make 9:00pm because I'd slept so well and so long ... but ... nope. We were tucked in bed by 8:00pm .

    It was, however, such a nice day. We will treasure the memories in our hearts forever. 💕

    Hugs to one and all! It's such a treat to see you here!
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    2
    1Two rows of chairs on the beach today!The green curry at Mit SamuiA fruit stand on the street!1The signage at the mall!Another entrance, another sign!2An easy mistake, right?? 🤣1The sunset as we walked to the night market!2Pretty as a picture!1The seafood options for dinner at Mit Samui!Our dinner while listening to the live music!1The musician!!

    A Bright, New, Sunny Day!

    1. februar, Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    I slept in again! Sadly, the old boy did not have as restful a night! It might be that his sinus medication is disturbing his rest??? We are not sure, but hopefully he can catch a few more zzz's on a chaise lounger later!

    And ... for the first time since we arrived ... it's a green flag on the water! It's glassy clear and perfectly calm! Quite a difference from when we first arrived! We are so grateful for the arrival of this gorgeous weather!

    I'm not sure how I got so far behind in posting these blogs ... I thought it was going to be easy given how flexible our days have been, but apparently the old adage is true: I have been extremely "busy doing nothing". 😉

    It's really nice, though, to FEEL like you are in total vacation mode. No where to be and no eyes on the time. We are not really used to this pace. In most of our travels, we are on the run a fair bit ... doing and seeing and exploring our surroundings. Maybe we feel a little less inclined to do that here because we have been to Thailand before and have already done so many of the 'touristy' things?

    One of the things that we have really enjoyed is our tour guide Nina. We also have a rep with us from Wheel & Anchor at all times. Linda is responsible to ensure all our needs are met and she is our 'go to' if anyone in the group has any issues or requests for activities etc.

    Nina, however, is a local tour guide from Thailand. She is a wealth of knowledge and information. We have learned so many 'little things' from her about local customs of this culture. I wish I had remembered to share all the details we have learned ...but ... I keep forgetting. I will offer up a few things now, while I am thinking about it.

    For instance, when raising glasses to say 'cheers', you do not look at people's eyes. You should look at the glasses. It is deemed disrespectful to look into people's eyes. And, another interesting tidbit is that if you are younger than the person whose glass you are clinking ... you must position your glass LOWER than the person with whom you are cheering! This is a way of showing deference and respect. Respect for elders is very important here in Thailand.

    We also noticed that, despite much traffic, no one toots their vehicle horns here. It was the same in Italy. Here, they believe tooting of horns is a reflection of irritation and anger. And, they believe anger is a precursor to causing accidents. So, it is recommended that you must calm yourself down if you feel inclined to toot your horn. And, it is so nice, because you can eat at a roadside restaurant and not hear beeping and honking!

    Oh ... and there is lots of traffic. If a pedestrian wants to cross the road, it is suggested that you raise your hand. Motorists will slow down and let you cross.

    Oh ... when we were at the cooking class, Nina was telling us that people in Thailand do not like leftovers. They prefer everything to be cooked fresh daily. To that end ... because of all the chopping and prep work ... many Thai women start working in the kitchen at 4:00am.

    Oh ... we also learned that the hottest peppers grow upwards on the vine. If they hang down on off the branches, they are not likely to be as hot. However, 'not as hot' is clearly relative. Their idea of hot and our idea of hot are two different things. 😉

    And, although we were not told ... we have learned a key rule in Thailand: "No gawking while walking!" The foot paths are so uneven ... even on the sidewalks ... that it is much too precarious to try and sight see while moving. One is always best to stop and then take a look around.

    The old boy was craving more of the culinary delights at Mit Samui, so we decided to have lunch there on our way to the mall. He ordered a Singha but was told they couldn't sell him one. It was voting day. The Thai government determined that it was likely best if their voters were sober, so it is illegal to sell alcohol on election day while the polls are open.

    We also learned that it is also illegal to sell alcohol between 2:00pm and 5:00pm EVERY day. This protocol is inspired by the intention of ensuring people are not abusing alcohol. It's different at our hotel. We are not locals, so they will sell alcohol to us at any time of day.

    Oh ... I have a confession to make. When we arrived at the hotel ... I unwrapped the bar of soap by the sink in the bathroom and placed it in the dish. At some point, I noticed a dispenser and thought ... oh ... that will be easier than picking up the soap bar. It wasn't until today that I realized I have been washing my hands with "body lotion". Oh my ... another vacation faux pas to add to the books! 😆😂🤣

    Since we had nothing on our schedule, I suggested to the old boy that we should go get massages. I would take the "Thai with balm" option because I did the oil massage already. Nina mentioned that you might want to start with with oil and leave a day in-between massages because otherwise your muscles will get too tender.

    The old boy has had a couple of massages before over the years but has never really enjoyed them. He finally conceded and we went back to the 'blue massage hut' because everyone was raving about their staff. Unfortunately, they had a one hour waiting list. So, we opted to go with the massage therapists dressed in purple.

    The old boy got a male masseuse. I wasn't sure how he'd feel about it, but ... guess what ... he LOVED it. He told the massage therapist "You are really good!" THREE times before we left. And ... he kept saying to me it was "the best he has ever had!" Usually he reserves that phrase for food, but I was tickled that he enjoyed his massage so much. I am guessing it won't be hard to convince him to have another one.

    After that, we showered up and walked down to the night market. It was crowded ... and ... filled with different kinds of foods! We didn't want to eat there though because we heard that there was going to be live music at our restaurant.

    We admired the seafood options available at Mit Samui on our walk back to the resort. And then, before we headed down to the restaurant, we enjoyed happy hours on our deck with our neighbors (they are also in tour group).

    We really enjoyed the musician and had a lovely meal as well! With another beautiful day behind us ... we toddled off to bed. I had been thinking earlier that today might be the day I finally stay awake until 9:00pm today, but no. Not yet. Perhaps one of these lazy days ahead will extend beyond 8:00pm .........😉

    With much love to you all,
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    5We were up early enough to catch the sunrise this morning! 😍
    22Gorgeous morning sunrise views!On the ferry from Koh Ssmui to Koh Phangan!2Tha National ParkHiking up to the waterfall!2This pond naturally has those little fish that nibble at your feet!The view at Bottle Beach!2Our guide Linda and, Gordon, the founder of Wheel & Anchor at lunch on Coral Beach!1Our lunch!2We took a stroll on Coral Beach2Coral BeachCheers!!2The scenery at Coral Beach!The pub/restaurant at Secret Beach!4Secret Beach!

    Day Trip to Koh Phangan!

    2. februar, Thailand ⋅ 🌙 26 °C

    We were up and out very, very early this morning!! We even had to set an alarm for 5:45am! The restaurant opened at 6:30am but we needed to be at the pick up point at 7:00am, so that felt a bit too rushed for me to eat a substantial breakfast before leaving.

    Instead, we ordered 4 cappuccinos and put them in our go-cup. I had packed some small Ziplock baggies, so I put a couple of hard-boiled eggs into one and some oranges and baby bananas into another. That way, we could sip our coffee on the ferry to Koh Phangan.

    Ko Samui is the third largest island in Thailand and Koh Phangan is the fourth largest. It is also the island that the founder of 'Wheel & Anchor' calls home. Gordon is originally from Toronto, but now lives in Thailand. He has been here for the last 10 years and expects he might continue to call it home for another 10 years.

    Yikes. While I think it is a great place to visit, I could NEVER live here permanently. Nope. For me ... all our travels have reminded me of how much I appreciate being able to call Canada home. 🍁

    Our first stop, once we arrived, was to a waterfall in one of the national parks. Apparently, 2/3 of this island is parkland. The waterfall was not large, but was very pretty and fed a small pool at the bottom of it inhabited by those little fish that nibble at your feet. Maybe you have seen those little shops, in your travels, that invite you to immerse your feet into a tank of water filled with these little 'pedicure' fish. We've actually paid for the experience in the past! The old boy got another one free today!!

    After our time at the waterfall, we took a longboat to three different beaches. Our first stop was Bottle Beach. I have no idea why they called it that, but it was enchanting. We enjoyed a refreshing drink in one of the restaurants on this beach. I had a mango shake. Shakes are really popular here, so I thought I'd try one. The old boy opted for a "Mai Thai." I'm not sure if Thailand is where that drink originated, but he enjoyed it!

    I was glad I had packed my fruit and eggs because I was hungry and this was the perfect spot to eat! I shared my fruit and devoured my eggs! It was just perfect! This beach was so quiet and there were some little cabins that people could rent. Apparently, the beach is really only easily accessible by hiking or by boat ... so ... it was incredibly peaceful.

    We got back on our longtail ... which I should share ... is no easy feat! I was grateful that the water was so glassy and calm because the boat is heaving up and down as you try to get your feet on the round rungs of a little metal ladder that they toss onto the side of it.

    In fact, one of our group members that went out on the first excursion to Koh Phangan sprained her ankle getting off the boat. She, unfortunately, has been laid up for the last couple of days. I think we were all a little extra careful given our thoughts of how she injured herself trying to get off the longtail.

    Our second beach was called Coral Beach. This was my favorite beach! And, it was where we had the most amazing lunch! I couldn't eat the appetizer because it was guacamole, but ... I thoroughly enjoyed the Tuna Poke Bowl. I wouldn't normally have consumed such a meal because it was not cooked, but our founder Gordon was with us and said he asserted it was the best Poke Bowl on the planet. So ... with that endorsement ... I chowed down. It was really good. They replaced the avocado in mine with mango.😋

    The dessert was a wee little chocolate looking parfait. I was disappointed to see that mine was different ... but then ... I was grateful. They made me a special one because the chocolate had avocado in it!! Who would have suspected that??? And, my mango version was very refreshing indeed!

    We boarded our long tail again and arrived at our third beach ... called Secret Beach. It was filled with people ... so ... it was not so secret. And, for some reason, it was laden with sea weed. So much so, that the water was a very unpleasant green. We understand that it was not that color a couple of days ago though. So, who knows why or how, but none of us wanted to go into to water at this beach.

    The neat thing about this beach was the bar/restaurant that was located on the point of the island. It was such a fun place with coconut seed garlands, and swings and all kinds of creative decor! We were able to get a big table and enjoy a glass of good cheer before heading back to the ferry.

    All in all, it was a long, hot day ... but ... such a fun day!! We were pretty tired by the time we got back to the hotel at 6:30pm. We had put in a 12 hour shift in the sun and heat. So, the old boy wandered down to Mit Samui and picked up some of those amazing spring rolls for me and some chicken dishes for himself and brought it all back to the room.

    We ate and then tucked in so we could get rested up for another day of fun and games (literally) tomorrow. I have to say that we are enjoying the Wheel & Anchor experience. They are taking very good care of us here!! Our rep has organized for us to play some bridge tomorrow at 2:00pm. 🙌

    Hugs to one and all,
    ❤️ k & j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    The pathways around the hotel!
    2The iced coffee!! The clear syrup is the sugar!2They shoveled all the sand up the sides where the storm had washed it down to sandbags.22Our bridge game!A sneak peek of the sunset from our deck during happy hour!2My sad pasta with bacon.2The bean bag chairs on the beach in front of the restaurant!The view in front of the resataurant4One of our group resting her feet on the driver's headrest on the ride home! 🤪Part of the fire show!6More of the fire show!

    No Sun for Me Today!!

    3. februar, Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    The weather has been just so hot and gorgeous that this fair-skinned 'fragile blossom' has developed a sun/heat rash over my arms and upper torso. I am covered in raised red and ITCHY bumps. My skin feels like a reptile of some kind! I will spare you the visual, but I am hoping that the rash will diminish soon!!

    In order to facilitate healing, I'll have to stay in the shade as much as possible! I thought I was already doing that ... but ... it's clear that I have had too much sun/heat. Perhaps my mistake was not immersing myself beyond my midriff in the sea. I didn't want to risk sunburn by washing off my sunscreen ... but ... clearly my arms and chest needed to be cooled down more. Lesson learned.

    So, I am not the least bit sunburned, but ... the prickly, red rash is really uncomfortable. I am glad I bought the antihistamine cream for my mosquito bites at the pharmacy. I hope it will also take the itch out of my rash. 🥴

    I see winter and cold temps have arrived at home so I'll not complain about the sunshine anymore!! It's actually supposed to cool down a bit here over the next few days. That said, however, the temperature range from morning through night is only about 5 or 6 degrees. Nighttime is about 25°C and daytime gets to 30° ... but ... with humidity, it can feel like 38°C.

    We enjoyed our breakfast and then the old boy took another load of laundry to be washed while I got caught up with my blogging. I didn't think it would be hard to keep up with the sharing here since we are not busy with excursions each day, but ... I have fallen behind. So, it feels good to have this moment to get our days honored on the pages of this blog.

    Sometimes I question why I do this blog, but then I think that one day, when we are old(er) and can no longer travel ... we will be able to pull out the books created by using this blog and revisit our trips!

    Once I got caught up with my blogging, I joined the old boy by the pool and we ventured down some other walkways in the resorts courtyard! There were oodles of streams and greenery and gold fish!! It really is beautifully landscaped!

    The old boy ordered a lovely iced coffee ... and ... I remembered I had packed a long sleeve dri-light shirt that I was going to use if we went somewhere (e.g Temples) that required my shoulders be covered! It's also SPF50, so I decided to wear it in the pool! It worked great! I think it will be perfect for walks on the beach as well!

    We lazed around the pool this morning! until it was time to change and have a quick lunch before we played bridge at 2:00pm! There are three other people in our group who play. One who plays four times a week and another who is quite experienced and the third hasn't played for years. One of the experienced ones couldn't join us today, so the remaining four of us enjoyed a few hands together.

    The experienced one was so helpful to walk through the hands and remind us of the conventions and bidding. We had such fun that we are going to meet again tomorrow at 2:30pm.

    We had just enough time to enjoy a glass of wine over happy hour and then, at 6:20, we headed out to Fisherman's Village for dinner with four others in our group at a place called CoCo Tams.

    The busy, busy, busy restaurant was located right on the beach and had a real party vibe! The music was loud so the old boy couldn't really participate in the conversation. He ordered the sea bass. It was pretty good. Surprisingly, I ordered a pasta with bacon that I did not enjoy. Doesn't bacon make everything delicious?? Two others ordered the Seafood pasta and one of them sent hers back!

    This was our first really disappointing meal. The company was really good though ... so ... the conversation and laughter made up for the food fails.

    They also had a really good fire show that we watched from our table! Ill post a couple of videos to give you a taste of it! We didn't get home until 9:20pm! It was definitely a late night for us! 🤣

    With grateful hearts,
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    2Breakfast never disappoints!!
    Our comfy seats during our foot massage/reflexology!The practitioners were amazing!!22It was a bit cloudy but I kept my sleeves on today!2The pineapple purchase!The vendor is an artist!The flavor was divine!4We had lunch around the corner at a place that got rave reviews! My Pad Thai!2ThPanang curry with chicken! It was scrumptious!2Our bridge match today!My spring rolls at The Green Bird!We're lined up to see the show!Lovely costumes!2This gal ended up on the old boy's lap! 🤣

    Sawasdee + Ka (women) or + Krub (men)

    4. februar, Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    We're learning a little bit of the Thai language. I have felt bad not greeting people in Thai ... so this morning I am practicing saying "Good Morning" in their language! Thai is like French in that the words are gendered. I'm going to have to add "thank you" to my growing vocabulary soon! 🤪

    We had another lazy start to the day. It's a bit cloudy and breezy! It's still 27°C but doesn't feel as hot as the past couple of days. I typically detest the wind at home, but it's a welcome relief in the heat!

    We joined a couple in our group for breakfast. We had an interesting conversation about the problem of homelessness back in Canada. At first I heard considerable judgment, but as we chatted more about the roots of attachment injury and trauma in addiction and homelessness ... I felt some softening.

    After breakfast, we walked over to pick up our laundry. The old boy has made a friend in the parking lot attendant. He was quick to head onto the street to halt traffic and make sure we crossed safely. We continue to be impressed by how kind and respectful the Thai people are. I think I mentioned that even the vendors on the beach do not pressure nor harass. They simply smile and ask and do not persist past hearing "no".

    On the way to get our laundry, we passed an air-conditioned massage and nail establishment. I think it was called East and South Health ______(?). When I spied the large yellow recliners, I knew I needed to have a foot massage there! The old boy decided to join me ... and ... we enjoyed the most sublime experience.

    At first it was just the two of us and the soothing music in the background. About halfway, another couple came in and the woman beside me decided to watch videos on her phone. Yes. With the volume loud enough to drown out the background music. 🤔

    I debated saying something ... because we learned that the Thai people are not fond of confrontation. I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt by assuming whatever she was watching might be urgent. When it continued for three more videos ... I got brave and gently touched her arm. When she looked my way, I kindly raised my finger to my lips and mouthed "Sshhh."

    Fortunately, she was very receptive and turned off her device. Maybe she didn't realize she was disrupting the Zen for the rest of us? I'm not sure, but I'm glad I honored my needs.

    Our foot massage/reflexology also included a shoulder, head and short back massage at the end. We both thought this session was even better than the massages on the beach ... so we will be sure to go back. It cost us $300BAT each ... which is about $13CAD for each of us. We added a nice tip because it was so relaxing. I'm going to be sure to tell others in our group to give it a try! I hope we can steer some business in their direction!

    The practitioners were both so intentional and mindful as they poured their tranquil energy into their work. It was so comfortable and soothing that we both almost dozed off. We were both so wobbly when they finished that we had to sit on the bench outside to enjoy our complimentary water afterwards. The old boy had never had a foot massage before and we talked about how our parasympathetic nervous system was activated during our treatment.

    After our foot massages, we snagged a couple of lounge chairs on the beach. I had plans of taking a walk along the beach but didn't get any further than the shore line. The old boy decided to have some pineapple that was being sold by a beach side vendor! It was so sweet and delicious. And, amazingly ... it was also so artistically carved!!

    We played some more bridge a 2:30pm today. Our fourth was not feeling well so we recruited another guest who took some lessons years ago. The staff were marvelous about lowering a wind screen so we could play without the strong breeze blowing our dummy's hands off the table! It was still so much fun. I really hope we get to play again one day before we leave here!

    We had to cut our Bridge game short in order to get ready to join all the others at 'The Green Bird' for cocktails. Everyone except two of our group gathered together. It was wonderful to be seated near some of the other people in our group that we had not had as much opportunity to chat with before tonight.

    For example, a couple from Montreal will also be going to Bali! He has not been feeling well, so we have not had much chance to connect with them before now.

    We thoroughly enjoyed the conversation and got home just in time to regroup before a group of us headed out to see the "Paris Follies Cabaret" tonight! This is a show that highlights the 'lady boys' of Thailand.

    It was very bright and busy! They used a lot of strobe lights which wasn't much to my liking! The costumes were amazing and the gal in the scrappy black outfit found her way onto the old boy's lap for a little flirting! It caught him a bit by surprise when she squeezed his bossom! I wish I'd had a picture of 'their moment'.

    I'm glad we experienced it, but let's just say it won't stand out in my mind as one of my favorite moments on this trip! 😉

    With much appreciation for all the memories we are tucking into our hearts,
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    5🥳🥳🥳
    5Look at the watermelon hearts!2The picture doesn't do it justice, but the sun was reflecting so beautifully off the water.2An exceptional server!Our captain!2On the beach shopping!4The front of the catamaran!3A beautiful birthday feast!9My beautiful cake!426The setting sun coloring the clouds!The end of an exquisite day!4On the foot of my bed!4On the table!

    Happy Birthday to Me!! 🥳

    5. februar, Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    I had lots of awakenings last night! Not the insightful kind though. Lots of the tossing and turning and flipping and flopping in the bed! Perhaps I was a bit worried about the weather. It was really windy yesterday and if the wind continued today, I worried that our sunset catamaran dinner cruise would be canceled.

    It looks like we are going to have sun though and the forecast is not calling for too much wind ... so ... I am looking forward to all the gifts this day will bring! I share my birthday with another gal in our group so I hope we can double the fun!

    The old boy had a nice card for me and served me coffee in bed as I was writing this. So, we're off to a good start. And then, when we were at breakfast ... several members of our tour group gathered round us and sang the birthday song to me! It touched my heart.

    We enjoyed a lovely breakfast (as usual) and I noticed the watermelon was cut into heart shapes. 🤩 After breakfast, we lazily chatted some more with several lovely ladies in our group ... over a third cappuccino. And, from our seats, we could see others in our group shopping for dresses and cover ups on the beach! It was fun to watch the fashion show from afar! I might have joined them, but I don't have an inch of room in my carry-on bag for any purchases!

    One of the servers in the restaurant has been exceptionally kind to us! I grabbed a photo with her! We had a nice lunch and then packed our bags to head out for our Sunset Dinner Cruise on a Catamaran!

    It proved to be such a stellar day. Another lady, Debra, and I share our birthday ... so ... it was double the joy and celebration! We ate magnificent food prepared by the boat crew and the Wheel & Anchor rep even ordered two birthday cakes! One of them was green!! I don't know what it was made of ... but ... damn it was soooo delicious! And, to top it all off, the whole gang sang us "Happy Birthday!"

    And then, my heart was filled to overflowing with all the touching messages I received from friends and family on Facebook and What's App! It has truly been an extra special celebration!

    Route 67 is off to a terrific start ... well ... except maybe for one thing! As I stood up to walk from the front of the catamaran to the back, the old boy cautioned "Don't lose your hat!" It was windy ... but I felt slightly annoyed at him for mothering me because, being the extra careful and hyper-vigilant person that I am ... I had already very carefully secured it tightly on my head with the elastic chin strap!! I needed no reminders from the lackadaisical one! 🥴

    And then ... no sooner had I righteously scoffed back "I'm not going to lose my hat" (maybe even with a wee eye roll at such folly) ... the wind snatched my hat from the back of neck and it rolled off my head in a heartbeat! It did two somersaults before it gracefully landed on the water! Oh my ......... I was eating some humble pie as I bid my hat farewell. 🙄

    I had bought that beauty in Lisbon and I didn't want to crush it, so I carefully carried it in my hands all the way here!! It served me well in this hot sun. I'll be on the look out for another one! I might need a rainproof one for Bali! It's still the rainy season there! I'm glad someone got a photo of it while I made a wish and blew out the imaginary candles on my cake. 🎂

    And so, despite the loss of my hat ... my spirit is so nourished! The joys from this exceptional birthday will be etched in my heart forever! I am treauring all the delights I collected on ' Route 66' and am eager to see what awaits me on Route 67! 💖💖💖💖💖💖

    Thank you to each and everyone of you for adding so much light to my life! I am ever grateful to you! ✨️

    With deepest appreciation and very full and humble hearts,
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    It's seems poshier down to the right!!
    The name of our foot massage place.2The old boy was so relaxed tgat he dozed off a couple of times!1Me and my girl ... such s beautiful soul!!I am ever grateful they put the fans on each time!2Look at that lovely glass of chilled white! 😍 The old boy enjoys the 'Leo' beer!Lunch at Mit Samui!2Some gorgeous blossoms greeting us at our resort!Yes!!! It's damn hot! 😰2A whe different view this afternoon!The beach has grown significantly wider over the past nine days!3The place to be in this heat!The victim of the hat heist!2A lovely appy platter!!2The Wheel & Anchor gang at our Pizza Party!

    Today ... We Turned Right! 😉

    6. februar, Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    We've been here for nine days and aside from from going to a new restaurant for lunch on one occasion ... we always turn left!

    So, today, we thought we'd hang a right and see what we might find! To our good fortune, there was a Wine Cellar! We got excited for a moment until we realized that we could get two or three bottles of wine for the same price as one here! So ... we left empty handed!

    I couldn't get my mind off having a other foot massage, so ... headed back to East by South Health Massage! Even the old boy was eager to to get pampered again. I panicked a bit when 'my girl' was no where in sight! English is fairly limited, but somehow I was able to convey that I wanted the same massage therapist. And, within minutes, she came walking through the front door! I was so delighted to see her! 😍

    The old boy was happy to try someone new! And, he's really glad he did. He said this second foot massage was even better the first time! I know this to be true because he dozed off a couple of times! I could tell because he snarfled a couple of times! 😉

    I was very happy with mine as well. She incorporated even more Thai stretching into this one after she had me sit up in order to massage my back, neck and head!

    We headed back to the room for a pit stop and before we knew it ... it was 1:30pm. Sheesh! Time flies when you are busy being relaxed! We figured it would be wise to eat something because dinner was going to be later than usual this evening.

    We are scheduled to meet the Wheel & Anchor crew at Prego for pizza! One of the things that has really impressed me about this tour company is that it gives you ample opportunity to socialize as a group ... or ... not. 🙌👍👏

    We determined that Mit Samui would be a good choice for lunch because it is right next door to the place we can purchase reasonably priced wine! The old boy couldn't resist the red curry with chicken and I ordered the crispy spring rolls again!

    I didn't see wine on the menu but when I went to the bathroom, I saw wine in their cooler!!! 👏👏👏👏 Turns out that I didn't need to drink water after all! And, it was a nice healthy pour for $180BAT! I could not have been more delighted!

    The walk to and from the restaurant was so oppressively hot that we quickly changed into our swim wear and headed to the beach. The breeze off the water always makes it feel a few degrees cooler!

    I couldn't believe how different the water looked!! It was shallower and calmer than it has EVER been before. We actually walked all the way out to the sand bar and the water never got higher tha 3 or 4 feet! The water was as clear as drinking water! And, by gosh ... it felt heavenly to get wet! I'm still wearing sleeves as my rash is slowly improving, but not gone yet.

    We were lazing on the chaise loungers in the shade when the old boy got a hankering for some more of the sweet pineapple he had previously purchased on the beach. He got another bowl full and was once again declaring that this was the "best 🍍" he has ever tasted! 🤣 I have to agree that pineapple never tastes this good at home.

    Although the temperature was stifling hot, I found myself getting chilled in the shade with my long (and now wet) sleeves on. So, I went for a walk on the beach to dry off a bit! It felt good to get some steps in the sunshine!

    The old boy was snoozing when I got back. It was good to see him so relaxed! A couple of very nice ladies from our group were on the chairs nearby and one of them was snoozing too. She had lost a hat earlier during this trip ... so ... the old boy pilfered the one on her lap! 🤣 He'll give it back when we meet for dinner!

    The old boy played some Bridge online while we sipped some wine and I was writing this! Both of us are enjoying the a/c. It's only set at 22°C but it feels so refreshing because it's 12°C cooler that it is outside!

    Our day ended with a nice gathering of all the people in our Wheel & Anchor group! The pizza was good but the white wine was probably the best I've had since we arrived in Thailand. And, more importantly, the conversations were wonderful ... and ... we had a private air-conditioned room!

    All in all, it was another lovely day! We are very much ready for bed now. Its 9:08pm! Hope you all enjoyed a good day too! See you tomorrow!

    Much love,
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    2He looks good in pink ... no?
    2I ordered the Satay chicken at Mit Samui today!! Exceptional!1A pic of our group all in the water while 4 of us played bridge!2These two ordered the oysters!!The rock lobster!2Tge salmon with panang curryThe start of the sunset!11713The end of the sunset!

    The Maithy Experience! ❤️

    7. februar, Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    We slept until 7:30am. I'm not sure why we continue to feel so lazy? Maybe we are just really relaxed? As I was thinking about our day ahead, I remembered that I forgot to talk about how the stolen hat story played out!

    Apparently, when Anne woke up and noticed her hat was gone, she spoke to the hotel staff about its disappearance. They said they would keep an eye out for it ... but she thought if they were serious they would have asked her what color it was. She was completely bamboozled about how she could have lost another hat.

    She said she found it a bit odd that her roomate didn't seem overly compassionate nor conerned that she was in such a state of befuddlement. Her roommate was in on the heist, so she just went to the room and kept avoiding any more queries or conversation. She wasn't sure how she was going to keep the secret.

    Apparently, our sweet victim even chatted with our neighbors about the mysterious disappearance of her second hat since arrived in Koh Samui. The old boy was tickled to tell them what he did. They howled with laughter when we told them that the old boy was in possession of the 'goods'.

    And, I wish I had taken a photo of her expression when she spotted her hat on the old boy's head when we all met in the lobby to go to dinner! It was just an absolute hoot to watch it all play out. Good thing she is such a good sport! 😊😉🤣

    When we saw her at breakfast ... she said she was sitting on her hat! 😉😂 And, she warned the old boy that he better watch himself!! I'm guessing some fun-spirited retaliation will be in the works! I'll keep you posted!

    The old boy got towels and snagged a couple of cots on the beach. He's down there now. But I decided to come up to the air-conditioned comfort of our room. I'm just not in the mood to get overheated ... nor ... wear my long sleeves again. And, having some solitude was very appealing to me.

    We snuck over to Mit Samui again for lunch! I went out on a limb and ordered something other than the Spring Rolls! The old boy thoroughly enjoyed my Satay chicken too!

    We played bridge again at 2:00pm today. We had lots of fun ... and ... continued to learn more little tips and hints for playing. We're hoping to play again tomorrow! If we do, Linda is going to show us how to start a table online with people we know! I'm excited about that!

    And, we have reservations at Maithy's Restaurant tonight! This place came highly recommended because it is high up on the hillside and affords spectacular views of the sunset. We will be going with five others in our group.

    The view was spectacular! The food was not worth the price ... but ... we collected another lovely experience! The old boy really enjoyed the fresh oysters! His rock lobster was good, but I had to send my salmon back for more cooking. It was pretty raw when they served it.

    We enjoyed some great conversation and were back to hotel by 8:00pm!

    All in all ... it was another leisurely day filled with lots of smiles and oodles of delights! Its hard to fathom that we only have three more sleeps and then we are off to Bali ... via one night in Singapore!

    Nighty night ... 😴😴
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    It was a bit overcast this morning!
    6Not deodorant. Nope. 🙄4The old boy always has a big bowl of Thai food for his first course at breakfast.His second course always looks like this! 😉Having our rose petal scrub!A rose petal salt scrub to begin!A very large and lavish spa!The centerpiece while having our tea.Some nice ginger tea!Beautiful bowls of flowers adorned the entrance to the spa.Damn rash!The sun was setting behind the clouds!It was a gorgeous venue!2A white wine spritzer to start!6My gift!2The entertainment!Too much fun! 😂

    Four More Days ...

    8. februar, Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 27 °C

    We both felt so tired when we woke up. I know, for me, it was because I was awakened in the night with considerable bloating, belching and burping. I'm guessing something that we ate last night at Maithy's didn't agree with me. Fortunately, the only consequences were air. I am quite fine now! 👏👏

    I was so tired, however, that I used my skin sensitive roll on suncreen on my armpits this morning!! 😆 Oh my ... I guess I can lay on a chaise lounge with no fear of burning that delicate tissue! But ... in all honesty ... I have no desire to lay by the water today.

    Dare I say ... I am getting tired of the heat. Eeeeek. I apologize if that sounds ungrateful ... but ... my rash has developed on my legs now. Grrrr.

    As I write this I can see that you are enjoying a balmy -21 C with wind chills making it feel like -32C. We are at +29 at 10:00AM but it feels like +34C. Thank goodness for a wee bit of cloud cover.

    One thing that this trip has taught us is that we are not interested in hot, beachy vacations anymore. Neither of us can tolerate the heat the way we used to ... and of course with wearing sleeves ... the skin on my arms is getting better, but my legs are now all rashy. Sigh.

    So, we are planning to stay out of the sun as much as possible today. After another great breakfast, the old boy recommended going back for another foot massage because we needed to go that way to take our laundry! I suggested we try something new ... so ... we went to a different spa.

    The old boy was reluctant because it was $100BAT more per person and they wanted payment up front. I could feel him bristling, but he was a good sport. It turned out that we got a salt scrub to begin with and ended with a nice ginger tea ... so, he was happy with our choice. All in all, it was very relaxing and, yes, the old boy dozed off again! 😴😴

    We are playing bridge again at 2:00pm, but this time we are bringing our laptops and iPads down. Linda (or Wheel & Anchor rep) is going to show us how to play with each other online! And, for that matter, it will be great because we can ay online with folks from our Bridge Club once we get home. The old boy and I can be partners online, so that will give us more practice playing together!

    Neither of us were very hungry for lunch, so we just nibbled on some cashews after Bridge.

    And then, we got freshened up for our farewell dinner tonight. We are doing it a day early because a couple of gals in our group are leaving a day early. We went to the Samui Cultural Center. It was a spectacular venue ... with tables set up outside and a musician who entertained us! Well ... we had many very talented people in our group who sang and performed! It was absolutely delightful!

    We also deposited our Secret Santa gifts in the designated spot so they could be delivered anonymously! From what I could tell, many people were very delighted with their gifts. Many of them figured out who their Secret Santa was! I have no idea who bought me my purse and wallet, but I love them. And, they will come in handy when we are in Bali!

    I am thinking that tonight will be one of my favorite memories of our time here together in Koh Samui! We made some wonderful new friends! And, hopefully our paths will cross one day in the future!

    It's really going to be hard to bid farewell to these folks over the next few days! My heart is already starting to feel sad that we won't be sharing time with all of them after tomorrow. I'm grateful, however, for all the warmth I will carry with me as a result of this shared experience. 🙌 But, for now, bed!! 😴😴😴😴

    With heartfelt gratitude,
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    Hmmmmmmm. 🤔
    At the entrance to the Elephant Sanctuary!It's so admirable that they give these elephants such a good life!The contents of the power balls! That little ball is tamarind!The baskets!They separate the males from the females.6Little Miss Smarty Pants! 🤣2The " Besties" and their trainer!The old boy getting a hug!The back of our repository shirt! Evidence that she'd been hugged!!The whole gang!2Just look at those eyelashes!Snacks by the pool!6Leftovers collected, shared and devoured!2Cocktails by the pool ... our final night together!5And the party continues!8The fish at Mit Samui!

    Our 7:00AM Alarm ... 😉

    9. februar, Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    We normally would have set an alarm this morning for our excursion the the Elephant Sanctuary ... but ... our resort is directly under the flight path of planes taking off and landing. So every morning, unless I'm wearing my ear plugs, we are awakened by a daily 7:00AM(ish) flight leaving Koh Samui.

    So, as soon as I heard it fly overhead ... I knew it was time to get up. I looked over towards the seating area and noticed that it is beginning to look like an extension of the old boy's closet. Good thing we only have one more night before he'll have to clean it all up and pack it away.

    We enjoyed our breakfast and then nine of us went to the only ethical Elephant Sanctuary on the island. We created 'power balls' to feed the elephants by hand. It was quite magical to feed these mammoth beasts who gently laid their trunks on the railing to receive their treats. We were told it was important to give these soft balls the matriarch of the group who is 61 and only has one tooth left. Apparently she would not survive in the wild because she can no longer chew food.

    After that, we were given baskets filled with grass, sugar cane and bananas. It was really something to see the way they tossed the grass to the ground in hopes of something sweeter. And, one of the elephants was a master at collecting two or three things under her trunk before putting wasting time putting these delectable morsels into her mouth one at a time! Smarty pants! 👍

    And, after feeding them, we were invited to get up close and personal. We were introduced to each of them by name and age ( theirs not ours! 😉). Two of them were "Besties". The two youngest (9 and 14 if memory serves correctly 🤔) would even pull you in for a hug! People were so touched by the whole excursion.

    The old boy declared that THIS experience was in the top two of all our travels. These animals are so majestic and yet so kind. Apparently, each trainer takes care of two of the elephants. And, the trainer's living quarters is right next to the elephants. They develop a deep and abiding relationship with each other. It was truly something special to behold.

    After that, we put on our swimwear and spent some time in the pool. It was hot as hell ... but ... quite tolerable with a damp bathing suit, a shared chair and a frosty drink!

    We enjoyed a poolside snack and will be going to Mit Samui for dinner. The old boy has been dreaming of picking a whole fish off the bed of ice and having them grill it for him. And so, tonight is his lucky night!

    But first, we are all bringing any leftover food/drinks to the poolside for a farewell leftovers cocktail party. Two of our group departed this afternoon and the rest of us leave tomorrow at varying times.

    It's hard to believe we have been here for two weeks already! The live away experience is really, really relaxing! I highly recommend it!

    See you again soon ... probably from Singapore!
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    4114222

    Departure Day

    10. februar, Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C

    Our morning wake up call just flew overhead a few minutes ago! On one hand, it's absolutely astonishing how many planes fly into and off this wee little island each day. It's only something like 56 kilometers in circumference.

    On the other hand, it's such an amazing location becsuse you walk out your back door and enjoy the beach resort experience. And, you walk out the front door for all the city, shopping, restaurants and nightlife experiences!

    Apparently, the island can be circumnavigated in just a couple of hours by motorbike/car and is home to about 50,000 full-time inhabitants ... 90% of which practice Buddhism.

    We are heading to Bali for the next two weeks. I understand that of it 4.4 million inhabitants, 88% of them are Hindu. They have been immersed in this faith since the Stone Age ... 5000 years ago!! Google reports that of the roughly 17,000 islands of the country of Indonesia, Bali is the 11th largest. They say it's about the size of Prince Edward Island!

    So, I expect we are in for a whole new experience! The weather seems slightly daunting to me. The forecasts for rain and humidity are not the least bit welcoming for me, Our task will be to make the best of whatever it is, right?

    But first ... a shower! Not a rain shower ... the kind where I wash my hair. And then, breakfast! 😋 And then, more final farewells! 😔 And then ... packing. 😬 I'm expecting to be on rollercoaster of emotion today! 🥴

    Saying good-byes over breakfast was bittersweet. We are so grateful for the lovely connections we developed with other Canadians. And, I hope we will get a chance to see some of them again ... maybe on another 'live away' somewhere else? Who knows?

    John made a particularly strong connection with our rep's partner. They had so many of the same interests. Our rep shared that she had rarely seen him so engages with someone. Here's hoping we'll get a chance to reconnect with them ... somewhere ... someday! There are a few other special souls that we hope to see again. 🤞🤞

    We were packed up and checked out by noon. The lovely staff at the restaurant allowed us to put some cheese in their refrigerator because we have 5 hours before we depart for the airport!And, we have about $1000BATleft in our wallets ... so, we had to decide how we wanted to spend it? 🤔

    So many choices! We could have lunch ... or .... wine? Probably not both here at our resort, but we could do both if we went for lunch at local place. Or, maybe we should have one last foot massage? Decisions, decisions, decisions ... 😉

    The old boy recommended we go for one final foot massage! This suggestion was from the guy who said he didn't like massages. It would appear that Thailand has changed his mind! In the two weeks since our arrival, he has had one regular full body massage on the beach and FOUR foot massages! And, he has determined that our massage today was "the best ever"! He kept repeating that sentiment so I think he means it.

    I would concur that it was phenomenal. They used little brown sticks. I have never had a massage with sticks before, but I am assuming they are to stimulate the reflex points in the feet. At any rate, it was absolutely wonderful ... and ... we used up $600BAT!

    After that, we went back to Baan ___(?) Jai for lunch. We thoroughly enjoyed our choices while wondering if this would be our last couple of plates of Thai food. Our Google search revealed that Indonesia uses curry too ... so ... we are both eager and curious to see how the Balinese food compares.

    We couldn't help but wonder why this restaurant leaves the Christmas tree up all year round? I'm guessing it's meant to honor their patrons of Christian faith... but ... I am wondering if they know that Christmas is not a year round celebration?? Who knows?

    After lunch, we went back to our resort's restaurant and enjoyed an Iced Cappuccino while I handily beat the old boy at a game of Clever. It seems worth noting that despite our very relaxed time here ... this is only our second game since arriving in Thailand!

    We still had 90 minutes to kill before our shuttle to the airport, so we had another game. And, the shuttle arrived early so we were off to a good start. Unfortunately, when we arrived at the airport, we learned that our flight was delayed by an hour. 😕

    The Samui airport, however, is quite unique! I've included several photos. Most of it is outdoors!

    It turned out that we were delayed by over 90 minutes! When you add the time change of an addional hour, we landed at 11:30pm. I wish I could say that was the end of the travel mountains! What on earth could go wrong after our arrival the tarmac at Singapore airport???

    Its 3:30am and I'm too tired to share now. Stay tuned ... 😉🙄😬
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    They humidifier tge aircraft on our flight!! Who knew??4

    No More Travel Mountains Please !

    11. februar, Singapore ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Good Morning from Singapore! ☀️
    The night was shorter than originally expected, but here's hoping today will be clearer sailing! Let me catch you up from where we left off with last night's flight! 😉

    First, I should share that one of the first issues we encountered was that the driver in Samui arrived earĺy and we were off to the airport without having a chance to say goodbye to our rep and her partner (the old boy's new buddy). 😔 It was so disconcerting to leave without a proper farewell. Apparently, they arrived to see us off ... just seconds after we departed.

    And then, we never even made it through security in that exceptionslly cute airport without setting off some alarms! Maybe because it felt nothing like a tense and fretful screening ... I completely forgot to take my fluids bag out of my backpack! Good grief ... who does that?? So, my bag was searched ... the contraband extracted and all of it needed to be rescanned. Sigh.

    We found our way to a lovely little spot for a croissant and a beverage at 5:30ish. It was a bit early to eat but I wasn't sure if we'd get food service on the flight, so I figured I best eat something to tide me over until we landed in Singapore. What I didn't see coming was that you are not allowed to consume any food or drink not purchased on the aircraft. And, as nice as it would have been to sip a glass of wine ... no alcohol was being served on that particular flight.

    Our delay ended up being 90 minutes (instead of an hour!) and once we were aboard, the pilot warned that it was expected to be a bumpy ride ... but assured us they would do their best to minimize discomfort! Upon hearing that, I was grateful I had some Bonine in my purse! It works better than dramamine because its non-drowsy. However, you can only get it in the USA. Thank you again Caryl for getting me some! 🥰

    Oh ... I forgot to mention that while they were carting us to the plane awaiting us on the tarmac, the full stainless steel water bottle torpedoed out of the old boy's backpack and landed squarely on my left shin. It hurt like crazy but thankfully didn't break the skin. I expected to have one hell of a bruise today, but no. Maybe bone doesn't bruise?? 🤔

    At any rate, I was trying not to be too cranky in my efforts to get comfy with a throbbing shin on a plane headed for turbulence that served no food or wine. Let's just say ... I was not my best self.

    That said, the old boy and I were very grateful when we landed safe and sound. Neither of us can remember being on such a rough flight ... the whole way ... including the landing. We were flopping and tippling from side to side so much as we neared the ground that I instinctively grabbed for the old boy's hand. He admitted that he, too, was scared too. But, we landed without any real issue!

    The Singapore airport is covered with marble tile and is impressive with its big, bright and highly technological processes. I am assuming they're intended to expedite immigration ... but ... our first stop ended up being a huge hurdle for us.

    We tried scanning our passports as others were doing, but we were denied. We were missing something. With all the technology so mechanized, there were very few humans around to ask for help. 😦

    We finally realized we had to scan a QR code and fill out a very detailed document ... one for each of us. And ... regardless of what I tried, it kept telling me something was missing. After about 30 minutes ... most of the other passengers had exited, but us. Eeeeeek.

    I finally tracked down someone who figured out that I couldn't enter 2033 by hand as the expiration year of the passport. It had to be done with the online calender. Arghhhhh. I could enter the day and month manually but it required us to scroll for the year! Who knew??

    You'd think it'd be easy for me to submit the form for myself after successfully completing one for the old boy. Nope. When I auto entered my phone number, the phone switched my address to Taber, but I didn't realize it. Then there were a couple of other odd little glitches which required more help from the absentee humans. Grrrrrr. I was so frustrated and tired and hungry and thirsty that I was almost in tears.

    Fortunately, a young staff member figured out the error ... but ... it even took him some time to do so!! All in all, it was nearly 90 minutes before we got the green lights to exit. Can you imagine???

    And then, all we needed to do was walk to Terminal 3. I had wisely booked the Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Hotel at $400/ night because I thought we'd arrive early enough to enjoy it. And, we could have a nice sleep and it would require no shuttling before our connection in the morning left at 10:40am.

    By the time we found the skytrain and were finally checking into our hotel room at about 12:30am ... which was 1:30am ... with the additional one hour time change. Unfortunately, the only food and beverage service at that hour was room service (which would take another 30 to 45 minutes) so we decided against it!

    I remembered I had the cheese in my backpack that I'd kept chilled in fridge at the resort. Sadly, however. It was absolutely melted on one side due to the lengthy exposure to the heat with all the delays. Shit. No cheese and no wine at what should have been the end of our day. Turns out that it wasn't over for me yet ... 😬

    Just before we toppled into bed, I decided to look and see which Terminal our departure was going to be at in the morning. However, our flight no longer existed! Whattttt? There was no Scoot TR284 departing at 10:40am listed. There was only one that was leaving at 12:55pm.

    Well ... shit!! I was bamboozled. I tried to fall asleep but determined that I didn't want to wake up extra early and get to the airport for a non-existent flight. No. No. No. No. No.

    I assumed that the flight schedule had changed but wondered why I hadn't received any notice??? That is when I turned on the light to see if/how I could make sense of it all. With the sound of the old boy snoring nicley beside me, I examined my email with a fine tooth comb. I finally found an automated email that was sent just the night before when we checked in for our flights. In the fine details, I could see a new time for our connecting departure! Typically the airlines email you with changes. Perhaps it didn't happen because I booked our flights through Booking.com? Gah!!

    By the time I had the cleared up the confusion, it was nearly 3:30am!! At that point you'd think I would have collapsed into a deep slumber, but apparently all my sleuthing had generated second wind!! I could absolutely not fall asleep. I'm guessing it was all the adrenalin and cortisol that contributed to my insomnia!

    I have no idea when I finally dozed off, but it sure felt like morning came much to early! It occurred to me that I should post our blog from last night. And, that was when I realized that everything I had written on Find Penguins on the old boy's Sim card phone (while we waited out our flight delay) would not transfer to my phone nor post from his phone! I had to redo it all!! 🤯🤯

    After encountering all of those issues, I was feeling pretty cranky. In an effort to turn things around ... we talked about everything that had gone well over coffee. And, it really was a great breakfast at the hotel! And, there really were lots of great views despite the travel mountains we had recently ascended!

    We then moseyed back to Terminal 1 for departure about 10:00am. I realized, however, that I also had to contact Wheel & Anchor to adjust our arrival time and subsequent pick up by the driver. Thankfully, our rep Mara said she'd let the driver know. 🙌

    I was really hoping there will be no more travel mountains for us ... BUT ... I worried there might be a similar immigration QR code process in Bali. Eeeeeeeeeek. Mara had given us a detailed 'how to' to optimize our arrival experience in Bali cautioning that it was not really "intuitive".

    As we arrived at gate C17 with boarding passes in hand we noticed that there was baggage screening right at each and every boarding lounge/gate. Yes. There is individual screening right before boarding the plane. And so, not one person is even allowed to take a drop of water on with them when boarding. Going through a mass face recognition and fingerprint detection beforehand with these gate prcedures was very new to us! It's a very unique airport indeed!

    Oh, I should share one thing that made me chuckle!! While I was getting my fluids bag out to place in the bin and the control agent corrected me ... "can stay in your bag". Woofta!! You just never know? 🥴

    Fortunately, I ordered a meal for this flight. We're in the very back of the plane again ... row 33!! Unfortunately, it was such a bumpy ride again that it was hard to eat.

    All in all, though, there were no more major travel mountains. Not even when we landed. We were a little late arriving ... and ... got caught in rush hour traffic, but arrived at the resort at 6:00pm. At first glance, it looks amazing!

    We were starving so we were headed to the " Tree House" for happy hour. We joined the couple who is also coming from Koh Samui. The bottles of wine were 50% off ... and ... the food and service was stellar. We enjoyed the full moon lighting up our beach side table!

    So, all I can say is that things went really well today ... most thankfully! And, we look forward to seeing what tomorrow brings!

    We are ending this day with grateful hearts and better attitudes,
    ❤️ k& j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    Just a little wet this morning!
    Our first breakfast here!2Our orientation with Lucy!The snacks at orientation! 🤩2Each bottle needs to be opened with a can opener! Even in our rooms.Traffic is slowed by the flooding on the roads.3A morning offering and prayer ceremony.The locals grocery store.The directions for the bidets ... they are on toilets ... public and private!2Our patio door didn't slide properly. Likely due to the rain.223A traditional Balinese Dish and Nasi Goreng for lunch!2The band was PHENOMENAL!So much fun!!8The Snow Moon ... from our beautiful evening in Maya Sanur, Bali!

    "Rahajeng Semeng" From Bali!!

    12. februar, Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    Good Morning from our new home for the next two weeks! It's a bit soggy here this morning. We had such good fortune last night when we arrived because our driver said it had been raining all day long ... until we landed. And, we were so very fortunate that we got to sit outside with our friends from our Koh Samui trip.

    Apparently, the break in the rain was a real gift because it has been pouring here for the last number of days/weeks. We heard there was a cyclone south of here that is reeking havoc with the weather. Eeeeek. Even though it is the rainy season, the locals are saying it isn't typically this bad!! I'm hoping we are on the tail end of that kind of precipitation.

    Regardless of the inclement weather ... it is still warm. It's just super humid!! My eyeglasses fog up every time I leave our room or exit any other air-conditioned space! I may need to just take them off because it is not fun wearing glasses in the rain either.

    Upon exiting our room, we discovered a lovely gift of Macroons tucked under a pretty mesh dome. We thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast this morning! It looked and smelled different than the Thai foods. We weren't even sure what was in some of it.

    We learned in our orientation with Lucy (our W&A guide) that we should absolutely NOT eat the street food. Not only is it fiery hot from all the herbs and spices that they use, but it is not certain to be sanitary. The restaurants use bottled water, but one cannot guarantee that the street vendors will as well.

    Lucy spoke about something called "Bali Belly". She said that Thai food is spicy due to chilis (generally) but the generous use of many different spices and herbs in Indonesian cooking can be very hard on the digestive system. She suggested that we try the Nasi Goreng or the Soto (a local chicken soup) or the Crispy Duck or maybe the Suckling Pig. She suggested we might like to try something called Salak ... it is a fruit in which the skin looks like a snake. I might pass on that one. I'm guessing the old boy will be all over it though. Given that much of Bali is Hindu ... pork is on the menus. Apparently, most of Indonesia is Muslim ... so you won't find it in the rest of the country being offered like it is here.

    It was so fascinating to learn about the customs and traditions here in Bali! She shared that the Balinese are always pleasant, gracious and smiling. They are encouraged to do so in order to increase the positive energy in the world and protect from the negative forces. Actually, we learned from Lucy that the definition of 'Bali' is " a return" which reflects the Hindu belief in karma. That is ... whatever you put out will return to you. So, every act of smiling is viewed to be an invitation for good karma. In general, the culture is not focused upon accumulating money but believe happiness is the most important thing to pursue in one's life. She indicated that the people are very relaxed here ... everyday is Sunday.

    Lucy shared that sometimes the Balinese are "too friendly" and if they think you are attractive, they might want to take a picture with you. Then, they will post it on social media! And, contrary to customs in Thailand, eye contact is considered very welcome here as long as you have exchanged a warm smile FIRST.

    We also learned that it is customary to reach out and point with your right hand (ONLY) and use your right hand for engagement with things and others (ONLY). People who are left-handed are trained to use their right hands instead. Sheesh. My heart goes out to all you lefties!!

    It is okay to hug others as long as you have an appropriate connection with someone. It is not appropriate to ever touch someone else on their head. This is the part of the body closest to the gods and not for touching by other humans. One more tidbit that Lucy offered was that we should never walk alone!! Apparently, it is just not safe.

    It was so great meeting the rest of our group this morning. It is much smaller than our group of 18 in Koh Samui. Their are nine of us here ... a couple from Nova Scotia (Frank and Dale), a couple from Quebec and our friends from Koh Samui (Danielle and Raymond) and Wendy and Debra (Kelowna) and Kathy (Abbotsford). And, of course, our most lovely Wheel & Anchor rep (Mara). She is an Aussie and has such a wonderful energy about her. She indicated that she will be give the first round of "shouts" (drinks) when we meet for cocktails. Any further shouting will be on us!!

    We headed back to the restaurant for lunch. We would have gone down the street but it started pouring again. The old boy loved his Balinese pork skewers and I quite enjoyed my Nasi Goreng with chicken. It tastes a bit different than the Nasi that Oma used to make. We always thought Nasi was a Dutch dish, but perhaps it originated here?

    The rain let up so we headed down the street to snoop around a bit. The shops are filled with lovely artisan crafts and home decor items. It reminds me of Chang Mai in Thailand. It has a very upscale feel to it here. Well, at least down the road from our resort in Sanur. Perhaps it would be different in another part of Bali.

    We sloshed about in the flooded streets. We had to wade through water that came up to our ankles to get into one shop. A lady that we passed quipped "It's not that bad ... just pretend it's Venice!" Good reframe!! It actually feels like Venice right now! 😉

    We found ourselves in "The Pantry" and discovered they had many exquisite items people may use in cooking their dishes. And .... you are not going to believe it ... but ... they had a GIGANTIC assortment of Fisherman's Friends. They had even more flavors: blackberry, mandarin& ginger and just a few bags of spearmint left. I fell in love with the spearmint in Denmark, but haven't seen them since. So, I have a whole new bunch of tastes to enjoy.

    They also had a wine cellar. We took a couple of bottles to try. It looks like they get a fair bit of wine from the neighbors in Australia! I do enjoy a nice Australian white or red. And, we picked up a block of cheese to pair with our wine ... and ... some sour cream and onion Lays. Yes. Lays potato chips can be found in Bali!

    We were supposed to meet on the rooftop for cocktails at 5:30pm, but with the weather ... we met in the lobby instead. We ended up going to the Tree Bar. They have live music every night and tonight was country music! The band was absolutely phenomenal. We were up dancing and every one was bopping along at the table to the great tunes they were gifting to one and all!

    We had a chance to get to spend more time getting to know each of the nine people in our group! I think we are going to have a fabulous time! We have a great group of people!!! I need to sign off now, though, because we have an early morning excursion tomorrow! We are off to our Balinese cooking class with Mara, Debra and Kathy. We are meeting at 6:50AM!

    I think I am going to love Bali ... just an instinct ... even if it keeps raining!

    Sending hugs across the pond,
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    2Hello!
    2The skyline changed so quickly6There is a long always to the beach shouldered by gorgeous foliage! 350 steps from our room!He won the 2024 Trip Advisor award!2The biggest morter and pestal we've ever seen!The fish Markey was buzzing with activity!Making us fresh squeezed tangerine juice!Our breakfast ... rice with mung beans and coconut, banana stuffed dumplings, pumpkin and tarrow!Our menu for the day!2A tray with some of our ingredients!2The finished products!6Our plates!4Our dessert!The Tsunami warning towers! 😬4Our long walk (350 steps) from restaurant to our room! Pretty in the dark!

    Up for the Sunrise this Morning! 🌅

    13. februar, Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    We were up at 5:45AM this morning in order to meet our group ... four of us are taking the Balinese Fish Market and Cooking Class! It was still pitch black outside. I hoped if we hurried we could get down to the beach by 6:22AM!

    It was NOT raining which made it even more inviting to go. And, I was so grateful we went! Aside from a group of women blasting thumping music from their boom box ... it was such a delightfully beautiful way to start the day! The tide was way out and the cloud cover made for interesting shifts in the patterns and colors of the sunlight's reflections on the water.

    After a 30 minute commute, our first stop was the fish market to pick up fresh Mahi Mahi and prawns! And, even though there were tons of pounds of every kind of 'gift from the sea' you could think of ... there was not ONE whiff of fishy smell. Seriously ... there was not one inkling that we were surrounded by fish and seafood! Everything was so clean and fresh!!

    Our second stop was the fresh food market for snake beans, kafir limes, papaya, dragon fruit, mild chili peppers and cloves. We learned that lemons and onions aren't used in traditional Balinese cuisine ... but ... they do use scallions! We also learned that there are no apples or berries in Bali and mangos are now out of season. Tangerines are dark green. They look like they are not ripe, but they are orange inside.

    When we got to the cooking class, we were so impressed with the way things were set up. I was starving ... and ... dying for a coffee because we'd been up and at it for three hours already. Fortunately, I nibbled on some cashews on the ride ... which helped tide me over until breakfast was ready!

    They served us a traditional Balinese breakfast (I describe it in the photo) and freshly squeezed tangerine juice. Our menu was posted and we began the process of making the foundational elements of Balinese cooking. We discovered that 'shrimp paste' is the Indonesian 'MSG'. Apparently it is a staple used in almost everything. Just to clarify, they do not use MSG in anything.

    We also made the Indonesian sambal. And, it can be created with various amounts of heat. We made two different soup broths ... one chicken and one fish. Our chef was such a delight and made the whole experience incredibly fun. Of course ... the old boy was in there like a dirty shirt! We thoroughly enjoyed the results of our efforts in the kitchen!

    They are sending us home with all the recipes ... so ... hopefully we can find some of the ingredients at the Asian market and recreate a recipe or two once we are home.

    The sun was still shining when we got back from cooking class. We thought we would sit outside and have a glass of wine, but it proved to be too hot. So, the old boy went for a snooze and I started writing up the blog. We have a pool just outside our room, but the water is really cold right now. It will take a little while for the sun to warm it.

    After the old boy woke up ... I laid down why he played a few rounds of bridge. And then, we decided to take a walk south along the board walk along the beach. We walked for a way and noticed the tsunami towers in the water. It must be so reassuring for folks to know that these towers will alert them in plenty of time ... should something like that happen again here in Asia.

    As we were heading out for our walk, we got an invitation to join another couple in our group for 'high tea' at the restaurant. We joined them after our walk and although we were still full from our cooking class, we just had to try all the appys that were offered. None of them seemed as tasty as what we created in our class. The standout of the 'high tea' was a traditional cleansing drink made with turmeric. We all enjoyed it very much.

    We were having such a nice visit with our fellow guests that 'high tea' turned into 'happy hour'! So, being folks who roll with the punches ... we ordered the 40% off bottle of wine and continued chatting. We opted NOT to reserve a table for the Valentines Supper. It cost 1,300,000 rupiahs ... which is the equivalent to about $113CAD per plate PLUS 25% service charge. They did offer a 30% discount ... and the old boy was game ... but I did not like the menu. So, we'll have to find another option for happy hearts day.

    It was almost 7:00pm by the time we got back to the room. I needed to take a shower and freshen up. Without the rain ... it feels hot here! And, I think we were both smelling pretty ripe. We opted to simply cut up some cheese and add some sour cream and onion chips to the platter... and ... call it supper.

    Tomorrow we are excited to have a free day. There are so many things to explore and do. And, I don't expect we'll catch the sunrise tomorrow! Two days down and twelve to go.

    Nighty night ...
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    So nice to be able to wake up slowly this morning!
    My eggy sandwiches at home are so pale in comparison to these stellar breakfasts!2A walk north along the beach!AThis must have been a magnificent alter when it was created!Something special was unfolding.2The cremation ceremony!One of the villages traditional garments2It's stiflingly hot and muggy and only 11:45am!!!!😰Eeeegads .. it was so hot we stopped for a cool one! H2O for me and a Bintang for the old boy!A woman selling her wares on the beach! I bought her blue fan3Just a little dip in the Indian Ocean! 😊The cremation was still in process on our way back from our walk2A nice dip in our pool to cool off!!The massage menu! 😉

    A Very Lazy Valentine's Day for Us!

    14. februar, Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C

    We were tucked in bed last night by 8:30PM and did not really stir until about 8:00AM this morning! Today is one of the few days during our stay in Bali where we don't have anything on the schedule. I only booked three excursions in Thailand (because we had been there before), but I ended up booking seven here in Bali ... including two nights away to the North of Bali just before the end of our stay.

    At any rate, it was absolutely sublime to simply stack up the pillows behind me in bed while I sipped my coffee and chatted with those of you who had left comments here. The old boy played a few rounds of bridge online while he enjoyed his Indonesian java. They have a Nespresso/Kurig equivalent here, but we don't know what kind of coffee the pods are. All we have determined thus far is that we enjoy the taste of the orange ones more than the blue. One day I'll have to ask which is what??

    We made it down to breakfast with just an hour to spare before they shut it down for the day. We are still discovering things in the buffet that we never noticed before. We are going to have to try the waffle ... crepe ... pancake ... french toast options tomorrow. And, I am going to be sure to try the coconut rice patties! Doesn't that sound interesting?

    Oh ... and ... I am going to have the Ham Benedict again tomorrow. The Chef is a magician when it comes to poaching the eggs! Dang ... I don't think I have ever had such a good benny. And, they are so wise here in Bali ... they put two eggs on one bun. No one needs two buns, right? In fact, I am not sure if I have mentioned it before, but I have had little to no bread since we arrived in Bangkok on Jan 26th. And, truth be told, I am not missing it one little bit.

    After breakfast, we decide to go for another walk along the beach in the northern direction. We were so grateful it was overcast because it was already getting quite hot. We couldn't help but notice that Sanur (the community we are located in) is a beautiful blend of upscale and artistic offerings along with rustic and untouched beauty.

    We walked out onto a beautiful little half circle walkway to a pagoda. While we were out there, I made a video of our scenery. I had no sooner shut off my camera when I heard/saw a parade on the shore. We hurried back so as to not miss whatever we being celebrated.

    We arrived to see a big palanquin (also known as a sedan chair) with the picture of a man on it, being carried on the shoulders of several people moving towards a huge fire. Many people were following in line with offerings. They were dressed in different colored garments with ashes on them.

    We could tell it was a major celebration of some sort but weren't sure what it was. We finally asked one of the locals and they shared that it was a cremation ceremony. I asked if it was someone special or famous. He said "No." This is done for EVERYONE. There is a parade, music, honoring and then the public cremation. We could feel the reverence in the space. I almost felt intrusive taking photos, but no one seemed to be concerned.

    We also learned that the people wore different colored garments to indicate the village that they come from. We felt very honored to have witnessed the way the Balinese see their loved ones home.

    EDIT: Our driver explained that this big multi-village ceremony happens once every five years. And, when it does, everyone who has lost a loved one gets a chance to honor their passing during this ceremony. That is why people wear their village apparel. This makes much more sense!

    We carried on for a ways longer, but the heat was really starting to get to us. We stopped to sit for a bit and get a cool drink. I decided to wet my feet in the ocean. I had to walk out quite a way in order to get my toes wet ... and then my prairie girl naivety became quite evident. I did not notice. the wave rolling in behind me. OMG! It was all I could do to stay vertical as the water lapped up the cheeks of my behind!!

    I started to laugh and tried to make my way to the shore. Another wave slapped me in the thighs. The good thing was that my wet skirt was cooling me off. The not so good thing was that I tweaked my back trying to stay upright. I was hoping the spasms would let up with some good stretching and a cool dip in our pool.

    One of the really nice things about our room in Bali is that we have a private pool outside our little patio area. We don't have to find lounge chairs at the main pool because we have our own right outside our room.

    We cooled down in the pool before we headed out to do some shopping and exploring down the main street. We needed to find more hairspray and and a nice place to have dinner tonight in honor of Valentine's Day. It started to pour rain so we ducked inside a massage parlor and both enjoyed a nice foot massage. It was different than the Thai massages ... we both liked those better, but it was a great way to wait out the rain!

    We also spied a place called Cork and decided to check Trip Advisor while we enjoyed high tea at our resort. It was rated 84, so we went back for an early Valentines supper. The old boy had the crispy duck and I really enjoyed the sea bass! It was cooked to perfection and came with Beurre Blanc. I'd order that again in a heart beat. It turned out that the old boy and I both ate for the price it would have cost us for one at the Valentine's Dinner at the resort here. And that price included our wine ... which it would not have at the hotel.

    After dinner, we checked out a couple of shops and I found one called Gripps. It was filled with lightweight rubber sandals. I bought a pair with an ankle strap. That way, they will stay on when we are out and about ... even if we end up in water! They set me back $16.50.

    We were both so hot that we headed back to our room and slid into the pool. It is really nice having a source of water right at our doorstep. There is not a breath of wind and it is still 28 degrees Celsius. Fortunately, there are no mosquitos. I am finishing up this blog on our deck ... in my wet bathing suit. I turned down the a/c so it will be sleeping temperature by the time we go back inside.

    All in all, it was an absolutely wonderful day ... very relaxed and filled with good stuff. We have to set the alarm again for tomorrow's excursion ... but ... we'll get to have breakfast before we go!

    I'll see you again tomorrow after we get back from our tour!

    Love and hugs,
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    It's so himid that the windows are perpetually fogged up.
    A little late for sunrise ... but ... its going to be s hot one! No clouds today!4The black sand ocean!The salt maker going down to the ocean to collect the water.The pails are so heavyThe rake to move the dried salt off the black sand2The salt is dried by tge sun and sifted by hand.The drying troughs!The salt!The women selling trinketsThe pandan tree!! This is what my green birthday cake was made from!!On the table in the restaurant!JAWS! 🤣Our group!Our group with a view!The surfers were having a blast!8Does it get better than this??2A refreshing dip in the pool!2Our curried chicken and Cordon Blue balls!

    Black Sand Beach & Salt Excursion Today!

    15. februar, Indonesia ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    We were up and out for breakfast early today because we were taking an excursion to Kusamba beach. I was a bit concerned as I climbed into the van that my mess of smells (sunscreen, deep woods off, deodorant, Voltaren and an spritz of perfume) might be off-putting for my fellow travellers, but no one complained!

    Kusamba Beach is a black sand beach that has been created by volcanic ash and minerals from Bali's active volcanoes. The black sand is truly picturesque ... and ... home to the ancient salt-making process of the villages. The locals have been producing salt from sea water for centuries.

    They collect buckets of water and pour it onto a patch of black sand that has been leveled. The black sand is ideal because it retains the heat and dries out the sand quickly.

    Once the sand is dried, the white salt is raked by hand off the surface and placed in troughs to dry further. It is then sifted by hand and bagged for sale.

    It takes two full days of back-breaking work to get 15 kilograms of salt! We bought two small bags for $2CAD. I'm not sure why it is not more expensive given the intensity of human labor involved???

    And, the women in the village determined that they could make a little more money from the tourists by selling trinkets. It was so cute, though, because it became very clear that it would not be fair to buy from one of them and not the others. So, the old boy has his work cut out to create a Christmas tree ornament for us from the three "I love Bali" magnets that we purchased ... one from each lady! 😆

    After that, we made our way to the Komune Beach Club which is also on the eastern coast of Bali! The waves were highly impressive and very dramatic! It was such a delight for this prairie girl to simply take it all in! We even got to watch the surfers doing their best to ride them while we enjoyed our lunch!

    It was so darn hot, though, that some of us went for a swim in the hotel's pool before we headed back to our resort! I was a bit concerned about being trapped outside in the heat all day, but the tour ended up being absolutely wonderful! The air-conditioned vehicle created a nice reprieve as did the swim we also used the "Cool It" bands that my dear friend loaned me! Thank you again Robin!! We used the ice bucket from our wine at lunch to soak and refresh them! 😉

    We got back around 3:00pm and the old boy headed out to our pool for another swim while I took a few minutes to jot down the details of our day thus far. I could hear him talking and laughing outside. We ended up having a little happy hour with two other gals in our group whose room is just a few doors down! It was quite lovely!

    We were invited to meet the group for dinner/drinks at Club 101 tonight at 7:00pm ... but I was fading fast so we headed out early to the Brasserrie! Its a French place but the menu online said they served Curried Chicken. So ... off we went!

    We were over the moon to discover that they had an air-conditioned dining room in addition to the outdoor seating! We were confused when we couldn't find the curried chicken on the menu. Upon inquiring, we learned they changed the menu. 😔 We were thrilled when the kitchen agreed to make it for us anyway! 😀

    After polishing off the "best ever" apple crumble ... we met up with our fellow guests at Hotel 101 for a night cap! We didn't last long enough to partake in the salsa dancing ... but ... I bet it would have been fun.

    I've discovered that showering at night instead of morning makes far more sense in this heat. So, I am now ready for bed and it's just past 8:30pm.

    We have a brunch date tomorrow on the beach that I'm looking very forward to attending. Here's hoping the weather is kind to us!

    We thoroughly enjoyed our day ... and ... only have 10 more to go!

    With deep appreciation for the privilege to be here,
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    2The perfect poached eggs!The old boy caught me updating the blog! BTW ... those little rocks are salt and pepper.2Mangosteen1Online photo of mangosteen before opening!2It's really nice to have the pool outside our door!4The Hyatt Oceanside Brunch bunch!4Our view from our table!2Eeeeek ... feels like 41°C We are seeking refuge!! 😰44

    Oh My ... The Heat! 😰

    16. februar, Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    Good Morning from one us!

    It's 8:05am as I start this blog ... and the old boy is still snoozing! In all fairness, I just roused 15 minutes ago. I think it's the heat and humidity! It's like something we've never experienced before!! Or ... maybe it's a function of age. Maybe we just don't handle it as well at our age!

    I checked the weather forecast because we are having a Sunday Oceanfront Brunch today at the Hyatt Hotel just down the beach. I needed to know what to wear!! 🤪

    It's going to be a 31°C but feel like 40°C by 11:00am. Thankfully, it will only feel like 38°C by noon. Maybe a breeze will pick up? The air can be incredibly still and hang very heavily as a result. This reaffirms that we just can't do hot destination vacations from now on. But, for today ... we must make the best of it!

    Since we got to breakfast so late, we opted to have something light! We took some fruit and a couple of poached eggs ... which are always cooked to perfection.

    We were curious about how they could be so perfect. So, of course, the old boy asked! He learned that they immerse the eggs in the shell into water at 62°C for 15 minutes. Then they remove the eggs and put into cold water or refrigerator to stop the cooking. Then, they CAREFULLY peel the par-boiled egg and continue cooking without the shell for desired time depending upon whether the customer wants soft, medium or hard poached!! Isn't that amazing?!? I'm sure hoping the old boy doesn't want me to serve his breakfast with such emphasis on presentation! 😬

    Oh ... before I forget again ... I wanted to share that the Balinese make no assumptions. When they bring a bottle of wine to the table ... they request permission to open it. When they bring you water ... they ask if you want them to open it. When you have empty plates or cups ... they seek your approval before removing from the table. The service is truly remarkable. You can feel their intention to make your experience as rich and rewarding as possible! It's really lovely!

    And, while we were sipping our coffee, the old boy noticed that the people at a nearby table had some interesting looking fruit. He inquired about what it was, but apparently, it was the last serving available for the day.

    Of course, the old boy asked the patron if it was good. He gave it two thumbs up! We earmarked it for tomorrow's breakfast along with the coconut rice patties that I forgot to try today. Anyway, about 15 minutes later ... the patron delivered the last of their mangosteen pods to us, and with such kindness, he offered: "One for you and one for your wife!". Gosh ... the good hearts and unsolicited kindness of people never ceases to astonish me! ✨️✨️✨️✨️

    The old boy headed to our pool for a cooling dip after breakfast. I opted to skip down to the Resort Spa and see if I could book us a massage. Some of our group were raving about the 'package' they enjoyed. So, I booked us both in the two hour package that included the essential salt foot awakening, the Balinese massage, the foot massage and a rose petal bath. I declined the body scrub for both of us. They said they will make it a longer massage instead.

    While I was there, I noticed some very nice linen blouses. I didn't bring any linen because it wrinkles so badly in Canada. However, here, the humidity loosens out any crinkles in a heartbeat ... and ... everyone wears it because it breathes so well. I picked out a baby blue one to wear for our oceanfront brunch.

    I was already overheating, so I dived into the pool for 15 minutes once I returned. I am ever so grateful I booked a pool access room. I feel bad for the folks that need to jockey for a chair around the public pool!

    We enjoyed a fabulous brunch at the Hyatt! It might have been the best brunch I have ever seen. There was nothing you couldn't find! And, things I didn't even know to look for!! It was sublime! 🙌

    Despite my nice new linen shirt, the heat continued to reek havoc with our comfort level. We could hardly wait to get back into the pool after brunch! In fact, I got out of the water to update our activity for the day but the old boy is still soaking in the pool!

    We could hear the thunder rolling above us and were grateful for a nice downpour ... thinking it would cool things down. No such luck ... feels like 41°C and it's 4:30PM. No end of the heat in sight for a while.

    We decided that we'd just order some appetizers for supper and stay at our resort. There was a lovely breeze blowing off the water that helped to cool things down.

    We were both tired so we headed back to our room and went to bed early! We have a full day excursion tomorrow so we want to be well rested! 😴😴😴

    With love and hugs,
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    4Plenty of room on the bus!
    Drawing the pattern and the placing wax over the drawing on both sides of the cotton/silk.2These are some of the stencils they use with wax!2Everyone must wear a Sarong. Menstruating women are not allowed in. No problem there! 😂24Lake BratanMore Lake BratanThe Cat-Poo-Cinno coffee making process!24

    Bratan Lake and the Rice Terraces Today

    17. februar, Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C

    I had a restless night. I think I was worried about spending a whole long day on an excursion that would trap me in the oppressive heat without any escape to water or air-conditioning. Gahhhhhhhh!!

    The notion was giving me nightmares! I even went so far as to ask the old boy if we should just cancel our attendance on the excursion. Thankfully, he said ... "We paid for it ... let's just go!". And, I will remain ever grateful for his nudge to persevere through my angst!

    There were just four of us, plus our W&A rep on the tour today. And, generally, we have gone in a small van, but today we had a 15 person bus! So, we had ample room to stretch out ... one person to a seat! That may not seem really important because the island of Bali is only 19kms high and 117kms wide ... but due to traffic ... it takes over an hour to go 20kms (if you are lucky and there are no delays!). So, having a seat to yourself is divine!!

    Our first stop was scheduled to be in the Central Mountain region at the Royal Temple, but ... on route ... our guide asked if we wanted to stop at the Batik Factory. Am I ever glad he suggested it!!

    We learned about the painstaking hand drawing and application of wax and dying process that go into these beautiful batiks! And, of course, we had a chance to buy some of the goods. We came away with a bag full of goodies ... including a nice pink cotton sarong that I would need to wear at the Royal Temple! And ... I got a gorgeous silk teal one. The old boy got a fabulous shirt that looks terrific on him ... and ... the owner tossed in a scarf, for free, that I was also admiring!! I love bringing home souvenirs like this ... things you can use!

    After our purchases were made, we got back in the bus and made the long hike up towards the mountains. Our guide shared all kinds of local information about Bali ... it's culture, religion and history. I won't bore you with all the details, but it was interesting to hear how the Hindu religion in Bali is more monolithic than the Hindu religion in India. He indicated that the Balinese believe in one God ... and ... the energy of that Divine light can be held and reflected by numerous other deities.

    He talked about how the main premise in the Hindu religion is to "do no harm" and to propagate good. The idea is to escape Samsara (which is the battle between good and evil) and arrive at Nirvana. His name was Farid and he was Muslim ... and ... he spoke with such sincerity, respect and honor about the beliefs of the Balinese people.

    The Pura Taman Ayun Temple goes back to 1627! It is surrounded by a pond (moat) that is filled with lotus and lily flowers. We also learned that that there are four kinds of temples and pagodas with as many as 11 tiers!! Each tier represents a caste of people working the way up from the lowest caste to the highest.

    We also learned that Bali is highly patriarchal. The children's names reflect their birth order ... i.e. first to forth all have a preface which tells people if they are first, second, third or fourth. If there are more children, there is a additional name that means "start over" added to the preface. Girls are not included in any inheritance and the first born boy must stay and take care of his parents. The other children may move away.

    After that, we enjoyed a delicious buffet lunch at Gong Dewata! It is next door to the rice terraces that have been named a Unesco Heritage Site. Our walk amongst the terraces was absolutely magical and majestic! Everything is done by hand ... except they have one machine. A plow that is pulled by two cows.

    We also learned that the terraces may be owned by different people. And, cooperation between the owners becomes essential because at first, the rice needs to be soaking in water. However, after a couple of weeks, the rice needs to dry out. It takes 2.5 to 3 months for each crop to mature. So, they must orchestrate the seeding/planting in order for the water to run from one terrace onto the other in the appropriate timing!

    The literature about the area said that it is often misty ... and ... that was our experience! Although thunder was threatening something more ... we never got wet! And, the best part about 1,000 meters above sea level was that it was COOLER!! In fact, it was actually quite comfortable.

    After our wandering through the Jatiluwih rice terraces, we headed off to see Bratan Lake and the temple that is part of that area. There is actually a Buddist Temple on site. Farid pointed out the swastika on the face of the temple. The origin of the word swastika is ... peace and life. The arms of it point left. I had no idea that Hitler had taken that symbol and inverted it ... and then ... turned it into a symbol of war and death. I have included a photo of this.

    There is also a Floating temple. ... Pura Ulun Danau Bratan Temple on the shore line. The impeccable landscaping was really a sight to behold. I don't have enough room to put all the pictures I took, but I included a couple of them.

    As we were heading home, Farid asked if we had heard about the coffee that is made from 'cat' poop. Some said yes and some said no. Apparently, an animal that looks much like a badger/mongoose/possum (which the locals say looks like a cat) was said to have eaten the red coffee beans but couldn't digest the bean ... so ... pooped it out.

    The farmers in the area collected to excrement ... cleaned the coffee pods and then broke them open to capture the beans. This "cat-poo-chino" (as it is affectionately termed) is less in caffeine but great in taste. So, we stopped to have a cup of it! Yes. We actually did. And, it tasted just fine!

    It took us over 90 minutes to get back to the hotel ... the traffic was chaotic. I actually had to close my eyes because I found it to be so distressing. The old boy, on the other hand, was fascinated by the way the motor bikes and vehicles worked it all out on the fly. Another drive said the traffic "flowed like water". It was a very apt metaphor, indeed.

    We arrived home safe and sound ... and ... were extremely grateful we did choose to risk the heat! It was a fabulous excursion!! But now, we are ready for sleep.

    Sending warmest hugs across the ocean,
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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  • Koh Samui & Bali: "Live Aways"
    3Reminded me of our dog loving family!!
    2Pretty comfy here!Even the birds needed to frolic in the water!6From just outside our room!8A perfect table for lunch!The gadget to call the servers to your table!The public pool!Note the way they wrap the utensils. Each has there own compartment!4Our great little clothesline!

    A Last Minute Change of Plans!

    18. februar, Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 26 °C

    We were scheduled to go on a tour today called the "Tastes of Densapar." Unfortunately, however, something we ate yesterday didn't agree and I was sick to my stomach after we got back from our tour last night. I'm feeling much better this morning, but whatever it was hit the old boy at the other end during the night. 🥴

    So, it's shitty to miss out, but we thought it best to skip the foodie tour this morning and stay near a toilet until it passes through the old boy. Sorry for the crappy pun. Ooooops ... sorry for that one too! 😂

    I enjoyed my breakfast thoroughly but the old boy had trouble getting anything but watermelon down. So, he opted to laze by the pool (and restroom) while I wandered out shopping for a while. I had a great time shopping and noticed a sign in one of the shops that certainly fits all our daughters and their families!! 🐕🐕‍🦺🐩🐶

    I also got two pairs of sterling silver earrings and a lovely new 100% cotton blouse before I was getting too hot and needed to retreat to the pool myself. I also picked up some antibiotic ointment for the old boy's leg. Yesterday when we were leaving the Batik Factory, he was "gawking while walking" and launched himself 6 feet forward. Due to his "cougar reflexes" the only damage done was a scraping of the skin on his leg.

    However, it is apparently very dangerous to ignore any kind of wound here. It can become infected very easily ... so ... I picked up some ointment to keep his wound clean. I knew he would NEVER wear the waterproof bandage that the pharmacist recommended ... but hopefully ... the ointment will keep any risk of staph infection at bay. 🤞

    I was planning to just cool down and then head back down the street, but it was so darn comfortable that after I cooled down in the water, I joined the old boy on the chaise loungers ... "for a minute." Well ... a couple of hours later ... I was still there. I had the Wi-Fi from the room, so I could update this blog ... and ... play a few rounds of bridge online. 👏👏👏👏

    It is definitely a wet bathing suit kind of day! Its ONLY 30°C but according to Weather Network, it feels like 39°C. That sounds about right. 👍 Even the birds were seeking refuge in the pool water.

    It was so incredibly relaxing! That is ... until I got hungry for lunch. The old boy still had no appetite so I went to 'The Tree Bar' (the lounge at our resort) by myself and got a table for one.

    For some reason, we've never been up high on the upper levels here before. I didn't realize it was connected to the public pool area of the resort. I snagged a lovely table overlooking the ocean.

    The service was snail-paced slow. I wish the gadget in the table alerting the servers if you needed anything had a "hurry up" option. As I say that, I'm checking myself and realizing I'm in no hurry at all. It's interesting to see how our privilege and entitlement sneaks into the space. Nevertheless, I shall defend myself by saying it took as long to get my wine and water as it did to get my food! 😉

    My "Baby Bali Burger" (marinated pulled pork neck) with roasted baby potatoes was actually quite delicious but I only consumed about $9 of it! I had the rest wrapped up into a nice little care package to take home to the old boy ... in case he was getting his appetite back. No such luck yet ... so it's in the fridge for when he's feeling up for some food.

    I was hoping I could muster up his interest in going for a massage when I got back, but he still didn't want to wander too far from the toilet. So, we gave him a dose of Immodium and I opted to head out on my own and see where I ended up. The thunder was rolling and the claps were loud enough to get the staff covering up the outdoor furnishings ... so I took an umbrella! 😉

    I didn't get very far. I stopped to get another pair of rubber sandals in a different color at Gripp's because I like them so much, but after that ... it was so darn hot ... I just turned back and went home.

    We refreshed ourselves with a nice shower and joined the group for happy hour at 5:30pm. The old boy took a couple of Imodium earlier and needed another one ... so ... we didn't stay long. We called it a day early and he is nicely tucked away in bed already. If he's not feeling better tomorrow, we'll start him on the antibiotics that we brought with us!

    Just one more thing before I say goodnight. I keep forgetting to mention how nice it is to have a clothes line over our tub! A dip in the pool and the swim wear can dry out. A quick soapy rinse while I'm in the shower and my undies are dry and ready for tomorrow! 😉

    Oh my, I see that my peeps back home are getting an "Extreme Cold Warning"! I hope it passes quickly! We survived another day of the heat here!! I'm glad we have no excursions planned for tomorrow ... so ... we can stay by the pool if necessary! That said, though, I'd really like to walk further down the main street and check out some of the shops. I guess we'll see how the day goes!!

    Hoping you can all stay cozy and warm,
    ❤️ k&j ❤️    Les mer

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