The days after Christmas have flown by much too quickly and with Joe, Ellie and then Tom as added distractions it has been more difficult to keep up with writing about our adventures. The days have started to merge in to one another and I’ve got so far behind it’s hard to remember what happened when. I’ll try to remember and summarise the many highlights.😊
After a lazy start to the day Ellie and I left Joe and Rob relaxing by the pool and watching downloaded movies to go and explore Maenam. We needed to get more water and a couple of other necessities, Ellie also needed a float for the pool.🤣
We walked down the Main Street, on the way passing a beautiful sleeping pig 
We bought most of what we needed but couldn’t find a suitable float for Ellie. After walking for over an hour we gave up and decided to walk back along the coast.
This route was definitely more scenic and more successful as we met a man selling just the right floats🤔and after bartering for a little while got a bargain price.
Carrying our float and shopping we continued along the shore until we reached a river flowing into the sea. Rob and I had crossed here on our first evening so I reassured Ellie that it was only knee deep and she confidently strode ahead. Unfortunately I had forgotten that Rob and I had crossed in the evening at low tide, Ellie and I were crossing at lunchtime in what quickly became obvious to be high tide. As Ellie tucked her dress into her bikini I followed suit and we both placed our shopping bags on our heads. By the time Ellie was halfway the water had reached her waist, feeling that we had probably conquered the worst we decided to push on. We had also attracted quite an audience by now plus it was a long walk back so we really had very little choice.
A very helpful Thai man obviously felt he could help us and started to shout incomprehensible instructions whilst gesticulating wildly as to which way we should go. A three meter river crossing turned into at least a one hundred meter walk as we ventured further out to sea and as the waves reached our shoulders we resigned ourselves to a long, wet walk home. After much giggling and our little Thai man coming out to meet us to try to save our shopping we eventually reached shore. We expected some congratulations, at least a round of applause but were disappointed when our small audience dispersed quickly and we were left to wring out our clothing and continue, dripping, on our way. I’d managed to keep my shoulder bag containing my phone, purse and passports dry but apart from that we were pretty much saturated and were very happy, half an hour later to reach home and dry clothes.
After lunch and a relaying of our story to Rob and Joe, Ellie and I decided we needed some pampering so again set off for the Main Street where we both enjoyed pedicures and I had a manicure. The two ladies who gave the treatments were lovely providing bottles of water and bananas for refreshment and encouraging us to sit back and relax. The finish wasn’t the best, they didn’t really understand the whole French manicure concept, but for 500 baht (£12.50) and considering how lovely they were we didn’t feel inclined to complain and left quite happy. The toe nails weren’t too bad, maybe because they were further away but my fingernails were painted white from about halfway with the wiggliest line I have ever seen. Every time Ellie and I caught sight of them we again dissolved into laughter so for entertainment value they were worth every penny.
Our afternoon was completed with a massage on the beach, there is nothing as good as lying, totally relaxed, apart from when they pummel you or bend you into unnatural positions, listening to the waves, definitely the most relaxing part of the day. For dinner we decided to try out Bao Bao Cafe and Eatery. I had no idea what these were and for those of you similarly ignorant they are strange, little, Chinese, streamed burger like buns with numerous fillings. They’re not very good for coeliacs but I enjoyed the fillings with sweet potato fries while the others all enjoyed the complete Bao Bao experience. 
Another lovely day and worth the walk when I saw Ellie enjoying her flamingo float.
Obviously she wasn’t the only one, at least I think that’s Rob’s happy face?🤣
Before I go, just a quick mention of a very important event that happened on the 27th. My friend Charlotte married her very lovely partner Jamie. I met Charlotte when I first started teaching at Kingfisher, she is an amazing teacher and in the last three years we have supported each other through various personal and professional crises. She has very quickly become a very important friend and I would love to have been there on her important day. We wish her and Jamie love and happiness together forever.
Rob & Emma's Trip 