Koh Samui Saturday 1st April 2017 Day 5

TEMPERATURE SCREENSHOT

ITINERARY FOR THE DAY

Slept in late.  (At last – so needed).  Spent the morning updating our Blog and publishing.

Went off to hire our scooter (after much research on prices the day before).  Chose a blue 125 cc Click (PGM-F1) – really doesn’t matter as what do we know about bikes, but looks comfortable to seat two (Richard’s Sapphire on Wheels).  Songthaew’s are costing us on average 400 BAHT per day.  So, at 5000 BAHT (the price we settled on) for 41 days rental, it’s a no brainer.

The idea was to pack a picnic basket, our costumes and towels and spend the day scouting around the island.

WELL that remained an idea LOL.  Richard’s scooter driving skills will need brushing up before any scouting around the island with both on a scooter.  Even the guy renting the scooter looked nervous when Richard pulled away for a test drive.  After what seemed like forever, although he was only 100 metres down the road, Richard drove back from the test run and got off the scooter with legs shaking.  No way was Mandy getting on the back of that scooter today!

So scooter practice would be the itinerary of the day.

Mandy took her book and towel and went down to spend an hour by the swimming pool while Richard took off (not confidently) with his backpack alone on the scooter. He returned smiling mischievously and somewhat more confident only for Mandy to discover the smile was because he had knocked the Hotel signage on the Hotel Driveway on the way in.  LOL – thank heavens no damage to the bike or signage or Richard (besides a little scratch on his leg – his first Thailand Tattoo – LOL).

Richards scooter run included a beer stop at the “Bob Bar”.  (How perfect). Bob Marley being Richards favourite Reggae artist.  And much to his surprise, while settling his nerves with a cold beer and a cigarette, he looked up and saw his first Buddha on Koh Samui. He was in absolute awe but disappointed that Mandy was not with him to share this experience.  The best he could do was to “whatsapp” her some pics and use technology to share the moment.

Richard was gaining his confidence on the drive back and what a pity that the Hotel sign got in the way! When he started thinking back to when last he had actually driven a scooter he shockingly announced that it was possibly about 20 years back! How time has flown by.

Tomorrow is another day………  Mandy has agreed to join Richard for a rerun to the “Bob Bar” after a bit more practice. (Watch this space……LOL).

As there would be no scouting around the island, time was used wisely to do the first load of washing since leaving Cape Town in the coin operated washing machine at the hotel.  We managed to hang up a full load of washing on the single clothes horse provided by using hangers. Good old South African ingenuity.

An early supper was set up on the veranda and included a fresh salad with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, onion, cold meat and boiled eggs with a fresh coriander/lime/chilli Thai dressing, all prepared by Mandy and her new best friend (the electric pot) in our mini kitchen.

The day ended with an exhilarating swim in the sea.  We swam out a little further this time.  (No Jaws theme song – LOL).  Swimming beyond the breaking waves, the view of the lights, people strolling along and others sitting in the various beach front restaurants was absolutely picturesque.  Another WOW moment.  We are really doing this.  This is, at this moment, our reality. And how blessed we are to be experiencing this together.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY

Richard on his “Sapphire on Wheels”!

This was definitely a highlight for Richard. The experience was nerve wrecking and daunting yet somehow exhilarating.  Just call him “scootie”.  Without sounding nauseating, Mandy thought Richard looked so sexy coming down the road.  After some practice, Mandy can’t wait to straddle that bike behind him.  (OK – time to log off for the night)……