TEMPERATURE SCREENSHOT
AMETHYST AND SAPPHIRE BALCONY CAFÉ
Closed for the day. Chef Mandy took the day off to doctor her knee.
ADVENTURES OF THE DAY
After Mandy had a restless night with a throbbing knee, Richard took off to the nearest pharmacy to get pain and anti-inflammatory tablets for her.
Both decided, with “Songkran” starting tomorrow, to have a chilled day and to give the knee a rest.
Songkran is the Thailand New Year which is celebrated from April 13 – April 16. Locals dress up in colourful clothing and take to the streets with water guns and buckets of water to take part in “water fights”. Water apparently signifies cleaning, washing away the past, and bestowing blessings for the new year. They had been warned that if they are on the streets during Songkran, they can expect to get soaked.
Well in saying that, so much for a day of rest……..
After a few stiff vodka’s and tablets for the pain, and in much better spirits (excuse the PUN), Mandy could not be kept indoors. After convincing Richard that the salt water would be beneficial for the healing process, they made their way down to the beach for a swim.
Mandy who was in contact with Emma from Bob Bar, proceeded to make further arrangements to meet up with this amazing confident young lady from the UK who is married to the owner of Bob Bar.
Emma arranges private snorkeling expeditions at a secluded less commercialized island (Koh Mat Sum). The snorkeling outing includes a BBQ on the beach and Emma also provides beach activities and a stocked bar which is set up under the shade of the Palm trees fringing the sandy beach. Her tours are limited so you don’t feel that you are being herded into a small boat with many others (according to many reviews on other tour websites). Her tours are recommended as they are more intimate and personal. The fact that her and her husband are both into Reggae, suited Richard and Mandy, as these were their kinda people. (Who knows what the bar service on a secluded island might include!) LOL
So back on the scooter it was and off to Bob Bar to go meet Emma. The sunset from Bob Bar was so amazing, they ordered Magic Reggae cocktails and sat back, relaxed and just enjoyed. Mandy who was now feeling rather lam and pain fee, really enjoying the vibe. It was then back home to walk around what was their 3rd Wednesday night market since arriving on Koh Samui (Can you believe it).
They walked around the market and finally decided on some deep-fried whole tiny crabs (in their shells with legs attached), beef kebab (which was superb) and some more of those yummy sticky minced pork and peanut dumplings. (All less than 150 BAHT – about R50). They walked back to the hotel, supper in hand and feeling much better for having ventured out.
Just before they were ready to tuck in, there was a knock on the door and Richard opened the door to invite in their first TEFL classmate, Matt Howlett, who had arrived earlier the day, all the way from Vancouver in Canada. Matt had stories of his own to tell. He had flown via Phuket into Koh Samui private Airport but there was no one there to greet him as had been arranged. He eventually found his way (via taxi) to the hotel and then when plugging in his I-Phone, the electricity tripped. He was feeling rather tired even though he had slept the afternoon so he didn’t visit for long. After trying a crab and a dumpling or two, he was keen to walk up to the market and get something more substantial to eat.
Not feeling very hungry, (as this was now a drink or two later), Mandy and Richard nibbled on the yummy market fare which was once again so tasty, the tiny crabs so fresh and crunchy, the dumplings melt in the mouth and the beef as juicy as a steak in Cape Town.
Mandy, no longer feeling any pain, (probably more from the vodka and cocktails than from the pain killers – LOL), cleaned her knee and covered it with a “make shift” bandage from a “Panty Shield” and plasters. LOL
They fell asleep, feeling very relaxed to the humm of the air conditioner and meditation music playing softly in the background, both wondering what “Songkran” and its festivities would bring the following day.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY
Enjoying the magnificent sunset from the Bob Bar and meeting like-minded Emma and listening to her stories of being on Koh Samui for the past 8 years or so. She had also done the TEFL course and had taught on Koh Samui, in language schools and private tutoring. It was great to speak to someone who had followed a similar path and was now, (8 years since arriving on Koh Samui for a holiday), living her dream on the island.
