TEMPERATURE SCREENSHOT
ITINERARY FOR THE DAY
We took a Songthaew (a bakkie with a dakkie) to Chaweng beach.
Had drinks at OP Bungalow after strolling down a magical pathway through green gardens and ending up at a table in the sand on the beach.
Then walked in the blistering heat up to the Central Festival Shopping Mall to satisfy our cravings for Sushi and Wine only to find the prices rather pricey. (We decided to give that a miss rather).
We browsed around Tops (similar to Woolworths) which we also found to be rather pricey and gave that a miss too. We decided to walk back down to Chaweng beach again for something to eat only to find all the establishments on the beach to also be rather pricey. (We gave that a miss as well).
Feeling somewhat despondent and then disorientated as to which direction was back to our hotel, Mandy had what we can only call a “mini breakdown”. As she agreed, this was not unexpected, as for the past few days nothing was familiar to her. Being someone who usually knows what to do in any situation, she felt she was not in control. Nothing was as we expected or had been told. Koh Samui is a “tourist trap”.
We had been led to believe that almost everything besides alcohol and toiletries is cheap in Thailand, BAHT this is not what we found. Also as we were staying in a new Hotel that was being used for the first time by TEFL, there was no provision made for students to prepare meals for themselves, one only has the option to eat out which in this “tourist trap” was becoming a very expensive life style. When we got back to the Hotel it was rethink and strategy time. If we were to survive as TEFL teachers in Thailand, we cannot continue living a tourist lifestyle and needed to make a plan under the circumstances to “live local”.
Tomorrow, we are going to go to a Supermarket and try and buy appliances and equipment to set up a “make shift” kitchen in our hotel room where we can prepare our own meals. If we don’t adapt to a more local life style we will be committing financial suicide.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY
Re-connecting once again with each other on a more spiritual level. Revisiting why we are here and re-focusing on what’s important. We are not here as tourists but to find our purpose. We needed a plan as to how to live local and adapt to a more affordable life style. We ended the day with a long relaxing swim in the pool and fell asleep in each other’s arms relaxed, happy, thankful and ready to face the new day with purpose.
Vendor on Chaweng Beach selling “floatables”
