Koh Chang - White Sands beach

We left Bangkok the next morning and took a very stylish PINK taxi to Koh Chang (just the 6 hours!). We thought it safer to travel alone than risk being in a confined space (bus or plane) with many other people. I don't think our taxi driver had been out of Bangkok before and took lots of photos of the ferry and the sea.

Our hotel is lovely and although not on the beach it is very close

We had an evening meal seated on the beach (delicious barbequed snapper) and watched some young boys dance with fire

Yesterday it rained almost all day so we went for a walk and look what I found along the high street - unbelievable!

As we couldn't do much we decided to spoil ourselves and have a massage, it cost £6 for an hour - I would have one every day but I feel a bit bruised today, I had so many knots in my shoulders! Maybe I'll get my feet done, it's so hard to resist........

The only birds I have seen are a few drenched pigeons, crows and minor birds so I'm not holding my breath, sorry Mandy

Over the last couple of days we have had sunshine and as we are barely moving at all (sunbathing and snoozing doesn't take much effort!) we have started a regime of going to the rooftop pool in the morning and doing a few lengths (I'm increasing by 2 lengths every day but I'm not telling you how long the pool is - I have too many friends that think swimming a couple of miles is nothing!). In the afternoon we sit under a tree on the beach and read - how nice is that? We have to make the most of it as we will be very busy on our next stop which is an Intrepid trip touring Sri Lanka - there will be no slobbing about there I can assure you.

The main street that runs parallel to the beach

The beach

Sunset from my balcony

Yesterday I managed to force myself to have a pedicure and foot massage - horrible I know but it had to be done. That cost £12 - I am seriously considering getting a Thai housekeeper who can look after me in my dotage! Actually there is a scene here where there are a lot of middle aged/old white men with beautiful Thai women on their arms. In fact we went to a bar next to our hotel where there was a live band the other night and before we knew it we had 2 women chatting to us and we were buying them drinks and playing pool (they worked in the bar). We had a lovely time but what a way to earn a crust. Both of them had children living with their parents (not in Koh Chang) - at least we just chatted and played pool and they were safe with us for one evening

By the way, I have changed the habit of a lifetime, I am now addicted to Thai curry for breakfast - especially duck red curry, it's delicious

On Sunday 1st March my nephew Oliver and his wife Gemma had a beautiful daughter called Matilda - congratulations and lots of love XXX

Today we had a bit of a drama as Denise had been suffering from a toothache for the last couple of days so she went to the dentist (our hotel manager Henry was extremely helpful) only to find she had an infection in her root canal. She decided to have the tooth out as treatment would have been difficult and might not work. She recovered this afternoon by relaxing on the beach with an ice pack. I took a photo of her but was under strict instructions to exclude the tits and include the tat. She had a Koi Carp to replace the previous one which she didn't like, whilst in Melbourne

Oh and the sea here is warm - it must be at least body temperature, it's soooo lovely. Tomorrow is our last day here before we head back to Bangkok and the forecast is thunder and lightening, hopefully it will blow over by the afternoon.........