AHHHH!!!!  Only a couple of days left!!!!!

So I guess this will be our penultimate blog………  last one will be from Singapore airport. L

21^st February…. Cont…..

Another morning stroll, another spot of sunbathing, another dip in the sea.  (humm….  Not looking forward to being back in London!...)  Unfortunately, our time here is short.  By 11am we are back in a boat heading for the mainland, to jump in a cab to our last destination of our trip.  A fancy hotel further south. 

After our 3 hour cab ride we arrive at Anantara Sikeo resort.  We settle into our room, with a wonderful view over the Andean sea and head off for our dinner…. Hummm  I think I will have the Rack of lamb, medium rare, yes, with a nice burgundy I think.  

Needless to say, the food is very good and the service is first class. The only disappointment is that is the sea isn’t quite as Azure as we have been used to!!.... but I think we can manage!

22^nd February

After consuming more pastries than a small provincial French town, we hop aboard the shuttle boat to Koh Kradan, another jewel in the crown of Thailand’s islands…..  so, it’s back to the norm.  Snorkeling, sunbathing, snorkeling, sunbathing. 

And as we lie on the beach, the pristine white silicon crystals sifting through my bronzed toes, I become aware of the similarity to our own situation, for the sands drip down, ever thus, like the sands of time in an hourglass.  The locomotive, “our big adventure” rumbles towards it final destination……. Errrrm ….. I’m sorry about that, I have been reading a novel……. 

Anyway, we are arriving home in a couple of days and with this in mind, and the fact I have managed to completely ignored anything to do with TV, cameras, emails, everything for the last ½ year…..  I really need to think about how we are gonna pay the mortgage next month and stop drinking all these cocktails and lounging on the beach. 

So the laptop comes out, and for the next few hours, I send as many emails out as poss, to try and drum up some work for our return.

 Back at the hotel and it’s a Thai dinner before bed.

23^rd February

More pastries…..   this time we are on a long tail boat and we head out at about 8am.  

It’s a day of snorkeling and sunbathing today, with an emphasis on the snorkeling.  All in all we see 4 different islands “Koh Muk”, “Koh This”, “Koh That” and “Koh whatnot”……  

In one place the are guided into a pitch black cave and swim in the complete darkness for 150ft, only to emerge at a small beach.  After hundreds of years, erosion has formed a massive cauldron in the centre of the island with 800ft vertical walls all around.  

Very cool.  Unfortunately all the other 100 or so tourists thought so as well!  (ye its quite popular!) 

The other islands had an amazing selection of hard and soft corals, however, we sent our underwater camera home a few months ago, so you will just have to take my word for it

We end up on the same island as yesterday, and settle into a nice bit of sun lounging/emailing!

Back at the hotel…..   ermmm  yes, I think I will have the fillet of snapper, with a crisp sauvignon blanc….  Nice.

24^th February

Even more Pastries….  This time with strawberries!

Yesterday was all about the snorkeling, today is about the beaches!  We rent our own private long tail boat and driver and head out into the Andean sea.

Over the course of the day, we end up at 3 secluded beaches with no one but ourselves on them!!   GREAT!!!  I finish my book and Lorraine makes a big bent in her Ruth Rendell Mystery.

Well after our Thai dinner, its movie night on the beach and the hotel have set up an outside cinema (of sorts) and a handful of guests settle into a night with 007!

25^th February

OHHH  MY GOD!!!!  THESE DAYS HAVE GONE QUICK!!!!

Today is our last full day…….  Still, we have planned a nice day.  We are going to fill most of it with a couple of Dives.  Again, I don’t have my camera, but we see tones of soft coral waving in the current, as well as a handful of sea horses!  It’s like an underwater garden of tropical colours.   

The good stuff is only about 15 meters down, which means we spend an hour on each dive (if its shallow, you use less air??)   so we spend ages enjoying the view!

Just a quickie….  Because it will embarrass Lorraine!!   Check out the socks!!!   Humm  sexy!

After a choppy ride back we seek out the pool (for the first time) just to say we have seen it and had a swim.  However, the cloud begins to thicken…..  the wind picks up and the sky begins to rain……  I think its Asia crying for our departure and doesn’t want us to leave.  Lorraine isn’t impressed.  Not least because we have arranged our final evening meal to be on the beach, at sunset, with our own private chef.  Sounds great in the sunshine!  Sounds rubbish if it raining!......

1 day and we will be back to reality…..  L

See you later!!

W&L