I acquired a largish styro-foam
take-way container with a closable lid, so I now have this at the ready in my collapsible day pack. This morning
I managed to stow away some pawpaw, watermelon and pineapple slices; an omelette;
a pancake; some salad, and various pastries and cakes. This feast will do for
lunch and tea breaks , maybe even dinner, on this “plan-to-do-nothing-but–write-read-rest-swim- eat-and-gaze-out-at-the-ocean-from-my-balcony” kind of a day.
I am immensely grateful for the tea and coffee making
equipment provided in the room, the bottled potable water (like many Asian and ‘third
world’ destinations, drinking and
brushing ones teeth with tap water, unless boiled, is ill-advised). Ditto the
small bar fridge , into which I have managed to squeeze my contraband food
items and the gratis daily water bottles, after a little creative re-arrangement.
I’ve been eating a lot of rice, salads and tropical fruit and
have brought some good probiotics with me, so I’ve felt okay about relaxing my
gluten-freeness for now and am enjoying all the food that is on offer. That
said, something gave me severe wind and cramps the other day, but a drop of
peppermint oil, in its teeny weeny bottle, from my travel sized medicinal stash,
did the trick instantly. I’m so glad I brought it, along with the tea tree
which helps to unblock my ears after swimming, the lavender for baths, and the sweet
ylang ylang, which, dabbed about my face and wrists, makes me feel like I am a perfumed
princess in Paradise! These and other easy-to-carry comforts can make a huge
difference to my comfort levels of one who succumbs easily to all sorts of minor ailments.
Although I believe my internet low season special rate
was an excellent one, a couple travelling with two kids could comfortably fit
in the same room, which has two beds somewhere
between a king single and a double. With only a small additional charge demanded
for extra kids, this place, with its
child-friendly pool, babysitting services and other family-friendly features, is
exceptional value for the average Australian family. Far from ‘high end’ five
star accommodation, but with enough of
the perks and old world service, such as ocean frontage, that anyone might need.
You can even book two adjoining, mirror-image rooms, as a kind of
interconnecting suite.
I of course keep thinking how much my seven year old son,
who I am starting to miss a lot, would love it here. This trip is primarily for
me to rest, in the context of me being a six to seven night a week housebound single parent,
most of the rest of the year. My budget did not quite extend to flights for both of
us, and would mean ripping him out of school for two weeks, since school
holiday prices are prohibitive, and maybe he needs intensive times alone with
his Dad?
In all honesty, two weeks is waaay too long to be away from
the most gorgeous little fella on the planet, but the advantage is that it
gives me plenty of do-nothing time in amongst some activities. I just don’t do
intensive holidays without arriving home more knackered than when I left.
But on a future occasion, I would cheerfully bring him and
let him roam a bit around the safe gardens and even the pool area, now that he
is a strong enough swimmer. The hotel provides buckets and spades gratis, and a bit
of snorkelling gear for reasonable fee, plus there is a kids club room for wet
weather and a bunch of cute critters roam the grounds: roosters, rabbits,
birds, lizards, frogs butterflies and dragonflies, crabs by the rocks at low tide, to name but a few.
Apparently, there used to be a resident baby elephant, who played with the kids
and squirted water from her trunk. No doubt the changing times and regulations, a more humane era regarding the treatment of animals, are
what sent her away, back to her family at a zoo in the north of Thailand.
Some things, au contraire, are not good value at all. At almost $3 per pair of undies for the laundry service, it’s a good thing my room comes with a decent sized basin, plenty of bars of soap, and an outdoors airing rack. I made sure to bring enough clothes, and have since bought a few items, but I envisage hand washing my bras knickers if I fall short before the 12 nights are up. I can’t help thinking how bizarre it is that a full hour of pampering in the form of a facial, a massage or a shampoo-and-blow dry, costs little more than the hotel's fee for a couple of pairs of clean undergarments. Anyone would think they’re hand washing them in the river, at those rates. I guess it’s how a somewhat isolated hotel makes its money.
Some things, au contraire, are not good value at all. At almost $3 per pair of undies for the laundry service, it’s a good thing my room comes with a decent sized basin, plenty of bars of soap, and an outdoors airing rack. I made sure to bring enough clothes, and have since bought a few items, but I envisage hand washing my bras knickers if I fall short before the 12 nights are up. I can’t help thinking how bizarre it is that a full hour of pampering in the form of a facial, a massage or a shampoo-and-blow dry, costs little more than the hotel's fee for a couple of pairs of clean undergarments. Anyone would think they’re hand washing them in the river, at those rates. I guess it’s how a somewhat isolated hotel makes its money.
welcome fruit platter
the poolside bar is the cheapest option for meals at happy hour
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