No Plans Today?......

No Plans Today?........
The gorgeous Thai part-owner of The Jungle Club has a huge generous smile. He walked by earlier today, as I was lazing on the hammock just outside my cottage, (where I’ve spent many happy hours), and he says,
“Hey Joy. You doin awright?” (Actually, he calls out to me every day and says the same thing).
“Yes, I’m great thanks” I call cheerily.
“You got no plans today?” he says, his grin getting bigger and his sparkling white teeth almost blinding me, even from 50 paces.
“Yeah…I’ve got plans”. I reply pointing to a book in hand, my hammock swinging ever so gently in the soft breeze almost rocking me off to sleep.
“Yeah, you on holiday, right?” he responds.
He’s happy and goes on his way and I’m left smiling. It’s a great plan I reckon.

Later in the day.
It’s raining. It smells just like the NZ bush when it rains up here – a sort of musty smell and I like it a lot. I guess the smell comes from the roof of the bungalow - from the woven dried coconut fronds but I’m not entirely sure. The ends of the fronds hang down a little over my balcony and the water finds its way to the pointy tips and then drips down onto the parched garden below. No need for gutters and drainpipes here. I can no longer see Chaweng as it’s shrouded in mist.
In previous days, I thought I heard rain but it must have been the wind whipping through the coconut palms that surround the property. Or, perhaps it was the action of the wind on the dry roof. I don’t know but this is the first rain we’ve had since I’ve been here. It cools the air down a little.

The energy here is at the opposite end of the spectrum from Pranakorn-Nornlen in Bangkok. There the energy was calm, quiet and soothing. Everything there is designed to facilitate the transference of this peacefulness to the guests. Even the doors to the rooms have been designed for that purpose. They are shutter style – two narrow teak doors. If I slowed down I could just fit sideways through one side. And that is the idea of them. You need to slow down to go through the one side – or stop to open the other side. Nice idea and it worked for me. I felt serene there.
But here, the guys are constantly jumping out of their skin and they are so loud. It took some adjusting to when I first got here. But the spot is hard to beat and I'm loving the elevation high above the crassness and craziness of Chaweng below us. From where I’m sitting – again in a gazebo, I can see about a dozen islands in the distance – some small and some larger with habitation.

It rained once during my time in Bangkok too. Actually it was a torrential downpour. I made it back to my hotel with a minute to spare (phew) before the skies opened. The lovely young couple, Torey and Dave, (we shared a special dinner and frenetic tuk tuk rides on our last night in Bangkok), said they saw the water gushing down the street and worried the area around our hotel would flood. But then the downpour stopped as suddenly as it began and quickly drained away leaving no trace.

Overall the weather has been great. This is the high season and the coolest time of the year. Temperatures during this season (November to March) hover between 22 C and 28 C. For the most part, I’ve been quite warm and occasionally hot. At night up here I’ve been pleased to have my jeans to put on as there’s a lovely cool(ish) breeze and the dining room is open to the elements all along the front.

I’ll tell you later what the weather will be like down on the coast. I’ve booked a bungalow on the beach in Choeng Mon which is also on this island of Koh Samui. I’ve been reassured that it’s nicer and much quieter than Chaweng. Fingers crossed.

I’m missing……a really good coffee. I might have to resort to Starbucks. Oh my! Horrors of horrors and there are two of them in Chaweng.

I’m enjoying……asking myself what I’d like to do most and then doing it without guilt (well….maybe a little – old habits are hard to break).

I’m surprised…..at how each day passes by without much effort. Oh, and I’m also surprised how much I’m sleeping.

Taste sensation……a lovely cold beer when I get really hot. I’ve never had so much beer but I’m finding it very refreshing.

I’m reading……”Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert and enjoying it a lot. I finished “The Girl From Times Square” and it was OK.
Next update…probably from the beachside bungalow.