Preparing for the Visa Run

Friday 22 September

Today marks the two months anniversary of our leaving England for this trip and although it seems we have been away some time, it doesn’t feel anywhere near as long as sixty three days. Might be time to have another read of the blog entries to refresh some of the memories. I still hear from Millie and Jim – they are having a great time in Texas at the moment, but what are Terry and Margaret up to, or all those people who were with us on the train, or Sue and Dave from the China extravaganza – did Sue give in her notice when she got home – and we think of Dave every time we hear Portsmouth are doing well this season – or Avril and John – they probably planning their half term break now.

When I went swimming this morning, another lady was in the pool when I arrived and Ray arrived a little later – had I got up that early today? It was unusual to have company in the pool at that time – it usually feels like my own private pool! The weather is still overcast but very warm and quite humid – and there was only one dragonfly this morning which swooped over the pool a couple of times and then flew off – perhaps not too much rain today.

I spent the morning sitting on the balcony, blogging, dealing with emails and downloading the latest piccys from the camera, so that I could add a couple to yesterday’s blog. During this time we were visited by a range of wild life. Several varieties of butterfly flitted by, including the dazzling large black and yellow beauty that never seems to settle, but flits from plant to plant. The frog that lives somewhere between the ‘Oiley’s’ bungalow and ours was continually gribbiting most of the morning, and then there was the snake who literally “dropped” in from the banana tree outside our bungalow, on to the broad-leafed plant by the balcony rail. It was about two feet long and only a finger width round, greeny-yellow in colour with black diamond hatchings all over its body. It had a very small head,, black beady eyes that were constantly on the move, and a long splinter of red tongue, that darted in and out to catch insects and warn away predators, like us. Colin took some piccys and we watched it for a long while. Next a lizard came by, below the balcony, about six inches long and again a greeny colour, blending in with the flora. As we were leaving the bungalow, after I had finished blogging, we saw a long pale brown lizard with a tail over a foot long and very, very thin. When he moved he disappeared in a flash.

By now it was after midday, so Colin and I went along to the travel agents beside the Happy Elephant Bar and booked our visa run to Burma for Wednesday next week (27 September). We will be collected from Smile at 05.00, taken by ferry from Nathon to Surat Thani and then by coach across mainland Thailand to the Burmese border at Ranong. This is considered the safest route to take at present as the unrest in the south of the country near the border with Malaysia is still continuing. We will be furnished with a ‘lunch box’ – we have had a few of these on our travels so far, so wonder how this one will rank alongside St Petersburg, Wuhan, Shanghai, etc – and we can expect to return to Smile somewhere between 18.00 and 19.00 – so it will be a long day. It was slightly cheaper than we had been quoted, at 1500 bahts each, plus of course our 10US$ at the border – we were asked if we had booked any other tours, and of course we had booked our safari at this office, so perhaps this helped us to get a small discount.

Following our negotiations we felt in need of some refreshment and made our way to Coffee Junction for banana cake and coconut shake for Colin and spinach and avocado salad and fries with a watermelon shake for me. It was as usual very delicious – much better than breakfast which is altogether too early to eat in the day, and too many eggs or porridge for my liking.

Just as we returned to Smile, it began to rain lightly – just enough to wet the pages of my book – and we sat under the pagoda, chatting to Jean and Ray. After a short while, Dave arrived – minus Juz, who was feeling poorly with an oncoming cold – and told us that he had been in a three-way telephone conversation with the owner of the land and the agents, each of whom had different versions of the deal on the land, which it appeared could not be resolved – the price for a start, who owned and was responsible for the road and who had rights of access and rights of view across the land, and more worryingly whether the land being purchased was a freehold or leasehold plot? In the end, Dave decided that it was safest to pull out of the deal and get most of his deposit returned, rather than take a risk and find himself having to spend large sums later. So “Chez Milton Keynes” is no more – for the present – I am sure if Dave and Juz want to pursue building a property here, they will find the right land at the right price with the right conditions.

Dave went back to minister to Juz and we went for a swim. Ray left the pool early and returned after a short while to model his new suit – he looked very smart – such a change from the shorts and Tshirts we have been used to since he arrived here. It was then time for the rest of us to shower and change and sup a few drinks on the balcony, before visiting the Beatles Bar for cocktails where Juz and Dave arrived very soon after us – Juz feeling a little better. We had three rounds of cocktails tonight – pina coladas were yum, but Jean had a black Russian which tasted like Matchmakers chocolate sticks – very Tia Maria-y. We all might be changing our tipples to Black Russians tomorrow.

Feeling slightly light-headed, we headed to the Shack for dinner, but it was full tonight, so we made a reservation for Sunday evening – looking forward to Australian steaks or New Zealand lamb or racks of pork ribs. We continued on up the street to the far end on the beach to Shades.

Ray and I both ordered barbequed fresh squid and fries while the others had jumbo prawns, or asian food. A plate of squid arrived first, together with two portions of fries and dips – lots of squid with a small salad garnish, which was presented to me. Everyone else’s meals followed on quickly which left us waiting for Ray’s. On enquiring, the waiter then told us that there were two portions of squid on my plate!! I had been munching away and dipping. There had been no indication that both portions had been served together – no second plate for Ray (who was sitting on the other side of the table to me, and one place down). But the problem was soon solved when they brought a second plate and I transferred some of the squid for Ray. It was lucky I had not managed to eat my way through it all by this time, although it was a large portion, and I probably could never have eaten it all by myself! – but you never know. Although not up to Schnitzel standards, it was still yummy.

We all wandered to our separate homes and feeling particularly weary tonight, we retired to bed – I cannot blame the Singhas tonight – perhaps it was all those cocktails.