You could be forgiven for thinking I'd forgotten all about this blog. I've had a long absence during which I've been sorting out my future. Remember when I said I'd resigned? Well, it all got a bit complicated, whilst resigning I asked for my redundancy package which was an offer on the table. However, in order to be made redundant, I had to go through a 30 day consultation period with my employer which included them helping me find an alternative job. In the end, I was signed off sick with stress for two weeks, interviewed for a part time job before our holiday, got the job, had to go back full time after the holiday until the part time job started, which is THIS WEEK. Hoorah, I am now officially part-time, 14 hours a week on a Thursday & Friday which gives me lots of lovely time to get crafty, start all sorts of interesting projects and keep up with this blog!
Thailand seems ages ago now but flicking through our photos helps cast the mind back. This holiday was all about relaxing and the timing was perfect considering all the crap that was going on for me at work. Once we got to Ko Jum we didn't need to go anywhere else, it really is a slice of paradise, and the perfect spot to just relax and simply be.
Thailand seems ages ago now but flicking through our photos helps cast the mind back. This holiday was all about relaxing and the timing was perfect considering all the crap that was going on for me at work. Once we got to Ko Jum we didn't need to go anywhere else, it really is a slice of paradise, and the perfect spot to just relax and simply be.
There are two main villages on the island and from where we stayed at Season Bungalow, it was about 45 minutes walk through the rubber plantations to Ko Jum village . Last time we visited there was no proper road or electricity but the island has developed since then and now has a few more amenities. We managed to drag ourselves away from the beach from time to time to do a bit of exploring. We found the local Buddhist temple which was next to the school in Ko Jum and the friendly monk gave us a blessing while we were there. I think he secretly enjoyed whacking tourists on the head with his bunch of sticks dipped in water, he certainly had a big smile on his face when he did Sean.
The other village to the North of the island is called Ko Pu, and is predominantly muslim. Some of the women there crochet head scarves and hats, bingo! I found Miriam sitting outside her cafe busily crocheting and it seemed rude not to join her, after all I was missing my Wooly Wednesday knit club mates. So we went back the next day and spent a happy morning with her and her kids. She even got Sean making rotis which was hilarious, anyone remember The Generation Game?
So I finished a little crocheted garland from the acrylic yarn I bought in Bangkok and left it as a gift for Miriam, I also left her with my big hook and the leftover yarn which she was happy with. She used only fine cotton-like acrylic and a very small hook so she was happy to use something different. Miriam had some basic English and I had very basic Thai but we managed to communicate, the universal language of crochet!
Back at base, day by day, the shell collection grew. Many a happy hour was spent searching the beaches and rock pools at low tide hoping they would give up their colourful treasures. When we first came to Thailand we found what we now know to be Sand Dollars. At the time, we didn't know what they were so we called them Skippys because they look like those old corn snacks 'Skips'.
Season Bungalows is a great place to stay, there are about 50 bungalows and the team are good fun. They laid on entertainment on Christmas Eve & NYE which was not really our thing, we spent NYE dodging the ladyboys! But apart from that, we can't fault them.
There is a third small village called Ting Rai which has the best shop for supplies. The Dragon fruit was amazing, so fresh and full of flavour, not like the dried up offerings in our supermarkets at home.
Our time on the island was over all too soon. We'd met some lovely holiday buddies two of whom even got up to wave us off as we left on the 8am boat back to Krabi town. They needed to make sure we'd left I expect.
And so, back to Bangkok for our last couple of days of heat for a while. We visited M R Kukrit's Heritgae Home which is a series of 5 traditional teak houses with beautiful gardens formerly owned by the writer and politician. It was a lovely quiet oasis tucked away from the hub-bub of the city. It had the most amazing library which I could have made myself at home in.
Some other lovely sights around the city, Kathmandu Gallery, humungous lizard sunning himself on the banks of the river in the middle of the city, & the amulet market. | |
The scary thought of going home.
Our first and last Thai meal, Tab Tim, Som Tam & rice.