Friday 28th February
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| Sharp and pointy rocks on Panwa Beach - my nemesis! |
Yesterday was very
frustrating. I managed to get money from
the ATM, and a phone card for Pete’s phone, but most of the time it was like one
of those dreams where everything is just slightly awry… For example, I wanted
to go to Cobra Sports Shop*, which I had been told was about 4km down the
road. On every corner of the busy main street
of Chalong there was a taxi stand…which looked like this…
Empty of people! Empty of taxis, tuktuks, motorbikes...
So I started
walking. A young woman pulled up on her
little motorbike and offered me a ride (50 baht.) I explained that I was looking for a shop,
not far away, and opposite the Chalong gym.
Ah yes! She said, with a glad cry, and proceeded to ride…up over the
hill to Kata Beach! I patted her on the
shoulder and said, NO, I DON’T want to go
to Kata Beach, thank you! She paid
no attention at all and ten minutes later deposited me at a massage parlour,
saying, Here is shop, ma’am. Oh goody.
I walked around in
a big loop, looking for a camera shop where someone could look at, and possibly
revive, my little drowned Nokia. When I
found myself repeating the loop, it was time to go… Into a tuktuk, back to
Chalong. I had a fortifying entrée dish
of pad Thai and a large glass of watermelon juice, then made my way along to
the pier. I couldn’t face another long
hot wait at an empty taxi stand…and I knew that at the Panwa Beach end of the
equation I would have to wait for 5.30, for the tide to come in, so that Pete
could come to shore in the dinghy. I did
NOT want to face those fearsome rocks again!
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| Panwa Beach with the tide in...looks much more inviting! |
Brainwave – hire a
longtail!
My gondolier was a
kindly man of few words. I handed him a
card with a photo of 2XS, negotiated a price which made him very happy, and off
we went. Oh bliss to be back on 2XS!
No it’s not Rose’s
birthday…she only gets a birthday every four years – a paradox, a paradox, a most ingenious paradox…
But I will be
thinking of her all day on the day before and the day after 29th
February. Rose is two now, and a most
excellent, fascinating toddler. She is a
blithe spirit, still totally full of fun and confidence and of her wonderful
place in the world and she brings fun, laughter and an element of danger*
everywhere she goes.
* In search of an inflatable kayak...mission so far unsuccessful
** danger because –
she is intrepid and fearless and has to be watched with eagle eyes!!
Oh that wild Rose we do adore her. Sounded like you could have used that massage anyway. Maybe the bike lady was trying to help you find just what you really needed. Why do you have two phones? We have spares if you want us to bring one over.
ReplyDeletePhons all fixed now, thanks anyway!
ReplyDelete