Day 4 & 5

23.06.23/24.06.23

A great nights sleep, didn’t get frozen to death! 

I decided to take a Songthaew to Ninmam and a fancy shopping centre called Maya Lifestyle. The sole purpose of the trip was to purchase some snacks from the supermarket there, specifically some delicious French butter biscuits, which I found here last year. They are Tracey’s favourite ❤️ they are yummy and perfect for a little snack or breakfast if you don’t want lots to eat. I was also thinking about getting a Thai SIM card and thought I might look there.

The shopping centre is very nice, quite big, lots of nice shops, just not really my thing tbh. 

I had a wander around then found the supermarket. How very disappointing! Not a French butter biscuit or palmier to be found 😢😢 and trust me, I looked around the entire store, three times! So having now been in the store for around 15mins I felt I should buy something or I’d look suspicious 🤨 so I left with 2 packets of Biscoff biscuits, nice but not the same. 

I tried to get a Tuk Tuk back but they were charging silly money, cheap in £ but ridiculous in Thai Baht, so I went and found another Songthaew who charged a more reasonable price. Travelling back I felt bad about quibbling over a couple of quid, but those couple of quids soon add up! 

I would have walked but the route is along a large busy road which isn’t pleasant. 

I got back to the hotel and had a lovely long swim and chilled. 

On my wanderings yesterday I’d seen a lovely little place that had a garden and a bar doing Happy hour Cocktails, Mojitos. So I thought I’d head there before dinner. It’s called ‘Spice Garden’ attached to ‘Spice Hotel’  it’s really lovely like a little calm Sanctuary in the city. I ordered my BOGOF Mojitos, sat down and enjoyed the peace. 

The lovely young barman then appeared with both of my drinks together! They look great but now I feel under pressure to drink them before the ice in the second one melts 😂 (first world problems) 

Sitting at the bar is a young American girl, early 20s, probably staying or residing at the Hotel. As she got up to leave she quietly explained to the barman that he shouldn’t prepare both cocktails at the same time for a single person, as the ice melts, drips on clothes and ruins the taste of the drink, what a sweetheart. He then came over a apologised profusely, bless him. TBF I was by then on my second drink so not hugely worried 😍

I was going to head to Kats for dinner but realised I was right near one of my favourite places ‘Hummus’, Nikki, you would absolutely love this place, the name says it all!! 😂 so off I went. 

I was not disappointed, oh my! Seriously good, Middle Eastern food all made on sight, so, so tasty. I had a Falafel pitta, with salad, tahini & hummus, side of pickles, obviously 😀 Potatoes and some cinnamon spiced tea. 

I think one of the reasons I love it is because it evokes memories of my travels in the 80s to Israel & Egypt,  and trying a falafel for the first time on a street corner in Tel Aviv. A proper Falafel is a thing of joy! 

Anyway that’s enough about Falafels, for now! 😂

After my lush dinner I headed home, laid in my bed reading and listening to the torrential rain that I just missed! 

Today my plan is to try and stop making plans! 

I always feel like I ‘should’ be doing something, going somewhere, achieving something. I need to try and go with the flow a bit more, be more spontaneous and get into the holiday mode! (Mmm I’ll see how that one goes! 😃)

But with that thought fresh in my mind I have a leisurely breakfast, fresh fruit, egg on toast, tea. Then just go for a directionless wander! 

This wander takes me down towards the large Temple of Wat Phra Singh, I take a random left turn and end up in a familiar area with some art galleries, I pop into one, which I didn’t get the name of, but which was amazing. I then take another random street and find myself in a much quieter more residential area, it’s surprising how just a few streets can make such a difference, I can’t hear much traffic, there are very few shops, there are a couple of nurseries and local people just sitting in there porches eating lunch, relaxing. I find it very calming. 

I have a pretty good sense of direction, so don’t worry about getting lost and eventually find myself exactly where I thought I’d be.  I stroll back to the hotel along the waterway that runs beside the old city walls, it’s shady and pleasant. 

By the time I get back I am a little hot (yes, once again I walked during the hottest part of the day! 😬🥵) I get straight in the lovely cold, refreshing pool and bang out 32 lengths, approximately 16 normal ones. Which isn’t bad, I can do more, but I’m now starving! I jump out and enjoy a large glass of water and a palmier saved from yesterday. 

Dinner was a bit of a predicament, Kats is great and cheap, but wasn’t sure if I needed another Mojito first, so wandered over towards Spice Bar, but got there and changed my mind, walked past Hummus and thought about going in, but didn’t, continued walking and found myself at Dash. One of the people I chatted to today mentioned going there, I went last year and liked it. So that’s where I settled on. 

I had spring rolls and chicken rice, it was really tasty, but it’s around double the price of Kats and not really any better, it did have a man singing random songs whilst strumming a guitar, but I’m afraid that’s not enough. I’m not sure I’ll go back. Kats has a much livelier vibe. 

I’ve walked around 12,000 steps today, which I feel is a lot, especially as it’s 33 degrees. I’m not sure how people are supposed to fit in 10,000 everyday, and work, and shop and do their usual stuff! Weird. (Answers in the comments please!) 

Ok, so I feel this is quite a long blog post, not sure if you guys would prefer daily updates or every couple of days, I’m open to suggestions!

Have a great Sunday! 

Books read 2

A Friend of the Family by Lisa Jewell. Entertaining.