Koh Chang, Vietnam and staying out of trouble...

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Morning All,

Well it is for me - it's 9am sunday morning here and it's unfortunately the last day of my (1 week) and Lucy's (2 week) holiday for Thai New Year, or Songkran to give it it's proper name. No doubt you've all seen the news about the Bangkok riots and violence last week and I'm pleased to say that we've only seen it from the perspective of BBC news the same as you have apart from yesterday when out of curiosity we went to have a wander through the protest. It was all very safe and very interesting - they were all in good spirits but that might change later in the week. There will be another flashpoint in the next couple of days when the army tries to move them again and obviously we will not be in the area when that happens!

Today is only my 2nd day in Bangkok for over 2 weeks as we've been travelling around, here's where...

Vietnam
I had to go to Vietnam for a week with work as we had all our customers from the UK coming over. I think it went pretty well but I won't say too much as some of those people are probably reading this! It was extremely hard work and not at all easy being on the supplier's side of the fence - I promise not to winge as much when I go back to my old job. It wasn't made any easier by the fact that all 3 of the main departments came in the same week, whilst I also had to do a couple of interviews and loads of other general stuff for the office at the same time. Usual working days started at 8.30am, finished in the office at 9pm and got back to the hotel after dinner in the early hours. I needed a holiday after that, but I'm coming to that....

Vietnam wasn't all toil and trouble though because me and Lucy flew out on the friday before I started work on the Monday, with a view to getting a place to live fixed up in Saigon. To cut a long story short it, was a success. Our new pad is on the 31st floor of a new development called Saigon Pearl, and very nice it is too - see pics. It's about 10 minutes drive from the centre and about 20 minutes to mine and Lucy's work, it's right next to the river and has pool, gym etc. After trailing round the city with numerous agents on the saturday and sunday we were wondering whether we would get what we wanted but fortunately Lucy was staying another day and found 'the one' on Monday afternoon. I went to sign the contract on saturday morning en-route to the airport without having seen it before - luckily I can trust Mrs Moss to make a good choice!

With all the househunting there wasn't much time to do much sightseeing unfortunately but Lucy seemed to like the place, which is good, as we'll be spending at least 8 months of our lives there. We did find time to go the historic Rex hotel for a drink and to be serenaded by a Las Vegas cast-off and a flamenco band, as well as going for some lovely meals (Vietnamese food is just as nice as Thai we!). I also think Lucy's massive fear of the motorbike traffic in Saigon may have been eased a little, as we did manage to cross at least 8 roads during our time there without injury - a major success.

I came back to Bangkok for a night at the weekend before Koh Chang (it was the night all the violence kicked off) and we thought we had very nearly walked into some of the political strife on the way out to dinner. As we walked down the street we could see red flags at the end and there was a pick-up with something being said in very high volume through a PA system strapped to the back. Turns out it wasn't somebody rabble rousing and telling the people to rise up - it was just the mango man asking if anyone wanted some of his fresh produce in his very stern voice.

Koh Chang
Hi, Lucy here. Koh Chang - a week of complete peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. We really were in one of those places where there really is nothing to do but relax - think sunsets, infinity pool and stunning views of the sea and mountains. Luckily for us, the hotel was near enough deserted most of the time. I say 'most' of the time because we had just finished our evening meal on the first night when a few French people tipped in. Then a few more, and a few more and finally a few more! The place was booked out by a Scuba Diving group of about 50 odd people, which left us annoyingly at the back of the queue for cocktails and white wine, but on the upside we ruled the pool in the daytime. Bonus. So the setting was 5* but the sevice was not... think Fawlty Towers without the agro. The staff were polite and apologetic (to cringe-worthy levels) bless them, trying so hard but yet failing to have any organisation. In the end you just had to have a second choice for everything you ordered as something was bound to be off. I think the final straw came when Chris ordered a white wine and was told that he couldn't have it because there was none in the fridge (this was a 79 room hotel..!) But we didn't mind too much and laughed our way through it, happy in the knowledge that we had scored a cut price room through a friend of a friend, had we not and we might not have seen so much of the funny side.

Adventuring consisted of kayaking across the lagoon to the only restaurant we could find which was great fun. Not too far to work up much of a sweat, but exciting all the same as we chanced pulling ourselves through tiny creek in a mangrove swamp up, then a little walk to lunch. After a few days of this we moved over the west coast of the island for more of the same. Here the beach was longer and more beautiful, with more restaurants, bars and generally life. We bought snorkels and snorkelled off the rocks infront of our room, watched the sunset from our porch, chris went off finally on a deep sea fishing trip which he thoroughly enjoyed, although unfortunately the morning was spent fishing in loads of rain and thunder and lightning...) and the best bit of the week was going on a elephant trek...

...One hour spent trekking around some of the jungley terrain, along some roads, and up a dried river bed and then the icing on the cake - swimming with them in a river. It was so much fun and they were so clever yet soft and playful, rolling you off their backs on demand and letting you perform all manner of circus tricks involving trying to stand and balance on their backs. They really are amazing creatures and I am now totally in love and want to go and work at the elephant sanctuary! They all come from dodgy backgrounds - rescued from logging etc and seem to enjoy the lazy life they have now wandering around the jungle and playing with tourists.

And finally... thankfully we're not afflicted by any of the volcanic dust cloud crisis - except for having an unexpected guest in the form of my old friend Matt who is stuck in Thailand until the 2nd May. So we're well chuffed to see a familiar face and get some more use out of our spare room! So off out being tour guides now to one of our fave local restaurants. Bon Appetit!

As usual, scroll down for more pics....

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Comments

[Mum (Bev)]

It all looks and sounds FAB
Its lovely to read your blog. It looks fantastic we're all very envious (in a good way) I've just given the girls one of my talks on the how its not good to be envious of etc etc...... We're just sorry you're having to work so hard in amonst all the loveliness and luxury. Life here is much the same, a little brighter now the nights are getting lighter and the sun is shining a little. The volcanic dust cloud has given me a little irritation - my collegue is stuck in Denmark so i'm covering her shifts. Helena has just called me for the third time to come eat my dinner - she's been to school, is studying for A levels AND has to cook a meal for her family!!!! I love you both. Talk soon MUM xxxxxx