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Published: February 4th 2019
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Thai babies are not transported in buggies. They are carried, then they walk. End of. Just saying.....
For food the night before last I thought I’d try to find the big night market on the other side of town, not being really sure if it actually existed or not. Or if I’d be too late, as the local ones seem to start at 5ish and finish early. I was more or less confident that I knew where it was. Along the front there were small clumps of ladyboys in fabulous gowns, each about 6’6” tall in high heels, asking for money to have their photos taken. They seem to prefer to congregate outside fast food places like McDonald’s and Burger King. They don’t like the non fee-paying public sneaking a shot when they’re posing. I didn’t dare. Up the street heading away from the sea there were lots of Indian restaurant, a few little local stalls, the usual pharmacies etc. On the other side I spotted Krabi Resort and remembered a vlog saying there was a night market opposite. There was! Small, but a good choice of stuff. I found the quails eggs in wonton wrappers, 5 on a stick
for 20b. A bargain but quite tasteless. There were lots of offerings on skewers, including crocodile, deer and what definitely weren’t actual crab claws, although they were shaped like them. The couple trying those said they also tasted of nothing. I had chicken pad thai, cooked in a wok in front of me for 60b and it was very good. I don’t normally like it much but it didn’t have the weird vinegary taste. There were a few tables and chairs in the narrow gap between the stalls to sit and eat, but the problem was the ambient temperature felt like about 40 degrees, eating hot food as well, the sweat was pouring off us all. I had a coconut shake to cool down, delicious. Total cost of dinner, 120b and I was stuffed. You can eat very well here on a very low budget. I’ll definitely go back there.
Yesterday I went back to Lion&Shark for breakfast and chatted with Charlotte, a Belgian girl who just finished training to be a kindergarten teacher. She was going scuba diving. Then when I got to the beach my buddies had arrived, Martin and Lewis, as well as Lewis’ parents, in
Thailand for the first time. It was great to have people to talk to. I walked over to the next beach in the hope of seeing monkeys on the way but there were none. Probably the later afternoon is a better time. The weather forecast had said 50% chance of rain and it did in the afternoon, 3 times a downpour came out of nowhere and we scurried into the massage hut to take shelter. It was over in a few minutes. The second time I thought I may as well have a foot massage and it was a new lady, Tan, who has a job in a hotel and a massage parlour and also helps out on Sunday at the beach, on her day off! It was quite a painful experience, I’m sure good for me, although she nearly pulled my toes off and cracked them like walnuts! And at the end I sat on a stool and she sort of clouted me around the back of the head. She is 50, looks 30 and her English is good so we could have a conversation. Her sister has been in Notting Hill for a long time, married to an
English guy. She went over when a baby was due to help, had a 6 month visa but left after one and her mum went out to help instead. Neither of them liked it. Her mother didn’t feel able even to go shopping on her own. The weather was rubbish and it was too dark. That’s why Tan doesn't want a European boyfriend! Ann, the very business-like owner of the hut, went to Japan to work yesterday with a friend. When they got there Ann was allowed in on a tourist visa (she has a Scandinavian boyfriend to vouch for her) but her friend was refused. The Japanese authorities quite rightly suspected that the friend, at least, was there with the intention of working. Actually, both of them were. Ann didn‘t want to stay on her own so they are both coming back! It great to be able to interact a bit and learn about the lives of the hard-working Thais.
For lunch I felt sorry for the deaf guy so ordered corn, even though I didn’t want any. Now I’ll have to have it every day! When we’d finished, Lewis’ dad, David, and I stuck the cobs in
the sand by the sticks and loads of little sparrows flew down. It was so cute, like having your own personal bird feeder! A Russian guy copied us, although he hadn’t left much for them. Then the deaf guy came and took them away. He is very tidy.
I went for dinner to the other, more local beach, to meet my buddies at the food court next to the Holiday Inn, about a half an hour walk. It mainly caters to people staying in the more upmarket hotels over there, although the beach is a bit pointless and disappears at high tide.
Today I tried to find a new place for breakfast, called Quat’s Cafe & Kondis. The reviews on tripadvisor were good, one said it was a hidden gem. True! So hidden, I couldn’t find it, although in theory it’s on the main road really near here. So I trudged down back to the hostel and had fried eggs and tea. Back to the beach and lovely chats. The corn guy was more excited to see us than we were him. The birds were again thrilled by the leftovers. I’m SO glad I decided to come here,
but probably won’t next year. I’m sure commercialism will have taken away the remaining charm by then. It rained when I was having my beach beer, just for 20 mins.
Tomorrow is kayaking in the mangroves, 8.30 -1pm, hopefully without too much capsizing. Ably negotiated by Martin down to 400b each for 5 of us.
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