Fishing Village & Night Market

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Geo: 12.8, 99.9667

Mel woke me at 6am – isn't she lovely – I'd slept a lot better – had turned air con off when I went to bed. Told her to write her diary and wait for Nana to leave us a note. I thought about it (remembering I'm still 9/10th asleep) – then told Mel to write Nana a note. Nana heard the note going under the door so got up, ready and came to get us to go for a swim. She found me still in bed. Got up and bathered. Ate a banana on the way to the beach. Mel didn't want to swim so she and Nana waded ankle deep whilst I went for a swim then she and I changed places. Pa came over 15 or so minutes later. The three of us swam whilst Mel built sandcastle.

Back to hotel. Washed off sand with taps next to swimming pool then had a quick swim. Had 'pool-side' shower, changed and headed to breaky.

Breaky here consists of 2 cereals, fruit (pineapple, bananas, watermelon, melon and maybe cantaloupe), eggs cooked as you wait – scrambled, fried, sunny-side up or down and omelettes. Ham bacon sausages (cocktail franks), pancakes (I would call them picklets), steamed rice. American fried rice (tomato sauce through it) boiled rice, curry, mixed vegies and assorted breads, rolls and danish, croissants and (don't know what to call it – maybe sponge cake) Drink – tea, coffee, orange juice (we think cordial) pineapple juice (Pa's drink) Tomato Juice (Nana's drink) or cold milk or water.

As usual we made a few trips up to get food.

After breaky we walked to the fishing village. It was a fair walk (~3km) and Mel's foot hurt – also hot which didn't help. We got there as the boats were unpacking their haul. The fish are put in green baskets on boat, the baskets are then put on metal 'slide' and given a push. The basket slides along the metal railing to the dock. It is hooked and dragged the rest of the way by a worker then emptied onto the ground. Fish were dead already. The fish were then sorted into baskets by the workers that were squatting on the ground – we assume on size (although no scales or rulers) – then baskets taken away and another empty basket put into its place. The whole area was alive with workers and alive with the smell of fish!!! Pa and I walked up the break water – not quite to end. I ran out of batteries unfortunately. The number of boats moored along the breakwater was unbelievable. The size also varied greatly. We saw boats for cray fishing – with big stacks of baskets up the side of the boat that are used for catching them in. As boats are finished they go and tie onto another ship. There will be a line of 3 to 5 boats tied together with the first boat being attached to shore. This boat would have two ropes that people would use to move back and forth across water – feet on lower rope, hands on the lower one. We did manage to watch as someone tried dunking himself!! The majority of fishermen were able to almost stroll

In amongst the dirt, grease, smell and dead fish we saw a group of men all showering together – all lathered up standing on the front of the boat. Don't know if they were using fresh or salt water to wash themselves in. Pa and I walked back to the fishing village and found Nana and Mel and joined them for a drink. I was extremely hot. We had earlier seen a truck arrive with huge blocks of ice. Whilst we'd gone walking, Mel and Nana went and saw where ice was kept. We later saw these blocks (maybe 1.5 metre long, 60 – 90 cm high – unsure how thick)going through the ice crusher and put on a conveyor belt that went as high as the roof then back down on a swinging slide. We saw crushed ice being added to plastic containers to store fish in as well as some on the boat.

We had a hot walk back to the hotel via bakery. Mum was going to get a taxi back but couldn't find one. Changed, swim, then lunch, Nana and Pa went for another walk to get Nana's photos that had been processed. Mel and I stayed in the pool.

Changed (again) then met with 6 others and we went out to the night market. We hadn't been there long when it started to rain. Nana bought a container of chicken from food vendor and we went and sat in the park, in drizzle and ate it. Mel not 100% happy with the thought of eating food from a street vendor but she still tried it – she didn't like it but still ate some of it. Mum, Dad and I thought it was beautiful. We then went walking around the market. Mel and I bought pancakes on sticks that were made in the shape of lion, elephant, heart and maybe 10 other shapes. We watched the lady make them. She had some mixture in a sauce bottle. She quickly drew picture with mixture on hotplate – cooked it then carefully spooned mixture on top of drawing in the shape of it. Cooked, flipped, skewered up the guts and sold. Unbelievable. Very nice and only 5 BHT each. Got some sugar donuts (Mel loved) little little donuts (Mel not like) Orange Juice (maybe mandarin juice). I bought some stickers and a pair of pants as well as heaps of pink balloons for surgery.

Came back to hotel. Picnic in Nana and Pa's room – ate donuts and sponge cake and drank chocolate milk. Looked at some of dad's photos (digital) on TV. Back 'home' to room. Mel to bed. I write this then to bed. 10.30

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