Swimming in the hotel pool and the sea

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Geo: 12.8, 99.9667

Woke at 12.30 – these garlic prawns are CAUSING PROBLEMS. I THINK the problem wasn't food poisoning as such (after all Nana and Pa also ate from same dish) rather the oily oily base. Not only did I eat the prawns, I ate the crunchy topping as well that, I believe, was mostly roasted garlic and oil. My tummy obviously couldn't handle it. It all came up. Had to wake Mel to get me a drink. Only problem with that was she then needed to go to the toilet!! Made it back to bed and slept soundly. Mum quietly tapped on door as she was heading off for her beach swim. I heard her putting note under door first. Went and spoke, told her I had been sick. She told me to go back to bed (gladly). Said if Mel woke up, I could send her over to the beach by herself. Got back into bed to find Mel awake.

She cracked it as I hadn't got her out of bed to go with Nana. Told her to go to balcony and call Nana as she headed to beach. NO. Told her to go herself – was safe – guard at gate would watch her. NO. So she lay in bed crying. Did debate getting up but used the excuse that I was sick not to. Also felt that I'd be giving in to Mel if I got up.

As per yesterday, I put on bathers, jumped in pool for 3 or 4 minutes got out, had pool-side shower before going to breaky. Had bland breaky. Fruit and bread with little bit of butter. 3 or 4 bananas – I'm not so fond of bananas at home – have gone off them in the last few years. Found lately that the taste a bit 'dry'. These bananas here are beautiful. Often at breaky we take extra for lunch and I'll eat 5 or 6 then (if we have enough).

After breaky we headed to pool and spent the morning there.

Lunch today was held in our room – hosted by Mel. She set up table – hand towel over half (as per Nana) cups ready for drinks, Vegemite tube on table, an invite written to Nana and Pa as well as a menu. I'd picked some flowers (frangipanis) from the ground around the pool and decorated table with them. We had a variety of breads and rolls (courtesy of breaky), bananas (same), cake (same) and fanta/chocolate milk/coffee. Very nice.

After lunch we headed off to beach for a swim. We left the covered area of the hotel by 6 or 7 steps when the rain hit. And it hit hard. We hightailed it back undercover as hotel staff laughed – here are these stupid tourists going to the beach in weather like this!!! We stood there looking at the rain. What to do. It finally eased (after 5 minutes) so we went to the beach. Mel said she'd only come in the water if I stayed next to her.

When we were getting our feet wet, Nana said to be careful as it might suddenly get deeper (ankle to calf deep). As I didn't want to scare Mel if she tipped down a slope, I took 2 or 3 steps ahead – leaving her with Nana. She cracked it as I wasn't staying next to her. I'd also bought her underwater camera that Santa gave her over and had wound the camera on when Mel said she didn't want a photo taken. By that time it was too late, so I took a photo of her and Nana. She cracked it even more!!! She had wanted me to leave camera wound on (since I'd already done that) and she'd use it in pool. I figured the photo would just get wasted as it's probably taking a photo when in bag.

Mel took off up beach sulking and sat on desk chair (as the hotel calls them – I'd say deck but who am I?) Mum and I went for a swim. The water was incredible – it was just SO warm. Mum says it is warmer than her pool. It was magnificent. It started to spit. We wanted to stay in water as the rain is so so cold!! We went and got Mel and Pa from desk chairs and collected our stuff. I'd taken a step back towards the hotel when a gust of wind come and blew an umbrella over – straight into my left side. Left a lovely bruise!!

Possibly swam in pool – can't remember. I know Mel is in a shocking mood.

Walked, in the rain, to internet shop and got on hotmail. I'd sent an email to Leeanne (office worker at school) which she went and put in the newsletter (although I've been told, put under Melinda not Melissa). After we got back to the hotel. Nana, Mel and I had a swim. Nana had 2 stress balls that we've been using for the last two days – throwing them to each other. We formed a triangle and had fun throwing them – from Mel to Mum to Nana to Mel. Jumped out, showered and off to a small local market. Mum went 2 months ago and told me what to expect. Maybe it was due to the rain, but market only ¼ size and mostly food.

Last time Nana said they had a little food and lots more clothes etc. I took some photos of the fried bugs that you could buy and eat. Grasshoppers, little beetles, grubs, cicadas – 6 different varieties. Looked umm, aah, tasty?? Unfortunately we ran out of time so I couldn't try them!! Nana bought some coconut picklet things (made using same pan as Dutch Pancakes) one lot had fresh coconut wrapped inside. They were very nice. We also bought some little donuts and a sponge roll for dessert.

Found a pretty bracelet and bought for Mel BHT29. It had a stone, a moon shape and a fan on it. It sort of represents Thailand – the fan for the heat!!

We all went to a restaurant for tea. We had 2 soups - 1 chicken (extremely hot and had little whole chilli's in it - would have added extra flavour if we'd eaten them) and a green Thai Chicken with Glass Noodles Mum thought this one was a main course not a soup. It was a very nice meal - Mel loved the noodles. We also had a plate of rice each. We were all too full to eat dessert – although Mel and I did fit in a little donut each (little meaning about 5cm big). Back to hotel. Mel in bed about 9.30. Me at 10.30. We both got some colour today on our arms and the top of legs even though wore t-shirts in pool today. Some of the colour would have been from yesterday.

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