A week in paradise

After saying goodbye I was on my own again. My backpacking days were officially over and what was left of my trip was a vacation. One week on the beach doing nothing or in other words working on my tan and my reading. Not much else was planned but as usual plans are made to be changed.

While in Bangkok waiting for my connection I changed some money and got more from the ATM. Because except for the Yuan from my China trip,Thailand was not interested in any other currency I had. So sad for Vietnam and Laos that their currency counts for nothing apparently.

Anyway, I eventually made it to Koh Samui and from the airport in no to time to my hotel, the Bhundhari Chaweng Beach Resort. For the last week I had really splurged and got myself a big bungalow on Chaweng Beach which according to Dudley was the nicest beach on Koh Samui. Since I had never been there I took his advice but instead of booking a room right in the middle of the action I settled on a place at the end of the beach. And what a wise choice, no parties at my end but not so far away that I couldn’t walk there.

The hotel gave me a bungalow right in front of the pool and I really had the nicest view. As if they knew that I deserved something special after months of hostels and guesthouses. That of course sounds worse than it was but from the start of the trip I had in mind to treat myself for the last week! The pictures of the bungalow are from the next morning at sunrise.

It was the perfect do-nothing place and I really didn’t do much else beside working on my tan and reading. At least until the next day. By mid-afternoon I was already bored and needed to get off my butt. After being constantly on the go I seemed to have forgotten how to sit still.

So an action plan was put into motion to keep me entertained and it worked out perfectly for the week. From jet-skiing with a master in this field, to exploring the island on a motorbike, to going once again zip-lining. If you want to see me in action please click here. Compared to Laos of course it was peanuts, but from Laos I don’t have a video and here the instructor took pity on me since I was by myself.

You can really see how a week of actual holidays was doing wonders to my overall well-being.

After a week of enjoying the very best of what the island had to offer I felt relaxed enough to take on a big city. Bangkok was waiting for me and with it my flight home. I was dreading going back, there was nothing waiting for me except my job. And after such a long time of deciding every day afresh on how to spend it, I was sure I would hate being back in the rat race.

So to make the most of my last day and night I booked myself into the Sofitel So Bangkok which provided a fitting ending to an already epic trip. Even though the weather was not playing along, I could still use the pool and get a good picture out of it.

A last drink at the rooftop bar, dinner at some wharf place the name of which I have forgotten because there were so many other things to remember that night and then it was back to the hotel. I needed to get some sleep before taking an early plane out the next morning. Always, always when you have the best of times, time is flying. Also in this case. Yours, Pollybert