One man down

"Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much."

And it really was one man down. Following a rather disappointing trip to the Jungle we set off weary (in Fred’s case dizzy) and tired to Tha Lane Bay, just outside of Krabi. Here we stayed in one place for our longest period (eight nights) and were able to properly enjoy a more settled, less nomadic experience. The villa was self catering and overlooking the most beautiful bay. We had our own pool and a vivid sunset every evening. Heaven for the kids and I but Fred was still feeling pretty awful and even more dizzy as he tried to take in a new location, sights and sounds.

We decided to take a taxi into Krabi, shortly after arriving, so that Fred could go to a doctor and I to do a super market shop with the kids, a chore that would normally delight Fred but today didn’t tempt him one little bit. As I traipsed the kids round a super market, chemist, bottle shop and back to the doctor I felt extremely proud that I had handled super market shopping (with unfamiliar foods and vegetables) and pharmaceuticals in a foreign land with three little ones in tow. We picked Fred up from the doctors, who were more than useless at diagnosing anything, and then headed back, the trip costing over 50 dollars in itself (Thailand, we were discovering is not cheap!). As I proudly went through the shopping on return, it became clear that this had been my least successful shop. Not only had I left all the meat and vegetables for supper at the shop, I had only managed to return with a few bottles of wine, some crisps, sunflower seeds and quails eggs. Why I chose Krabi for my first ever purchase of quails eggs, is beyond me. As many of you know, crisps and wine is the perfect supper for me but not so great to feed three hungry kids and a sick husband. Fred, wisely, went to bed and our wonderful hosts who ran the villa complex helped out with a few chicken breasts and some wilting lettuce.

Despite crossing all of our fingers Fred didn’t seem to get any better, although he soldiered on over the next few days. I am so lucky to have such a practical and hands on husband and it is at times like this where these qualities are sorely missed. Although beautiful in every way Tha Lane did not have a proper swimming beach and to really make the most of our week we needed a car but alas had no driver. We delayed hiring a car ( I have never driven in a foreign country) and instead just enjoyed some peace and quiet in our own villa.

The mornings were taken up with school (as the headmaster was out of the picture the deputy had to up her game) and afternoons in the pool. Eventually however we had to bite the bullet, we took a long boat out one morning (which didn’t seem to make Fred any worse) and headed off to a beautiful secluded bay where the only living creatures around were one friendless monkey and some jelly fish. The scenery was amazing and well worth the trip. We enjoyed every minute. Eventually, we decided we needed to hire a car and much to my own amazement I drove. Its not much fun driving in a different country but at least I was driving on the same side of the road as back at home and we just about managed to get from A to B. Although being in a car made Fred worse, he was an incredibly calm co-pilot (he must have been ill!) and I would not have fared well at all without his excellent map reading. I think we made a good pair in a rather odd situation and the role reversal worked well. The other way round with Fred driving and me map reading is not so compatible.

I don’t think the kids would have cared much if we hadn’t hired a car and had just stayed every day at the villa but that rather defeats the point of the trip we are taking and the adventures we want to have. Or does it? I think there is a balance of forcing the kids out and about (which is my natural predisposition) or just doing nothing and enjoying the here and now (which is more Fred’s). I am learning though….

It would be boring to go through every day we had in Tha Lane but in short, it was the kids favourite place so far. Olivia, came into her own with swimming, putting aside her fears to snorkel and dive underwater. Alfie, augmented his skills he discovered as a jungle kid in Anurak Lodge, setting off on adventures with the purpose and excitement he finds hard to muster on a walk to the park in London and Eliza began to miss home less and enjoy staying put in one home that was also host to a huge array of wildlife. This was a perfect place to restore the batteries before our next adventure and I think the photos above will give you a good idea of what activities we did there.

And so to our final stop in Thailand. Chiang Mai, where we stayed in a beautiful hotel and instead of rushing around trying to do too much we actually did very little. A trip to the waterfalls and botanical gardens, experimenting with food at the night markets and a walk around the old town. Perhaps what the kids enjoyed the most was our visit to the Art in Paradise Museum. An interactive, 3D art museum which was utterly magical and the most engaging family museum I think I have ever been to. Our last evening was spent in the most wonderful old Colonial restaurant, a real treat for us all to celebrate our last evening in Thailand. By now, Fred was beginning to feel a little better and we were really looking forward to a properly spoiling meal in a luxurious setting. Cue kids refusing to eat, sibling fighting, crying, everyone arguing, a missing camera and our last evening disintegrates into reality and heading home early. Oh well , you can’t have it all – Thailand was a very happy place for us but we must remember that we are a family of five very different people and travelling is trying and tiring. The children have all been sharing a room for six weeks now and it is taking its toil on Olivia who is deep tired. As our journey continues we need to be more cognisant of this but what fills us with great hope is that they are happy. In Sri Lanka they were coping but in Thailand they are embracing life.

Next stop Vietnam!

“Either push your limits or suffocate in your comfort zone.”