Thursday, 9th to Sunday, 12th January, 2025

As mentioned in the last post, we have successfully made it to Thailand and I am typing this from our very well-appointed (what DOES that mean?) and pleasant room at the Elements Resort, near Krabi.

We rose early on Thursday (5pm me and Val even earlier) as we were aiming to leave for Abu Dhabi Airport from the hotel by 6.30 latest for our 0900 flight to Phuket in Thailand. A bit stressful, but we did it OK and are still best of friends!! Excellent service at the airport for Val. Interestingly, people with disabilities are described as People of Determination in the UAE. One to ponder…

Etihad did all the right things, took off on time, served OK food, had a little more legroom than BA and enough entertainment to keep us amused. It was a bit like Crackerjack (anyone under at least 60 had better look that up, but it involved holding an ever-growing number of items, especially cabbages, I seem to remember) as you had to juggle with a pillow, a rolled up blanket, quite large headphones and all one’s own paraphernalia. There just didn’t seem to be anywhere to put stuff. And then they served you a meal!!Anyhoo…

We landed around 6pm in Phuket, were whisked through immigration, picked up all the bags (last time we were here, my suitcase went on a little holiday of its own for about a week!!) and were heading for our hire car in record time of about 20 minutes. We loaded up our Toyota Avensis and eased ourselves into the flow of Thai traffic for the 4 minute drive to the 16th Naiyang Beach Hotel for a one-night stay before heading off for our long-term destination. I expect that you are wondering if there are 15 other Naiyang Beach Hotels, but I think it might have something to do with the number on the street.

It is a bit like a Thai Premier Inn, basic, but comfortable, though they only have enough pillows, apparently, for one per guest as our request for more was met with a firm no as they did not have any more.

A nice Thai meal for supper and so to bed.

The next day we set off for the Elements Resort, near Krabi, a 2 hour and 14 minute drive. It is actually quite pleasant driving in Thailand. The traffic keeps moving at a steady pace, there are only a very few speedsters (mostly minibus taxis) and everyone understands that the only rule of the road is to avoid the vehicle in front – which could do virtually anything. You have to keep your wits about you and watch out for cars and especially motor scooters appearing from anywhere, but overall, OK.

The hotel we are staying at is very nice and we have a ‘pool access’ room, though we have to climb over the next room’s mini pool to get to the main one. Time for a photo of…..you guessed it, our hotel room!! No complaints, please, as it is the third room we have stayed in so far and the first to be photographed…

A few photos of the hotel facilities..

The hotel has a gym, which we are frequenting, a pool table, table football, but, sadly, no table tennis… That is a disappointment, but made up by an excellent breakfast, especially from Val’s viewpoint as they have a good selection of Asian food. The staff could not be more helpful and they must, at times, think we are doing a secret review of the hotel as we ask for pillows, extra bedside tables and stickers on the very clean glass sliding door so that you don’t try walking through it when it isn’t open – as Val did. The shower is dynamic!!

We have already settled into a routine of breakfast, rest, exercise, rest, more rest, massage, rest, supper, bed. It is wonderful and doing both of us and especially Val a world of good – which is the main aim of the holiday.

Not much else to report. I have finished Richard Osman’s “The Last Devil to Die”. Excellent as ever. I feel as I write this, that I am channelling my inner Joyce at times…

I know how much you enjoy some photos of the flora and fauna, so here are a couple of photos of a tree outside our room, which, I think, is called the cannonball tree.

Be warned, I have spotted a butterfly or two, some dragonflies and a few interesting-looking birds…

Off to the night market tonight in Ao Nang. Will report back in the next post.