The dreaded day of the compulsory hotel Gala Dinner has arrived and at £80, booze extra, about 12 times the cost of my normal meal here, I am expecting great things.... But I guess I have always been an optimist! And it is only this morning I realised that I neglegted to pack a suitable sparkly outfit for said event - but having said that as I don't possess one it would have been difficult to pack anyway... I foraged deep in the suitcase for my cleanest skirt and top, and the bling was supplied by my gold and diamate Haviana's (thanks Deryn) and rescuing my gold bangle from the depths of the room safe....
In I go. The area outside reception had been transformed with lots of tables, lights, balloons and a stage. The usual suspects on the buffet as well as a whole roasted pig, including the head.... And a constant stream of entertainment. We started with a very un Thai South Sea island dance routine, followed by a ladyboy cabaret, followed by Thai cultural dancing by, we were informed, the staff, no night off for them. Then we moved on to the Thai traditional dress version of Tom Cruise doing a cocktail making routine. He was the head barman....It was at the point where he kept dropping the bottles, especially the one with the flame coming out of the top that I made my excuses and left. At least the people I was seated with were nice, an Ozzie family from Brisbane and an older couple from Sweden. But the constant stream of entertainment precluded any meaningful conversation.
This sort of Gala Dinner is certainly not one of my favourite occupations, especially when you have no choice but to pay an exorbitant amount, and this one really was over priced, but at 10.30 I find myself back at my room in peace. I couldn't bring myself to stay for the last 90 minutes entertainment before New Year. Well, relative peace that is, as there are fireworks going off everywhere and music coming at me from all angles. But the view is lovely, the sky over the beach is full of those chinese lanterns and strobe lights from the DJ festival crossing the sky.
And now midnight. I don't think I've ever been through a louder new year, fireworks everywhere, on the beach, in the hotels and on the streets and still the skies filled with lanterns. Sydney and London (and Ferryside of course), eat your hearts out! That was pretty amazing!
And now on to New Year take 2 as I set the alarm for a 6.45 am start to catch the UK New Year. Saw the London fireworks on the telly and they looked spectacular, well done Boris! And more miracles of science, chatted to and saw the Harveys in California and all at Ferryside. Just sorry I wasn't there to share the champagne..
And then off to the front of the hotel at 8am to help with the New Year distribution of alms to the local monks. This was organised by the hotel and they kindly invited guests to join in. The hotel had said, and I quote
"please kindly be inform you that The Front Village Hotel will make the merit and give the goods to the monk for keep the Thai culture as the Buddhism believe that on the first of January is the nice life will coming then we should do merit".
I thought merit might be good but also thought that it might be a bit of a commercial thing but it wasn't, and surprisingly, very few guests turned up. A large table groaning with gift packs of water, toothpaste, rice, salt, Oreo's and other assorted goodies was lined up outside the hotel, miraculously cleared from the Gala Dinner last night. Some monks arrived, ferried in from the local temple in the hotel minibus and went along the line as we each passed over a parcel. The parcels wouldn't fit into their silver alms bowls, so they accepted them and then passed them on to a minion who loaded them into a laundry basket, a bit like the Queen dealing with her flowers on a Royal walkabout. They got quite a haul! But the hotel staff genuinely wanted us all to take part, making sure that everyone had given something. Then we crowded around and joined hands whilst the monks chanted their blessing over us and a silver bowl of water. The water was poured over the base of the nearest fragipani tree where a few more prayers were said, and then the head monk wished us all an English "Happy New Year". It was a really nice ceremony and felt very inclusive. I wished that I had actually personally contributed something rather than the hotel stuff, but then I remebered the outrageous price I paid for last night's do, and hope some of the profits from that were used to buy the monks' gifts. I hope so!
And finally Happy New Year Take 3 as I hear and see the girls again celebrating over in Scottsdale, Arizona. Now why is it that I seem to be the only person not to have had champagne in the lat 24 hours.....
And after all that New Year activity, it's a cloudy afternoon with sprinkles of rain, so I think I will now settle down with the Sunday Times and then off to the Irish Bar for a proper Sunday lunch - what a life eh!
