It did take till New Year's Day though for the weather to start to settle down. This happened just as Carole arrived so I think she must have brought it with her!
So our days are running to a settled routine, most mornings we make the effort with our four mile walk before it gets too hot. But as that makes us feel virtuous it gives us an excuse for a little cocktail at lunch.... And there's lots of choice for dinner locally now the weather is settled and the restaurants on the beach have opened up. Including that well known Samui delicacy, steamed Gill with garlic...
Carole and I are seeing lots of wildlife on our morning walk through the villages - water buffalo, hens and their chicks, ducks, ponies and today a snake slithering across our path. And checking out the many dogs and trying to identify which are the puppies we saw last year, now grown up. But I think the scariest piece of wildlife was the huge Russian in the smallest swimmies and nothing else walking nonchalantly along the main road, you gotta love the Russians' sensibility to the local culture.... We also admire the skills of the local dogs driving a motorbike!
This time of year also sees lots of very fancy offerings including this colourful one on the edge of a field.
So all in all the New Year is proving to be a relaxing one for both of us. We've not done much but did make the pilgrimage into Chaweng for Sunday lunch at Tropical Murphy's.
Chaweng is the main "tourist" area and is really changing. The bad floods there a couple of years ago seem to have kicked off re development instead of just re building. There is a huge shopping mall being built which will have a Central Department store, two big supermarkets and lots of other shops. It will certainly change the feel of the place from what it is now, a long, jumbled strip of small stalls, restaurants and bars selling all kinds of odd things. Not sure it will be a change for the better and certainly not good for all the little stall owners who I guess will lose their pitches. But my main pre occupation at the moment is the political situation here. There's lots going on in the press about whether the election called for Feb 2 will go ahead, are one party trying to manipulate a military coup, will the red shirts stage counter demonstrations, will the shut down Bangkok Day next week create violent disturbance? Singapore Airlines and Cathay have cancelled loads of flights to Bangkok as demand has plummeted. I don't think these issues are ever going to affect Koh Samui to any great extent however I still need to prepare. The days around any election are alcohol free so I need supplies...
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Location:แม่น้ำ,Thailand
