Koh Samui

What have I been doing for the last week, well...nothing. Not entirely true, but when all you have been doing is lying on a beach and reading, you start to feel like you are doing nothing. Koh Samui in Thailand is not the most happening of places. Everything is expensive (the food, activities, accommodation) and while the beaches are ok, they are choked with areas owned by the expensive hotels. We did manage to find the only cheap guest house in the main area of Samui, Hat Chewang (400Baht; $13) and it was the best I have stayed in so far. With access to a big fridge, a hot water jug, a sink and crockery, David and I forewent the expensive restaurants and stocked up on muesli, yoghurt and various dinner items from Tescos. 

 As we were in Samui for Easter, my travel buddy demanded a makeshift Easter celebration. In deference to this I set about making him a scrabble set (we have missed playing), with which I paired a bottle of red wine and David armed himself with a multitude of surgery, chocolatey treats and hot cross buns. One of my favourite elements of our Easter sunday was the silver black phantom bike we rented for the day (400 Baht). I have missed riding and completely enjoyed tearing it up for an hour or two on my own. Although I did pay for my indulgence with an exhaust burn to my calf. 

If the beach is not your thing (too much salt water and sand EVERYWHERE!) there are some wonderful waterfalls in the Hat Lamai area of Samui. We went back three times to the only one you didn't have to pay for and it was most peaceful sitting, swimming and reading in the quiet atmosphere of the falls and pools in the middle of the rain forest.