DIA 31 (16-12-2018): SOLEADA KRABI, SOLEADA EN MIS DULCES SUEÑOS

Aunque las camas también aquí son duritas, he dormido como una bendita, tanto que ni los gallos ni los cantos para la oración de la mezquita me han despertado. 

Nos levantamos y a la hora acordada tenemos el desayuno en la casa principal. 

El desayuno basicamente era tailandés, con noodles y arroz pegajoso en leche de coco, pero afortunadamente también teníamos tostadas y frutita fresca y unos "bollos chinos" que están riquísimos, son los mismos pero con otra forma que los que me hicieron en una familia local en Fiji (gracias a los que cogí un par de kgs en aquel viaje) y con leche condensada...para ponerse las botas y los botines.

Llueve, y la previsiones es que siga lloviendo, así que un posible plan original como podría haber sido ir a una de las playas paradisiacas de las películas, pues queda descartado.

Decidimos tomarnos el día de descanso, poner alguna lavadora, darnos un masaje, callejear por la ciudad…..

Como la previsión de lluvia va a ser para los próximos días, decidimos que en lugar de poner la lavadora en casa, tender la ropa y esperar que se seque, es mejor que nos la laven y la sequen en secadora.

Acordamos esto con Ritar y le preguntamos donde podemos darnos un masaje. Nos contesta que aquí mismo, que si queremos ella llama a las masajistas y nos dan un masaje en nuestra habitación…..uyyyyy esto pinta pero que muy bien.

Nos decantamos por un masaje Thai de una hora y otro masaje de aceite de otra hora…..para quedarnos como nuevas.

Y efectivamente, con energías renovadas, decidimos alquilar una moto para ir al centro a comer algo, con mucho cuidado porque sigue lloviendo, aunque ya no muy intensamente.

Seguimos las instrucciones del google maps para llegar a un sitio que había visto en la guía y de repente llegamos a la zona turística por excelencia: un paseo marítimo lleno de mil chiringuitos, para comer, para tomar café, para comprar souvenirs. 

De modo que aparcamos la moto, callejeamos un poco y entramos en el sitio que nos apetece. 

Al terminar, decidimos tomarnos el postre con cafecito en otro lugar….muy “western”: Para Kim un  café macchiato por eso de cambiar (tras lo cual no volvió a cambiar más...jajaja) y para mi un tradicional caffe latte acompañado de un pastel de zanahoria que compartimos para no engordar mucho.

Y como ahora no tenemos excusas, estamos relajadas, y la tripita está llena, le digo a Kim de seguir el paseo marítimo a ver dónde nos lleva.

Al principio es un poco agobiante porque a cada paso te paran para convencerte de darte un masaje, y al ver los sitios, damos gracias a Ritar, por decirnos de darnos el masaje en casa, ya que básicamente, a lo largo del paseo marítimo hay camas donde se dan los turistas los masajes, a la vista de todo el mundo. 

Seguimos nuestra andadura y llegamos a unas escaleras. Kim no está convencida de seguirlas porque no sabemos a donde nos llevarán y son ya las 4. No quiere conducir la moto bajo la lluvia de noche. Le comento que no se preocupe que no volveremos de noche, pero que a mi si me apetece llegar al final. 

En el camino, nos encontramos con unos cuantos monos listos para quitar comida a cualquier turista despistado, pero que obviamente no va a ser nuestro caso.

Llegamos al final del sendero, hay una playa y un resort. Hacemos más fotillos y nos damos media vuelta.

Toca volver a casa ahora que ya va a anochecer.

Cenamos tranquilas en casa y pensamos en los planes para mañana.

Comentamos con Ritar que quisiéramos hacer kayac, y ella nos reserva un tour para el día siguiente. La excursión de medio día cuesta 1100 THB, pero como lo hacemos a través de Ritar nos cuesta solo 500 THB….me da que nos va a gustar más aún esta ubicación…jajaja

Antes de apagar las luces, miro esperanzada las previsiones meteorológicas

Day 12, 16-12-2018: Relax @ Krabi!!!

We choose to do breakfast at 08:00, as this time is actually late for us. We enter Ritar’s kitchen is wonderful smells and the sounds of home. She is whipping up something wonderful for us. We sit and enjoy some food.

We talk Ritar about several things that we either desire or need:

• Laundry: we can do laundry here OR she can arrange for it to be picked up by a local woman who will wash, dry, and iron the clothes for us for only 60THB per kg ……. Uuummm, what to choose??? I decide to play the lazy American and have someone do my laundry for me (and so does Cris).
• Massage: apparently Ritar can order our massages for us and they will come to our cottage!! We both order an hour Thai massage AND an hour Oil massage.
• Travel to the beach: can rent a motorbike from Ritar for only 200THB and filling up the tank.
• Tours for the next few days: can schedule through Ritar, we just have to figure it out first.

We gather our clothes for the laundry and text Ritar that they are ready. No iron for me, some iron for Cris (we label the bags). Cris texts Ritar and like a sneaky cat, she arrives and whisks the bags away without a sound.

We start to discuss tour items but the massage arrives. Amazing massages!! Now we know why the beds are so damn hard – for massages!! After a blissful and relaxing 2 hours of pampering our bodies, we decide to rent the motorbike (see Cris’s portion of the blog if my fancy new ride). We putter slowly the 2.5km to Ao Nang beach, looking for a place for lunch. Cris has found a place in the guide but when we get there, it looks like a resort so we decide on a local 100% Thai place (or so the sign claims). More wonderful food!! I swear I am going to gain 5+kg on this trip!!! 

We decide to take a coffee and a sweet, carrot cake at the nearby Coffee Club. Have we told you yet about the love obsession that Thailand also has with coffee?? I see this funny sign in the coffee shop and cannot resist the photo, as it is true.

There is a walking path in both directions ….. which one to take?? We decide to go to the left (of course) and see where it leads us. Now, the rain has been intermittent and it is getting on in the hour. The traffic here is not very good and neither are the roads so I start to worry about our little ride back. But we press on. We find some long tail boats (called that due to the propeller being on a long shaft and the motor on top of the boat so the boat can access shallow areas).

Find an evacuation sign for tsunamis. 

If Cris’s friend Farman could please be a dear and translate the sign for us so we know where to go when the tsunami hits, that would be wonderful.

We dodge the local tourist shops, dodge the “Thai massage here” people (many of those), dodge the “Tuk tuk here” people (some of those) and find ourselves now on a walking part of the beach, no vehicles allowed. 

More massage people, more sunning people. Find a path that goes up with a sign that says “Do Not Feed the Monkey” …… interest spikes so we take a climb. 

We have a climb steep steps made slick from the humid area with moss and over use. 

We have to avoid obstacles in the way, like trees.

The path turns from wood to sandbags as steps. We travel on. Cris continues to lead. We come across some monkeys – so which one are we not to feed?? Now, I have seen enough monkeys in my life that I do not find them funny nor interesting. Especially these monkeys since we have passed a garbage dump along the path way, so now the monkeys are trained to be there for the tourists. Maybe the locals should also read and follow the signs and not feed the monkey. As I pass one of the monkeys, I suddenly feel a little hand claw at my shoulder. I turn and see a monkey facing me down!! Really??!! I move forward …… it follows …… it takes another swing at me!!! I move on …… it follows me …… I am not really all that interesting!! Some other tourists start to laugh. This actually is not very funny as you do not know actually what set the monkey off nor do you know what the monkey wants nor do you know what kind of bugs and such that the monkey may have nor do you know how to get the monkey off your back. It finally retreats and I catch up to Cris, who by the way, has been blissfully walking along not knowing about the sudden attack on her buddy, so no pictures or proof just my word (bad paparazzi!!).

We start our way down another steep set of slick wooden stairs to find a beach and a resort. Beautiful place.

The beach is silky sand and quiet. There is a nice little resort there. I wonder how they get there.

At the end of the beach, we find a dock made of plastic squares. Finally!! A good use for plastic in a country that is also having a love affair with plastics (everything comes with a straw and bag even a plastic bottle of water).

Time marches on and the security guard told us we could only visit the dock for 5 minutes. We start to head back.

Now, this sign would have been very helpful at the other end of the trail – not just “Do Not Feed the Monkey”. I am still trying to figure out which monkey not to feed. 

We make the trip back with Kim not getting assaulted by the monkeys, thankfully. Walk back down the beach to the road and then to our motorbike. We decide to stop at the grocery store again for more provisions for another light dinner, as it was a welcome change last night.

I take a look at the adult beverages as see Budweiser (puke!) and this interesting looking apple cider that is made in Thailand. Might as well give it a try – not too bad.

We make it home with our provisions and in one piece. Take a relaxing dinner and work a bit more on this damn blog that takes so much of our free time!! 

We have booked trips for the next few days so we must get our rest now.