Easy Living

We have finally arrived in Thailand and settled on the island. Now we can take it easy, relax, and enjoy our stay in peace.

We have no obligations or urgent tasks, so the days pass by without anything exciting happening. However, we are not bored. We appreciate the tranquility and freedom to make the most of our time, slowly getting into a state of carefree serenity.

Usually, we start our day with a refreshing swim in the sea. After a quick shower, we decide where to have breakfast. Everything happens spontaneously and without haste. There are several options for breakfast near our bungalows. We don't go to the expensive and crowded cafes frequented by foreigners, even though they have a nice atmosphere. Darshi loves croissants, so we usually choose a place whose name I struggle to pronounce. It is both a cafe and a restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They also have cakes, ice cream, and fruits for sale. Most importantly, I can get a large pot of tea here, while elsewhere they only serve it in cups. The place is run by a Thai woman and a Russian man who seem to bake the cakes themselves. During the day, a strong-willed, energetic, and completely chaotic but likable woman takes charge of the place. She is loud, creates a lot of commotion, and passionately bosses around the assistant, who is the exact opposite of her - quiet, reserved, and clearly male but with a feminine nature. In between, she takes care of her three-year-old daughter, who initially behaved shyly towards us but gradually became more flirtatious. A peculiar and often highly entertaining combination. I once asked her if she was really Thai because she exudes so much power, which I would associate more with Africa. She is indeed Thai and has to raise three children on her own, but she said she will probably never find a husband. That explains a lot, but I still wonder how she ended up with three children without a husband...

Anyway, we often sit there in the morning for breakfast, watching what is happening on the street right in front of us or at the open gym across the road. The gym is quite popular, and men and women fight and sweat to achieve a toned and muscular body. Physical fitness is highly valued and diligently pursued here, while we leisurely enjoy our breakfast.

And because breakfast is so exhausting, we slowly make our way back to our bungalows afterwards, where we can rest in our shady and comfortable hammocks.

Thanks to the internet, we are always entertained, and sometimes we take a little nap until it's time for lunch.

We are fortunate to have a small Thai street food stall set up right next to the entrance of our resort. They offer very affordable and incredibly delicious food.

They grill fragrant chicken on a charcoal grill, but they also have fish and other tasty dishes, although the selection is not extensive. The stall is run by a simple Thai couple, accompanied by an always sleeping old dog and a fearless, nonchalant chicken. Birds living in the surrounding trees also join in, constantly vigilant and whistling, looking for any scraps.

The food here is simple, very affordable, but always fresh and delicious, which explains why the stall seems to be so popular. Many customers, both foreigners and locals, briefly stop by the roadside, place their orders, and have their meals packed to go. They must be regular customers because we keep seeing the same faces, which is not surprising since we keep coming back here as well.

It's too hot for the beach now, so we prefer to stay in the shade. We only go to the beach in the afternoon after a long siesta. Right in front of our resort, the beach is occupied by many young families with small children, so we move a few meters up the sandy shore where there are also some shaded areas. It's much quieter here. As the sunset approaches, the beach fills up more, but it never becomes overcrowded. A Dutchman fills the air with gentle tones produced by a metallic instrument resembling two overlapping wok bowls, sounding a bit like a xylophone. The atmosphere is totally relaxed, peaceful, and friendly. It's easy to strike up a conversation, and everyone is laid-back and open. A tall, slim man from Albania/Italy sells homemade 'Tantra Balls', whatever that may be - I didn't try them. He said I looked like a certain Jodorowski, an Argentinean director and healer. I googled him later, and I have to say that Burja, as the Albanian man called himself, must have indulged too much in his Tantra Balls. As it turned out, he was familiar with Heidelberg, where he, of course, had lost his heart to a Spanish woman working for the American military.

Since our resort is located on the west coast, the sunsets are often spectacular, sometimes more, sometimes less, but always beautiful. Once it gets dark and we have cooled off with another shower, we set out to find a suitable restaurant.

There is a so-called market where various dishes are offered at open stands. Grilled meat skewers, fish, as well as vegetarian dishes, soups, and all sorts of sweets. We never managed to try the food there because it was always too noisy for me, like at a fairground. So we tried some other restaurants until a favorite emerged. Friendly, affordable, always fresh and delicious - what more could you ask for? And there was always an extremely loud cricket concert, while the background music played relatively quietly, although that was not the case everywhere.

We end the evening and the day on the empty beach in front of our resort. We take two beach chairs near the water and enjoy the tranquility and the starry sky or the moonlight illuminating the beach. We usually treat ourselves to a drink or a beer, which we bought beforehand at the supermarket along with a large and very cheap bag of ice cubes. We feel grateful for the opportunity to be here - we've made all the right choices.