Ups and Downs of a (Nearly) Middle-Aged Traveller

2006-08-13T09:45:00.000+01:00

Vegetable Carving and a Trip to Tesco

The hotel had various daytime activities, including cookery classes, napkin folding and… vegetable carving.

Constrained by my heavy programme of excursions, my swimming (and frog kissing) ambitions and my general laziness, the only activity I sampled was vegetable carving. Over a period of an hour, in the very public arena of the Sakuna Restaurant at lunchtime, a very patient chef’s assistant, with a very sharp knife, tried to teach me how to carve intricate flowers from pieces of carrot and turnip.

Despite having recorded my lumpen efforts for posterity, I have decided, in the interests of preserving my self-esteem, not to publish them in this blog. Sadly, this means that you miss the fabulous efforts of my teacher.

The next day one of my new friends had organised a trip to a shopping mall in the centre of Hua Hin. Like the MBK Centre in Bangkok, it was a mixture of small shops and market stalls but with a Tesco. I couldn’t resist. I had to go and look round and it was strange to see Tesco own brands in amongst the more exotic local products.

Of course the shops were tempting and, by two weeks into my holiday, my purchases were beginning to stack up: wrap around trousers (you put them on like a nappy and you don’t sit down, in case they part company and reveal rather too much of your thighs), a wrap around skirt (a safer bet), scarves, a pashmina and, of course, more gifts. Discerning readers may notice that I have not yet rectified my packing disaster, so still have little choice of tops to wear with these new items.

2006-08-10T15:07:00.000+01:00

On the Road Again

One day off and then it was time for another trip. Today it was to be “The Amazing Pranburi Fishing Village”. But first we stopped to visit a temple in Hua Hin. Within the temple grounds was a school, where some small children were just settling down on the floor for a nap (I could have joined them, very easily!!!) and a row of houses where the monks lived.

The monks were sitting up on a platform eating their lunch. “See the monks taking lunch” was part of the billing for this trip but I still felt a bit uncomfortable to be there. What would I think to a group of strangers gawping at me while I put away enough food to satisfy me for the rest of the day (we were told that they cannot start to eat after 12:00).

We didn’t go inside the temple today, but the outside was as magnificent as ever.

Next stop was the famous railway station (see photos on July 30 entry). Our guide bought our tickets and we boarded the next train. There was only one class of carriage on this line and that was 3rd class. Also boarding the train was a group of hawkers, who passed back and forwards up and down the carriages throughout the journey selling a range of strange looking food and drinks. They were very popular with many of the passengers but somehow my companions and I managed to resist the sales patter.

The journey took us through fields and villages for half an hour or so and, thankfully, our coach was waiting to collect us at our destination. We had a short, but hot visit to the small village of Pranburi, including the covered market. The market bore a notice, saying that the authority was committed to providing fresh and clean produce. I wondered anyone had brought this to the attention of the stall holder who was lying asleep amongst the food on his stall!

Back on the coach, a few further twists and turns through the tiny streets brought us outside a smart looking hotel. Must be time for lunch. We climbed down expectantly but, instead, we were ushered into an unprepossessing seafront restaurant on the opposite side of the road. I have to say that lunch was delicious and the view across the bay beautiful.

Then we set off inland for our sail. I’m afraid some of our party had great difficulty in climbing down a rickety wooden pathway down the river bank and climbing into the long-tail boats. It was extremely hot and I think most of the anticipated wildlife was sheltering in the undergrowth rather than roasting in the sun as we were. We did see egrets, some pretty large monitor lizards and some fish which flopped out of the water and up the muddy river bank.

During the journey, the second boat ran aground on the mud and it took some time to shift it. Without exception, I think we were all relieved when the two boats finally docked and we were en route back to Cha-Am and the highlight of the evening – the Saga cocktail party.

2006-08-06T19:48:00.000+01:00

Lazy Days and a Reluctant Frog Prince

After the previous day’s exertions, how welcome was the prospect of a lazy day? The muscles in my legs ached so much, I could barely walk!!

These odd lazy days between the excursions provided the chance to explore the local village, walk along the beach, swim and read. The lazy days also resulted in this holiday becoming so much more than last year’s had been.

I had thoroughly enjoyed my first Saga holiday to Sabah and had met some great people on the organised excursions. Unlike many holiday companies, Saga don’t have this regimented arrival and departure routine, so you get to meet new people on and off throughout your stay, many of whom have been at another resort which you immediately know you will have to visit soon. However, while I met a number of very friendly people on the excursions, I never really got to know them when we were back at the hotel. The couples seemed very much ‘couples’ and the only lady I met who was travelling on her own, left a couple of days later.

This year it was different. Within the first couple of days, I was invited to join two ladies for a walk along the beach. They, in turn, had met one of the other guests on a previous holiday and, all in all, everyone in our part of the hotel was so friendly that they tended to gravitate together around the pool and I felt very comfortable in joining them.

Even better, I was almost always invited to join someone for dinner (last year I had eaten every meal alone) and my two friendly companions invited me to join them on a number of outings that they arranged and which I would not have attempted on my own.

Several of us were relaxing around the pool one day. I was trying to achieve my target of 20 lengths in a day – 2 or 4 at a time! One of the group spied a large frog which had emerged from the plants around the pool and was basking amongst the leaves on the pool edge. It didn’t appear to be put off by being stared at by a number of us swimmers.

“Do you think I should kiss him?” I asked my friends. What a perfect end to a wonderful holiday it would be if I could return home with my Prince! On my next swim past, I approached him cautiously. Maybe he saw me puckering up. He didn’t hop away but I swear he said to me “Bugger off. I’m fed up with old women trying to kiss me!”

Ah, well.....

Back to the books. I can thoroughly recommend Bill Bryson’s “A short history of nearly everything” - an ideal book when you have got plenty of time and no interruptions! I also continued through the wonderful “No 1 Ladies Detective Agency" series by Alexander McCall Smith.

2006-08-04T15:30:00.000+01:00

A Surprise Audition

I should have known better! I was a bit unenthusiastic about getting up early again but I had chosen and paid for this expedition, so I was determined to go. We had been warned by Kai that this was a fairly arduous trip and that anyone who had difficulty in walking should not consider it. No-one from my side of the hotel was going, so I was joined on the bus by guests from the chalets, some of whom looked considerably younger and fitter than me. Still, I reminded myself, you don’t go on a Saga holiday unless you’re over 50….

We drove for about 2 hours, stopping first to look at a pineapple farm. Hands up those who thought pineapples grow on trees? Well, I did too – and so did most of the others. But, in fact, pineapples grow on top of a plant, with large leaves, just a couple of feet tall. (Have a look at this). Pineapple is a major crop in this part of Thailand and, not far away, we saw the Dole canning factory.

Then on, into the Kaeng Krachan Rainforest National Park. According to the Park’s website, “Most of the park is covered in deep, steep forest. Over three-quarters of the area has slopes greater than 30 %!!!!(my exclamation marks) 85 % of the terrain is evergreen rainforest, another 10 % is mixed deciduous forest.”

In addition, “Over 400 species of birds are known to occur within the Park’s boundaries, and 57 mammals. Larger mammals include elephant, gaur, sambar deer, banteng, serow, and bear, indo-chinese tiger, leopard, Malayan tapir, white-handed gibbon, dusky and banded langurs, Asian wild dog, otter, and wild boar.”

Hmm!!

We arrived at the entrance to the Pa La U waterfall, along with a number of locals. It’s obviously a popular spot. Then we were joined by a guide (wearing jungle fatigues), who instructed our coach driver to turn around and drive partway back down the hill. Some alarm bells rang!!

We set off through the park. It started off quite gently, climbing upwards alongside the river. Then it got steeper (remember the “slopes greater than 30%"?) and rockier and then we had to cross the river along a fallen tree trunk!

On another crossing, I waited too long before stepping out, overbalanced and stepped straight into the river. The man behind me fell in and the man behind him gave up and waded across.

We were so busy watching our feet that the chances of us glimpsing any of the “400 species of birds or 57 species of mammals” was fairly slim.

However, it began to dawn on me when the guide pointed out the wild boar tracks and a hole in the ground covered over with sticks (not to mention the dead monkey). At last it made sense - we were auditioning for the next series of LOST! Needless to say, I have got the part of the old dear who says "I can't go any further; save yourselves - go on without me".

Why else would we have trekked through the jungle for over an hour when all the locals had arrived via a ten minute walk down a path?

As to the multitude of wildlife? Well, (apart from the dead monkey) we saw a multitude of voracious fish in the pools around the waterfall (vegetarian piranhas?) and hundreds of beautiful butterflies as we made our way back to the coach.

We had a delicious lunch at a roadside café on the way back – all in all another ‘Grand Day Out’.

2006-08-02T14:07:00.000+01:00

A Grand Day Out

Today we were promised “an exhilarating cruise” to the Damnern Saduak Floating Market, followed by a visit to the Rose Garden, which is dedicated to the preservation of local Thai culture. It turned out that that was not all we were going to see on a very busy grand day out.

We were on the coach at 7.30. Our first stop was at a coconut farm where they manufactured sugar (from coconut flowers), coconut milk and coconut oil. It was also the first opportunity to get out our purses and buy souvenirs!

Then on towards the market to board a ‘long-tail’ boat. The waterways here are like roads and we set off at a great pace, slowing suddenly every time we had to make a left or right turn. As we got nearer the floating market, the waterways got fuller and there was something of a traffic jam before we disembarked.

We saw boats selling fruit, vegetables, clothes, fabric and much more and there was also a large indoor market with stalls selling all of these and plenty of tat as well. There was also a beautiful silk shop selling both fabric and ready made clothes. We had to run the gauntlet of some of the best market traders you could ever come across! I was proud of my bargaining skills when I managed to purchase four sets of herbs and spices for 100 baht each, instead of 150. Inevitably I saw the same packets for 100 baht later in the week.

About two steps from the exit, an elderly lady stepped in front of me.

“Tiger Balm will cure your headache”, she said, rubbing my temples with something that smelt rather like Deep Heat.
“I don’t have a headache”.
“Then you should have a massage”, slipping around behind me she started to massage the back of my neck.
“The Tiger Balm is only 60 baht”.
“No thank you”
“Then 50 baht for the massage”
(Although I made my escape without the Tiger Balm, I confess that I invested in a pot later on in the holiday and found it a much better cure for insect bites than the branded stuff I had brought from home.)

Our next stop was at the Royal Handicraft Centre, to see a demonstration of wood carving – including both furniture and fabulous creatures…..

It was yet another opportunity to part with the bahts.

Finally – and this was still before we had eaten lunch - we set off for the Rose Garden. On the site of this cultural centre was a hotel where, for just a couple of pounds, we ate a magnificent buffet lunch. For once we were whizzed past the gift shops to take our places at the “Thai Village”. The show demonstrated various traditions, including songs, ceremonies (the ordination of a monk, a wedding) and dances (including the Fingernail Dance and a very lively Bamboo Dance*) not to mention pole fighting and sword fighting.
*I’m sure no-one needs me to explain that this involves ladies wearing enormous fingernails doing a very graceful dance, rather than dancing fingernails. Likewise, the Bamboo Dance involved lively hopping between bamboo poles which were being enthusiastically clapped together.

We arrived back at 6:30, thanking goodness for our air-conditioned coach!

2006-07-31T19:26:00.000+01:00

Saturday Night’s Alright for Fighting - at the Sanuk Sanuk (well, nearly)

Saturday got off to a very slow start – I was one of the last for breakfast at the Bua Chompoo restaurant. But I think there was already a tingle of anticipation about England’s debut at the World Cup and we talked about where we were going to watch it.

At 11am, I arrived at the hotel spa for a pedicure. I’ve decided that, whenever I’m on holiday, I owe it to posterity to check out the delights of the hotel’s spa. As I will be here for three weeks, I’m going to sample them three times (it’s hard work but somebody’s got to do it).

Returning to my room with bright red toe nails, I was so relaxed that I fell asleep and, when I woke up, I thought I had slept in and missed tomorrow’s trip! A quick dip in the pool woke me up and, after dinner, I retired to the Sanuk Sanuk Safari Fun Pub.

According to a big notice in the hotel lobby, here it was that we would be able to watch some of major matches of the competition. At 7.30pm (five hours ahead of Germany), the pub was already full and I was lucky to find a seat with a view of any of the screens. The Thai equivalent of Saint and Greavsie (albeit wearing the obligatory yellow t-shirts) were setting the scene.

As 8pm and the kick-off approached, without warning the screen suddenly changed to a scene in Bangkok. Another celebration of the King’s anniversary was being televised. Amid much consternation, channels were flicked - without success. The ‘bit of a do’ in Bangkok seemed to be on every channel!

Some murmuring began and discussions of where else the match could possibly be seen. Could anywhere in the nearby village possibly have satellite TV? People began to walk out of the bar….

Then came the horrid moment when I was embarrassed to be English. I was doubly embarrassed to be staying in the same hotel as the families (not Saga guests!) who walked out and refused to pay for the drinks they had ordered, because “We came in here to watch football and there’s no football”. The bar staff, who looked puzzled and remained polite throughout the whole episode, tried to remonstrate but eventually let them walk out without paying. Why is it that football seems to bring out the worst in some people, wherever they might be?

Anyway, after the pub had half emptied, normal service was restored and those of us who had stayed put re-joined the match. Sadly, it was after the one and only goal had been scored and the rest of the match provided nothing to get excited about.

The next day I met some friends who had gone down into the village where the match had been showing on satellite TV in a small bar. They said they were welcomed like royalty – with a sofa provided for them to sit on and stools for their feet. They enjoyed the ambience and the beer, if not the match! I can only hope that the miserable non-payers missed the whole thing and that their evening was even more boring than mine!!

2006-07-30T16:55:00.000+01:00

The King and I (Part 2)

Another beautiful day dawned for our first trip out from Cha-Am. It was due to incorporate Afternoon Tea at the former Railway Hotel in Hua Hin!

First we visited the Summer Palace between Cha-Am and Hua Hin. This was designed and built by King Vajiravudh (or Rama VI) in the 1920s as a summer palace and is the only teak palace in the world to be built by the sea. Having fallen into disrepair, it was restored in 1994 and then totally renovated in 2001. The rooms are surrounded by open walkways and balconies which caught the cool(ish) breeze coming off the sea. You could see why anyone would be happy to spend the summer there rather than in stifling Bangkok!

Just down the road towards the town of Hua Hin, is a new palace where the present King now resides most of the year. He was currently in residence in Bangkok in anticipation of the ‘great celebrations’.

Climbing back onto the bus, we were each given a little packet, containing a chilled, damp towel. These were to be a welcome feature of our excursions and how we looked forward to them as we staggered back to the bus through the heat after all our visits.

Our next stop, after a brief tour of the town, was Hua Hin railway station, a place of which the locals appear to be inordinately proud. For some reason, we less-than-enthusiastic train travellers, found this quite difficult to relate to. It’s one of the oldest railway stations in Thailand and a very smart waiting room was built here to accommodate Rama VI when he started to visit the Teak Palace. (Although I find it difficult to believe that the king actually had to wait for a train!)

Then we repaired to the Sofitel Hotel, where, amongst the topiary, we took Earl Grey and little cakes. Finally, we were dropped off in town. I was somewhat underwhelmed by the shops and the market where a stallholder waved me over to examine a peach-coloured see-through garment, about 12 inches long, edged with marabou feathers. The heat cut short my exploration and I found myself once again in a Starbucks.

On our arrival back at our hotel, Kai (our Saga rep) asked us to join all the staff and residents in the main hotel reception for the first ceremony to mark King Bhumibol’s 60th Anniversary. We must, she said, all try to wear something yellow, which is the King’s colour. (It has something to do with the day on which he was born). Luckily, I had a yellow pashmina and so fitted in with the locals who were all wearing yellow t-shirts.

After 60 years on the throne, King Bhumibol (Rama IX) is both the longest-serving monarch in Thai history and the world's current longest–serving monarch. Although the King is a constitutional monarch, he has several times made interventions in Thai politics and is widely credited with facilitating Thailand's transition to democracy in the 1990s. King Bhumibol also uses his great wealth to fund numerous development projects, particularly in rural areas. He is hugely popular in Thailand, and is revered as a semi-divine figure by many Thais.

There was a huge portrait of the King in the lobby and a screen on which we began to watch the televised proceedings. We were all given yellow candles to hold, as we joined the thousands who were filling the streets of Bangkok. There were speeches made by a few and loyal songs sung by thousands. It was quite a spectacle and we felt it would have been rude to leave, however much our feet ached from standing! It was immediately followed by a stampede in the direction of the restaurants!

2006-07-27T21:07:00.000+01:00

The Road to Cha-Am

The next morning, I made my farewells, paid my bill and climbed into my car to head for Cha-Am and the main part of my holiday. Once again, Saga provided a travelling companion who kept up a commentary as we crawled through the busy Bangkok rush-hour and headed out through smaller and older buildings on the road south. We passed salt farms along the road and rice fields. My guide explained that, in this part of Thailand, they are lucky enough to be able to grow 3 crops of rice a year.

For most of the journey, we drove alongside a mountain range, which separates Thailand from Myanmar (formerly Burma). There is a long history of Burmese invasions and occupations.

After a couple of hours we passed through the town of Cha-Am and arrived at the Regent Cha-Am beach resort (http://www.regent-chaam.com/index.htm). As always, I was met by the charming Saga rep, who had prepared everything for an easy check in, including a cool drink and damp, ice-cold towel. (How we all learnt to appreciate these little luxuries over the next
couple of weeks!)

I had a large room, with plenty of room to hang my extensive, yet limited, collection. (The local markets would soon remedy the lack of variety amongst my clothes). My balcony looked out over the hotel pool towards the gardens and beach and, if I stepped out of my front door onto the walkway, I had a view of the distant mountains.

The next couple of days were spent finding my way around, meeting fellow Saga guests (who coined the phrase ‘Saga Louts’ I wonder?), hearing about the excursions and making sure I booked on as many as possible. (There were 2 holidays on offer at this hotel – all inclusive meals/drinks but only a single excursion included in the price or half-board and five included excursions. As I was travelling alone, I made the decision that as much activity as possible was what I needed, so this was the combination I had chosen).

Just outside the hotel, was a small village – mainly restaurants, food and gifts shops and – the ubiquitous tailors. Whenever you walked through the village, every proprietor would be lurking in their shop doorway ready to pounce and persuade you in to be measured up for an evening gown, Chinese style dress, suit or shirt, (depending on your gender, of course).

The hotel itself had 6 restaurants, where you could eat and drink at almost any time of the day or night, plus the ‘Sanuk Sanuk Safari Fun Pub’, which was the scene of a near riot on the first night of England’s World Cup campaign – but that’s a story for another day.

2006-07-26T22:55:00.000+01:00

.... And a Very Slow Bus (not to mention a major purchase)

My first guided tour was a visit to the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddhha. I joined a mini-bus with five others (not yesterday’s bunch, thankfully) and our guide, Chatri.

The temple grounds were amazing, with seemingly dozens of buildings and shrines in gold and marble, decorated and interspersed with wonderful statues. The sun bounced off the buildings and sent you scurrying for cover under any bit of shade you could find.

Sadly, there were no photos allowed inside the Temple but we were able to go inside and marvel at the building and at the Buddha itself. The Emerald Buddha was carved from a piece of jade. According to tradition, it was discovered in 1434, but covered in plaster. It was only when the plaster began to flake off the statue that it was found to be green in colour. In its early history and in a period of turmoil for the Thai people, the statue was taken to Laos and was not returned to Thailand until the 18th Century. Today, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha is considered to be the most sacred temple in Thailand. It is currently being restored – as it has been regularly about every 50 years.

The Grand Palace, which shares the grounds with the Temple, is used for ceremonial occasions (the King now spends most of the year in the coastal town of Hua Hin). However, it was being prepared for the celebrations which were due to start in the next few days. I believe that some royal guests from around the world were to stay there, so we weren’t allowed to visit.

Before returning to our hotel, we visited the Royal Lapidary. Having seen a film about how gem stones have developed over millions of years and having watched the craftsmen turning them into beautiful pieces of jewellery, it was hard to resist the lure items in the showroom. And, of course, I didn’t – succumbing to an unusual single band of amethysts. It was in the sale, though!

The day ended with dinner in a floating restaurant, following a nightmare journey through the early evening traffic. As we later discovered, roads were already being closed in preparation for the King’s arrival and the forthcoming ceremonies. I had never experienced anything like it. We sat at some traffic lights which didn’t change for ten minutes at a time! At one point, our guide jumped off the bus to try to find an alternative route and, in a rare spurt of speed, we drove off down the road without him. We thought we had lost him but he caught up with us several minutes later and we arrived at the floating restaurant. Happily, it had not set sail without us, but they were in such a hurry to shepherd us on board that, when they took the ‘official photograph’ by the gangplank, we all looked like rabbits caught in a headlight.

The meal was delicious and sitting on deck as we sailed down the river was a dream but, once again, we felt the hidden hand of the King, as the boat was turned back because part of the river had been closed off!!

2006-07-25T19:35:00.000+01:00

A Fast Sky-Train……..

After breakfast on my first full day, I boarded the hotel shuttle bus, which was going to drop me at the city’s skytrain (like the underground but up in the air), along with half a dozen other (English) guests. I was experiencing mixed feelings. How brave I was to be setting off alone in Bangkok! How scared I was to be setting off alone in Bangkok!

I asked some of the other passengers if it was easy to find and use the train. The answer was yes. Great! I might have been further reassured if any of them had stayed around to point the way into the station or show me how to buy a ticket, but they didn’t. Once again, the friendly locals came to the rescue and, before long, I was speeding along through the skyscrapers to the MBK shopping centre. It was an easy option – at the end of the line.

Arriving at the centre, my confidence deserted me and I repaired to Starbucks for a frappuccino (what a coward!). The MBK shopping centre was a combination of smart stores, such as the Tokyu Department Store, cheap and cheerful stuff and areas which resembled a jumble of market stalls. There seemed to bean awful lot of dodgy looking men around in the mall (especially those with young Thai girls hanging on their arm and a bloke with 'Mummy's Boy' printed across his tee-shirt) - or am I just too suspicious?

I managed to (almost) keep my purse in my bag and purchased smart – and genuine – branded clothes for my grandchildren and a purse rather than a handbag.

Worried about missing the shuttle bus back to the hotel, I arrived back at the station in good time, but left by the wrong exit and couldn’t get my bearings. Another helpful person directed me to the other exit – still early. The shuttle wasn’t. Having been amused at the sight of people in smart office suits arriving at the station on the back of small motor scooters, which were serving as taxis, I began to wonder if I was about to require their services to return to the hotel but the shuttle turned up at last.

Later, in the hotel pool, I chatted to an American lady, en route home after a month’s trip around South East Asia, who had spent many years living in North Yorkshire. Just goes to prove what a small world it is!

Stop Press!! Photos begin with tomorrow’s blog.

2006-07-24T11:07:00.000+01:00

The King and I (Part 1)

You know the feeling when you walk into the arrivals hall and it’s not the one where your relatives are waiting, so you can’t look for a face – just all those cards with names and the companies on them? Well, I walked the length (or so I thought) of that hall in Bangkok and didn’t see either Saga’s or my name anywhere!

My first moment of panic. Then I met the first of many kind local people who understood English – just as I automatically expected them to do – made a quick phone call and directed me to the other end of the hall where the Saga rep was waiting. You don’t take in too much of the scenery at 6am after very little sleep but, during the taxi ride to my hotel, I did notice that these sensible people drive, like us, on the correct side of the road.

I also noticed an awful lot of huge photographs of King Bhumibol along the roadside. As he wasn’t likely to be aware of my imminent arrival, I guessed there must be something going on. In fact, the celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of his accession were about to start and their impact was to follow me from Bangkok to Cha-Am and a near disaster for England’s first World Cup outing.

I was met at my Bangkok hotel by the resident Saga rep, Preecha. I settled into my bedroom on the 14th floor. It had a magnificent view of the Chao Phraya River and across a huge vista of roads and tower blocks. Bangkok was founded in 1782 when the capital city was transferred from Thonburi on the opposite bank of the river. However, I was told that the last 10 years have seen its massive growth in terms of both size and international importance.

A rather disjointed day involved unpacking*, booking two trips for Tuesday and my first Thai dinner (consisting of deep fried fish cake starter, main course of 3 little dishes – prawns in coconut milk, barbeque duck curry and pork loin – with steamed rice, followed by a plate of fresh fruit and Thai sweets), interspersed with short naps.

My ultimate sleeping pill of choice was Michael Parkinson on BBC World.

*Sad to say, the unpacking revealed the fashion faux pas that had resulted from my frantic packing and unpacking before I left home. My selection of trousers and skirts was accompanied by 6 white t-shirts, 1 brown one and nothing else!

2006-07-21T17:50:00.000+01:00

On My Way to Thailand

10 months after I found my ‘Three Weeks for the Price of Two’ offer and I was packing again. I was on my way to Bangkok and Cha-Am. I know that, these days, a trip to Thailand hardly qualifies me for a chapter in “The Illustrated Virago Book of Women Travellers” but it’s still far enough away for me to feel a bit adventurous. Having topped off the three weeks with a three-day extension in Bangkok, I would be away from home for just under a month.

Now you need a considerable amount of clothes for a month’s holiday and, despite my best efforts to plan ahead and not repeat last year’s feeling of panic as departure time approached, I was still packing and unpacking my case as my daughter arrived to take me to the station. (This is one of the good things about getting older – you swap responsibilities with your children and they give you lifts!)

I had to remove a fair quantity of clothes from my suitcase in order to close it – an action which, when done in such a hasty manner can have serious fashion consequences, as I found out later when I unpacked at my hotel.

Still, I made it to the train and arrived in London, where I took advantage of another excellent Saga service, whereby they arrange for a car to meet you and take you in comfort to the airport or your overnight hotel. The next morning, well fed and rested, I managed to drag my bags onto the ‘hopper’ bus and check in for my flight. To my embarrassment, my suitcase was immediately branded with a label marked ‘HEAVY’.

The flight was full but comfortable and fairly on-time. Though why the cabin staff had to change outfits mid-flight in order to serve breakfast remains a mystery. (I had a considerably more comfortable flight than another guest I met later, who had spent her entire flight with her space invaded – both physically and verbally - by a large American gentleman. Aged 68 and widow of several years, she was grilled about her life and asked why she chose to live alone and had never remarried. “Have you looked at many 68 year-old men recently?” she asked him. “That’s why”).

At 6am Thai time, after 11 hours flying, 2 OK meals and 3 of the most dire films to have come out of the cinema recently (a teenage mermaid who comes on land to try to find love and meets the handsome high-school kid…. Please!!) I arrived in Bangkok. Through immigration and customs, the ‘heavy’ case retrieved (by this time, I also have the additional purchases from the Duty Free shop bursting out of my flight bag), I set off to look for the Saga rep.

Three Weeks for the Price of Two!

2006-07-20T16:03:00.000+01:00

Some of my friends are surprised to learn that I qualify for a Saga holiday. In fact, I sometimes find it hard to believe myself.

However, I've found that it's nothing to be ashamed of.... On a Saga holiday you're more than likely to bump into a 85-year old in walking boots en route from Machu Pichu to Australia, via the Borneo Rain Forest. An example to us all of what you can achieve over the age of 50!

So, finding myself in a position to travel the world and, in a cowardly fashion, deciding to do it in comfort, I booked on my first Saga holiday in 2005. I'd worked up to this by visiting relatives in Bahrain (very dry and very small - the country not the relatives) and by taking a coach tour to New England in the Fall (drawbacks - being paired up with a nice Vietnamese American man, who still didn't understand a joke after 32 years in the country and the ridiculous and shameful cost of wanting to have a room to myself rather than sharing).

It had always been a dream of mine to visit orang-utans in the wild, so my first Saga expedition was to Sabah on the island of Borneo, the highlight of which was watching around a dozen rehabilitated orang-utans coming in from the jungle to feed on bananas and sugar cane.

Buoyed up by the delight of that holiday, the reasonable cost and the fact that I had actually survived unscathed to return to the bosom of my family, I immediately decided to book another holiday in an equally far away destination. And so I came upon THREE WEEKS FOR THE PRICE OF TWO!!