DETOX

I decided that I should do a few treatments that are offered at this resort. It has a Wellness Centre. So ten days ago I decided to go and have a chat with their resident doctor, well he is described as a doctor but is in fact an Ayurveda natural remedy guy educated in Indian.

The treatments all sound wonderful and after a consultation I was convinced that all my worries would be eliminated along with the body waste. Although the cost was exhort I thought that the massages would of course make it all worthwhile, not to mention the veiled thoughts of weight-loss that I had as I left his rooms.

Well to make a long 9 days into a short paragraph and so not to bore you all, the massages turned out to be a trial, especially the one where they lay you on a wooden plank for 90 minutes and pour hot oil on your forehead. Something a kind to water torture, after the first 2 minutes I could feel the fear running through my body and if it wasn't for the fact that I thought I couldn't actually walk, I would have jumped off the rack!

This treatment was followed by a deep tissue massage and then, of my god, another torture, the masseurs, there were two most days, used herb filled bags to drag in long painful strokes all over my body. So painful but hey I thought, losing kgs, so bare it Beres.

The final day of detox loomed. Dr Gopta gave me very grave looks and a long list of do's and don'ts', the don'ts' seemed a lot longer than the do's. Downed a little black pill at 6.30am and from then on it was on.......spare you the detail, but it was awful. I lost 5 kgs and my pride, after hearing doctor discussing my bowel movements with another guest!

I am continuing on my search for a better looking body, no water with meals, salads with every meal and no coffee....wish me luck!

Our resort at Si Kao

Well our time in Si Kao is rapidly coming to an end.

It has been incredibly quiet here at this resort, it has 134 keys, that's hotel-speak for rooms and for the past week there has been an average of 6 guests in house. Apparently it only gets quieter from now as it is going into the rainy season, but it's a lovely place so close to the islands off Southern Thailand, but not much to do.

My days are filled with swimming in the pool, reading under an umbrella by the beach, staring off to sea, eating and enjoying the occasional drink with my artist in residence husband. There is no 'town' handy, just a little beach side cluster of seafood cafes that have their kitchens on one side of the road and the tables and chairs on the other by the beach, really very quaint but that's a very hot walk and with 36oC+ temperatures a little out of our scope. Si Kao is a shitty little Thai village about 15 minutes down the road and the closest big town is Trang. We went there last week to get our supplies of beer and chocolate and our driver took us straight to Tesco, seems that the new shopping malls have hit Thailand in a big way, real shame I think. So we didn't get to spend much time in Trang. Hua Hin was very different, lovely little town, good seafood places and personality, somehow Si Kao just doesn't do it for me.

It's Friday, it must be Si Kao!

This painting is not one of Christopher's but it is at our resort here at Si Kao. Chris and I love it so much because it says so much about us as a couple and what we are doing. He took this photo for himself, but I wanted to share it with you all.
Good news is that I have been on a detox, so my ankles are not that size any more..heeheehee.

Si Kao (pronouned sea cow)

We have left Hua Hin after 5 1/2 weeks of great times, especially having Carmen, Tory and their boys, Jet and Felix there with us for 10 days at the end of our stay. It was good that they stayed at the same resort as it meant that the boys could come and see us anytime they wanted and it is with fond memory that I can still hear their little hands knock on our door early each morning. Chris would usually answer the door and in they both would bound, kicking their crocs off at the door, like good little Thai children, and then jump straight up into our bed so that they could enjoy a cup of tea served by their Adda. They know the routine, I sit up in bed, Chris makes us coffee and sings "In the morning when the sun comes up, I make her coffee in her favourite cup, cause you know I love her so...lalalala...". The boys giggle and sing along, it's become a real special treat! We had lots of good times, eating, drinking and playing in the pool, the boys enjoyed themselves and so did we, we will miss them very much. Jet had several painting lessons, he turned out to be quite the artist and he befriended Maxi, a German boy about the same age and they had lots of fun together running mad around the resort, just like little boys should do.

We went up to Bangkok with the kids when they left as we had to re-supply for our next resort, the red shirts were in the streets but we took the long way around to China town were are art supply shops are so not too bad. Missed Jaz, she was off to Brisbane that night and gladly heard from Andrew later that they all arrived safe and well. We decided to stay at the Marriott Riverside, one of our favourite resorts for the night instead of driving back down to Hua Hin in the dark. Had a lovely dinner at the Italian in the hotel and spent the morning with Jet for his birthday, all wonderful, then we off back to Hua Hin where we left for Si Kao a few days later.

It's so good that international travel is so accessible, it certainly has it's rewards!

We packed up our truck and left for Si Kao, had booked an early morning departure, but the red shirts had stepped up there protests and our driver couldn't get in to get our supplies until the afternoon, so our great plans of an early start were dashed. Finally he arrived, our driver, we were not sure what we were getting....we had booked and negotiated a rate with a driver that had been driving us up and down from Bangkok, but at the last minute another fellow, similar name seemed to join into the mix! That's Thailand! Anyway with the help of our ever ready little gay guy from the resort, Alex, it was sorted out and to our benefit, he negotiated with the same driver a much better rate, it was going to be THB17,000 for the 9 hour trip to Si Kao and it turned out to be THB 7,000, so we were thrilled. Unlike our driver, who by the time he reached Hua Hin and saw all of our goods and trappings I think wished that he had stayed in Bangkok. To make matters worse, my artist in residence decided that the boys were not packing the truck in a careful manner and decided to do it himself, big trouble!! Driver pouted nearly all the way to Si Kao! He softened when we asked him to stop so that we could get a few beers, but in the main he was an excellent driver and we did enjoy the Thai Top of the Pops blaring from the front for 9 hours.

We arrived in Si Kao after midnight and we have been having a great time here even since. It's a very small area, the resort is quite isolated which is nice and the views of the islands off shore are nothing short of spectular. Have to get over for a snorkel soon. But it's hot, very hot.

Gathering new friends

Meeting some great new friends in our travels. This is taken at Hua Hin with a couple from Germany, he's recovering from a big time illness, he's on the far right and his wife is far left their delightful little girl is in front...the Thai couple we didn't even know, but thru'out the night of drinking and dancing we all seemed to forget that we had just met. Sam, Head of F&B at our resort is a great young guy, he's Swiss.

Some of our memories....so far..Hua Hin,Thailand

Fantasic students
Great photo opportunities, see Chris' cushions - big hit!
Great studio, beats the traffic and home is just a few steps away!
Art displayed in the bar, very nice and handy!
Chris loved most teaching the local school students, not much English but a lot of fun and good work too.





Chris on a rare day-off.


Our resort at Hau Hin!! Lovely gardens and wonderful traditional Thai architecture.

See Mum I told you he could do it!

Our time at Hua. Hin, Thailand has just flown by, five weeks already of living in a wonderful resort, dining at excellent eateries and the spas...what a life, actually one that I only thought was out there.

Chris, my artist husband, has been very busy selling his art, which is a by-product of his artist in residency and he's really very good at it. I didn't really think that he had this in him but I must admit he has a lot of flare for selling! In the past he has let others sell for him but really I don't think he'll go back to those old days....both of us are finding this change of lifestyle is bringing us both different types of rewards.

In fact he's sold most of the paintings that he bought over to Thailand.

Some of his little 'puppies', as I call his paintings, have gone to Europe, here's a pic of one being packed ready to go with it's new owners, others have gone up to Shanghai and Bangkok. He is very pleased but a little overawed at the same time. Well 9 in the last 3 weeks is excellent and all that without an exhibition and no advertising...hummm could be on to something here. This boy is good, very good.

Just been up to Bangkok and ordered another 10 canvas stretches, so he'll be busy. We avoided the roits, just slipped into Chinatown and back to the Marriott Riverside where we stayed over to have a farewell dinner with Carmen and Torz and their boys. See Mum I told you he could do it!!!

Felix's Easter Eggs

Easter Egg Painting

Haven't had much time for my blog, my daugther, Carmen has been over to visit, just in time for Easter in Hua Hin!! My artist in residence husband held easter egg painting class for the guests' children here. Lots of fun! Jet, he's 6 nearly 7 and Felix, he's just turned 2 where star egg painters, so was Mara who is pictured with Jet in top right hand picture, she is from London and did some lovely work.

At the last minute, management asked him to judge the eggs as well...the head F&B guy at the resort decided he would get extra bums on seats if he held the egg judge-off in their Italian restaurant....so although my husband was the judge......no, Jet, didn't win..heehee..Reminded me of the time when I was President of the Gold Coast Youth Ballet and put my daughter Carmen's photo on the front page of their dance program, caused a few issues, but that's another story..hahahaha.

Anyway he'd organised the kids to put their eggs onto separate plates which he then wrote their names on so he knew who had painted what. anyway, the stewards told them down to the restaurant and put them all into one basket!!!

Lots of shaking of heads mainly from Chris but finally all was (sort of) worked out....then you wouldn't guess Chris dropped the winning egg and when it hit the floor it broke...he quickly found that it wasn't hard boiled - well it is Thailand!!!much laughter....lots of fun....last time I think he will paint eggs!! I hear around the resort that he has been asked to do some body-painting for the 'farewell to the artist night' heeheehee like to see that!! Stay tuned.

New friends

Subject: from Michael Long from overcast and cool Essex

Beres and Chris,

Thankyou for inspiring us generally and then with those wonderful paintings. The trip home was uneventful and Mark had a good sleep which he denies! Already he is working along side me in his office. Tomorrow morning I will drive him to golf and help him follow his mates over a few holes. Later that day I might disappear to Paris and hope to meet up with William our number 2 (film maker). Leave Paris for Melbourne on April 1 and get home late the next night, Good Friday.

Hope you sell lots more pictures and also, as you do, go on inspiring many more folk. Hope that left knee does not prove too great a distraction.

Love Michael and Mark XXX