Koh Samui to Pattaya

Our trip from Koh Samui to Pattaya was uneventful - well it was once we were on the plane anyway. I now have an intimate knowledge of Koh Samui airport - which is an extremely beautiful, sImple but pleasant airport which apparently offers free food and drink to waiting passengers - as I paced for what seemed an eternity waiting for Gary to return. Return I hear you asking? Yep return. We had negotiated a free ride to the airport, not an easy task, and were well pleased with ourselves as not much in Koh Samui is free. Armed with all our bags we bundled into the taxi anmd headed for the airport. Once there we bundled out with all our bags and on counting them, yep you got it, we were one short. Back in the car went Gary to the hotel, we were cutting it fine anyway, and after what seemed forever, a lot of angst on my part and a few hundred baht later, he finally returns with that big smile on his face. All ok Cath, no panic! A very quick check in, a lengthy walk to the next building which held the departure lounge, no time to take the weight off before our flight was called. Lucky eh? The flight was 1hour and 30mins max and we were treated to a full light meal, juice, water, coffee or tea. The downsIde was a huge, huge man sIttIng opposIte whose seat constantly groaned backwards one rachet at a tIme and threatened to break under hIs many kIlos. Air NZ eat your heart out though - you have a lot to live up to! On arrival at Pattaya airport, an old airforce base, a shuttle quickly whipped us to our next accommodation. We had booked an Ecoteak room at the Baan Pictory and really had no idea what to expect. What we got was amazing - absolutely everything and everyone was and were truly amazing. We extended our stay here because we were so spoiled. Often we were the only quests but that was fine too because as the resort was placed outside of but relatively close to Pattaya in the countryside, people would come for lunch, drinks or an evening meal so we had the opportunity to meet many people from all walks of life. Our first night there was a Saturday and the evening buffet ThaI meal was free to us as guests. That night we met some very wealthy European and Thai people, including the mother of Miss Universe ? 2002  plus a famous Thai tenor and the food tastes were out of thIs world. This was also the night we had our first glass of white wine since leaving Australia - a huge full glass for only $3.70NZ. Breakfast here was another experience. We were surrounded by beautiful, archItecturally designed buildings filled with the most beautiful furniture and the most incredible interior designing I have seen. It was almost perfection (I say almost because I am not sure perfectIon exIsts). Everywhere we looked there was something new to see and wow over and perfectly placed. We ate our breakfast each morning surrounded by all this and each morning the breakfast was perfect too. This was not an expensive place to stay at all, $53NZ per night and the room we had was very comfortable (kingsize bed) although basic but there were different styles and types of rooms to suit anyone and theIr budget. In many respects it reminded us of Otahuna Lodge but modern with a nice Thai/European blend as it was designed and built by two French men OlivIer and Antoine. We swam in the two pools regularly, ate and drank well, had our laundry done to perfection too and then decided we needed to see around the outskirts of Pattaya and there was a lot to see and do - so we hired a scooter!!!!!!! (from here on known as the mean machIne). Now everyone who really knows me will appreciate the big step I needed to take to do this. Gary surely knows now as he has permanent bruises around his waistline and permanently stretched tshirts where I hung on for dear life and attempted to steer the bike via the shirt clenched in both hands. He is probably permanently deafened in his right ear now too as I shouted "dog, person on crossing, pothole, bus coming up behind, watch this, watch that" etc etc directly into it from behind. It was funny really because when we finally arrived at our destination he always had his knees crushed against the front of the scooter where I had gradually inched closer and closer towards him from behind in my abject terror. So what did we see and do in the Pattaya countryside for we never went into the city once and that suited us perfectly? We visited the local vineyard and had lunch watching enterprising locals covering windscreens with cloth covers to keep the car interiors cool whilst parked in the carpark and being paid for this service whether It was requested or not (think we may start up a similar business on our return to Nelson as It looked pretty lucratIve); we spent hours at an awesome Chinese museum which was filled with huge bronze statues, had a replica layout of the terracota warrior tombsite and held items that had been gifted from the original warrior tomb along with several of the original warriors; driving through 2 fishing villages was intriguing although very smelly - rumpatty shacks and brightly painted fishing boats lined the water's edge,  all of which were inhabited; we visited Buddha mountain where a gold Buddha-like figure is attached to the side of the mountain surrounded by a moat; 2 beaches were a little harder to find but when we did find them it was well worth it. The sand was grainy and golden brown, the sea perhaps a little cloudy and now and then something would squelch between the toes but in the heat that we were experiencing it was great to throw ourselves in and enjoy. The second beach we came to we started to spread out our towel under the shade of a palm tree when a little man ran out to us firstly with a rattan mat which he spread before us, "free, free" he says. Next came a low table, "free, free too", then 2 headrests/pillows with the same instructions. He then rakes all the beach around us so we have this amazing IdyllIc space all to ourselves and all for free. Later on we buy a bottle of water from him and before we had it open he is there with 2 glasses of ice for "free, free". He was lovely. Later on we decided to buy some food from him to eat at our low table to make up for all the free stuff but unfortunately it was all weird local Thai entrails or something so we swerved on that one and gave him a handsome tip as we left instead.  Next stop were the gardens that everyone was oohing and aarhing over which cover many acres and believe me take a long time on a mean machine to reach. Pulling up at the first gate we look at an advertising brochure which show elephants dressed in pink dresses performing in one of the daily shows and monkeys pushing prams etc performing in another daily show which is, lucky us, all part of the admission price which is expensive. Just want to see the gardens not the degradation of intelligent animals - how much please? No, no can do, all or nothing. Watching 4 huge tour buses pull in behind us we decide on the nothing and head home to the comfort of Baan Pictory. All this was done over a period of 4 days which cost us 200bht ($8NZ) a day to hire the mean machine and $1.60NZ to refill the tank. It was good, I must admit, to don the helmet, feel the warm breeze on our tanned bodies as we whizzed along but..........I was always sooooooo relieved to arrive back home in one piece and throw myself into the pool before that glass of wine accompanied by a plate of excellent Thai fare. Our last night at Baan Pictory saw us propping up the bar tasting all sorts of French drinks and feeling very sad that it was time for us to move on. Suddenly out comes a tray with a circle of woven frangipani flowers on it and it is presented to me. Hand made by the beautiful, gracious lady who prepared all of our food, a local lady not a chef because everything at Baan Pictory is done to make you feel at home. So thank you to Yudh, Oliver, Antoine, Noi and everyone else who made our stay so memorable. We will never forget the time spent with you all. Next morning bright and early we were on our way by taxI to the bus statIon and for our first glimpse of Pattaya proper. Next stop Kanchanaburi.