Cha Am

Last year, Jana and I went to Cha Am and had the best time, so naturally, we decided to spend a weekend there this time and just chill out. 

We spent the bus ride (small, claustrophobic van with minimal air-con and beyond maximum passengers) documenting our birthdays in chronological order so as to refresh our old, weary minds and NEVER forget. We have been struggling to remember our last birthdays, let alone the earlier ones. There is an embarrassing amount of gaps in my list. 

Last time we stayed at this hotel, our beds were basically just wood crates with sheets thrown over them. This time, we splurged and got a pool-side room with an actual bed. It still felt suspiciously hard, but I did check and we were in fact on a mattress with springs. The room was adorable though. Seashells were superglued to the top half of the walls and the artworks were very mish-mashed. In the dining area, there was an Egyptian painting on some cloth, next to a picture of a castle with 18th Century ladies and their gowns, which was next to a watercolour painting of some cows and some cute illustrations of trees which I was almost tempted to bring home with me. Jana and I describe Cha Am as the Thai version of Sussex Inlet. Beach-side small town with not really much to do. Most of our time in Cha Am was spent lounging by the pool and eating at Aroy's Restaurant, which, Mum- by the way, you would love. Clocks everywhere and sweet stained-glass lanterns above each table. 

Last time we were in Cha Am, Jana and I discovered this incredible street food of deep fried squid. BEST SEAFOOD EVER. We found the same guy and for 3 small styrofoam plates of crunchy deep fried heaven, we paid $4 and were on cloud 9. Another sweet tradition we have made is going to the salon "Aui" and getting a hair spa - a 40 minute long hair treatment with scalp and neck massage, blow dry and style. After about a week of unclean hair mixed with chlorine and too much coconut oil, you can not imagine the feeling of that freshly washed and straightened hair. Feels like fabulous. 

After a relaxing girls weekend away, we are feeling refreshed yet lethargic just thinking about starting another week. Only here for two more days and there is still so much to do!! QUICK!

Thai food

 Sorm cooked up a storm one night after school. Prawns, potatoes and carrots. YUMMMMMMM

School with Teacher Jana

I got to go to school with Jana on Thursday and Friday and help out. What an experience! She works at an international school that caters for students between 2-7 years old. She has a nursery class, not too dissimilar from Australian preschool, which educates and develops children between 2 and 3 years old. When we were waiting for all of the students to arrive on the first day of the school year, I was able to look around the sweet school grounds and observe the children playing and interacting with one another. My ovaries were bursting with joy at the sight of these beautiful small children. So sweet, so many nationalities and so many I could take home with me. When we finally got all of our class upstairs and taken their shoes off, we were trying to distract the criers with play dough and the play kitchen. I was getting right in among it all, eating all of the delicious pretend food that was being made on the play kitchen stove. Before long, I had a massive line of children, taking turns to feed me their pretend food. It was so adorable to see that each child had something different. For one, it was hot corn ("Hot, hot, need to blow"), for another, it was eggs ("Shake shake shake some salt, yummy!"), for another it was popcorn-  It was all a real delight. 

I tried to take as many pictures to capture the day, but it was just too enjoyable to be in it to be behind the camera too much. 

 

Wednesday ponderings

It sucks that I came at a time when Jana is stuck at work. She feels the same way, especially when I'm still asleep when she has to leave. We have evenings together and weekends- I just wish we had more time together! It's a whole new dynamic of friendship having to share Jana with Sorm. It's fine for the most part, but usually when it's Emma/Jana time, it's just the two of us except for the odd occasion of being social with others- Not the other way around. It's taking some getting used to. What makes it all ok is seeing Jana so happy here. She really is where she's meant to be. She speaks Thai with the locals at the fresh produce market and the cab drivers, she weaves in and out of labyrinth-like paths of large markets and streets, knowing exactly where she's going and she is just glowing. Probably a mixture of pregnancy hormones as well as being totally in love and just so darn content with her life here. I couldn't be prouder. Thailand suits her.  

Tomorrow marks a whole week away from home and already I'm starting to feel a deep pang of missing Shane. Great- two months to go.

Here are some view shots from Jana's balcony. If only photographs could capture smell, atmosphere, sounds, moods and feelings of being from an entirely different world. I am an alien. 

Saturday Celebrations

Today, we found out that Jana is having a boy!!!


So naturally, we baked a blue cake and had a party.

 After:

Before: