Sleepless in Khao Lak

I won’t lie. Sending Marc off for four days with a bunch of strangers (and without me) to jump off a boat to the bottom of the ocean with nothing but a tank of oxygen and a computer watch on his arm to keep him from drowning was tough. I know Aaron meant well, but it didn’t really help when he told me last night that it is kind of like riding a bike — since we just fell off one and that’s why I am still in Khao Lak and Marc is in the middle of the deep blue sea.

Worrying is always harder at night even if there is nothing to worry about at night. Surely he was not diving at midnight when I tossing and turning. Note to self: Must drink more alcohol!

I finally fell asleep and woke up amazingly refreshed. And among other things, organized my first Thai foot massage.

OMG!

For about the equivalent of $10, I was tortured into bliss for a full hour. There is no other way to describe it. Half way in when she pulled out the small wooden dowel with a sort of pointy rounded tip and started to draw deep lines up and down the inside of my arch, I had to hold back a very long scream. But she knew that was exactly what I needed after walking for miles everyday for the last few weeks. By the end of part one of my massage, my feet felt better than they have for months.

Then she started on my arms, neck and head. All of this as part of a foot massage!

But I did feel like I was in a Seinfeld episode. While my gal was working on me, her buddy was working on a man behind closed curtains. The two girls were chatting in Thai and laughing through the whole treatment. I kept imagining my gal was telling her buddy all about my cellulite or flabby calves as she kneaded my thighs. God knows what her buddy was going on about her male client behind the curtain! These girls are really good at what they do, but they must have missed the etiquette class in the Thai school of massage!

To my dismay, the market I found yesterday was closed on Sundays so I had to go for a longer walk to find a good place for lunch and some people watching entertainment. A little ways along the main road, I found a small restaurant filled with locals. Everything on the menu was about $2. My kind of place! We have noticed that every business is a family affair here and this restaurant was no exception. Mom was cooking and her daughters where clearing tables, taking orders and delivering food. One of the daughters had her small children sitting around a table playing games.

In short order, I had the small grilled fish, spicy green mango salad and steamed rice I ordered in front of me, and a tall cold local beer to wash it down with. I sat facing the street to get a good look at the action and dug into my delicious meal. It was mid afternoon and stinking hot, but the restaurant tables were in the shade and I guess I am finally getting used to the hot sticky weather here.

Just as I finished my meal, three scooters raced by. The last of the three skidded on something and the bike and driver fell directly into a deep puddle of water at the side of the road about five meters in front of me. And I mean right into a really deep puddle. His head was submerged in muddy water. Within a few seconds, he was up trying to get his bike to start. But it wouldn’t start. He kept trying and I kept starring in disbelief. Finally he wiped some puddle water off his face and walked his scooter away. He truly acted as if nothing had happened at all. I couldn’t see any scratches from where I was sitting. Maybe he ran out of gas? I think he was as confused about what happened as everyone watching was.

Anyway, if I had any second thoughts about not getting on a scooter ever again, this sealed the deal!