We are in Phuket. And as such - embracing all the beauty Thailand has to offer the average tourist. We are drinking fruit shakes, eating at as many restaurants as possible each day, perusing each new 20 page menu in plastic sleeves as though it was different from the last (it never really is - but who cares?), taking photos of our kid wearing our sunglasses, teaching her how to say thank you in Thai, and being mildly pushy parents when an appropriate time comes for her to use it (she can say it perfectly, but only ever out of earshot of the real audience). Lucky for us 'how embarassing' is not part of her conjecture - yet.
Our place is right on the beach, as in - I could throw my rambutan shell from the balcony into the sea ... if the mood took me. I must admit that one day it did, but a huge gust of wind blew it back onto the manicured lawn right in front of me. Feeling the burning of public shame rising up inside me, I scaled the mini wall and hauled myself and 5 month preggers belly down the steep hill to retrieve it. Fool. Now I just put them in the bin.
Being this close to the sea is wonderful, but being so close to this sea in particular has forced me to map out my family's escape route in the event of a tsunami. It's a bit hard to ignore, there are signs everywhere. I hope I am not being too much of a downer on the relaxed Thai island holiday scene when I ask my family to perform a drill every morning at 0700. Always best to be sure.
To get into the swing of things, we purchased a suitably over-the-top floatation device for our little monkey to use in the pool. Actually, we bought her an inflatable car, it has a steering wheel with a horn that really honks, and a numberplate; SEA 700. We couldn't wait to give her a spin in it. After palming off the inflating bit to Daddy-o, we popped her in it and let her set sail. Minutes later, it became apparent that the space between the leg holes was so narrow as to resemble a conventional g-string and was in fact, performing that exact role. Alarmed, but also in mild hysteria, we repositioned her so her legs went over the steering wheel instead. Some minutes later, she had pulled the horn to bits and started throwing it into the pool. In sum, it took approximately 7 minutes for the inflatable car to be reduced to simply an inflatable 'thing'. Overall, baht well spent. Well worth the early morning negotiation to get the price down by that last pesky 50 baht.
And now - well it is 5.30pm. I must admit that the disc of Play School has run its course, Daddy-O has come back inside and I must sign off. Time for a family talk on where to go for dinner.
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