Sunday 6 December Visit to Krabi town

Today is my birthday; the perfect reason to have a day of indulgence and treats, a day when I'm not going to scrub decks or cook.

the river at Krabi

We hired a motorbike from one of the two restaurants at the marina and headed off to Krabi town. As the crow would fly across the mangroves and creeks, Krabi town is less than 5 miles away; following the highways it's three times the distance as we have to go inland and then come back to the coast. Krabi is small town and quiet despite being a transport hub for travellers wishing to take boats to the islands or across to Phuket. I can't clearly remember what it looked like when I was here last time, 25 years ago almost to the day, to compare to today. I'd arrived by bus from Malaysia and caught a long tail boat out to Koh Jum.

a traffic light holder

The waterfront path has recently been gentrified with a series of large sculptures. The bronze mud crabs were particularly impressive.  At the main intersection in the town centre the traffic lights are 'held' by statues of what we think look like Neanderthal men - strange, but true. Why?

attack of the giant mud crabs

 

Because it is Sunday and the day following the King of Thailand's birthday, a significant holiday in the Thai calendar, many of the shops were closed. On our walking around we'd spotted a modern, nice looking massage salon that was open, one that could offer a relaxing oil massage for me and a foot massage for David. Neither of us has had a foot massage and he was intrigued how someone could spend an hour manipulating his digits. For me post hip surgery massages are helping the muscles around the joint to repair and restoring flexibility. You do feel rejuvenated afterwards. We enquired and, yes, that lovely word again, they could accommodate us. In fact we were the only clients and spent a blissful hour being pampered with soft music and soft lighting. By the time we were finished it was raining, torrential rain, so we waited and chatted with the owner while we waited for it to abate. Time for her to recommend the restaurant across the road. I choose spicy Tom Yam soup, David Pad Thai – both very good.

And that was it. We'd seen Krabi, been pummelled, eaten more Thai food. On the way back to the marina we called in to the shopping centre with a large hardware store; this time not all 'yes's', no have 3M wax, no have a smoke detector. Tesco did have plenty of fresh produce, but on a bike you can only buy one back pack full which rests between David's feet on the scooter. Also resting on the scooter was this little stowaway - don't think Polly would have been happy if we'd brought him home (the kitten, not David).

can I come with you?

 

We arrived back at the marina at sunset. The last third of the journey is through the equivalent of country lanes. You go through a sleepy village, past r ce fields and prawn farms (like fish farms, but these raise prawns) before you come around the last corner and suddenly there is a field yacht masts standing above the palm trees and, in case you hadn't seen them, a twenty foot high sign proclaiming Krabi Boat Lagoon.

To end my lovely birthday we went for dinner at the restaurant. First they brought me a glass of wine on the house and then we met the the Big Owner of Phuket and Krabi Boat Lagoons, Mr Kenit, who was also having dinner.  Mr K came over to chat to us and when he found we were English, told us about his schooldays at Marlborough College and his house in central London and finding the bond shook our hands and insisted dinner was his treat to us this evening.

It has certainly been a very special birthday. I may be older, and not so wise, but I am happy.