Day 25 Allysha’s Birthday – Surin, Kamala and Laguna Baeches
December 30th, 2007
The end of the year is closing in and today marks the start of my youngest daughters Allysha's tenth year. I do not feel old enough to have a youngest child that is 10.
We awake and I sing Happy Birthday to her and recount what I was thinking ten years ago when she was born. I remember being afraid of not having enough love or time for a second child – amazing how mistaken I was. As soon as I laid eyes on her my ability to love magically doubled. I look at her ow – she is really developing into an amazing young lady.
I started reading Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 yesterday and finish it this morning. It is amazing – although written 50 years ago it is prescient and represents out some aspects of our current society – addiction to T.V. – a war against a nameless and nebulous enemy. I am disturbed and cannot quite put my finger on it. I feel the desire that comes into my life every couple of years to write a book and I renew my commitment to continue reading.
Pam somehow convinces me to drive us north as she wants to see the north end of the Bang Thao beach – it is 8 km long. Even with the map and the GPS phone she cannot get us there and after driving in circles for an hour I declare that we are returning to our beach – and do so.
We eventually head down to our beach and rent some chairs and umbrellas. I look around and see the speed boat with the parasailing and banana tube are not here. We swim for a while and Pam eventually ask the jet ski people about the boat and they say it is probably rented and not coming and we should try Kamala beach. Although I am not looking forward to driving I really want to give Allysha her birthday wish and we decide to head to Kamala.
We let the man that we rented the chairs from that we will be returning and he places a towel over the chairs and load up and head to Kamala. It is only a few Kilometers south and we find it easily – as well as parking!
Shortly after we arrive we negotiate a 1200 baht parasail ride for Allysha and off she goes – very surprised and me very nervous. One of the young en that are handling the rides actually goes along with her in the rigging – I think to help steer and ensure she lands on the beach. It is about a 8 minute ride and while she is out they keep trying to put Aria in a rig – eventually I say yes and Pam gets a 2000 baht price for both rides. I was a little concerned that it would take away from the gift to Allysha but I also thought it would be nice for them to have a shared experience to discuss and Allysha seems excited that Aria is going up. She swims out into the surf to watch – and Aria is off – also with someone in the rigging. She has a rougher landing than Allysha who was caught and actually falls down, but she is fine – just a little embarrassed – "Not very graceful for a dance" she says.
They both seem to really enjoy the sort ride and I am happy that we could let Allysha go and that they are safe.
The girls do some shopping at the beachside shopping strips and I get a couple paperback pleasure reading books. Allysha gets a new swim suit and Allysha is given an elephant key chain charm as a gift for her birthday. We head back to Surin at my request -I would like to relax without having to worry about driving, and everyone agrees without much resistance.
We are very quickly back at Surin beach and in the chairs we rented. Aria and Pam go for a snack, Allysha rents a floating lounge and I am reading one of my paperbacks. All is well in the world – the sun is shining the ocean is warm. Pam goes for a massage and I soon join her – so peaceful a full body massage, pedicure and manicure for Pam and I and Allysha gets her feet and hands done. All for about 35$ American dollars- Amazing and relaxing.
We head back t the room and Allysha declares that she wants Lobster for her birthday dinner. We look around Surin and ask some people for advice – they tell us to Head north to Laguna – the north side of Bang Thao beach – as you might imagine I am a little skeptical. It is dark now – we could not find it during the day time and yet we are going to try to locate some restaurant now. Of course I agree – Allysha's lobster birthday dinner is at stake!
We drive north – further than we had earlier and turn left – there is a grouping of restaurants, we stop and wander aimlessly – looking at menus- getting no assistance and finding no lobster. Eventually Pam talks to a British tourist in an Italian restaurant and he gives her directions to a restaurant – the Lotus. Off we go again – a few wrong turns – communicating with security guards for the numerous posh resorts we are passing by and eventually – in the middle of a construction area we find the restaurant. I am relieved – and concerned – how nice can the restaurant be in this area. As I walk in my fears are put to rest – down a flight of concrete stairs past 100 gallon tanks with live oysters, grouper, crabs, shrimp, snapper we enter an open aired restaurant literally on the beach. We are asked if we have reservations – of course not- but are escorted to a table by a fountain – out in an area by itself. I order for the family and Allysha goes begrudgingly to pick out the lobster she will have for dinner – I think she is going to soon decide to be a vegetarian – she cannot stand the thought of eating something that was recently alive. The food is fine, Allysha is happy - the service was not very good – perhaps it would be better with reservations. The meal is also very reasonably priced.
We eat and eventually back on the road. Everything is going swimmingly until we hit a police checkpoint. I can still sense the glass of rose wine I had with dinner as he asks me if I had been drinking. I said no – he asks for my drivers license – I give him my CA license – he informs me this is not an International drivers license. I say it is in my room. He says I will have to pay a fine and asks me to pull into a parking lot – exit the car and sit down. I am very nervous and leave the car running but do exactly as I am told. As I am getting out of the car Pam starts to complain/explain that we were told the international drivers license was not necessary. I ask her to get back in the car and be quiet – visions of the movie "Return to Paradise" run through my head where Vince Vaughn (and one other guy) is asked to come back to Thailand to server jail time so his friend played by actor Joaquin Phoenix is not put to death. My plan is too say as little as possible and pay what I am asked to pay – I am a little concerned that I only have 1000 baht on me. The police officer is apologetic and I continue to say it was my mistake and apologize. I wait while they fill out the forms and I find out the fine is 300 baht. I am relieved and sign the forms – all in Thai, and pay the requested amount. I am given a copy and I joke that I now have a souvenir – the officer misunderstands and apologizes – I laugh and try to play it off and keep my mouth shut. I am back on the road in about 5 minutes – hoping I do not get stopped again before reaching our destination.
I am relieved when we reach the hotel – and quickly head up to the room. I am stopped by the musician playing guitar in the lobby who is on break and asks about the ticket in my hand. I share my story with him and the hotel staff at the counter. I told them that Pam had started to argue and I asked her to be quite and paid the fine – they laugh. The musician says that 300 baht might not be a big deal to me but to him it is a very big deal.
Pam also ordered some deserts to go from the place next door and was told that many people are getting pulled over and having their passports taken away. We are told to carry only copies of our passports – I guess I was lucky they did not ask for my passport as it was also in the room safe with my international driver's license.
All in all an experience I cannot imagine soon forgetting.
Back at the room it sinks in that we are leaving in the morning – the girls back up and I set my iphone alarm for what I think is 6am – it is still on pacific time and I am having trouble doing the conversion. I will pack in the morning as I hand washed my clothes and want them to dry on the balcony overnight.
I have some very strange dreams about being in Russia selling software with some of my Power Catalyst co-workers and speaking Russian. I am awoken from a fitful sleep at 5am – oops – I rest the alarm and doze lightly for another 45 minutes before getting up to pack.
