Whole lotta nothing... now with extra pictures!

We woke Monday ready for an adventure to Hua Hin.  Kiddo, for her part, was bouncing off the walls with excitement.  For the trip, the beach, Beer joining us, traveling, a new house to stay at for a few days, Dada cooking, and just life in general.  She paced the house.  Counted the steps it took her to walk the carpet.  We were packed and ready for a few lazy days.  

It was nice to bring Beer with us; both as a driver, but also as a guest.  In the past, going on holiday, we’ve hired a car and driver to get us to and fro.  This time, we had Beer.  Since we know her and Kiddo does as well, it was a more comfortable and relaxed drive.  Beer could point out some cool things and the little things she knew on the drive.  She also has been to Hua Hin and knows some of the places there.  She knew and had fond memories of a Dim Sum place that she was excited to eat at and share with us.  

A little over 2 hours after we left home, we arrive in a sleepy little beach community.  Kiddo was glued to the window and commenting on every new or interesting thing.  

We found the Soi where the house was located and then the little alleyway/drive way area for the houses that we were staying in.  About 6 little beach type homes in a weird Thai townhouse style in a row.  We were in the middle.  Huge living area downstairs.  Three bedrooms upstairs.  An upstairs covered balcony where we spent the nights having beers and chatting and getting to know Beer a little better.

The beach was close.  And grand.  Not resorty, like Koh Samat, so it wasn’t manicured and perfect with drink vendors and people selling, it was just a stretch of beach that was mostly just us.  And since it wasn’t manicured, we got to see more of the life there.  Crabs in the sand or on the beach, a coconut floated up one day and Kiddo went full on Cast Away on it and named it Cokey (co-key) and that was a fun friend, as Cokey loved to eat shells.  Good thing the beach had a TON of shells on it.  

We could walk everywhere we wanted to go.  Beer was anxious and had been told by friends that because we’re foreigners that we would want to drive here, there, and everywhere.  We didn’t.  We wanted exactly what we had.  A house.  A kitchen.  A beach.  Food and other stuff within walking distance.  We even had an ice cream shoppe across the street.  The night market, were we so inclined, would have been a 20 minute walk at night, but we didn’t.  Up the street a ways was bars and things for nightlife and we thought Beer might go indulge and mingle and go meet and talk with Thai folks.  She didn’t.  She seemed happy to pull up a chair with J and myself on the patio at night, have a few beers and just hang out.  

And it was super cool getting to know Beer better.  Her mindset.  How she likes that we are not like Thai families, where the nanny can and will be fired if the child gets so much as a scratch.  She said she likes that we let Kiddo get dirty.  That we know she goes a Billion miles per hour and gets bumps.  That we encourage trips and adventures and trying new things.  It was also nice to cook for Beer and share a home cooked meal with her.  And… In the best news, I got her preferred brand of rice and method for cooking.  Another trick up my sleeve!

For me, I cooked.  Lazed about.  Listened to a metric ton of music.  Got sandy toes and ocean toes.  Played, ran, laughed, kissed, sang, danced, loved, and just drank up every moment with all three of the ladies.  Ok, maybe not kiss and loved Beer, but still, enjoyed the moments with her in talking or just laughing with her.  Sure, I would have changed a few things, but now I can plan better for the next trip and next AirBnB so I have a few more cooking options, but other than that minuscule detail, I wouldn’t have changed anything other than I would have had about 20 more scoops from the ice cream shoppe.  

The only bad thing about the trip, other than it wasn’t eternally living near the beach and in the house (haha) was that the Dim Sum place that Beer knew of was closed while we were there.  Being early week in a weekend getaway type place was one factor.  The King’s birthday and that being a holiday here was another.  So, we didn’t get to enjoy that, but it’s a great reason to get back another time.  Maybe, now that we know one of the rooms has two beds, we can book again and Beer could bring a friend with her.  That would be an interesting dynamic and maybe they will go out more, but if not, sharing drinks and chatting and learning more about Thai culture and mindsets and getting that point of view really was a cool thing.  

Was it a good trip.  YES!  A million times, yes.  Seriously, if we could move into the house and just be there and J could open a magical portal door to where we live now and walk to school that way, I would do it.  Hua Hin was just so laid back.  Calm.  Chill.  Relaxing.  After a summer of apartment hunting, staying, planning for the next year, Kiddo ramping up to Kinder, and just the excitement and the wild ride that has been the last year (tomorrow marks our one year anniversary of being Quarantine free and in our condo) it was nice to have the slowdown and calm.

Oh, and we made a Gekko friend.

Let’s go, Kiddo…. The next adventure awaits!