Ko Samui, and other goings on

So on recommendations from the Ambassador, we've made tentative reservations at the Laem Set Inn

www.laemset.com

Check it out. It is on a smaller beach, but completely uncrowded, and has a really good restaurant.

We're trying to figure out where to go scuba diving on the Saturday we're there. The hotel guy recommended going all the way to Ko Tao, another island in the island chain that Ko Samui is in. It goes Ko Samui, Ko Phangan, then Ko Tao. It's a 2 1/2 hour speedboat ride to Ko Tao, but the diving is supposed to be magnificent. Or a 1 hour ride to other dive spots that aren't quite as good. Oh, the dilemmas that Katherine and I live with.

This morning we each had 1 hour with That, a local tennis pro/instructor. Katherine went at 9 and I went at 10. It was so hot I only played about 45 minutes before I had to quit. The Ambassador's residence has a court, and she's very generous with letting other Embassy people come in to use it (and the pool). So I think we'll be quite active with the tennis. It was strange picking up a tennis racket (and a 16 year old one at that) after playing my first love...badminton...for the past few weeks. The racket felt VERY heavy. Especially after about 1/2 hour in the heat.


"IT'S CALLED GIN AND TONIC, NOT TONIC AND TONIC....DAMN, CAN'T YOU DO ANYTHING RIGHT?!?!"

Tonight we're having a few people over to sit on our deck and sip cocktails like proper expats. We'll probably discuss such things as how hard it is to find good help, how NOBODY can live in such heat, how you just can't get good pate here, and bitch about how the Lao generally don't understand anything about how life really is. Should be a good time. Ah, the expat life.