Wednesday, November 12
Today was a travel day.  We have been rising early, so this morning most of us walked a few blocks to a market at about 7:00.  It was very busy, with people buying and selling.  Several monks were there, as they present themselves every morning with a basket or bowl and people give them food and other items and in return receive a blessing, sometimes chanted.

Mam was with us, so she identified quite a few items that were for sale.  Sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves was very popular, as were many different fruits, vegetables, eggs, assorted other meats and sausages, dried and steamed fish, prawns, live catfish,  Some of the items were fresh and some were cooked on the spot, such as soups, spring rolls, a kind of donut-y pastry.  Mam says many workers pick up something here to take with them to work for lunch.

Back to the hotel and breakfast buffet, then we checked out and met our driver for a ride to the airport - this time to a different airport, Don Mueang which is the original airport which now handles mostly domestic flights.  We went through security and all with no problems and boarded an Air Asia flight to Krabi - about an hour and twenty minutes.  Smooth flight and a driver from the Mandawee Resort was there to meet us in Krabi.

We went through Krabi town and the resort was 15 minutes or so away.  The land is mostly flat with rugged, abrupt limestone karst mountains partially covered with vegetation. We are on the west side of Thailand, on the Adaman Sea. Tropical vegetation and many flowers. Chap and Mam got a wonderful deal, renting a 3 bedroom villa with a pool.  The package also includes two tours, one on land and one by boat, a massage and all meals.  We went to the restaurant for a light lunch and later in the afternoon we all had foot massages, which included legs, feet as well as neck and shoulders. Very relaxing.

It began to rain sometime during the hour-long massage, so we had tea and waited for the rain to abate.  Around 6:00 it was just dripping a bit and we made the short dash to the restaurant for the dinner buffet.  Thai food including rice and a few dishes with fresh fruit as a finish.  Went back to the villa and played cards for a while.  The shower in our bathroom is a waterfall shower and there is no shower curtain...Greg and I haven't figured out how to shower without soaking the floor, but it is all tile so we aren't too worried.

After a dip in the pool by some, we called it a night.