I have so far resisted writing about what was a truly great holiday because I have enjoyed the memories of it more than could really be conveyed onto the page.
It is a sign of a good experience that you find yourself, when faced with a mundane everyday moment, daydreaming about the sights, sounds, smells and sensual overload that goes with a once in a lifetime trip to a tropical island in the Gulf of Thailand.
Being well travelled the selection of Ko Samui was equally well researched although our holiday companions had in the past visited and formed very fond memories of the place and those in an era well before the invasion and commercialisation that is an inevitable consequence of mass transit package tours.
The holiday, as well as a catch-up with family, was also to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary.
It was actually our first long stay vacation without our three children, now all in their 20's and with our eldest approaching 30 soon. Let's get that point settled straight away shall we? Yes, she was a honeymoon conception as far as we can work out or would be prepared to admit.
We had, as a family unit, done a big three-weeker to the Southern Hemisphere about 10 years ago and in between a few shorter hauls to the Mediterranean but were not, compared to many, that well used to global travel. If you are as infrequent overseas tourists as we are the whole process of planning and preparation means very much starting again from scratch.
That meant everything from innoculations to checking if we needed a Visa, sourcing the appropriate clothing and checking up on what and what not to do so as not to offend the local population.
In all of these things there is so much information to hand. I don't really know how our forbears managed in days gone by or perhaps they just holidayed nearer to home.
By way of practice we did have a Thai meal at our local restaurant and I was given a very authoritative book on the Monarchy but was advised not to take it along with me as it was actually banned in the country being regarded as disrespectful and insulting.
My wife is good at directing me in political correctness and I was briefed and coached accordingly. This would ensure as much as possible that our stay would be in the resort and not in custody in another less amenable location.
I was excited about the prospect of a long journey although the series of flights required to reach Ko Samui and return home are, we have decided, likely to be our last such form of such transport given the seriousness of the climate crisis.
The fact that an airliner can stay in the air for over 11 hours continuous is in itself a wonder of science. This was the duration from Manchester Airport to Changi, Singapore followed by a veritable 2 hour hop into Thai air-space and on to the island.
As a sobering thought an announcement on the aircraft public address system was a stark reminder of the death penalty for drug offences within the borders of Thailand.
Arrival procedures on Ko Samui were carried out in a sharp, short downpour but the thatched roofs of the airport terminal and wicker walls (where there were actually any at all) were suitably resistant.
The first use of the Baht currency was to hire a taxi to take us to the resort, around 6 miles away at the northern end of the island. I don't know about you but whenever I am in a different time zone, climate and culture my sensory system goes into super mode and everything takes on a high definition appearance and with accentuated noises and odours.
Various guidebooks had made a point of emphasising the heat and humidity with warnings that our Northern European metabolism would struggle with these things. They were right although this was not at first noticeable under the fierce cooling power of the air conditioning in the vehicle.
The driveway to the resort was a festival of coloured streamers hung from the trees. The Reception Area was in a spacious open sided pagoda type structure and with a backdrop of the crystal blue waters of the Gulf.
After a few formalities including the presentation of a wrist garland to my wife we were taken in an electric golf buggy to our accommodation.
It was a low two storey building in colonial style set amongst more coconut palms and large frond species.
The short and final leg of our outbound journey was hot and sweaty but we were soon again in the artificial chill of a fabulous hotel suite.
Within a few moments we met up with Graham, Clemmie and Ellie.
Welcome to Thailand (to be continued)
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