Thailand! For the longest time I have associated it with the land of yummy Pad Thai and Chicken Satay with peanut sauce! Now, I can add a nation who embrace color - their Temples & Shrines that dot the landscape are stunning. They are influenced and have welcomed many traditions from China and India along with their own SE Asia native culture. Buddhism is practiced by over 90% of the country. Social Harmony around respect, self control and consideration of others feeling is their mantra. All we met were so pleasant and truly thankful for any kindness you extend to them.

All our ports of call in Thailand are tender ports and since the weather can be tempormental, this time of year, and there is so much nightlife to enjoy, we decided to book a Hotel to stay on shore, for our 3 nights in Koh Samui. Fellow residents Melody & John  had been here 3 years ago and recommended the Samui Mermaid Beachfront Hotel to several of us. It's always fun to have ship people around! The only wrinkle in our plan is that the Hotel has a beachfront side and across a main road, is the garden view section. To further complicate things, the road is under construction. None of this is noted in the online reservation system. But thankfully once we saw our garden view room, I was able to get us upgraded, to the last room available, the deluxe beachfront villa, (shown above). Sitting along the beachfront and hearing the breaking waves, even when inside, reminded me how much I love that sound. I never realized I wouldn't hear that, living on the open seas! Did I mention the hotel also abuts the Airport's one and only airstrip? Strangely, you get used to the planes buzzing by every 30 minutes from 7am to 9 pm.