days 125 and 126 - Laem Singh

Thursday, 27 February 2014

Laem Singh has been a lovely spot for a final few days of relaxation before our time in South East Asia comes to an end. The family who run the resort in which we're staying have been very welcoming and we already feel like part of the furniture. This morning, the grandmother waved us over to a tree she was standing under, pointing to the fruit above which we thought she wanted help collecting. She pulled at a branch from which Paul took the fruit and then she gestured to us to take it away and eat it. Such kindness.

(Early morning walk along the beach with a very high tide)

(Ship wreck)

There's a lovely little fresh food market in town that we've visited in the evenings to stock up on watermelon, pineapples and mangos for afternoon snacks and the seafood served up at the restaurants along the shoreline has been delicious.

(Laem Singh market)

(Truly man's best friend but also this man's driver)

Yesterday, we cycled out of town to find a beach recommended to us by the Dutchman we had met on our first day here. Our efforts were rewarded by a lovely long sandy beach, nestled in a cove where we whiled away a few hours of the day. 

(A splash(!) of colour on the water)

(An old ship yard outside the village)

(A fishy version of a studio apartment)

(Reality check)

(Work/life balance)

Today we watched a wiry little man tie a rope around his waist and climb one of the giant coconut trees in the grounds of the resort. He must have developed legs of leather to grip the rough trunk and heave himself up. He worked with one of the owners who sat below the tree, first passing up the machete, and then untying the coconuts as they were lowered to the ground. 

(The tree that the man climbed using his hands, knees and feet)

(From the top of the tree, he removed the rope around his waist and tied them around a bunch of coconuts 

before hacking off the bunch which was then lowered to the ground below)

(The owner and his son watch on from below)

(Coconuts are lowered by a pulley system he has rigged up)

(How to capture a coconut)

(Descending the tree)

(Almost at the bottom...)

(Almost there...)

(A lovely bunch of coconuts)

(As fresh as a coconut can be)

Tomorrow we are back on the bikes and off to an area called Rayong where we'll stay a night before moving further towards Bangkok. We have less than 300km to go now before the journey is over. But how can we be sad when we've had such an incredible journey and we get to see our families so soon. Feeling very fortunate for all the we have seen and all that lies ahead on our final night in Laem Singh.