KOH SAMUI ISLAND

Did I tell you that I am in Paradise!!!  On the bus ride down, ther were about 40 people on the bus and only three were over thirty.  Don't anyone include me in the minority.  I got a bungalow 50 feet from the nice sandy beach where a gazebo is and five Thai women do a full body massage.  I mean from head ears to the toe nails which lasts over an hour. There are over ten restuarants right on the beach and it has South Beach standards.  There were some there, but my camera eye didn't catch any for photos, but they got the attention of my eyes.  It is also thong time. Bill, Rick, and Rebecca the "Two State Rule" doesn't apply here and I am partaking. Besides, it is easier for the massages. Not much clothing get in the way of the massage.

My routine is to get up in the morning, have my included breakfast, put on my thong and walk to the gazebo for a morning massage. That is to work out the kinks from the night and morning before. Then, take a walk down the beach and decide to swim, snorkel, boat ride or even scuba dive. Later, I go down to the main street and browse around. Then, return to the beach for relaxing and hanging out.  There are some Germans that I met and we have been having some great times discussing serious issues on life and the world, but at night, it is play time.  Prior to going out I return for another massage to get limber for the night time.  Tough life, but I love it.  I hate to leave this place.  Jimmy Buffet, your Margaritivillle doesn't come close.  I plan on staying a few more days.

KOH SAMUI ISLAND

As stated earlier, the routine continued the whole time I was on Samui Island.  I even rented a motor bike and traveled the island. The dinner meals were fantastic.  If one can picture the stars shinning, waves hitting on the sand just four to five feet away, the tables in the sand, beautiful music playing and candle light on the table, and a great red wine.  The dinner is out of this world.  There was a seafood special that consisted of a whole lobster, 18 inch red fish, eight inch squid, three extremely large shrimp, a whole crab, along with rice, salad, and other vegetables.  Needless to say, I was thankful that they had queen size mattresses just a few feet away that I could lay on and listen to the waves, music, look at the stars.  What an evening.  It can't get any better, unless you have a life mate with you.  So after that, I waddled to a motorbike taxi and took off to my favorite Reggae Bar with a live band.  I love reggae music as you can do free style dancing and combine several dances.  I had a table near the dance floor and had danced a few times, when four Thai girls came over to the table.  One was a self styled leader that appeared to be direct.  I have always had a problem with the direct ones where one pays directly.  I never liked or wanted to be with someone like that, especially since I had been taught at a very early age of the indirect ones.  Anyway, I danced with her to gain a little control of the situation.  While dancing, I flipped and threw up on top pf my shoulders and slid her head down.  I hadn't done that since Crymes had his last Christmas party.  Everything was fine after that and I learned at least that night she was an indirect one.  Getting back to my hotel at about 6 am was a little tough.  Nothing looked the same, except the sun rise was beautiful.

At nine, I was up eating breakfast and going for my massage. It felt great.  I love the thai massage women.

It is really had to describe the place.  There are many large open air gazebo type bars with an older woman and lots of younger ones.  She serves the drinks and tries to entice you to one of her girls or will show you photos of ones not there.   If you don't like Reggae music then go to the live rock bands.  For a big switch go to a Thai  kick boxing arena and watch the fights.  The shopping is also great.  Leaving Samui Island was very difficult, but that is one place you can mark on the map that I will return.

MYANMAR RANGOON

I then took the ferry, to the mainland caught a bus for an all nighter arriving in Bangkok to get my passport and visa for China. The schedule was tight as I had to be first in line of about fifty to sixty people applying and getting visas that morning.  I only had 2 and a half hours to make my flight to Myanmar and Rangoon.  It takes about an hour to get to the airport and longer if the traffic is extremely bad.  Luck and maneuvering were on my side as I just made it with about ten minutes to spare.

Myanmar changed its name from Burma when it become an independent nation over forty years ago.  There was a coupe a little over ten years ago which is still in power.  The insurgents have strong ties with China and rule the country with an iron fist.  It was interesting watching Mig 29 or 31's take off at the airport.  It was a shocker to learn that there was no credit card usage, no ATM machines, and no one accepts travel checks, only the dollar or Kats accepted.  Further hotmail, MSN, and most .coms were blocked on the internet.  The government doesn't like globalization.  To make things worse, last year government blocked the use of credit cards and travelers checks. Monsoon rains finally caught up with me, but I still had a good time. It was not a Samui Island situation.  Most people have never seen an American so I got to profile a few times both at night and during the day.  All the men wear sarongs (they call them tangens).  I got more compliments from the women (over ten) about mine. They were amazed that I would wear them.  I don't think it would go over well in Mississippi.  I might try it though.

One day, I hired a driver to show me around Rangoon. I had read several books on Rangoon, and to see it now, was sad.  The mystique had gone.  Still seeing several Buddha Temples, Pagodas, the largest marble Buddha in the world along with talking with some of the people, made it a good time.  Night life wasn't too bad, and the food was good.  But not as good as Samui.  Now it is back to Bangkok and then on to China.