Long beach in Koh Phangan where we stayed
Despite my very painful ear infection I am enjoying some last minute relaxation on the beach. I often think about Australia and can’t wait to settle down, make new friends and start working again. I find myself day dreaming about what might be and only hope that this next part of our big adventure meets my expectations. If all goes according to plan, Sydney should be the perfect respite from the everyday wear and tear on the mind, body and soul caused by traveling. Although this trip has been an amazing experience I won’t deny that I have found it extremely difficult at times. Although I’m used to the never ending changing faces and places the process doesn’t get any easier. I long for the familiarities of friends and family.
Ali with our creative backgammon project
This morning I decided it would be a fun idea to make a giant backgammon board in the sand on the beach. Ali helped me gather stones and collect leaves for the counters. It took me a while to figure out what to use as a dice until it finally hit me…a coconut! Much to an onlooker’s dismay, Ali and I pulled a coconut off a tree and apologized to the old lady who was shaking her head with disgust. I used a pen to write the numbers around the widest part of the fruit and then all we had to do was throw it in the air and watch where it landed. We used whichever number was at the top, i.e the one furthest from the ground. As we played against each other in the scorching midday heat we raised a few eyebrows and even received a compliment. I lost the game. Probably because I was constantly blinded by the nasty mixture of sweat and sun lotion dripping into my eyes every two minutes. To be honest, I couldn’t wait for the game to end and it seemed to go on forever. One of the biggest problems was that the numbers 6 and 1 were so close together and it was difficult to determine which one should be used. Ali frequently tried to claim “six” until I would come and examine the coconut and demand a re-throw. As soon as the game ended I ran into the sea to cool down. The water was perfect. I wondered what life by the sea in Australia will be like.
Look, a hammock!
Ali
