Monday, May 25, 2009

Arriving to Rayavadee Island via a John Deere


To get from one private island to another, one would think you’d take a boat. Nope! You take a vehicle two hours, a speed boat 25 minutes, then a John Deere for 5 minutes. It’s low tide and the arrival beach at Rayavadee is a muddy mess! The speed boat stops about 100 yards away, a smaller boat fetches you and that smaller boat is tied to a tractor. The tractor takes you onto land. Crazy! 

Our beach villa is amazing. It has a wooden spiral staircase to the second level. It’s like a little condo. And there is TV--two of them. This excites Erik to no end. I am not sure what he is more excited about: the tv or the fact there is meat on this island!

Before dinner, I decide to check out the spa....three massages in one day cannot be that bad! I can give up the limited alcohol, the no meat, but I am not as eager to let the massages go. I decide on the 105 minute “Rayavadee Signature Massage.” The description says “muscle relaxation with a heated herbal pouch.” Sounds similar to the Kra Po Thai Massage to me....oh well, I decided to give it a whirl. 105 minutes of pure heaven. I can really get used to this.


It’s everywhere...but yet it’s nowhere!



I am still in search of the mango sticky rice dessert that I was told is so popular and can be found everywhere. But, I have yet to find it! This “Koa Neaw Ma Mung” is slowing and painfully becoming the Mavi Jean Jacket of this trip.

I am Jasmine Flower...Does that make Erik Aladin?



I started the morning with an egg white fritta and a foot accupressure massage and an energizing massage. Ton, one of the waiters at the restaurant, gave me a bracelet with my Thai name this morning at breakfast. He named me “Mali” which means Jasmine flower. Apparently, these flowers are very important and are used to honor the Buddha. I’m not sure what this means for me...

If I didn’t mention it before, the Six Senses Spa Destination is a wellness spa--the anti-super spa. Everything about this place is healthy....the food is all grown on the island, no meat, and no alcohol. (Well, you can have a glass of organic wine after 6pm with your dinner) After four days of detoxing, eating healthy, and having limited alcohol, I’m ready to the next part of the trip. So off to Rayavadee we go!