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.


Mrs. Roper Goes Kayaking

Sunset is at 6:30pm here and sunrise is at 6:30am. I got up with the sun today and I am watching it set now. When we arrived on the island yesterday it was raining and we were told it would likely rain for many weeks. So this morning, when it wasn't raining and the sun showed hopes of shining soon, I knew it was all my fault and my gong wish from yesterday was coming true. (Upon arriving on the island, guests hit the gong twice and make a wish)

The morning started off with an exploration around Naka Island via Sea Kayak. It was fun to kayak in the Andaman Sea and Erik and I both got a chuckle out of my days of rowing at Duquesne and my knowledge of the many ways to turn the kayak around (port to back, starboard to row vs chop method) We kayaked to the mangroves--swamp-like places, and saw snakes. Apparently, these snakes are only dangerous at night, as they sleep during the day. Needless to say, I was happy to be out in the sea, and out of the mangroves. More sun out in the sea, anyways.

After lunch, it was spa time. A detoxifying massage was most relaxing. I think Erik and I will be so pure and clean when we leave here, and then we'll go straight to hell with all the partying in Singapore. Maybe we should have hit Singapore first...

In keeping with tradition, I learned a new word today. "Kob Khun Kha" as I learned yesterday is "Thank you" when said by a female. When a male says this, it is "Kob Khun Krab". Today, we learned that when a she-man says thank you, they say, "Kob Khun Ha." Our kayak guide told us this and our butler, Aum, confirmed. And Aum even mentioned that he should use this form...hence proving our suspicions about him straight away.

Another word I learned today, "Jaak Jai" (Pronounced Jack Ji (long "i"). This means "from the heart" and is an underlying tenet at the spa here. I like the way it sounds and the meaning is cool too. I also learned from the wellness director, a cutie from East Africa, that the best dessert in Phuket is this concoction made with sticky rice and mangoes. It is pronounced: "cow meow mam jung." Ill try and find it tomorrow when we leave the island for a few hours to explore Phuket City. On a similar note, I tried a new fruit, "mangosteen"--it was yummy.

I ditched the "spa costume" today for a much more flattering outfit--a bikini and hot pink sun dress. The sun dress, according to Erik, looks like something from the 70's that Mrs. Roper from Three's Company would wear. Regardless, it has to be cuter than those spa costumes.