So sorry for the delay of details, but as I mentioned before R+R on Pattaya turned out to be a decent amount of work and the internet was REALLY expensive at the hotel. Excuses, excuses...
When last we left, the team had departed from Udon Thani, soaking wet from the Songkran festivities but content with our finishing a house (basically in 3 days!) and just a little bit melancholy as we were leaving the place that had been our home away from home and the amazing people who had made us feel so welcome and had taught us and worked along side us.
We arrived at the airport in Bangkok and quickly were met by our two drivers for the next three days, Deng and "Just call me Pepsi" Papsi. Between the two of them they spoke approximately 6 words of English including nodding and shaking their head no. It made for interesting communication regarding pick-up times and destinations. Thank you Lonely Planet (copyright) glossary (convieniently in English AND Thai) for getting us through.
After a quick two hour drive we found ourselves at the lovely resort (see link in post below) which actually did live up to the website billing. As for Pattaya itself -- well it's actually hard to describe -- think about a beach resort town except with a fairly large "adult playland" component (hence the Thai Myrtle comparison). It had a certain seediness to it, that while endearing at times, also makes us wonder how other, less worldly, Habitat GV teams would deal with being sent there for R+R.
The days in Pattaya were spent lounging at the resort pool, heading into town for drinks and food while trying to avoid getting soaked by ongoing Songkran festivities, and wonderful dinners at night. Our first night we scratched Miss Birdsong's itch with a Mexican feast. Then our second and last night we found an atmospheric and extremely tasty Thai restaurant called PIC Kitchen. We sat on cushions on the floor of a beautiful open air space enclosed by tall bamboo and silk curtains.
Although the floor-sitting did agree with some more than others...
As for the Pattaya nights... we are unable to print anything that went on in Pattaya after 10pm because people's children, co-workers, bosses, spouses, parents, etc might be reading. Let's just say that some of the team took to Pattaya like fish to water AND that whatever happens in Pattaya stays in Pattaya and leave it at that.
Friday at midday Deng and Pepsi drove us back to Bangkok to our hotel out by the airport. We arranged for one final blowout team dinner at a funky yummy restaurant called Cabbages and Condoms (http://www.pda.or.th/restaurant/). Many proclaimed it to be the "best" meal of them all and the fact that the proceeds go to family planning/safe sex education efforts in Thailand was the icing on the cake. We were seated in a large courtyard area surrounded by small ponds filled with giant killer catfish among large trees strewn with Christmas lights. It was a perfect end to the team's time together.
Last night the remaining team members said their farewells and everyone ventured off their separate ways. Hopefully some of the team that is still travelling will give us occasional updates on the blog to let us know how they're doing.
As far as JB, Susanna, Duncan and Russ are concerned...
PHUKET ROCKS
(views from our balcony)
(not kidding)
More to come from our "vacation from our vacation"
Love, JB and Sus
robby and i are drooling.... wish we were there with you!! enjoy it - you deserve to rest your working bones!
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