January 6,

We were up & about by 0730. We watched the Lions and Vikings game, as we had our Javas and breakfast of the two steam buns – one had a meatball inside; the other was same as yesterday – and yogurt. We were rooting for the Vikings for our B-I-L, as they are his favorite team. Too bad about the outcome! 🥺 We also talked with my sister and then Jeff’s sister and our B-I-L… he did not want to talk about the game.

After we finished our conversations the morning was gone. At 1300 we set off per a Bolt taxi to a street food vendor for grilled pork/grilled chicken. It was again a place we went to last time, Lakkana Grilled Pork. We shared a pork plate and a chicken plate – it is just the meat and a small bowl of spicy dipping sauce. I forgot how good both grilled meats were. It would be bad to live near here as the pork is fatty hunks of bacon. I had a coke and Jeff had a water. Finished we paid 140 Baht ($4.06), and hired another driver back to our place. I love Thailand!!😂

Around 1600, we went back to the local mall right near us and walked. I got a couple more duplicate items as I want to change out a few worn things. Then we went back to our place and Jeff figured out a BBQ place that was open and we ordered take out. It seems the BBQ places are all closed for New Years until the end of this week, but this one, Holy Smokes. We ordered one beef brisket and two sides – one coleslaw, and one corn salsa. The delivery took 40 minutes to get to us, but it was great. The brisket was melt-in-your-mouth tender. The slaw was not sweet, which we prefer. The corn salsa was lacking, but we were able to jazz it up with the mustard sauce we were given for the brisket. We also had two BBQ sauces – close to a KC BBQ sauce. We were impressed. We paid 433 Baht ($12.56) for the food and the delivery.

After we finished we watched a movie and started sorting for preliminary packing. Tomorrow we fly, starting our “Island Hopping Venture” of Thailand.

      January 7,

We got around and staged our packing. Then we Had our Javas and went out for brunch. We hired a Bolt and went to Neua Tun Nang Loeng. This is our Beef Brisket Soup place. We arrived and it was open- yay!  We each had a beef brisket noodle soup. First bite… OHH, Yeah!!! The broth is so amazing. We both agree that the broth is better than Pho broth, since we have had both now. The brisket is as tender as last night, but the noodles are like ramen – I don’t think they were homemade. Jeff said – it is too bad that this dish is not a national Thai dish. I agree, because it is just that great. We talked a tiny bit with the owner, and then we paid the 140 Baht ($4.06) for our meals. We hired a Bolt back to our place. We actually paid more in the Bolt expenses to get to and from the restaurant than the bill for the food.

Back at our place, we showered and now did pack our stuff up. We don’t fly out until tonight but we have to check out of our hotel by noon. So we checked out at 1150, and they stored our bags until we are ready to leave. We hired our last Bolt and went to one of the biggest, most expensive malls in Thailand – just to kill time, get steps, and see how the “other half” lives (so to speak). It is called EmSphere, Jeff said this mall cost ½ billion to build! Because Bangkok needed another mall!🤣  Anyway, it was great to just walk about. We ate lunch at the food court at V Street, High Street Vegan Food. We had Truffle Mixed Mushroom Dumplings, and Hainanese Chicken Rice. It was good – the dumplings were best though. We then walked some more. The mall had an IKEA store inside it. We had never been to an IKEA store so we went in. It seems to go on and on forever. The pathway is a big snaky, one-way, kind of way through. They have a lot of “stuff”- that is for sure, and they stage rooms so you can see possibilities. Then we walked around a bit more. Around 1500, we had had enough of the mall scene and we left.

Now we caught the BTS, Sky Train; took it to the Airport Link for one stop; and then walked the two blocks back to the hotel. We picked up our luggage and returned to the Airport Link. We bought a last token and boarded. We arrived at the airport around 1545. We walked the passageway to the airport and to self check-in for our bags. A Bangkok Airways representative stepped up and took over our “self” check-in, because that is just how the Thai people are – so helpful and serving attitudes.😊😌  Anyway, the bags were checked to go to our plane and we had our boarding passes in hand – now we have 3 hours to kill… to The Coral Executive Lounge. We grabbed a table and unloaded our carry-ons. We had Chickpea Tikka Masala and Tofu, Creamy Mushroom soup, Fish Cakes, Chocolate Mousse, and Thai Pandan Gnocchi with Coconut Milk. Jeff had Beer and I had a Mojito – they did not have wine.☹️

Our flight was delayed 15 minutes – until 1930. We left the lounge at 1900 because we still needed to through security. We arrived at our gate to discover it was now delayed 45 minutes – until 2000. We then boarded a bus to get to the plane on the tarmac, in our seats by 2005. Plane took off around 2015. The plane is a turbo prop! We were served a bland chicken rice dinner in flight.

At 2145, we arrived, landing on… Ko Samui!! Now begins Island Time!

We got our luggage, found our driver, loaded into his luxury van, and set off to our place. We arrived at 2300. Unloaded our stuff and crashed.