our trip was entertaining...

here's a qwikkie on our flights/ accom etc, esp for those w kids who may consider going there...

flying:

-we flew with a budget airline booked via internet. it was cheap. we paid an extra $5 per person to pre-select our seats. check-in going there was a breeze. we were the 1st when e counter opened couple hrs b4. no queue. returning, there was a very long queue. desk didnt open til qt late. dh lined up while i t did toilet breaks and sat with hand luggage on e opp side of e terminal. the flights were short. the kids were happy reading magazines.

kay happily chewed on sweets and crisps during landings and take-offs, so no ear trouble. as we descended on e way back, she nursed and fell asleep. ky had headaches all the way from the air pressure and cdnt eat because of it. on e way back he slept most of e way. woke up after we landed with a terrible throbbing headache, bad enough for him to be unable to walk straight, and ended up collapsing on e floor pounding his head with his fists. thoughts of embolism went through my mind. but we prayed. no wheelchairs at e budget terminal, so i ended up carrying his 20kg hulk, while dh settled the hand-luggage. thankfully it passed, but next time i will wake him well before we even start the descent, so hopefully he wont hv such air pressure problems again.

hotels: both were booked online via Asia Rooms.

hotel 1:

Krabi Thai Village Resort. this place was great! lots of space. long corridors for running/ short stairs for climbing/ plenty grass for kicking ball...good excercise.

location: on a small road, slightly uphill from e main stretch of shops and restaurants. an easy walk for the kids in e early evening down to e main stretch. it was cool and quiet. just be careful to keep in single-file well against the curbside and clear of oncoming vehicles which may be speeding.  or take a tuk-tuk there instead. likewise for the return trip. they r cheap and easily available outside e hotel, and parked all along the main stretch. bargain prices down a bit, esp for families.  opposite e resort are a few restaurants. 1 has a beautiful fishpond alongside which is nice for e kids to enjoy, as it has a walkway over e top.  (take mossie repellant at nite) others offer thai, seafood, and an asstmt of western type dishes. on e way to e main stretch is a nice eatery called La Casa. it serves good thin-crust wood-oven fired pizzas and indian curries. it's got a very nice vibe about it. the staff are friendly and it's open for lunch and dinner. if i remember rt, i think they also do pasta. there's another branch of La Casa on the main stretch and it's always packed. i'd rather save the walk and go this one as it's peaceful and airy (read: no smokers!) there's also a graden cafe down a staircase which i never tried, but dh and the kids did. it looks nice for e kids to explore while parents take time over their meals. for drinks and snacks, sunblock, milk etc, there's a small mini-mart just alongside.

reception:

check-in was prompt and friendly. welcome drinks and chilled face towels perked us all up. plenty of staff on hand to carry our luggage. reading books available for loan (adult english and other languages) outing desk was manned almost all hours. bar/ lounge had live singing but was always deserted (prob due to the prices). but we'd wonder down in the evenings after bathtime for popcorn (on sale at e bar) and wd sit on e sofas at reception and let e kids have a bit of a run-ard before bed, while i had some reading-time :) toilets behind reception were always empty and spotless. 

room:

standard delux room, 2nd level. we requested a room far away from e lobby, and not on e ground level. 2queensize beds which we pushed together. kay slept between us. ky slept on a little daybed alongside. we asked for a cot (foc) and used that to store their fun-stuff. the mattress we took out and used to sit on for floor-play/ balcony picnic etc. used the cot sheets/pillows for kynan.  just paid extra for his breakfast as it wasnt included.  nice big room cd still move about easily with all of us. only shower no bath, but we were told we were upgraded to a larger room on e quieter side so we didnt mind.  aircon and fan. both worked well. on aircon fan setting 3 though, a pungent sewer smell crept through the vent, so had to kp reminding dh not to turn it on high when he came back. temp control cd be adjusted to north pole climes so we didnt mind a less blowy fan. the ceiling fan was good when e air was stale. so we cd switch off e aircon, open e doors, and let some  fresh air move through. fridge was slightly drippy inside, so we had to be careful where we placed our drinks or chilled foods.

other nice touches: the traditional wooden decor throughout, and matching colour-scheme, even down to the towels. enough towels were provided w/o us having to ask for them each time. staff were prompt and couteous *always*. 

hotel food:

breakfast was a good selection of everything u cd imagine. noodles and rice with curries and chicken in sauces. usual western stuff like sausages, ham and bacon. egg station for fresh omelettes. good selection of breads and pastries, fresh fruits, fresh cheese and salad ingredients, milk, yoghurt and cereals, including healthier stuff like muesli.

room service was very quick. food was hot considering the long walk. it was quite palatable and well presented with garnish. portions sufficient. our 2 young kids cd easily share 1 serving w/o wastage nor shortfall.

restaurant: we never tried this, but the tables were well-presented each night with fresh linens and canddle-lit. the place was quiet at night (prob because of e selection of cheap foods outside but a stone's throw away.) one night however saw full-house. it was a special weekly thai spread. it came with entertainment. when we passed we saw a beautiful graceful thai dancer on stage, with 3 more immaculately dressed young ladies waiting in the wings, and another group in impressive costume waiting beyond view outside. i dont rrecall the price, but it mt hv bn nice to splash out at least once on something like this...

facilities:

aircon gym which bal used, overlooking the kids' playgrd and garden.  lush garden, spacious green lawns with shrubbery shielding balconies for privacy. quiet young rubber plantations on 2sides provide natural ambience, +butterflies, birds, singing cicadas.  one night we returned to find a gecko the size of a baby crocodile on the wall beside our door. no joke!!! it was at least 6-8cm longer than my palm!!! were it not for the suction pads on it's fingers and toes, i really wd hv thought t was a bb crocodile! it freaked kayla out a little... and thankfully never returned while we were in the vicinity. (some bugs it must hv caught!!!... i'm just glad i never met it's mama!)

3 swimming pools of different depths, and swim-up pool snack-bar. (the bar-pool is what we used the most. it had shallow stair access from 2 sides).  there was also a small kids' slide into the toddler pool. (unfortunately, i wd never advise anyone to use this particular pool after what happened during our stay... over a few days we noticed a powerful vortex in e centre of e pool, originating from a large square suction outlet on the floor of e pool. it was a large-based vortex which cd easily hv fitted a kid up to 10or more years of age/ not-to-mention a tot!) it seemed to start up on occassions when the waterfall and fountain features were switched on at the pool behind, but not every time... so very unpredicatble. after knowing the story of e expat who drowned in a s'pore hotel spa-pool when similar suction vent cracked, it was very worrying. in that case too, the suction was much stronger than it shd hv bn... i doubt that management were even informed of e issue when we were there. the staff seemed amused if anything, and just disappeared into the switch room for a while to fix the problem on the 1st occassion. once was enuff... thereafter my kids were banned!

hotel 2: Vogue Hotel and Spa

location: on the opp side of the main stretch, just as it rounds e bend, and slightly up a hill. wonderful spot. looks busy/ noisy outside, but once inside, none of the road sounds can be heard.  an easy walk to e main stretch. western fastfood joints are v near (McD/ Starbucks etc) with more building work going on. pavements r on both sides of e road and are stroller friendly. (so for us, no need to take tuk-tuk). hair-braiding places nearby, and also places selling nice sports clothing for ladies and guys of all sizes. good selection of restaurants, (but watch out for e creamy sauces, table cheeses and mayo)

this is a small boutique-type hotel. it's beautifully nestled on a hillside, with stairs weaving secret pahways through a lush garden environment.  it' looks back onto the side of a beautiful wild hill. early morning mists, natural sounds and interesting large bugs and beetles add to the exotic feeling of being away from home. much to his distress, dh found a beautiful brown horned climbing tree frog on the keyhole one night when he came back :)) also loads of butterflies, dragonflies and birds.  to the front of the hotel, one can see a massive stone cliff. on our last night there, we were surprised by beautiful booming fireworks coming from a private beach estate on the other side. it was a wonderful treat for ky who was still awake!

reception:

check-in was brisk. we were directed to seating to complete the form. fruit drink and cold towels provided. an internet room opposite reception. (buy an acces card for 1hr minimum. qt cheap. sofas for e kids to read or colour while mum's checking mail)

room:

we got free upgrade to e honeymoon suite. came with a cornerbath ready-filled with rose-petals floating, and flower-petal-heart on the bed. fruit basket included. nice kingsize 4-poster-bed with tie-back sheer curtains which the kids loved. (princess bed :) not much room to move otherwise. payed extra for a mattress for ky on e floor. planned for kay to share our bed, but too squeezy. so got e cot mattress foc, ordered an extra blanket, opened it out large over e mattress, and added a sheet. they also brought a small kiddy quilt and pillow with brown bear, which kayla liked. very nice large balcony overlooking e pool area. obscured from below by palm and coconut trees, so pleasantly private. 2 large wooden seating areas for unwinding or sun-bathing. 

other nice touches: the bathtub has a window through to the room, so u can see e kids while they bath and vice vers. blinds can be closed for privacy when in the toilet.  lit candle burning in the bathroom when we arrived. bath gels smelled wonderfully floral, (bonus of e spa), hairdryer in the room. fridge in good working order.

downside: no coffee-making facilities. poor reading lighting inside. a little too dark even to sort through luggage properly at night.

breakfast:

food is nothing to shout about. (prev place was much much better). eg noodles slightly dry, sauces tasteless, juices not very pleasant. limited spread overall. egg station outside though we never tried it. what's nice is that u can take yr breakfast in a little secluded garden up a few steps from e breakfast hall. it's in e open air, u hear e squawk of parrots, feel a breeze, watch the lanterns above u swing in the breeze. kids loved it. staff not very pro-active, so just go get a tray or 2 from them, and then pass them what u want to be carried out. they fetched us a baby-chair too which pleased kay. (just dodnt sit too near e breakfast hall-side of e garden, as there's a thin strip below that's allocated to smokers, and their cancer-fumes waft up if u dont get a table further away.

room service: we never ordered room service here. the menu was very very limited and nothing appealed.

facilities:

full spa. pricey but looks nice. i ran out of time to try it, though i really wanted to. (dh tried outside, cheaper, but they were so hard they injured his shoulder.)

1 warm shallow toddler pool, and 1 other deep pool with 2 ladder-type steps and 4 squirting elephant statues (which my kids loved!!!).  bring floats for e kids.

small gym overlooking e pool (imm beneath our room in fact). bring sports shoes and proper sports gear. it was quiet mostly.

we only spotted 1 or 2 other kids while we were there. the rest were group singles, and both younger and older couples.  with it being a small place, we found people to be a lot more friendly towards us and the kids. (at e other resort, there were mostly groups of larger families from Sweden, Germany, and they kept to themselves. their kids didnt mix with ours, and were not interested in playing together, even though ky volunteered)  this place is suitable for kids although it mt not look that way at 1st glance. 

on the downside: service is sub-standard in some respects. e baby-cot linens and mattress which we asked for in the morning, was still not there when we returned at night. likewise for e additional towels. (this was after asking 3 times, and having bn promised each time)  communication was poor. most staff dont seem to understand us at all.  even something simple like requesting a face towel. and when we asked very clearly for 2 more pillows, only 1 was sent. this happened on 2 separate occassions.

this is a beautiful place with so much potential. if only the staff were better trained, and more active in fore-seeing the needs of their customers, then it wd be worth coming back to. until e staff and food side improve, i think we wd again only return for no more than 3 nights/ or try somewhere different.

eateries outside:

be careful!

1) glass in the food:  we visited a reputable restaurant opposite our 1st resort: (Carnivore). the icecream that we ordered was served in a tall glass. almos all e way through it, i tried it out and realised that the crunchiness the kids had bn talking about was in-fact glass shards and not ice crystals as i'd thought. we all had received cuts on the insides of our mouths, and had sharp fragments chewed up, crushed and protruding from e cracks of our molars. e restaurant manger commented that they served such daily and no-one had ever complained before. this was *after* her staff had shown me that the side of the glass was badly chipped and had probably been raining glass shavings over e icecream each time the spoon touched against e edge. so much for candle-light...we didnt even see. to rub salt into e wound, they never brought a replacement nor apologised...so kay was left waiting for e rest of her icecream 20minutes later. finally when i mentioned this, they brought me one more scoop (for which they later charged us!!!) 

2) food poisoning:

a) i got really really bad food poisoning from chicken in white wine sauce.  up with vomiting and drh all nite, every 40min-1hr.  cdnt even kp down sips of water. nxt day cdnt even get out of bed. whole body aches, massive headache, chills and hot flushes. only meds cd help. a week later still sensitive to food.

b) parmesan cheese in table-shakers: kayla was ill in a similar manner to myself. vomiting only, but hrly all through the nite. not even bre*stmilk cd stay down. poor thing was even puking up all over herself in her sleep. after 3 changes of clothes left her half-naked wrapped in a towel. an eventful night. it promptly stopped in e morning in time for b/fast of dry bread and water. she didnt need any meds, just breastmilk eventually seemed to do e trick.

c) carbonara sauce: ky kept it down overnight, but was violently ill e next day. both drh and vmtg whole day from early til night. lost count of how many bin bags he filled! but then at least he cd get there in time...so i was spared changing bedding and clothes. we had meds for him but he cdnt keep i down. after a few attempts he eventually refused because of his terrible stomach cramps. poor kid... at one sage he was writhing on the floor in agony, and there was nothing i cd do for the pain except pick him up and cradle him as i prayed and held him. the same happened when he started hitting his head with his fists to try and stop a pounding headache. it was only after 12hrs of such, threatening hospital and drip, that he finally succumbed to keep trying the meds until they stayed down.

d) mayonnaise: dh had a wonderful sandwich on the last day, filled with all sorts of delicious goodies. i had one too, the only difference, which i lamented at the ime, was that mine was missing the garlic-mayo... thank goodness for small mercies though, or i wd have suffered all over again... as poor dh woke up the next morning suffering e same stomach cramps, fever and drh. and he was just as bad at taking his meds as kynan was! :)

so nxt time we'll definatey be eating very simply. plain rice. pasta in tomato-based sauces, pizza, indian breads, and icecreams seem not to be reccomended.

pharmacies:

there r a few and the one we visited was good. the lady pharmacist was sweet, listened well, and prescribed w/o hesitation, giving good instructions and advise in case things did not improve. she cd prescribe a short course of oral antibiotics for kay's ear infection, and something to clear the sinus tubes to help ease e pain, which is something i'd not thought of.   they also have the necc meds for drh and vomiting in kids. (but not e anti-vomiting pessary for bbs and tots/ or for if older kids cant kp e meds down.) though another pharmacist told dh he cd give ky a jab for it if things didnt improve...  i wd hv bn reticent to let my kid experience needles in thailand though, so am glad it didnt come to that or drips)  although my kids never hv tummy upsets, nxt time will certainly bring my own meds for such eventualities, esp e anti-vomiting pessary.

so did we have a good time?

you bet!!!

and wd we go back again?

for sure!!!... must-see/ must-do highlights will follow in e next posting....