Family Gatherings....

Liddy
So, we are back in Thailand now and have met up with the first part of the extended Pleasants clan that are gathering for Christmas.

We got back from Myanmar about a week ago and spent several days in Bangkok fattening the children up after the rigours of Myanmar and quenching our adult craving for cappucinos and lattes. We also spent a day at Siam City Park which is a massive water / theme park. The idea was just to go to the pool and the waterslides but it turned out that it was a public holiday and everything was free once you had paid to go in, so we couldn't resist going on some rides. Mike was determined to pretend that he isn't pushing forty, and went on the two scariest rides. The second, the 'vortex', he tried to persuade me to go on and I initially agreed to have a go, but after waiting in line for about 20 minutes, watching this insanely scary roller coaster whirling over my head, my stomach literally liquified and I chickened out. I figure that at 35 I am entitled to admit that I no longer enjoy terrorising myself. Mike put a brave face on it, but truth be told, he was a little quiet for a while after getting off.

Anyway, we then boarded an overnight bus and came down south to Krabi where we met up with Kathie (Mike's sister), Alistair (the brother in law), Tilda and Sebastian (the cousins). The kids hit it off within minutes and have quickly become inseperable......clearly Meg and Sam are relishing having company other than each other. Yesterday we went on a long tail boat (read, a long wooden boat with outboard motor) to an island where we spent the day on the beach. It was gorgeous - steep karst cliffs covered in jungle, white sand and beautifully clear, warm water. LUSH. Truly felt like a holiday.

Now our bus has arrived so I have to go....we are off to Khao Sok, a national park. Back in a few days......