Tuesday 30th November
Breakfasted and packed and were collected by the taxi/bus at 11:20am and drove along the coast to the port to catch the speedboat at noon, for Koh Kood via Koh Maak. We arrived at Bann Makok at 1:20pm.
It's a beautiful resort of 8 chalets built in the river within an area of cleared mangroves. It is staffed by a group of small Thais who sit unobtrusively on the floor in corners, reading magazines or texting until you require anything. They then busy themselves catering to your every whim. They serve food and drinks bowing all the time. Their diminutive stature enhances their servile demeanour. They speak enough English to get by and always laughing with each other.
The only way in or out is by boat and after lunch, steamed squid and chilli for me and chicken with oyster sauce for Amie (both delicious), we took a kayak to the beautiful white sandy beach. It was fringed by coconut trees and inhabited by small sand crabs. We were, for a long time, the only ones there. The sea was crystal clear and warm, even by Amie's standards. We saw a single flying fish glide for over 100metres into the river mouth.
After our return, we showered and ate at 8:30pm. Enormous prawns cooked in garlic and black pepper and stir-fried mushrooms were again beautifully cooked, presented and very tasty. Amie had bananas with chocolate sauce, while I chose a margarita to round off my meal.
We slept in a very comfortable bed under a mosquito net.

Wednesday 1st December

Breakfasted and spent the morning reading, while Amie continued with the photos on the laptop. I watched as a green and yellow striped archer fish shot insects from a leaf. I have enjoyed 'how to be free' by Tom Hodgkinson and recommended by Rob. It re-enforced many of the ideas on money, work, government and supermarkets that I hold and I shall take more care to follow them when I return.
Went back to the beach in the kayak again and swam under a cloudy but bright sky. Returned for a beer and siesta and dined on squid in garlic and pepper, while Amie chose Chicken with cashew nuts.