Seeing Abraham in Thailand…and doing some island hopping

A good friend in the Netherlands saw his 50th birthday rapidly approaching. He thought it would be nice to spend this memorable day with six friends Thailand to celebrate.

The trip should not last longer than a week. I myself was also one of the 'lucky ones', with the note that I am already staying here. The only question was what the country had to offer them. Pattaya has long been on the wish list because of all kinds of sporting activities. After all, you still feel young and you want to show that…The six Dutch travelers, five of whom had never been to Thailand, are all happily married, however, and staying in the place where 'sin was invented' could at least create the wrong impression on the home front.

After arriving in Bangkok, it was decided to transport the group directly to Hua Hin with EVA Air, for a stay at the Sofitel. A bull's eye, because this hotels is without a doubt one of the best accommodations in Thailand. The rooms are excellently furnished, the service perfect, the garden exuberantly tropical, the swimming pools attractive and the beach at your doorstep. Not to mention the extensive breakfast. It costs a penny, but then you also have something.

The next day, shooting with live ammunition was on the program. That is also possible in Hua Hin, at a shooting range on Petkasem Road, halfway through the drive to Cha Am. Guests can choose from shooting with pistol, revolver or submachine gun on this open range. distributed over different calibers. You then get a gun and ten cartridges and can shoot a paper image of a man. Beginners, of course, under the supervision of an instructor. The track is also used by military and police officers.

Pollen in the eye

Next, it was off to Cha Am ATV Park, an all-new activity center. You can go paintballing, horseback riding, archery and, of course, quad biking. A spectacular activity, especially when the almost-year-old flipped over, but only suffered a few scratches thanks to his crash helmet. Worse was that one of the participants got something in his eye at a stop. We took him to the emergency room at Bangkok Hospital in Hua Hin. Because the pain continued, a visit to an eye specialist was unavoidable. This discovered a kind of pollen under the eyelid. The result: an eye in a bandage and the necessary pills for the journey. No alcohol and no swimming.

Abandoned by the doctor's visit, we almost missed the Lomphraya ferry to Koh Tao in Chumpon (250 kilometers south). The captain waited the 15 minutes we were late. Great class. The hotel on the island, Chramchuree Villas turned out to be built into the mountain. An almost Efteling-like appearance, but absolutely impassable for wheelchair users and other disabled people. Even in the deluxe room you have to climb to the bed and bathroom. The view from the restaurant platform over the sea is priceless and the beach with diving and snorkeling opportunities is definitely recommended. There is nothing to do in the village at night. For that, the enthusiast must be on the other side of the island. You have to be careful in the sea, because a group member cut his foot on sharp coral. Luckily there are no sharks there…

Chaweng

The trip to Koh Samui with the same shipping company went well and the Centara Grand hotel in Chaweng is one of the most beautiful hotels on the island. It is spacious with swimming pools and beach and despite the large number of rooms, the hotel still offers a 'homely' atmosphere. The nightlife of Chaweng is within walking distance and a visit to the Green Mango disco is almost impossible to avoid. The host's birthday passed off in good order this day…

The end of the trip (organized by Greenwood Travel) was approaching. We flew with an ATR from Bangkok Airways to Bangkok, followed by the transfer to President Solitaire in Sukhumvit Soi 11. Once again we were in the heart of the action and many group members made good use of that, including a visit to the new disco Insomnia. The only problem is that there is a lot of smoking inside and the air conditioning almost causes icicles on the nose and ears.

Exhausted and provided with numerous gifts for the home front, five group members have accepted the return journey after a week, with the promise to return soon. The host takes the opportunity to stay an extra week. I myself just hang here. There is no better place to spend your old age in a young way.

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