Journey of a Kumquat: Week 221 and Week 133.5 - Thailand (JW Marriott Khao Lak and Thanyapura Swim Camp)

Greetings from the Land of Smiles! It has been a rough day for mama Ho today as Sophia has been the ultimate travel tyrant. She refuses to walk as I am carrying 3 bags (and she is also not wearing shoes). Of course she decides to not walk as we disembark the plane. She is an absolute travel terror. I am writing this now as I am sure that I will block it out of my memory once I leave this Bangkok Airport. Remind me of this if I ever decide to travel by myself with the girls. Definitely not while Sophia is two!

Aside from this - our trip has gone well. Charlotte knows how to swim! 5 days of swim camp totally paid off. Coach Sam from South Africa was amazing - one of the most gifted coaches I have ever seen. Sophia paid attention 2 of the 5 days - pretty good for a two year old. I remember how unfocused Char was at Sophia's age. Char can't get enough of swimming. She wants to swim all the time!

We started our trip at the JW Marriott Khao Lak - a really magical place with a 3 km swimming pool! The girls loved it - really started Char's love of swimming.

I have a ton of pictures so I will just go through and provide my (dry) commentary:

Thank goodness the JW had salmon and rice! Our salvation for Char.

The view from Sophia - she broke this camera today :(

We brought a DVD player on this trip - a GODSEND! Here are the Kye girls' TV face:

Beach shot:

The girls' first paid manicure:

Sophia very much got into Thai massage with daddy - a potential vocational choice?

Breakfast shots:

In my future life I would like to come back as this dog:

Lunch:

Char's love affair with swimming started here:

Pool from both sides:

Sophia passed out twice on this trip from sheer exhaustion - here is time #1:

Girls shot:

Sunset in Khao Lak:

We ate at Blue Mist - and the food was good. And they had tiki god napkin holders:

Hotel view:

Our room:

The busiest place was breakfast:

Nice air conditioned view:

Sophia is impressed:

The waves were crazy big and Char got her pants wet en route to getting her hair braided:

Waiting for braids through the rain:

Sophia's burgeoning photography skills:

All Char wanted to do our last day at the Marriott was swim. Swimming trumped eating!

Here we are at Thanyapura - the place for Char's swim camp!

The girls loved the kids club - here they are dancing for a kiddie audience!

The girls got their face painted everyday. Charlotte was various fairies or butterflies while Sophia was always... a bunny rabbit:

Pre swim class antics:

A rare moment where Sophia was paying attention:

Trying to get a selfie on an elephant - not easy (here we are near Bang Pae Waterfall):

Better:

Awesome!

A post elephant ice cream:

We hiked to the Bang Pae Waterfall - and I really don't like hiking but I bucked up because I don't want to be whiny (though Char was plenty whiny with the bugs):

Base of waterfall:

Gibbon Rehabilitation Project- hard to get a good photo but there was a nice photo op for the kids:

Start of the hike:

Trying to take a picture by the sign was not easy:

Reaching the waterfall:

Sophia was not so into picture taking by the falls:

Post hike snack:

Thanyapura had these awesome kids dining sets - we are trying to get some from Italy!

Tree Club (the kids club):

Another day. Another bunny rabbit:

Butterfly:

The girls took most of the lessons together:

Bunny rabbit again:

Fairy (I think):

Sophia liked going on this 'bed' during class:

Char embraced these goggles - which really advanced her swimming:

Brilliant Coach Sam - hope to train with you again soon!

Butterfly:

Last day I took the girls to the Nikki Beach Club - not as good as Potato Head but pretty good. Sophia refused to swim as walked along the beach to find a bandage for a skinned knee (thank you Layan Visitor Center for cleaning her up):