Sunday - Bangkok
The view from the hotel room reflects the intensity of Bangkok. Tuk Tuk's, motorbikes, taxi's and private cars jostle for position on the roads, and hawkers and street stall seller's call to us to view their wares.

We all regroup at breakfast, swapping tales of the evening before. Today we have till 1.30pm to powershop. In three separate groups we plan our attack. F and C want to go to the 'rip off' market, but their attempt to catch a taxi is thwarted by the doorman at our hotel who tells them the market is closed. L, B and S head for the shopping mall attached to the Indra Regent and discover that the locals also are frequenting this location. This group end up heading to MBK shopping centre but their efforts in a taxi result in an argument and resultingly they are asked to get out of the taxi. The girls walk the rest of the way to MBK in the heat - an impressive effort after such a late night drinking.

Ca, K and M also head for MBK but are wise to the doorman who says the shopping centre is not open early, but he could happily take us to a silk market. We say NO, and walk thru the hotel to the shopping mall, where Katrina begins her quest to buy Sam a watch with a battery!! We decided to exit the hotel thru the back door and find a cab to go to MBK. We were sucessful and arrived at MBK ready to shop. Ca and K split from M, as we get the feeling we stiffle the shopping diva in her quests. A beautiful coconut watch purchased by CA, for 130 Baht was the envy of the group and repeated reference during the week, to the classic style of this timepiece reinforced the jealousy felt by all.

Despite plans to regroup at the hotel for showers etc pre flight, all groups returned in a hurry to check-out and catch their airport transfers. With the correct motivation, packing and checkout was achieved within 15 minutes and the first group was whisked away to the airport.

Poo our guide from Saturday delivered little brass elephant statues as gifts for us, to the hotel. One for birthday Wendy as well.

Speaking of birthday Wendy. Wendy had arrived from Barthelona and was waiting in transit for her very very very best friends:)). White as a sheet and struggling to speak Wendy forced a smile and hug and laugh as we are all reunited at our gate.

The flight was uneventful...well if you consider croissants stuffed with spam and cheese, accompanied by plastic tasting tea, uneventful? Greeted at Koh Samui airport by our driver we are whisked off to our resort.

It is dark as we enter our villa and explore the bedrooms, oohing and arhhing at the pool, palms and kitchen. We quickly divide up the rooms and walk to dinner at the resort restaurant. The food is delicious and cheap, by our standards, and we accompany the meal with colourful cocktails. Back at the ranch we dabble in drinking and then head exhausted to bed.