The next day (26 Nov) Adrian is convinced that my big backpack will topple the motorcyle taxi over and since I can't take the water taxi, we have to walk about 10-12 minutes to the train station.
I insist on carrying my big backpack cause well, it's mine and he takes my little backpack. Even though it's not yet 9am it's quite hot and before long we're both sweating.
By the time we arrive at the train, Adrian is drenched! Hmm...not good. We finally arrive at his work and both stand in front of the fan to try and dry off.
I figure since it's a quiet day, I can go and see Skyfall which I missed in Melbourne. There's only one other person in the theatre.
Just before the movie starts, there's an announcement about standing up for the King's song. Are they for real I wonder and then I see the girl in front of me stand up.
Well, I guess it's the respectful thing to do, so I stand up too. The melody is quite nice and it shows clips from his childhood to now. Finally the movie starts and it's awesome. I'm glad I got to see it.
By the time it finishes, it's already 2pm. As I exit, I come across a kiosk making boiled sweets (like Suga in Melbourne) and they've only just started the process.
I've never seen the whole thing from start to finish before, so I stand and watch.
The entire process.
For an hour!
It's great that you can do stuff like this on holidays.
There's a lot of stretching and pounding and cutting and levelling going on. Iit's really a lot of effort that goes into this!
Finally they finish and I head back to Adrian's office. Final repacking and recharging takes me to five o'clock and Adrian asks if I've had my massage yet?
No, not yet.
Well you've still got time he tells me.
Sure, why not!
I don't feel guilty 'cause I figure the more time he has to get his work done the better.
I wander across and find the place he'd pointed out a few days ago. I think I should have a Thai massage, but at the last minute change it to an oil one 'cause that's what I feel like. Yup, just one hour.
An older lady comes along to take me to a room where she rubs my feet and ankles with a green scrub and then washes them and takes me upstairs. She gives me a pair of undies made with some kind of black pantyhose material and a hair net. She tells me to put these on and take everything else off. When she comes back she indicates to me to like on my stomach on the massage table and lays a sheet over my legs. She starts with my back and after she has enough oil on it I feel her climb on the table and I get the feeling she's kneeling over me. The pressure is firm but not unbearable, but it is hard to breathe at times when your breath is out of sync with her pushing. But it feels nice.
She then uncovers one leg, and tucks the undie away as high as it will go. Umm...okay. She then drizzles on more oil and proceeds to rub it into my upper quad and butt. I'm just thinking that she probably doesn't need to go so high when I feel distinct skimming between my legs. Hmm...I wait on the downstroke, and sure enough, there's touching again on the upstroke.
While definitely not my usual massage experience, I figure it's all okay as long as nothing goes in, I guess. She proceeds down my leg and then onto the other leg where it's exactly the same. Then she does my arms and asks me to turn over.
She does the other side of my arms and legs (no slightly inappropriate touching) and then removes the sheet off my chest and proceeds to massage my stomach.
Ouch, that hurts a wee bit and then proceeds to massage my chest.
Did Adrian forget to tell me something? Is this usual?
I have no way of knowing, but it seems okay and in keeping with the rest of the massage.
Finally we're done and she lets me know. I put my clothes back on and my body feels great.
I recall Velina saying I should get a facial if I get a chance, and they do have facials here but they are an hour long as well. I ask if she can do a half an hour one now, and she says okay.
In a way, the facial is more relaxing than or perhaps as a result of the massage.
I feel wonderful, and it's time to head back to the office and head out for dinner.
There are two things left to try, and Adrian promises me one of them at least. It is the same style as the papaya/green mango/carrot salad, but with roasted corn kernels! I'm so excited.
On the way we see another restaurant and it is selling crab! Excellent! We can do a dinner crawl.
We have the corn salad at the first restaurant and the waiter is a bit surprised that that is all that we're ordering.
It's good, but I feel like the corn could have been roasted more. It's missing a slight sweetness in the corn.
We finish up and head over to the crab place. Turns out it is the same place we went to the night before but it has a restaurant here as well. We order the same baby vomit dish, but with crabmeat. It's good, but the crab is nothing like the amazing crab in Singapore. Perhaps it would have tasted different if we'd ordered it in the shell?
It's time now to head to the airport, and once we arrive, there's just enough time for dessert - sticky rice and mango - albeit at about four times the price of that on the street at which we ate. The mango tastes just as delicious though.
As we're finishing, we hear what sounds like a crowd of over excited screaming girls. Was there a celebrity coming through I ask? Maybe it's Psy of Gangnam Style notoriety, he's supposed to be visiting. We look high and low and although we hear more intermittent screaming, we see no sign of any crowds.
Then it's time for me to head off and I'm a bit sad 'cause it's been an amazing stay. But, time for the next adventure.
