Outings in Samui

London's brother and his wife from Thailand

London’s brother Nigel moved to Samui and where he met Som, a beautiful Thai woman. They are now married with children and run a disc (frisbee) golf course. He picked me up on his scooter and showed me around his place. Disc golf is a big thing now with a pro league and everything. His wife handles the organizational side and he does the creative, making/expanding the course (including the hard work of clearing the land) and designing everything from the banners to the course to the metal baskets that serve as “holes.” He rents land from 3 or possibly 4 different people and the course is huge! It’s dotted with palm trees and other obstacles to make the frisbee thrower really work to find the best path. I didn’t realize, but apparently, it’s much liKe bowling where different dics are used in different circumstances with some giving more curve than others and various weights as well.

Nigel on the course

path across the course water hazard

Nigel also reportedly makes a mean BBQ. Wish I was here a week later for his big annual tourney where he roasts a whole pig. I saw the course and tried to get a frisbee into the “hole” eventually succeeding. He has a good philosophy that spending time with family is what happiness is all about, so living a simple island lifestyle is perfect for him. It reminds me of the Italians who have their priorities right, they have a siesta from 1-3, take the whole month of August off, and when it is 5:00 work is over (I learned this the hard way when I had an import business and needed an order completed that day…if it’s not done, they finish it tomorrow). You gotta respect that way of life. They must have a lot less stress and anxiety.

There were some expats playing the course so we chatted with them awhile and before I knew it, it was disk and the darn mosquitos were out and of course honed in on me. Luckily I had brought a bucketload of Claritin with me so I followed my sister’s advice and took 2 (double dose). Now even the first bite on my foot that was itching doesn’t bother me.

maenam morning market

A couple days later, Nigel took me to the Maenam morning Market. It is a huge covered open air place with tons of stalls selling food: veggies, spices, fish, meat, you name it. We also got these amazing little fried coconut milk balls! They were just 20 baht for 6. We also got some great congee from his usual place (only 50 baht). Later I bought some new beach sandals since mine are nearly dead for 150 baht, and we wandered around to the other section where they had Thai doughnuts! I finally got to try one and they are great! Lastly, I spotted some meat on the stick which of course I had to get (4 stciks for 20 baht).

market fish

market delicious fried coconut milk balls

market meat

market spices

market coconut juicer

market veggies

market congee stand

enjoying our bowls of congee

I finally get to try thai donutd

delicious meat on a stick

I saw Nigel and his family one more time. More people were out playing and getting ready for the big tourney. Many had flown in from various parts of the world for this. I chatted with some folks from Sweden, England, and Austria. Som gave me a ride home and on the way to the car I spotted her lettuce garden. She starts off with seeds in tiny slots in a tray, then they sprout and as they get bigger they are moved to larger pots. She has a few different types…it was her Covid project to entertain herself. I didn’t get pics since my phone was dead, but after Nigel’s tourney is over I’ll try to get him to send me some.

my guide at Samui elephant home

Coming home from my second wonderful massage, I ran into a couple I met the day before from the States, Suzette and Noel. They run a little bnb outside of Zion National Park called Harvest House (I will certainly check that out next time I go to Zion…not in July though as my friend I was with got heat stroke, it’s HOT in July). They told me about an elephant sanctuary on Samui where you prep food and feed the elephants, and can help wash them. I’m going to one in Chang Mai, but it never hurts to do it twice since it is one of the highlights for me. I called and was able to book a half day tour the next afternoon after my massage (priorities, you know).

Feeding Hong

They picked me up at 1:00 and drove me 35 minutes halfway around the island. Before Covid they would sometimes get 20 or 30 people on a tour (which seems like way too many) but with Covid hurting tourism, I was the only person on the tour. When Suzette and Noel came with their friend, they were the only 3 people on the tour too so they must really be suffering. It actually seemed a little bit like an elephant tour done Disney style. The introduction area was beautiful with really nice colorful signs, The people interacting with tourists all wore matching shirts, the washing area was cleanly molded concrete with fake grass on the sides. Despite being quite touristy, it was a terrific experience and they do a great job caring for these elephants rescued from being forced to work as ride givers, performers, and logging which is the hardest on them.

mixing stuff for elephant ball treats

I made little meatballs mixed from rice, protein powder, pumpkin, and bananas and they brought the elephants, Hong and Maria over to get fed their treats. It was so much fun feeding them! Hong was a bit pushy but Maria waited patiently for each treat. After that I was given bananas and sugar cane to feed them. Then they were led out to the fields to graze and I got some more pictures there. A farmer generously allows them to graze on his land and in exchange he gets to use their poop. Apparently elephant poop is quite useful! The coolest part of the grazing was watching Hong open a coconut. He moves it under his foot, then stomp, it’s open, just like that!

topping them with salt

feeding Maria

rreally I have no more!

Hong's a little greedy

in the grazing fields

mud bath time

After the grazing, they came back and were given water in a dirt area that they mixed into mud and threw on themselves. I went to visit two other elephants, one that is too old to walk far and another who is too new and not used to kind humans and is still adjusting. I got to feed them also. By this time the mud had dried and I was able to help the elephant handlers wash them off with buckets and a scrub brush. It took a few tries to get used to the bucket and I got more on myself the first few throws than the elephants. But I got the hang of it. When they were done having water thrown on them, they left and walked back to their pen signaling that bath time was over!
I rinsed off and changed into dry clothes. After a nice little lunch I headed home.

feeding the older one who can't walk far

rinsing them with buckets

time to wash them

kicking back on my porch at Maenam Resort