So We Wanted an Adventure...

We've had an exciting couple of days and just can't wait to share it with you guys!

To celebrate Mark's birthday we fashioned a proper beach bbq, inspired by our previous beach-fire excursion. It's amazing the deliciousness that can come from a few fresh ingredients, a hand dug hole in the sand, a few scraps of wood and a grate.








That is a tasty burger! (Pulp)













Because the bars were closed on Friday and Saturday night for the election on Monday, the friendly folks at Satang Bar let us use their beach and fire pit for Mark's birthday dinner while they performed bamboo tattoo artistry atop their pool table.








Ouch! Bamboo is more hygienic than needles, right?












Fedora + board shorts + birthday flowers + one greasy grate + one pair of over-sized duck flip flops = one smashing birthday suit.















During the birthday festivities the waves started rolling in so the next day we snapped some photos and vids of the encroaching storm. It seems the previous night's waves had accumulated some debris. Check out that chair in the water.































































Man, I love waves!



Sunday night, Halloween, the watering holes were permitted to reopen so Mark threw a proper birthday party at his bar. Oddly enough, the Thai women were the only ones who dressed up for the occasion. Our friend Maumio looked exceptional in her costume - makes Nick's headband look pretty lame, truth be told.






























Mark's birthday drew quite a crowd, including dogs...

















and children! :)

You'll notice that Nick is behind the bar. As we're short on cash, instead of a tangible gift Nick offered to tend the bar so Mark could relax and enjoy his par-tay. My co-conspirator Rachel (wearing black) asked Nick to make her a Flaming Lamborghini. The look on his face was priceless.






Nick pretending to make a fancy drink; he really just served bottled beer.












Around two o'clock on Tuesday morning we were awoken to the sound of our air-conditioner shutting off. We were without power. Then the rain started...




We were also entertained with thunder and lightning. We took these videos while we waited for an opportunity to refill our candle supply.




Upon seeing our neighbor return home from an outing, we were inspired to hit the road. On a side note, he is a prime example of my previous fear regarding motorbikes.



Imagine our surprise when we reached the street!












It was a wet trip.




We stopped by Mark's place to borrow some board games.




After 18 powerless hours, the street water began flooding our driveway (the only way out). On the bright side (get it?) the power finally came back on.















It rained all night, hard, and by the time I woke up the mountain run-off filled the street and subsequently our driveway, all the way up to the motorbike.









Twenty minutes later the flood water breached the highest point of the driveway, and found its way into our garden.











Then it approached the pool's edge and our stairs.













During the filming of this video, I decided we better start packing (incidentally, as we finally made it out the door, the pool was no longer visible; it was literally just one huge lake of brown water).



Anyone who knows Nick, knows of his propensity to exaggerate. If this is the case for you, you also know of my persistent insistence on facts. You can see our driveway on the left. You'll notice the further you look down the driveway, the deeper the water gets. At the deepest spot the water was at our armpits as we waded out, no joke. Drenched in putrid runoff, we sat at the thatch hut brainstorming where we would spend the night. Thankfully, Nun, the woman who owns the massage/laundry business across the street, waved us over. She invited us in to take a shower. She even invited our friend Simon, whom she had never met before this moment.


This is Simon looking grateful.












After our shower we sat in Nun's shop and watched the water.
















Nun is our hero!

















She and her employees showered us with hospitality, hot coffee and kindness to warm our bones.











Just when we thought they couldn't get any nicer, Nun provided us with a warm place to spend the night in one of her massage rooms. Quite swanky rooms actually. Very homey.











After our shower and a change into the only clothes we had available we sat down for a warm meal (it wasn't embarrassing at all to wear Nick's T-shirt and underwear during dinner).










It was an honor to be included in an authentic Thai family style meal with Laek, Da Da, and Nun. We enjoyed delicious food and exquisite company, until the power went out again at 9:30.









This morning we could see from Nun's third-story window that the water had subsided some. We left our bags at Nun's and returned home to find that the water, thankfully, had not come into the house and that we again had electricity. When we returned to Nun's to retrieve our backpacks, she greeted us with a traditional (and scrumptious) Thai breakfast and more coffee, asked if we had food for lunch, and nearly insisted that we spend another night! She only let us leave after we assured her we would come back if we had any problems at our house.

We grabbed some groceries and sludge-trudged home. The house on the left is our landlord's parent's house. When Simon helped them out of the house yesterday, the water inside was just below the window. True to Thai hardiness, they were reluctant to leave. Simon physically carried the couple down the drive and out of danger.







What are you gonna do?













When the water subsides and our driveway is again passable, we're going to repay some of Nun's kindness by providing some free English lessons to Laek and Da Da. It's refreshing and inspiring to know such kind and generous people; we feel blessed!

We've been watching the weather, and it appears that although some parts of southern Thailand are tragically still under water, it seems the worst has passed for Samui (fingers crossed). As always, we're still having quite an adventure, and we're still missing everyone back at home tremendously!

Hugs, kisses, and misses.