After the Storm: Pampering, Massage and Good Food in Koh Samui - Part 2
After two days of my body enduring an obstacle course of jet skis and a swaying yacht (if you haven't read about that rocking experience, [you have to start here]), it was time to recover. My body was crying out for rest. Every muscle was screaming.
My immune system had thrown in the towel and gone home. It was clear the next few days in Koh Samui had to be dedicated to pampering and recuperation - and like everything my family touches, it turned into an unforgettable experience. This time, thankfully, in a positive way.
📍 Koh Samui, Thailand | January 21, 2023
A Day of Pampering and Massage Today was a rest day.
We deserved it, especially after the challenges we faced here, to relax by the pool doing absolutely nothing. But not before we gathered in the hotel's meeting room and played the video greeting we prepared for my dad.
We asked all his friends, family, and anyone who loves him to send us a short video greeting that my brother edited into a well-produced clip. We were all touched, there were even tears. It was worth all the planning and hard work to see dad so happy.
We took it easy for the day, and everyone went their own way. The only thing we planned was when to have dinner. My body was still aching, I had started coughing again, my immune system was on an extended break.
Luckily, I was in the land of massages. I went for an emergency massage, explaining to the masseuse that my whole body was tense and I needed help. She was super professional, sensing the sore muscles and slowly releasing them.
Yes, it hurt at first, but the pain gradually subsided.
In the evening, we went to an amazing Italian restaurant a 5-minute walk from the hotel. We ordered way too much food and rosé wine; it was a delight. One of my techniques, which I'm not ashamed of at all, is to taste everyone's dishes.
The idea is that when a group goes to a restaurant, you always order a lot of food, and as I've come to know myself, I can't really eat that much, so I don't order anything for myself.
For example, tonight - we ordered various appetizers, pizzas to share, and everyone got a different pasta dish. The technique is to nibble on the starters, take a bite of each pasta, two slices of pizza, and there I am, full. I keep eating despite being full long ago because everything is insanely delicious, but overall I know I won't finish a whole dish myself.
It's not about money, I've just learned to know myself.
One of my partners used to call me a 'small engine' in situations like these. Meaning I take in a little fuel (eat small meals) many times a day. My family already knows me, and most times it's "Wow, lucky you didn't order anything, look at all the food left over. " After dinner, we went to a fire show on the beach.
It's amazing how these guys just wave sparklers with bare hands, doing super dangerous stunts with live fire. The show is breathtaking, and you can't help but be in awe.
I wish I felt well enough to go out partying, it being our last night in Samui after all, but I'm going to sleep hoping to feel better tomorrow.
📍 Koh Samui, Thailand | January 22, 2023
SALA Resort
We left the amazing SALA resort. They clean the room twice a day here, once in the morning as usual, and again in the evening, preparing the room for sleep. The first time I've encountered this. While at other hotels they instruct you to turn off the AC when leaving, that's what I do.
Here the staff turns it on so we return to a cool room. It feels like all employees were instructed without exception to greet us, be it good morning, good evening, hello, or anything else, or else they'd be fired. The service is exceptional.
At the (perfect) beachside breakfast buffet, there's an extensive varied spread, with things you don't see every day, like fresh honeycomb dripping into a trough with a bowl underneath. You can place your bread slice there, and fresh honey will drip onto it. Or a rich cheese selection, even blue cheese, a rare (and very expensive) commodity in Thailand.
The highlight for me is that right next to the cheese station there's a make-your-own-toast station, called panini here - heaven on earth, did I mention? What's most interesting about this breakfast is that for the 'main courses' and drinks, you order from a waiter just like at a restaurant. The dishes are super tasty and varied, clearly made with high quality.
The room was way beyond perfect, not lacking a single detail for maximum pampering. It had several diffusers filling it with an intoxicating lemongrass scent. The body cream smelled of coconut, the body soap of refreshing green tea, and the shampoo of real cannabis.
In the afternoon we flew back to Bangkok, via Samui's stunning open-air airport that gives an island feel until the very last moment.
There's something ironic about the nature of vacations - how they blend utter pampering with unexpected challenges. At SALA I experienced peak pampering - a room cleaned twice daily, intoxicating lemongrass scents, and breakfast spreads that were works of art.
It all set straight the havoc we wreaked on our bodies the previous days. It was the perfect balance - after pain comes pampering, after a challenge comes rest. But more than anything, it was a true family journey, with all the colors and flavors.
Like the rare blue cheese at breakfast, the taste of this vacation will linger long after we returned to routine. Perhaps that's exactly what makes a trip meaningful - the authentic moments, even the tough ones, experienced together with loved ones.
More stories from Thailand:
Between Plastic and Mint: Culture and Impressions from Bangkok
Resting Along the Way: On Sickness, Expectations, and Roadblocks
A Week in Paradise that Felt Like Hell: The Challenging Side of Koh Samui - Part 1
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