11.11.07 - 18.11.07 - Thailand, Koh Samed - Beach Week more pics

June and Carol
Elaine and Kim
Me and Helen
Janes 2nd 40th!
Kim, Me and Michelle
Strongbow Gang!
Cheap Sarongs!!
Our Room
Our Bathroom
Jane and Nicola

11.11.07 - 17.11.07 - Thailand, Ko Samet& Bangkok - Party Island and Fire!!!!

Our Beach!!
Me being pampered!
Talk of the Town!!
Our dinner!!
Shark Farm
Our transport to Island
Our Beach Restaurant
'The Bong'
Fire Show impressive!
New hair do!!
Hiya Guys
Well its been week since hit Koh Samed apparently Ive been spelling it wrong. The island is T shape and very pretty. We are living right next to the beach and just awlk away from the bars on the beach. Weather has been fab, hot hot and hot I know its cold back home in England. Tan has come back hurrah so chuffed and just checked weather for India and its 95F so sure gonna be even hotter there!!!

Ive mainly chilled out on the beach working on the tan, had couple of beers and then back out on the night for a few more. We've had couple of really drunken late nights so suffered bit the next day ha ha!!! Its not too busy on the island as it is winter time but lots of nationalities here. I did have bit of scary experience with one of the famous stray dogs, yep it went for the butt, it really shook me up. The self same dog went for Helen too this was on the Monday and by the Weds we had heard that it had gone for another 3 people and whilst we were having our evening meal heard a lady shout and yep bit her too!!! So we all went down to reception and demanded that this dog be removed cos was dangerous. After a while two rangers turned up and that night the dog was removed thank goodness. Tell you what it really put me off stray dogs for sure. Good job Ive had my rabbies jab eh!!!!

Im not sure if would head back to this island but defo would come back to Thailand and head south to see the beaches there. I had my hair plaited which been great for the beach and going out, think might adopt this style back home ha ha!! Also whilst on the beach, you can have any beauty treatments you want, foot massage and pedicure which was great, hair plaited, thai massage (painful)manicure, head massage. The thai ladies just come around and ask you what time and they come back while you sit in the sun you get pampered and its so cheap about 300baht for foot massage which is about 4.50pounds mad eh!!!!

Off to Bangkok tomorrow for couple of days then fly to India on Monday get there late so catch up soon and hope gets bit warmer back home.

The first night back in Bangkok in the Hotel De Moc there was four of us left from the original group. Jaunted down Ko San Road where Michelle was brave and had tatto!!!! It did cross my mind to have one and did like some but after seeing Michelle's face I changed my mind, what a wuss eh!!!! Anyway back in hotel couple of drinks and hit our rooms. At 2.30am approx we heard shouting outside our rooms and thought whats that, I thought someone drunk then Nicola said no she's shouting FIRE!! What!! Yep oh my god we opened the door and smelt but couldnt see the smoke and I remember thinking what the f***in my head (sorry mam!!) Anyway no lights or alarm going so I just grabbed my bag, not unpacked stuff so small rugsack had tickets and passport and handbag had cash and cards and knew my head torch in the rugsack. Headed out to the stairs and everyone was coming out and the staff finally arrived with torches. Outside there was all the guests and emergency services. We just sat watching them, no one was telling us anything at that point and finally after about two hours they said fire was out and we could go and get our bags!! We sat downstairs waiting for the all clear to go back to our rooms, finally back in at 6.00am and to be honest think thats when I really thought about what had happened. It was apparently electrical so thats why the lights and the alarms had not gone off, I know in England its different circuit but hey we in Thailand!!! So another adventure to add to the list one I defo dont want to experience again!!!!

So fly tomorrow (19th Nov) to India for new adventures, apparently very hot there so hopefully tan wont fade ha ha!!! Cant believe how quickly time is going only 12 wks before I head back to cold England and the credit card bills ha ha!!!!
Luv and hugs xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Luv and hugs xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

05.11.07 - 09.11.07 - Thailand, Singburi - Takham School Pics

How fetching eh!!
Setting the style!!
Story time
See I am working!!
Yep still got the gob!!
'Teacher, Cowboy!!'
Look out Butch Cassidy
Their butterflies!
Working on 'our magic garden'
Our Magic Garden finished
Proud owners of new art work
Final 'Cowboy' game aww

Hiya Guys
More pictures from my teaching week and a couple for you to laugh at, me dying my hair again to cover the grey!!! Im sure since Ive turned 40 Im getting more ahhh!!!!
luv and hugs always. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

05.11.07 - 09.11.07 - Thailand, Singburi - Takham School, more pictures

The School Band
Singing National Anthem
Commemorative Dance
Little ones (Mayo at front lives on our camp awwwww)
Class 5 - loved pics
Working on 'Our Magic Garden'
Concentration brilliant
The much loved 'Cowboy' game
Game of 'Kim says'
Tony Hart look out!!!

05.11.07 - 09.11.07 - Thailand, Singburi - Chumchonwatklangtakham School (Get ya gob round that!!)

Boys from Class Five
The angels
Our future teachers and doctors
Posers or what!!
Making Butterflys
My Clock!!!
Letter writing
All their letters!
The trouble makers!!
The thinkers!!
Hiya Guys
Rest of the crew apart from Kim have headed off to do the Trekking so we've been left behind at the camp for our teaching week. We got some information about the school before we headed off on Monday. Its called Chumchonwatklangtakham (Public School) Takham for short. There are 383 students, 23 teachers and 11 classes and they have 14 computers. It is an ambitious school with a wonderful English teacher and welcome the Greenway volunteers (thats me and Kim). The school isnt far from the camp and the head teacher came and picked us up and dropped us off every day. They asked us to focus on communication and pronounciation, I know I know what you lot are thinkin, I cant talk english anyway ha ha!!!!

Monday was bit nerve racking meeting our class, we had Class Five, there is about 42 children even mix of boys and girls aged from 10yrs to 11yrs old. Stephen Elliott thank you so much for the game Sheriff, or should I now say 'Cowboy' they loved it and they kept asking me 'teacher cowboy, teacher cowboy'!! We had to play it everyday and I had to take my cowboy hat for the Sheriff to wear whilst playing!!!!!
Initially we assessed their level of english which was pretty good which was good thing cos my thai not fab at all. Kob ko khan - thank you, Kortoad - sorry, Sowadika - good morning.

The head teacher told us that most of the children were from single parents or orphans and tried to provide most things they could at the school for free which was really great even down to the school uniforms. The children were so happy and friendly even the little ones, when we walked past they were high fiving us and shouting 'hello teacher'!!!!!

Every morning the whole school meets on the field and they have a band playing and they sing the National Anthem and raise their flag and then undertake a old ritual with sticks to commemorate the war heros from here against Burma.

For the week then we sang songs like 'If ya happy and ya know it etc.., Itsy Bitsy Spider, the Rainbow song and we played games, Sheriffs, Cat and Mouse, Potato and spoon etc. We read story books and got our english across by doing some interactive learning in smaller groups. We created 'Our Magic Garden' too. We taught from 8.30am to 11.30am every day and had lunch at the school then headed back to camp to prep for the next days lessons. We found some fab cheap resource cards and books and paper etc in the department store which only cost us 1000baht approx 7quid!!

It was a real privilage to teach the children, they were enthusiastic and wanted to learn, yep we had couple of trouble makers like you always do in the class but they were great and I had so much fun and loved every minute. Hope you like the pictures. We got handmade cards and little presents like keyrings, individual sweets and I even got a small ring from one of the little trouble makers!!!! Honest I could of cried they were so nice and wanted us to stay awwwwwwwwwwwww!!!! We also got certificate from the school for teaching which will defo look good on the CV Im sure.

Head off to Ko Samet on Sunday for week on the beach so hopefully can work on the tan!!!
Luv and hugs always. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx