Our baby 1st birthday trip began early in the morning, waking up almost the same time as we normally do when we go to work. As there were still plenty to pack, it was great that we had a helper to cook the porridge early in the morning.
After packing in the last items into the pink 25″ and haversack and feeding baby with milk, we left for the airport on a generally light traffic highway. Due to the school holidays, traffic was light enough that we reached the airport within 40mins.
Checked in at the Silkair counter for 2 luggage and a stroller before clearing the mess due to spillage of milk powder (from the portable dispenser) in the bag before going through immigrations.
As usual, we picked up the Combi stroller from the info counter and brought baby to walk around. 30mins before boarding, changed his diapers at the big “family area” and warmed up his flight milk before going through the walkway onto the small A319 Airbus.
Was asked if we could exchange our aisle seat for the window as the other family is on the other side of the aisle but we rejected as we needed the access to the aisle a lot more. There will be frequent access to the bags overhead to take stuff for the baby.
Baby K was quite well behaved and after downing his milk, he fell asleep in mommy’s arms as the flight took off. Can’t say about the noisy kids behind, fortunately baby K snoozed soundly through it.
After about 45 mins of snoozing, baby K woke up to find his parents eating rather-tasty meals. Warmed up some milk and fed him bread before the plane landed in sunny island Koh Samui.
The tiny airport was serviced by windowless trams. The airport itself was designed looking like a resort. Luggage was brought to the belt by vehicles but it didn’t take long for us to clear. Thankfully being in the front row of the airplane, we cleared immigrations quickly before a queue formed behind the counters.
Proceeding out of the airport after claiming our luggage and stroller, on the left towards the meeting point, the driver from Samui Tours holding a signboard with my name and destination stood waiting. After acknowledging, he went to pick up a Toyota minibus (which was big for our small family of 3) and loaded our luggage for a 30mins travel towards Lamai beach.
We went past towns with busy streets lined with low buildings and also stretch of vegetation. Going up the mountain which overlooked the bicolor blue and turquoise waters before turning left into narrow streets before arriving next to the reception building of Ammatara Pura, our accommodation for the next 3 nights. The Thai design made the buildings looked like a temple but the resort was lavishly furnished. It was indeed 5 stars accommodation fit for royalty!
Our villa was the first one next to the reception and it was huge, definitely value for money. The whole place was designed in modernly with Thai culture.
Baby K had lunch at the chill area beside the pool and after some rest, went for dip with me in the really deep pool (1.6m). Then I gave him a bath in the huge stone jacuzzi tub and ordered some room service for late lunch.
We failed to get baby K to sleep so we went out to Tesco by taking the free resort tuk tuk out, about a 5 mins journey.
The Tesco here was quite big, selling a whole range the domestic products. We bought a toy, foodstuff and most importantly, fresh fish necessary for baby K porridge. After supermarket shopping, we got ourselves a coconut ice cream in a coconut just outside.
Baby K fell asleep while we were in the supermarket and woke up after snoozing while we were eating the icecream. Called the resort and the tuk tuk was dispatched again to pick us up, some 10mins later.
Back at the resort we were informed of some Buddhist ritual going on near the pool and so went take a look. Spent some time to look at the performance where there were 3 people wearing cultural Thai costume dancing to a traditional tune played by a live traditional instruments band. Didn’t stay till the end as baby K got bored and so we walked to the beach which was about 20m away.
Sun was already setting and I let baby K feel the sea wave crashing onto his tiny feet. Before returning to our room, we washed our feet at the beach entrance before reentering the resort boundaries.
It was dinner time for baby K as he ate his dinner while multitasking some other activities such as moving around, like all other babies. We were still on Singapore timing since Koh Samui was one hour later. During this time, the room make up staff came and they helped tidy the room while we were still in there. They sorted out the pool jacuzzi that wasn’t working when I tried it earlier in the day and also cleared the lunch plates.
After baby K was done, it was our turn for dinner so we left the room and walked out of the resort. To the right and onwards were long parallel streets of shops consisting of bars, cafes, eateries, massage parlour and retail. It was quite quiet though, not many customers around. Don’t know if it was because it was a Thursday or if it was low season or it was still early to have dinner. We walked about 5mins and u-turned as it seemed never ending.
Went back to a eatery called ISky corner restaurant and had Thai food, consisting of omelette pad Thai, seafood Tom Yum and cashew chicken rice. I had banana Choco shake and my wife had a coconut. It cost about 450baht for that much food.
After dinner it was short walk back. The moon was round and bright illuminating the sea around. The rest of the night was about cleaning up the baby and preparations for sleep. Cleaning up bottles were a lot more easier now that baby K was feeding more on formula milk, which meant less cleaning on pump and bottles.
Had to bath a bit later and since the rain shower was out in the open, it was a good thing that the weather was fine. The water pressure wasn’t good enough for a storm shower , more like trickling rain. And I couldn’t seemed to get the temperature as it was consistently warm, which was not a bad issue since I was out in the open.
It was lights off at 1030pm, which was 1130pm in SG, already later than what I used to do since baby K was born. Sleeping early was to make up the constant waking at night and it would be difficult to do without sleep when traveling.