29 October 2010
Last evening we attended welcome cocktail party, held weekly to introduce new guests each other and normally held on the beach. Due to the uncertainty of the weather, management decided to transfer it it upstairs, to the area adjacent to the reception. This, of course, posed a slight problem with the wheelchair that was readily overcome by four pairs of willing hands, I is lifted in the air like some precious maharaja about to be checked for his weight in gold to distribute to the poor.. Or put another way, with this skill of the average removal man. Not exactly a gentle ride, but, at least, I was not dropped. The additional caution they exercised may they have had some to do with me mumbling words to the effect that I hoped that the hotel had adequate insurance! . .
Michael and I moved around the other guests trying to be  sociable and spoke to one or two interesting people but it was a very short session and very soon I was on the move again in my ‘sedan chair ‘ to be carried down two flights of stairs to access the restaurant. ..The nearest experience I’ve had to that before was in the hoodah on the back of an elephant, many years ago in a India.  I seem to remember, on another occasion, trying to play polo riding on an elephant, this time with saddle and  with an enormously long polo stick with which it proved very difficult to hit the ball  as elephants are not built  for sudden U-turns!
Having negotiated the ground floor we were then able to enjoy the buffet  supper, kindly provided by the hotel. .There was a wide range of food but I stuck strictly to Thai dishes. A pleasant, but not a particularly memorable, meal.
Today was all about packing, or, at least, it was for carer number two as I am quite incapable of helping. I was dispatched to the ‘baking platform’ Once the Barlow’s appeared and were able to keep an eye on me. giving Mick a free run without me irritated him by my supervision!
Our farewell tips were distributed to the most deserving staff, (there’s a lot to be said for tipping key staff the beginning) it was all too soon  for us to climb into our four o’clock taxi and head for the airport .One soulful glance  back, to the Anatara, aware that I was unlikely to  ever enjoy its beauty again