The Whisky Diaries - day 7

I hired a scooter/motorbike this morning and taught myself how to ride it. It wasn't a real motorbike, but neither was it an actual scooter - it's just one of those half-half things you find in kooky countries. Nevertheless, I felt pretty badass. I mean, it's really not that hard. But still. Cool.

I practiced by myself for about twenty minutes and then Phuong jumped on the back and I drove us around the entire island. Literally. We did a loop around the whole sandy lump. It was really lovely, passing through the forests of rubber trees, then the flat rice fields, and back to the edges of the bay where men were making boats. Our side of the island easily has the nicest beach, but I didn't realise that Koh Yao Noi had such a large residential population. It isn't just a tourism island, it really is a home for a large community of people.
 
 

 
 
We spent the afternoon reading, and I'm enjoying a lot of this real Thai food while I can. The Som Tam (green pawpaw salads) are easily my favourite. I learnt how to make them back when I waitressed for a Thai restaurant in my teens, and I know how to make them, but boy oh boy, they taste like heaven here. Of course it could have something to do with the beautiful views and the sea breezes and the general awesomeness of my life here right now. That is also entirely a possibility.