All we need is music, sweet music … dancing in the street …

Day five began badly.

Bed refused to relinquish the pair of us, and when we finally emerged from our luxury cotton sheets and feather pillowed comfort, we were both a bit out of kilter and uncharacteristically quiet.

There was important stuff to do though so I delegated. I would take the washing to the laundrette, book transport to Koh Lanta, and book a Muay Thai class for the following morning.  Donna would proof- read and send the blogs and photos to be published and buy water.  My jobs were easy. Donna couldn’t find the posts on my stupid i-pad, nor could she find the @ on my stupid Spanish keyboard so she went for a swim instead. 

Despite having yummy Thai food,  bumping into ZaZa my friend from Number One Massage, watching baby monkeys swinging around the jungle, and crying at a beautiful beach wedding, we both still felt incredibly flat and crammed by late afternoon.

Bed enticed us back into its folds. At this point I feel the need to say that we aren’t sharing a bed.

A couple of hours later and we were, if not on top form, on better form.

And the day improved to the extent that I ended up dancing in the street with Annie. She’s the barmaid in the Mexican round the corner.  The bar is a riot of colour and all the ladies who work there wear brightly coloured clothes and headscarves and work bloody hard for their money, even the lady who is very shy and gives everyone the wrong drink, which just adds to the chaotic joyful atmosphere. 

I haven’t laughed and danced so much for such a long time.  It was a tonic for the soul and a reminder that Thailand really is the land of smiles. You just have to embrace it and join in no matter how tired and grumpy you start the day.