TASTING KRABI!

Can't believe it took me one week to write an update on my family trip to Krabi during Chinese New Year. It was a 4D/3N stint in the serene town of Krabi, where absolute cleanliness comes as a surprise and breath-taking views are simply everywhere.

DAY ONE: FOOD PARADISE

We touched down at Krabi International Airport exactly noon and were immediately greeted by cab drivers, very eager to send us to our resort. It was a comfortable 20 minutes ride to Maritime Resort & Spa in a Toyota Camry. I was extremely glad my trusty camcorder was with me when we passed by this amazing piece of art along the streets of Krabi town. How can we not have something artsy like these in the streets of Kuala Lumpur CITY!

The resort and town was rather quiet since it was the first day of CNY. Nevertheless, we had a very good agency at the hotel lobby to help us with our holiday planning. Got our 4 dayz stint planned out within minutes. We had to leave those heavy activities for the following day because all of it starts from morning till late afternoon.

Dad suggested we get our very own ride to explore the town and search for local food. Thats

when our adventure really begin (muahahaha). The map wasn't very updated so Dad had to go with his instincts which I must admit, was super accurate and way-admirable! Our very first finding was this hawker store by the road which sells pork ball noodles. It was super-duper excellent and shares similarity to Vietnamese beff ball noodle, with aromatic bailey leafs, crunchy bean-sprouts, fish sauce, paprika and lemon juice...mmm...mmm! Imagine the burst of flavours!

Being a glutton that I am, that pork ball noodle was just a starter. There was definitely plenty of room left to take in more local delicacies. Then there was recess for a local school and we found deep-fried quail's egg outside the gate. Now I know this sounds silly but I really wanted to know what it actually taste like despite it's resemblance to chicken egg. And to my utter surprise, it tasted exactly like our very own telur mata kerbau, only smaller (dang!).

Moving on, we stumbled upon yet another store by the road that sells sweet potatoes that looks like an adult baby finger or some phalllic looking thing. It was already so sweet by itself and it came with a packet of brown sugar. To balance out that very sweet afternoon, Mom saw a fruit stall by the road that sells Thailand's renowned crunchy young mangoes. One would immediately think that would be one sourish experience, but with spicy fish sauce poured over it, topped with chopped onions, cili padi and dried prawns, it's becomes an instant kerabu that we ate along the ride.

Still craving for more, we head down to Aonang Beach where we stumbled upon this breath-taking scenary and refreshing coconut shake which I would prepare for those who come and visit me at my place (winks). Purely blended with ice, coconut water, coconut flesh, evapourated milk and pandan sugar, this cool drink would quench any thirsty camels out there. Walking along the beach, our noses detected some burnt fragrance in the air. We followed the scent and it lead us to this stall that sells roasted honey cashew nuts on banana leaf.

It was then time for dinner and we settled into this seafood restraunt over-looking the Andaman Sea. Had barbequed squids, fresh oysters and steamed garoupa in lemon juice! Over the years, I've been meeting people who rave at my face about pork burger at Thailand's McDonalds outlet. I had to walk 5km along Aonang town which consists of 2 lengthy streets and a hill just so I can get a taste of pork burger. Almost passed-out while ordering my Samurai Pork Burger. My take on the McD's pork burger? ... I can only say...Yay, I ate it (roll eyes all over). Had an hour long shoulder massage at one of the parlours.

DAY 2: WATERLOO - HOT SPRING, EMERALD POOL & MANGROOVE TOUR
We drove east into the mainland to visit this much talked about hot springs that flows from the forest into a lake. I was quite excited about the trip cause apart from dipping myself in a hot tub/hot pool in hotels/spas, this would be my very time bathing with hot water inside a forest. Ok, lets not get to the boiling accident I experienced when I was one, that's not counted as a luxury, that was agony! The hot spring is particularly good for our skin as it contains elements of sulphur, nitrogen, fluoride, lead and copper which has healing properties. Well I din't feel much healing in the spring but I came out smelling fresh and odourless (chuckles)

The other pool which we found tug peacefully on a hill inside the jungle was aptly named Emerald Pool due to its greenish crystal reflection. The floor around the area is super slippery because there are these special layer of moss that grows around it's surrounding which are microscopic. Unfortunately, my dad caught me on the camcorder falling onto my butt (ouch). As a compensation from mother nature, I found 100Bath (RM10) resting underneath the pool bed (big smile). I still wonder, how did those small fishes unded up in a pool on top of a hill?

In the evening, we took a mangroove tour that lead us to an awesome fishing village. There we had barbequed crabs and met-up with this feller, everyone, please meet PUFF DIDDY. I had the opportunity to feed fishes fish, I repeat, feed fishes fish at the fishing village and boy, there is a piranha in every fish! Lastly, we visited a very cool limestone cave that once housed people in olden times.

DAY 3: ISLAND DELIGHT & DELIGHTFUL KAREENA KAPOR

Snorkelling is a must for me as I consider myself (other ppl as well) a creature of the ocean. The corals and fishes in the islands near Krabi is not as exotic and bountiful as the ones I've seen in Koh Samui. Still, the water is crystal clear and the fishes really bo chap your existence. They just swim pass you like you're invisible, though when a school of hundred yellow fish swam pass me, I immediately froze like an iceberg (grrr)!

There were 4 stops in our island adventure and the last stop was definitely a highlight for me. So our speed-boat was docking itself by the beach and we saw film cameras, reflectors, people hovering at one spot of the beach. Mom and I was stipulating they were shooting a Thai film or a Hollywood film. We were both wrong because it was actually a Bollywood film when we saw Kareena Kapor doing her thang by the beach. She was such a natural in front of the camera and boy was it an experience standing by the side, observing how a Bollywood film is made. Plus, I don't have to specially fly myself to India to experience that.

DAY 4: COCONUTED BEFORE LEAVING
We made reservations in advance at the resort spa. 3 of us took different packages. Mom took the green package which uses herbs and vegetables, dad ordered the fruity package while I took their signature package which is a blend of both herbs and fruits. They served us cooling coconut drink before our session. Then I went in for my coconut scrub that uses coconut flesh, coconut water and coconut milk. By the time my two-hour long session was over, I came out feeling like a rejuvenated and refined coconut! And just to complete it, I ordered a coconut shake on the way to the airport just for the road!