Thailand - mummy mummy there is a crocodile on the beach

We have had a lot of fun in Thailand. Jo's parents joined us for 3 weeks and we did many exciting things.

We started of camping for 5 nights on one of the Surin Islands, in one of the many marine national parks in Thailand. The children all contributed memories of our time at the islands, which Nana drew together into a poem. One of the abiding memories of the first week is Benjamin, Helena and Sophia excitedly telling us that they had seen a crocodile on the beach, and would we want to see it too? (We have noticed that the children now have a surprising attitude to things that we would perceive as dangers. Rather than run in the opposite direction, they invite others to share in their wonder.)We did have a good look and it turned out that the crocodile was a very large monitor lizard, so there was no need to change to a different island!

The view from our tent on the beach that we shared with monitor lizards, monkeys and flying lemurs

Beautiful sunsets over the Andaman Sea

Camping on the Koh Surin Islands

Shades of turquose and beautifully clear
Are the waters of the bay so very near
To our tents, our home for five whole days,
Our base to snorkel or just to gaze

At the rushing long boat, and the lapping waves,
The scuttling hermit crab and how it behaves
In the shell it has chosen for its new home 
Before feeling safer and free to roam.

It made us giggle when we put it on our hand 
After picking it gently up from the sands
It tickled as it scuttled over its new terrain
In its oversized home where its chose to remain

One day our youngest three snorkelled close to to their tent
And discovered a lion fish, and a sea snake and
knew what that meant.
There were dangerous as was the cushion sea star
So they did not touch them but watched from afar.

We snorkelled four times a day if that were our wish
And saw lots of stunningly colourful fish
Enjoying the coral, in and around it
A magical world we were delighted to visit

One morning we saw four baby black tipped sharks
We recognized them from their distinctive marks
Other favourites of ours, a turtle, Nemo and a giant pufferfish
swam close to us as if granting our best wish!

Another morning we were told that we could
Visit the sea gypsies now living in a house of wood
Whilst there we bought baskets the ladies wove to sell
And cards designed by the children impressively well

A family of monitor lizards we were lucky to see
And Macaques called loudly leaping frrom tree to tree
Some flying lemur joined in on the act
A great time was had by all of us, we know that for a fact!