Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Relaxation at Last


Yesterday we arrived in Kenting, a resort town situated by the Taiwan Strait (Strait of Taiwan?) Our trip involved two hours on a high speed train and two hours on a bus WITH NO BATHROOM. This caused a problem as I drank too much water and thought I would pee my pants. I contemplated actually peeing my pants but managed to hold it until we were dropped off in town and I ran across the street in front of traffic and raced up the stairs in McDonald where I used a squat toilet. I will do anything when I have to pee THAT BAD.

While my family waited for me and as usual, some incredibly nice and helpful folks arranged a taxi to take us to the resort. When I checked in, the staff told me that we had been upgraded to an ocean view room on the top floor. Our room is huge and perfect for W to explore, play, and walk around. We have cathedral ceilings and a balcony perfect for drinking wine in the evening. We spent the afternoon at the pool where W enjoyed the wading pool.

Okay, now the full disclosure. I can be a huge jerk when I travel. Perhaps I can explain it by the fact that I am rigid to a fault and like things just so. Although there are four restaurants at the resort, only one was open. It was a big buffet with ridiculous amounts of seafood. For some, that might seem like heaven, fresh seafood at a seaside resort with the sea. And fish. But for those like me who gag when I look at fish and young W, I viewed this as the BIGGEST! DISASTER! EVER! After pouting for about ten minutes, I finally succumbed to the fact we would be eating there and made do. It was fine, not great, but fine. By the end of the meal, W had a total and complete meltdown so we went back to the room, changed him into his pajamas and he feel asleep withing ten minutes. So did I.

J returned to the room with a bottle of wine and I managed to pull myself out of bed to drink wine on the balcony. Honestly, I have it so rough. I weep for myself. Two lizard or salamander or slithery type creatures joined us for good conversation and the view. I felt like I was in some old Disney cartoon when two bunnies hopped in the little garden below us and birds tweeted (not on Twitter) in the background.

This morning W woke up at ridiculously early o'clock so we lounged in bed while he climbed over us and told us how things were supposed to be in very elaborate terms. Breakfast at the buffet turned out to be delicious and W finally got his favorite, about five or six pieces of cheese. I ate some interesting roll with a sweet bean mixture inside, regular eggs, and freshly ground coffee among other things. Plus, I scarfed down my new favorite fruit, guava.

After breakfast, we dressed ourselves for the beach and took the tunnel from the resort to a nice cove with umbrellas, chairs, and gloriously clear blue water. We spent nearly two hours there and much of the time in the water before returning to the room. W adored the sand and water and giggled endlessly as we bounced him in the waves and dove under water to pop up in front of him. The delight on his face makes the fifteen prior weeks so worth it all.

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