Reflections regarding Saturday April 19, 2025 until Monday April 21, 2025 moving from Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand to Ko Samui, Thailand
Because it was Shabbat, and we don’t turn on and off electricity on Shabbat, we’d left the porch lights on overnight. That night brought a torrential downpour, louder and heavier than earlier in the week. It jolted me awake at 3:00AM. I lay awake for two hours, listening to the pounding and waiting for that moment when I’d hear a knock on our bedroom door because it woke one of the boys. It never came. I finally went back to sleep at 5:00AM.
When we got up, we found a mass ants feasting on dead bugs – which I had mistaken for interesting leaves and had picked up to examine – all over the porch. Ick. I swept them off the porch as quickly as I could.
Chaim left for shul to make sure he was on time for Yizkor/Remembrance Prayer. The boys and I got to shul just before noon thinking we were going to catch the end of davening and maybe part of lunch. Silly me. Shul started at 11:00AM and they were just starting Torah service. The boys were not pleased.
At lunch, Eitan finally ate. Really ate. He chowed down because there was beef available. Thank goodness. Incredibly, he was still hungry afterward. Clearly, an all fruit and vegetable diet had sustained him, but it wasn’t filling and he was in need of protein.
After lunch, Chaim took Eitan, Shai, and Matanel home. Amichai and I stayed to learn again. We moved to be close to the air conditioning and fans which everyone else were clustered around, too. We ended up sitting next to several Israelis who were learning as a group. They were in awe of Amichai’s questions and willingness to engage, joining our chevrutah/study pair for a little bit, calling him “Tzadik! Melech! Nasich!” – a righteous person, king, prince – before returning to their own learning. It was adorable and such a pleasure learning with Amichai. It’s incredible how thoughtful he is at a comfortable temperature. When it’s hot and humid, forget about it.
We met up with the others back at the villa where everyone rested, swam, and played games.
In Israel, Passover lasts seven days. Outside of Israel it lasts eight days. That night, we went back to Chabad for dinner, knowing we’d be among the very few for the last night of Passover. We ended up sitting next to someone who could not understand how Chaim could be both a software engineer and have a dynamic personality. As his spouse, it is always fun to watch others reactions when they learn more about him.
On the last day of Pesach I promised the boys we wouldn’t rush to shul because all previous evidence suggested there was no need. We left at 12:00PM and still somehow managed to get there before Torah service! Lunch didn’t start until 1:45PM. Matanel and Eitan were SO hungry, and then they refused to eat what was served. My internal Jewish mother kept screaming, “Oy! Oy! Oy!” Matanel was clearly losing weight, which he can’t afford to do. The tension between encouraging kids to try new foods and making sure they eat enough to maintain a healthy weight is very real in our house.
After lunch, Chaim and the boys played in the pool while I napped. We skipped the final Chabad meal, seudat haMashiach/feast of the messiah, because it’s not our tradition and we knew Eitan and Matanel wouldn’t eat anything. As soon as Passover ended, I ran to 7-11 and bought cereal. We ate every leftover we had.
With Passover over, it was time to pack up and make our way to Cambodia. Chaim and I packed early, returning the villa to its original state. Most importantly, we finally had clean clothes again.
We ferried back to Koh Samui and made a beeline for the Chabad Pizzeria, which I’d called in advance to confirm would be open. My only mission was to feed our children. Everyone devoured their pizzas and agreed it was the first time they hadn’t been hungry in days. While they ate, Chaim tried Western Union for the fourth time and finally succeeded. It had to be in baht and not dollars. Why? We have no idea.
Stomachs finally fully, we left for the airport. The open-air design was fascinating. I wondered how it worked when it rained so hard sometimes. At the airport, the boys completed schoolwork and explored some of the vendors. We enjoyed looking at products made out of recycled elephant poop. Shai was so excited by it, that he used his own money to buy his own recycled elephant poop journal.
Our first leg took us to Bangkok where, according to Google Maps, we had a fifteen-minute walk to our hotel for the night. It took closer to thirty minutes. We passed a beautiful wat but sadly couldn’t stop to explore it. Our walk took us down side alleys and away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Our hotel was a bit shady. A shock to the system after staying in a nice villa for ten days. Food was scarce. Nearby grocery stores were few and far between. Chaim was able to procure bread, Nutella, blueberries, milk, and tuna. After Nutella and/or tuna sandwiches for dinner, everyone went to bed.
Matanel and I became cuddle buddies once again, which happens a lot because no one else is willing to bunk with the little cuddle monster. We’d neglected to cut his nails, and I spent most of the night being clawed like a cat post. At sunrise, I gave up trying to sleep and started my day early with some light exercise and a subpar shower. Breakfast was cereal, Nutella, and tuna sandwiches. Matanel and Shai were so excited for bread and Nutella that they asked for triple decker sandwiches. They ate only half, but I didn’t mind. I ate the rest.
Thankfully, Chaim was willing to take a van back to the airport. I may or may not have suggested that he could walk if he wanted to. Next stop, Cambodia.
