Day 25 4 March 26
No rush to get up this morning, no plans today until 3pm.
We got up to brunch a bit before 10am, we are both enjoying the really slow starts to our days.
In the afternoon, yes it was a slow morning, definitely in holiday mode, we went to the main bar area and had “Afternoon Tea” or “High Tea” if you’d prefer. It was very tasty and indulgent. Scones with jams and cream, and a 3 tiered silver plate tower with savoury and sweets on it. We sat and laughed and drank and ate and laughed a bit more for a couple of hours. I think there were 3 top-ups of our tea in that time! A nice way to spend the afternoon together, life is good. We are so lucky.
Later in the early evening we returned to the bar area and had G & T’s listening to a muso play the grand piano and sing a bit. A relaxing way to spend the evening.
#retiredlyf done our way.
Catch our photo blog here: https://www.facebook.com/Greganddebstravelblog?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Day 26 5 March 26
We actually had breakfast this morning. Deb had an11am appointment at the Spa for a “Re-align and Energise treatment”.
We got back to our villa and about 30 mins before her appointment we got a phone call to say the Dr’s flight had been delayed and her appointment was move to 1:15. So we relaxed for a bit.
Deb left at about 12:55pm and I stayed at the villa. I took up a comfortable position on the day bed on the rear deck and watched the jungle.
After a while I noticed some movement in the trees, something small. I thought it was a bird, but I was wrong, it was a tiny monkey, maybe 25cm tall. I watched it for over 30mins, climbing up and through the trees looking for food, and occasionally finding it. It was so agile and it was going out on very light limbs and palm fronds, some bent a lot more that others. Eventually it made its way down to the creek. It sat and drank for quite a while, then it started to move rocks around in the water. I assume it was looking for food and it did get something. It then moved back into the foliage looking for more food. We were told the other night that they need to eat 10% of their body weight every day, this little one was giving that a red hot go.
Deb got back and the action started again! A small monkey appeared in the trees then an adult, the mother sat on the corner of our villas roof. Soon enough and we had the mother, father and two babies in the trees very close to us. I was so glad Deb got to see them. I watched them for about 90 mins, it only seemed like 30! We loved it, they are so interesting to watch. They all moved on to the next villa, where the resort staff saw them and did their best to move them on from the villas roof!
We also saw a few birds flying around, dark feathered medium sized, but they moved to quickly to see what they were. In the middle of all the monkeys coming in I saw a squirrel in the same tree as the babies, but it moved on quickly when the parents arrived.
Deb’s spa session was very good. The Dr could tell the work our chiropractor was doing on her and said it was work, go you Nicole!! She had some dry needling done and a bit of chiro and massage. A really enjoyable and therapeutic session.
Layer in the afternoon we watched the first quarter of the Melbourne v Tassie basketball play- off game, and then went to a Introduction to Couples Massage session run by Dr Leonard.
It was a group session, us and 4 other couples. The session ran for an hour and ran through basic massage techniques, setting the ambiance and things you might need. It was a fun hour, I got to practice my massage technique on Deb, and she got point out how I could be doing better, no not really, I’m pretty sure she enjoyed being the subject of my practice. There is always homework to do.
We got back to our villa and watched the end of the basketball, unfortunately Melbourne prevailed.
A bit before 7pm we got a buggy/cart, I always seem to call them the wrong thing, THEY ARE BUGGIES!! (Even had to ask Deb just then to make sure I got it right here!) down to The Managers Cocktails by the Beach. It was pleasant, we chatted a bit with a couple from Norfolk who were at the couples session a bit earlier.
From there it was a short stroll to the Beach House for a Seafood Buffet for dinner. We started with oysters, mussels, clam and a prawn. The oysters were good, the others were a bit, let’s not go there! We both tried the lobster, and were under whelmed, a really strange texture and flavour. Disappointing. The tempura station was very good, everything was freshly cooked, prawns, softshell crab, eggplant, mushrooms and onion rings. We finished the night with desert, we both got a couple of different selections and then finished the meal by sharing a Crepe Suzette.
A fun night, even if the meal wasn’t as good as we expected, the company was first class.
#retiredlyf done our way.
Catch our photo blog here: https://www.facebook.com/Greganddebstravelblog?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Day 27 6 March 26
No hurry this morning, so it was brunch. We scored the VIP row of seats this morning, front row overlooking the pool and out over the bay, no one in front of us!
Brunch was good as usual, and after we went and sat on the lounge just around the corner from reception and watch the world go buy. From there we can see all the goings on around the big lily/frog pond, and down out to the bay and jungle trees. A very relaxing thing to do after brunch.
I had my “Re-Alignment” session early in the afternoon, who would have picked it, my right leg was 4mm shorter than my left, but the Doc sorted that out. Slight hip readjustment and I was level again. He worked hard on my lower back and left shoulder, hopefully it helps going forward. A combination of dry needling, chiro and massage, he used his elbows alot to get things loosened up!
I got back to our villa and found Deb out the back watching “our” monkeys. They are so much fun to watch. I had seen a Dusky Leaf Monkey of my way to the Spa, the first I have seen here, the white circles around their eyes are very distinctive.
It must be getting near the end, our flights home have been confirmed, yes, they are still flying to schedule, and we have checked-in for our domestic flight from Langkawi to KL, and the amazing Jenni has confirmed our transfer.
We had a relaxing afternoon and went for dinner at The Pavilion, their specialist Thai restaurant.
#retiredlyf done our way.
Catch our photo blog here: https://www.facebook.com/Greganddebstravelblog?mibextid=ZbWKwL
Day 28 7 March 26
We had an early start today for a birdwatching tour. We got up to reception at arou d 7:20am, and to our delight our tour guide was Dev. The same guide we had on our first rainforest walk.
We set off at 7:30 and walked up the road in front of the resort for a short distance to check if any eagles were in the nest at the top of a Meranti tree, alas, no one was home.
WE moved on down the hill and began walking towards the golf club. The idea was to follow the road and get to golf club, the birds are easiest seen flying through the gaps, across the toad and across the fairways.
We finished up seeing lots of birds and hearing just as many off in the rainforest/jungle.
We saw lots of Ornate Sunbird, a few Juvenile Kite Eagles, Orange Bellied Flower Pecker with distinct Blue/green back feathers on its back, many Puff throated babblers, their call reminded of a whip bird (don ‘t know why because they really sound nothing like them!), we saw a few Grey bellied squirrels, lots of Oriental Pied Hornbills, lots of Dark Necked Tailor Birds, many Red Throated Bulbuls, a few Slender Billed Crows, Swiftlets and a Chinese Pond Heron. Unfortunately we didn’t see any Great Hornbills, who, with a 2m wing span are the biggest bird on Langkawi. It was a really enjoyable morning.
We got back to the resort a bit after 10am, we got driven back from the golf course, it’s a long walk otherwise. We enjoyed a leisurely brunch and then a quiet afternoon in our villa. Part of that quiet afternoon was a bit of a reality check! We 95% packed, ready to leave for home tomorrow.
Around 4’ish we headed down to the Beach Club, sat at “Our” table looking out over the bay to Thailand. We had Nasi Goreng and the same Tempeh dish I had the other day, accompanied by a G & T each. We had a very relaxing time watching the world go by. And that was the end of our last full day at The Datai.
We travel tomorrow, Langkawi to KL, then KL to Adelaide.
#retiredlyf done our way.
Catch our photo blog here: https://www.facebook.com/Greganddebstravelblog?mibextid=ZbWKwL
