“Back packing seems to have changed a lot since you last travelled Rachel.” Dad was peering over my shoulder at the screen of my laptop as I checked out www.indigo-pearl.com the website for the resort where I was to spend my first week in Thailand. It was a little more Conde Nast Traveller than I had imagined for my first stop or that my budget allowed! A fleeting comment to a friend back in July – “I’m going to be in Thailand for New Year, why don’t you join me?” – meant that for the first ten days of my trip I would be joined by to two of my best girlfriends, Amy and Shereen.

It became clear over the coming weeks as we shared links and suggestions over WhatsApp about where to stay that I was going to have to reset my expectations and daily budget for this stage of the trip. Not that I was complaining, what better way to start my trip and see in 2015 than with two of my closest friends at a spa resort on Phuket!

So that’s how I ended up here at Indigo Pearl, flash-packing.

The reception at Indigo Pearl

Our bathroom at Indigo Pearl – note the ridiculously large shower!

More of the bathroom, looking through to the bedroom

The last week has basically been spent hanging out and catching up, poolside and doing a couple of well-worn tourist trips. We got up early one morning to give alms to the local monks, visited Wat Chalong and Wat Srisoonthorn and the Big Buddha that looks over Phuket island with a wry smile.

The Big Buddha

The 29-metre high reclining Buddha at Wat Srisoonthorn

We welcomed 2015 at a gala held by the hotel with a huge seafood buffet,  loads of fireworks and dancing under the stars. A top night was had by all, we were the last to leave and probably didn’t need that last bottle of champagne!

At the NYE Indigo Pearl Gala with some new friends.

For New Year’s Day we thought that it would be fun to spend it recovering on Phi Phi island. Amy had had fun there 20 years ago and Shereen wanted to go on a boat. Let’s just say that it wasn’t quite the recovery session that we had hoped for. It seemed that about 10,000 other people had the same idea, it was heaving! Our hangovers were shaken away however by a rather bumpy and rattling speedboat ride to the island, which in our delicate state, felt like the equivalent of riding the Cyclone at Coney Island for two hours!

Getting our bones rattled on the speedboat trip to Phi Phil island.

New Year’s Day recovery on Phi Phi island

Tonight we’re off to ‘Phuket Simon Cabaret’ (see future post ‘Fun In a Paper Bag’) and tomorrow morning we leave Indigo Pearl for the island of Koh Yao Noi for 4 days of yoga. Flash-packing continues!

[RD1]