It’s the last day of what has been a very adventurous year! We had absolutely no idea last New Years Eve what we were about to experience over the next 365 days, but we’re sure glad it ended up the way it did!
We start the day around 7am, as usual, have our breakfast, do laundry and chill out for a bit. We have been packing already, seeing as we have three big suitcases, two small carry-ons, four backpacks and two duffel bags… That’s a lot of hand luggage compared to checked in pieces, so we need to plan carefully. The largest suitcase is complete, zipped shut and locked, and weighing in at 22.8kg. The smallest of the big suitcases, the beautiful new baby blue one from Osaka, gets shoved full with things. It has all the things, as things weigh more than clothes, and seeing as it is smaller, it’ll hold all the things and be the same weight as the enormous one! Once that’s almost full, leaving a gap here and there for toiletries, we call ourselves done for the day, and head to Market Village for one last visit.
The girls want pizza. We’ve visited the Pizza Company twice already, which is minimum one time too many for my taste, and so I’ve done my research, and we’re heading to Scoozi’s. As soon as we get off the escalator, Maylin asks to borrow my phone to take a picture of the beautiful red cows outside the MilkLand ice cream vendor. Here’s her red cow portrait:
Scoozi’s is empty. Well, there’s one other table finishing up their meal when we arrive, but otherwise empty. AC is on high, and we almost turn around and go somewhere warmer. But, the girls have decided on kids menu pizzas, and Joe and I have found craveable pastas. I guess we’re staying!
We didn’t linger long at the mall today, we picked up a couple of magnets but otherwise considered ourselves all done. On our way out towards the front and a Bolt taxi, I heard music, and had to stop to watch this dancer for a moment.
Our afternoon was like so many others, got home and headed straight for the pool! Joe even came with us today, and we spent an hour or so swimming. It’s busy though, all the families are out today, getting their pool time in before the big New Year’s Eve event (whichever one they were heading to).
We gave the girls the option: head to the beach and experience the fireworks with half the town and toes in the sand, or hang out at home and hope to catch some of the show from our balcony. They both voted for staying home! Which, judging by their usual pattern, is probably for the best. Both girls kinda turn into pumpkins at 10pm, and that’s when the fireworks start, I absolutely cannot imagine what it would be like to be in the midst of a huge crowd, all trying to get taxis at once, when it’s finally all done…
So therefore, our exciting New Year’s Eve plans start with Tamarind Night Market at 5.30pm! It is our favourite place in Hua Hin, after all… We splurge and indulge today, it’s a celebration after all! I head for the Pad See Ew lady today, she has some amazing flavours, but last time I wanted this particular dish, she didn’t have the right noodles, and so couldn’t make it for me. Today though… Today’s the day. The Pad See Ew is delicious! Seafoods, noodles, veggies and holy basil. I’m totally expecting Joe to learn how to cook this when we get back to Canada!
We also get a bowl of crispy, crunchy, deep fried corn kernels, this time flavoured with paprika. It’s my favourite potato chip flavour in Norway, and I am known to pack at least one large bag of paprika chips whenever I travel from Norway to Canada. Here I am, at a night market in Thailand, and I’m enjoying a hint of home!
Téa breaks away from her norm and tries a new vendor today! (Shocking, I know!) She decides on a grilled chicken “steak” (all meat is steak here, if it’s cooked like steak), served with spaghetti, veggies and gravy.
Maylin decided to spend her money getting an upgrade to the Bao Burger that her and Téa both love – tonight it’s a fish burger!
Joe heads back to the Sichuan skewer booth, and comes back with steak, veggies, pork belly and all sorts of goodness.
We had some extra desserts tonight too, yes it’s New Year’s Eve, but it’s also our second last ever at Tamarind, so we’re grieving. Desserts heal grief, everybody knows that, right?
Joe’s and my choice: pandan custard in coconut crepes
We enjoyed the desserts at home while putting on a movie to help us all stay awake. By 9pm, we were all in PJs and our teeth were brushed. Everyone is looking forward to the fireworks starting at 10pm, including these guys:
10pm comes, and 10pm goes. All we see is a laser show and so many drones in the air. The girls go to bed, disappointed.
Maylin is in bed, eyes drooping, when Téa comes running in saying “they’ve started”! So back out of bed she goes, out onto the balcony, where we enjoy about 15 minutes of fireworks from the beach further north. It’s exciting to watch, and the girls enjoy the show.
By 10.25pm, both girls are in bed and very quickly asleep. Joe puts on yet another movie to stay awake until midnight. At one point I’m not sure it’s going to happen, but we make it! We ring in 2026 half asleep on the couch, but we saw the first few minutes at least!
Happy New Year, everyone! Thanks for reading our blog and following along on our travels!
Happy Nw year! I’m glad you managed to make it to midnight. I definitely prefer fireworks from a balcony. They’re still pretty but lacking the smoke and probably most of the noise.
That, and we can be asleep within 5 minutes after! Kind of like when Joe and I lived by the beach in Vancouver, and would listen to the crowds passing our window for almost an hour after we got home ourselves!