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What a Difference a Day at the Beach Makes

Sunday was a glorious day as as we have never lived THIS close to a hot beach, we decided to make the most of it and trek down.

It's about an hour on a bus but the time seems to fly by now, more so than it used to when we would go there.

We had sand in our toes by 1pm and didn't look at our watches until 6:30. Magazines, crossword puzzles and books in hand, we spent the day with a couple of friends, alternating to go and get food and chatting about everything under the sun from Koreans to their language to the history behind the civil war to who EXACTLY was the hottest celebrity and why.

These type of days leave me more energised for a week of work. We are really getting down to crunch time here on making decision about when to leave, if to leave. The hours and the communications issues can leave you drained and frustrated. Spending time away to regroup can really lift your spirits.

My kindergarten kids seem to be getting more and more like little students every day. There are less blank stares when I speak to them and more English answers. There is less crying and more laughing. There is also less peace and more fighting but I'm going to guess 5 year olds only fight with each other because they're REALLY comfortable and they have learned the token 'I'm sorry' when I split them up and explain, 'Be nice to your friends'.

I will feel happy with what I have left here when I do go. I think we have come, stayed and will go at the exactly perfect time for us. I'm already gearing myself up for dreamy travel land and can take solace in the fact that all those times I dragged myself in when I had the flu or a cold or hobbled on my crutches was worth it because we wouldn't have saved like this anywhere else.

And without these savings, there would be no more travel.

And I can tell you, even though I will cry my eyes out when I have to leave the little gaffers that can't stop saying 'song sang nim' instead of 'teacher', I will drown my sorrows some glorious drink on a beach in Thailand.

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