Gilligan’s Island

A sponsored post for Aussie 
This post is the first in a series brought to you by Aussie’s New Platinum Card. They asked me to share a few travel & shopping stories. The new platinum card offers a low rate, low annual fees, no international transaction fees on purchases, extended warranty insurance and complimentary international travel insurance. 
 
 

Rob and I were married in 2005 and like any normal newlyweds we had a limited budget when it came to our honeymoon. We’d saved money for the chicken or beef options, the dress, the kilts, and at the end of it all we had about $5000 (including flights) to spend on our trip. Luckily for me, one of my clients (remembering I used to be in Financial Planning) had a travel agency that specialised in Asia, Thailand specifically. They hooked me up – good and proper – with a trip to Thailand for about 10 days covering off a fancy place in Krabi to start with – then a few days somewhere a little cheaper on the beach at Koh Samui and then we finished off for few days in Bangkok (fitting really) before heading home. It included transfers and promises of “honeymoon suites”. It was our first trip OS together as a couple and we were ready for some loved up down time in the Thai sunshine.

Our first resort in Krabi was fabulous. I still don’t know how we afforded it on our limited budget but I surely wasn’t going to ask too many questions. There were amazing gardens and paths that led from idyllic pools down to the beach side and the amazing limestone rocks standing in the tropical ocean.

There were sunsets at the beach…

There were lazy afternoons in hammocks…

And best of all? There were the strange items that took a room from a standard hotel room to a “Honeymoon Suite”. Like petals arranged in love heart shapes on our bed. And fruit bowls (Hello there erect bananas!). And cakes?! Just cross out the one not applicable to you – they forgot to cross out Anniversary in our case. We did entirely nothing for 5 days – sleeping, eating, drinking, having ridiculous amounts of sex, watching bad films on cable TV that feature Steven Seagal and Chuck Norris, playing backgammon and reading. It was just as a honeymoon should be.

After our 5 days were up we were met by our lovely transfer people who ended up driving us across the entire country to catch a ferry to Koh Samui. It was a long day and given that I caught a touch of food poisoning on my last night, it wasn’t pretty. We chatted with the couple that drove us all day and when we finally arrived at our hotel, they were hesitant to leave us. But leave us they did, and in we wandered to Resort number 2, or as I like to call it “Gilligan’s Island”. The foyer was a straw hut, kind of like a larger version of a Tiki bar. The pool, which was adjacent to the Tiki bar foyer, was EMPTY. There were not many people about. Immediately, I knew that something was wrong. But, I smiled! And tried not too feel too guilty that my client had sent us to some strange place that would potentially kill us. Reception came and welcomed us with a cup of juice served out of a PLASTIC COCONUT and then led us to our room. We walked past another pool, which was full but surrounded by what appeared to be a large group of middle aged German SWINGERS in speedos. We averted eye contact and went into our room which was a smaller Tiki bar hut with a King Bed with ONE PILLOW IN THE MIDDLE and air conditioning that didn’t work until you wedged a packet of chips behind your key. My panic levels were rising and I knew Rob wasn’t happy. THIS JUST WOULDN’T DO. We panicked and did whatever anyone does in that situation. We went to the nearest internet cafe and we tried to find another hotel. Things like the high rates on my already maxed credit card or budgets didn’t come into my mind. I just wanted to make it all go away. And quickly. Before any approaches were made by grey haired men in speedos.

2 hours later we told reception we were leaving (they didn’t blink an eyelid, surely it had happened before), caught a Tuk Tuk about 15 mins down the road and checked into a fancy resort with no German swingers to be seen, just large, sunburned English types which were far more acceptable. Sure it cost us a little more than we expected, and sure we didn’t take into consideration things like international transaction fees – we were young! Carefree! Sexed up and in love! And child free!

Remember your honeymoon?
Was it fabulous? Or less than perfect?
Remember having sex? Yeah, me too.

I also remember not having to worry about things like going over budgets, or high rates on my credit cards, or international transaction fees. Things are a little different these days, I guess I grew up somewhere along the way and I now find myself paying a little more attention to the small print.

Aussie’s New Platinum Card is a product designed specifically for those of us who enjoy a little overseas travel or like to buy online from foreign retail sites. It is a low rate, low fee option with NO INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTION FEES on purchases, which means you could spend more! Which means you can buy that extra something duty free. Which makes me happy! For more information, visit www.aussie.com.au/credit-card/ or head on over (no German swingers ploise) to Facebook here to say hi and ask any questions you might have. And of course, follow Aussie on Twitter or Google +. Happy Travels!

Comments

  1. Koh Samui for our honeymoon too, Beth, but not a German tourist in sight 😉

  2. I have to say I’ve cut my credit cards up recently, because quite frankly I am not to be trusted with one. And sadly I’m not joking. (Isn’t that the first step in shopping addiction, admitting the problem?) but…a card like this would most certainly come in handy for traveling.

    Back in 2005 as a solo parent taking her 2 kids to America, I could have saved a fortune in int’l transaction fees. Like, enough to stay another night in New York kind of savings. One day when I’m grown up & allowed to be trusted with plastic money again, this sounds like a great deal.

  3. Ha ha! This all sounds very familiar. We had our honeymoon in 2005 in Koh Samui and Vietnam (and a few days in Bangers at the end). We moved out of a dodgy hotel to a gorgeous resort too. Oh and cake a standard! Did you actually eat it, I don’t think we did.
    I wanna go on a honeymoon now!

  4. OHHHH! We are going to koh samui for my 40th bday this year in july. I hope that our resort isn’t that one you stayed in!!! I have looked at trip advisor and it has good ratings so I am hopeful! We left it up to our agent to pick somewhere so I hope she doesn’t let us down. There are 8 of us going (2 of us turn 40 while we are there) I am so friggin excited!

    Our honeymoon was less glamorous, ZERO budget so we went to the gold coast… but I had an ulterior motive… powderfinger were playing up in Brisbane at the same time so it was a logical choice…. priorities people! Did the theme parks and nearly DIED at wet n wild when I hit my head on a slide. never. again.

    • That is going to be SO much fun. It won’t matter where you are with all of your friends…it will be fab! Koh Samui is a pretty special place – enjoy!

  5. We are just about to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. Our honeymoon was on Hayman Island. It certainly wasn’t as luxurious as it is today, but heck, we loved it.

  6. Fantastic, hillarious writing as always.

    Mel

  7. Beth are those photos from the Tubkaak in Krabi by any chance????? My husband and I went there on our honeymoon in 2006 and LOVED it!!!! We stayed in one of the beachfront cottages and it was stunning. Sawadikaaaaa

    Hayley x

    • It was!!! LOVED that place. Wasn’t it something else? Good picking from those shots Hayley!

    • Oh I thought it was! I remember the little house light boxes scattered all over the resort and the baskets that are in your room with mozzie repelent, towels etc. And the view! The view…It was so lovely and peaceful. Luckily they were protected from the Tsunami there because of the little islands in front of it. Its a special place indeed.
      Wow we both honeymooned there and both have daughters called Harper. Creepy yet?!

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