Fun family trip

My wife and I joined our extended family on an overnight trip to Hatyai last week. We had been talking about this trip for quite a while now. Ever since my father-in-law died last July, we had been wanting to take my mother-in-law for a short overseas holiday. She's the homely type, always preferring to stay home and not venturing out unless it was for very pressing needs, like marketing. When my father-in-law was alive, her excuse was that he needed looking after since he was a stroke survivor and couldn't move much without walking aid. And besides which, dementia had already started to creep in. 

But now, there should be no more excuse for her. Or so we thought. We wanted to take her mind off recent developments and enjoy her new freedom. That was when we, including my brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, bandied about with this idea and that idea. The initial plan was to visit Taiwan this November but the idea was shelved as the travel agent told us that the country had not opened up yet. Then, after we had firmed up on Chiengmai, my mother-in-law did not want to go there; her new excuse being it would be too many days away from home. 

Eventually, we settled on a very short Hatyai trip and the planning began in earnest. It would be a makan trip, eating our way in and out of Hatyai. In all, we had 12 pax. Eight or nine more from our extended family in Penang were unable to join in for various reasons. I can only imagine how boisterous and chaotic the group would be if everyone had been able to come along. 😁 

So last Thursday, the chartered mini-bus arrived at our house to pick us up at six o'clock in the morning and we were finally on our way to Thailand. Here are four pictures of all of us together.

This was at the Magic Museum, basically meant for the kids in us. There are 12 in the picture, but only a keen eye will be able to spot the 12th one.

Savouring on of Hatyai's delicacies: bird's nest soup

On the toot-toot before setting off for one of Hatyai's markets

Cramming 12 persons into a table was quite demanding but we achieved it twice

Did I say four pictures? Well, there was a fifth family photograph which was taken at a Siamese temple. With me holding the calico cat, I had to look over my shoulder lest the jealous tiger statue behind me sprang into life 😁