Biggest bum on the beach? (by Laura)

The beaches of Thailand attract their fair share of beach babes, whose ranks I could never aspire to join. However I do feel now that I may now qualify for the other much-coveted honour of beach bum (top).

At home I'm notoriously bad at sitting still, always making schemes, popping in and out, generally flapping around. However, whether inspired by the island's affecting lilt or by the very excellent example set by Joe, I managed to spend a full week on Ko Phayam (on the Andaman coast of Thailand) barely moving outside 100 metre radius of our bungalow (seaview - left).

And it was a revelation.

Reading more than I have since university, pondering mundane trivialities, people-watching, idling in conversations and with the odd bit of beach frisbee thrown in just to spice things up a bit.

The need to do anything truly constructive gradually dissipated as the week went on, though every now and then I might lurch out of the hammock with a thought, before forgetting in the next minute what it was and sinking back down again.

Perhaps not what many would consider to be that noteworthy, but in my book, a truly remarkable achievement.

Laura