Arrival in Phuket was seamless. We were greeted by a Marriott representative. We were then whisked to our resort—the Marriott Vacation Club, Mai Khao Beach—via a private sedan that I’d pre-arranged through the hotel (I’m sure it’s not the cheapest transport option. But, it was great value for money relative to transport costs in major cities and the stress-free bliss of it all.) Upon arrival, we were given flower necklaces (leis, I suppose), cool towels, and glasses of a refreshing watermelon punch.

As our room wasn’t quite ready, we headed off to lunch at “Zest,” which is this resort’s main restaurant. While Emerson had food from the international kid’s menu, Libby and I indulged in Thai food, which was very good (I especially loved the spicy, sweet/sour beef salad w/ onions). We don’t often eat Thai food at home—it’s not Libby’s favorite flavor profile (which I sometimes understand). However, it’s an amazing cuisine if done properly, especially (for me anyway) when I go with spicy/hot dishes.

After lunch, we checked into our 2 bedroom villa (awesome – we post a full photo tour tomorrow). We then promptly took a nap for a couple of hours before changing into our swim suits for a dip in our private pool. Just before sunset, we walked to the beach and watched the sun dip below the horizon of the Andaman Sea. We then returned via “Turtle Village,” which is a retail complex just off of the Marriott’s property, which is really helpful because it has a food market.

Emerson enjoying the sunset...

Sunset at Mai Khao Beach

Evening at the Marriott Mai Khao Beach

We ordered room service for dinner and then relaxed for the remainder of our evening.

Today’s box score: +2 countries (Malaysia, Thailand)

Basically, it was a day of travel. We left the Allen House a little after 8am for our noon flight on a Malaysia Airlines A380 to Kuala Lumpur. Check-in, security, and boarding were all a breeze and ran as expected (early boarding of small children, gate check of ‘push chairs’ (strollers), recognition of FF status, etc.). The 12.5 hour flight was pleasant enough – the A380 is a really comfortable airplane, even in economy. Emerson was as good as always, watching videos and playing quietly for about 8 hours before falling asleep around her London bedtime.

Our Malaysia Airlines A380...

Libby and Emerson ready to fly Asia...

We flew from the day, through the night, and back into morning…