Awake early, I watched the sun rise, and took the quiet time to blog our travels, having fallen into bed last night and so pleased I woke up feeling back to my normal self.

The staff onsite had been primed to make us breakfast which did not disappoint. It was the kind of spread that makes you feel spoiled before the day has even started. Bacon, eggs, toast and fruit. I can tell you, having on site staff is something I could really get used to.

Showers followed, though mine came with a surprise guest – a grasshopper tucked into my towel, which made for a very energetic start to the morning. To be honest though, I didn’t have my glasses on so at first I just thought it was a leaf, but on closer inspection I realised it was the kind of visitor you’re happy to find out has met its maker, so as not to have to chase around the bathroom that would’ve been inevitable otherwise.

We’ve decided to wander down the street and get the lay of the land. There was an early highlight when popping into the local 7‑Eleven and I spotted some pride Disney tissues, which were a no-brainer to add to my shop which was only supposed to be for a cold drink. Pretty sure they will never be used and kept intact – just because.

Not much was open before 10am, but at least we managed to avoid injuries along the way. I hadn’t shared with the group how far we’d be walking. The destination was the supermarket, so after a few rounds of “how much longer?” and “where are we going?” we finally arrived. The humidity felt amazing to me, though my red‑faced companions disagreed, and the air‑conditioned supermarket was a welcome relief. We stocked up on snacks, drinks, and breakfast items, and I found myself intrigued as always by the quirks of foreign supermarkets, weaving through aisles, half‑guessing, half‑Googling prices and labels, and apparently no purchasing alcohol till after 11am, I was ushered away from that aisle with a smile and a side of judgement. The highlight? Disney shirts to add to the growing collection.

Not being allowed to buy drinks before 11am for the villa wasn’t even the craziest part as I perused the fresh meat section to see……well….this.

Meat and seafood left out, exposed, and ready to be the kind of food poisoning to create a memory that you absolutely want to forget. Needless to say we won’t be cooking while we’re here, so we load up the trolley and baskets and hit the check outs.

Given we’ve walked for a while, we’d thought it’d be best to throw the shopping (and a few of us) into a cab to head back so, Mum piled into the car with Bek, Haylie, Boz, and Harper, while Jamei and I set off on foot before hopping onto scooters. Mine arrived first and I was back in no time, and as I wait for Jamei I realise it’s taking a little longer that it should. I check out her location and in true holiday fashion, Jamei’s driver had found the right road, but went in the complete opposite direction, leaving us laughing and slightly confused.

Lunch was a simple affair of leftovers, which I finally had the stomach for, followed by dips in the pool, sunshine on our skin while some opted for quiet naps. When all but Jamei and I were left, we decided to head out for a massage, which turned out to be more that I had hoped for.

It didn’t take long to find a spot to be pampered and having massages on holidays is something I have always enjoyed, so we politely choose from the list a Thai stretching massage and head inside. Now I have had a variety of massages before, but I didn’t realise being a contortionist was a prerequisite. I was twisted, turned, snapped, and broken, with even the masseuse announcing mid-way, “I’m going to break you” with a laugh in her voice. So, I’m not even embellishing. She moved around me like a pretzel artist at Oktoberfest, folding me into shapes no human should resemble. At one point I was convinced she was auditioning me for Cirque du Soleil, at another I felt like a Rubik’s Cube being solved by someone who’d lost the instructions. My limbs were put into positions that simply put, WERE NOT NATURAL. Surely the time is nearly up and I’m asked, “why are you so tense” (geez I wonder) and finally released from my torture chamber. After what felt like three years (but was apparently only an hour), I staggered out, offered water or tea, and thought, “Forget that, I need tequila.” Paying upfront suddenly made sense – no one in their right mind would cough up cash after surviving that. All the while thinking “today’s blog is literally going to write itself”.

Jamei and I wandered back, still giggling about my near‑death experience (ok, slightly overdramatic), only to find nap time was officially over and the household had migrated outside to the pool. I launched into my massage‑turned‑torture tale, complete with dramatic reenactments, and in a strong show of solidarity everyone agreed they’d never ask for a massage like that. Judging by the looks on a few faces though, I could tell they were morbidly intrigued, laughing at my expense while secretly wondering if they’d survive it better. The lengths I go to, honestly, sacrificing my limbs and dignity just to make sure everyone else has an enjoyable holiday experience.

Dinner at New Hut turned into one of those nights we’ll be retelling for years, thanks to Boston, who introduced us to an app called Fake It. The premise is simple: everyone gets a word except for one chosen “imposter,” who has to bluff their way through without knowing it. Boston, ever the strategist, insisted we shouldn’t make it too obvious and, in her words, we should “go far” with the words we were choosing. That phrase instantly became a new family in‑joke, repeated with knowing smirks for the rest of the night, and no doubt the rest of the trip.

Cue the chaos. Between suspicious side‑eyes, dramatic acting, very bad poker faces, and wild improvisations, we laughed so hard the restaurant stayed mostly empty, though whether that was because of our volume or just a slow night, we’ll never know. Either way, it felt like we’d taken over the place, cocktails in hand, roaring with laughter at every failed bluff and every triumphant reveal. Jamei had us in stiches at one point, being randomly selected as the imposter four rounds in a row. By the third, she was taking it personally, convinced the app had it in for her.

By the end of the night, we were equal parts relaxed and broken, but already laughing about the day’s quirks. Back at the villa, we swapped strategies for tomorrow’s adventures, still buzzing from Boston’s “go far” game plan and Jamei’s imposter streak. As we drifted off to our separate rooms, it hit us, we’d only been here 24 hours and already had enough stories to fill a week. If this was just the beginning, tomorrow was bound to be unforgettable.

Missed yesterday’s blog? Check it out here.