Page 101 - quebec
P. 101
Postcards from
Yao Noi
Dear Ron, and right by the road. We wondered at first guests, different problems,” he says. But we
if our idle time might be marred by traffic met Joy and think she is the real reason.
We’re staying at the Villaguna Residence, noise. But this is Ya Noi, traffic is a half-doz-
a collection of upscale cottages nestled en vehicles per hour; far fewer past sunset. Across the street is a raised beach-side
by a big pool with a view of the ocean. We wooden platform. Couldn’t figure out what
walked into our cottage to find flower petals Villaguna is a few miles from town but walk- it was for. Tiny bandstand? Late yester-
scattered across the bed, with white towels able to a kayak rental place, a dive shop and day afternoon we got it. Two Villaguna
on top folded to look like kissing swans. restaurants. Olivier Masson, the resident residents, wearing white bathrobes, walked
Welcome to idle time. manager, is a young Frenchman, who works to the platform, lay down on mats and got
in shorts, flip-flops and an ever-present his-and-her massages as the sun sank down,
The front of our cottage is all glass. From smile. Great guy, always helpful. A few years turning the blue water into gold.
our windows those travel-poster islands ago he ditched a boring IT job in Europe
look like distant remains of a lost civi- and journeyed here. We’d write more but there’s an empty ham-
lization. The beach, bordered by groves mock hanging by a tree near the platform
and jungle, sweeps left and right. The tide One day he saw a lovely local girl at a restau- and it’s calling to us to idle time.
moves in an out, leaving amorphous pools rant and decided “this is the place.” He
of water to catch the reflections of sunset and Joy Wichakoon have been together for Love,
and sunrise. three years now (English is their common John and Jody
language). He’s no longer bored. “Every
We are less than 100 steps to the beach day there’s something different. Different
Wine Dine & Travel Summer 2014 101

