Couchfish: Wrapping Up For The Year

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Hi all,

Firstly, just a short note today to let you know that I’m wrapping up Couchfish for the year. We’re off to Thailand tomorrow morning, and once there, after eating most of Bangkok, we’ll be spending a couple of weeks on the glistening beaches of Ko Kut, as far far far as possible from laptops and phones.

Planning the trip has been a funny process. With three weeks, we started off thinking Bangkok and Amphawa and Sangkhlaburi and Khao Sok and Ko Pha Ngan and Nakhon Si Thammarat and and and … Then it was how do we fit all that together—without flying—nor spending half the trip in trains and buses? The planning stopped being fun quick smart.

Down to counting hours. Photo: Stuart McDonald.

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Then I had a moment—what the hell have I been writing about all year? Slowing down, less is more, and so on. The bonkers itinerary got thrown out the window and with it went a good dose of anxiety. Instead we’re now just hitting Bangkok, the coast south of Chanthaburi, and Ko Kut. Three weeks, three spots—feels about right.

One of the highlights I’m really looking forward to is while in Bangkok, we’ll be doing a street food tour with Chili Paste Tours. I’ve done a tour with Chin before, but this time it will be a family adventure, and it will be fun to wander Chinatown (where we’re staying) and the Old Quarter, stuffing face as we go. Other than that we’ll be catching up with old friends and, yeah, more stuffing face.

From Bangkok we‘ll bus it east to Chanthaburi for a few days exploring the coast—and yes hitting Farm Pu Nim—before bussing onwards to Trat for the ferry to Ko Kut. And once on the island, some diving and a bit of poking around by scooter, but also plenty of not doing very much at all. That’s the plan anyway.

So that’s us—how about you? Have any travels planned? Let loose in the comments.

There will be pier jumping. Photo: Stuart McDonald.

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Secondly, I just want to thank you all for supporting Couchfish. I hope you’ve found it an interesting and thought provoking (at times!) read, and I really hope you’ve got as much enjoyment out of reading it as I have in writing it.

I know I’ve been somewhat less consistent this year compared to 2022, but here’s to 2024 and the battery recharge some Ko Kut island-time will bring me.

Lastly, while the last few weeks of Bali coverage has all been free-to-read, come the new year, I’ll be reverting most new posts to being for paid subscribers only. The news is not all bad though—to soften the blow, I’ve set up an end of year special deal that gives 50% off of all paid subscriptions. This is a forever deal—not one of those deals that bounces you back to full rate after a year—it is fifty percent off forever. US$35 for a year—bargain.

So, if you’re sitting on the fence thinking about becoming a paid subscriber, now isn’t a bad time to jump off the fence and become one—and if you do, thank you.

I can taste it already. Photo: Stuart McDonald.

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So that’s it from me—a mercifully short post for a change. I wish you all a happy stretch to the end of the year, and I’ll be back in touch in the first week of January 2024.

Thanks again for your support—to all readers, and particularly to those who have been reading Couchfish since day one way back when—what a journey it has been. Thank you.

Good travels

Stuart