We look forward to continuing to welcome guests seeking unique and eclectic experiences when travelling on holiday  to Thailand.

The observer of house geckos will gradually notice that, when geckos fall off a ceiling or slippery wall, they somehow always manage to land on their feet. When an odd "plop" sound is heard at Gecko Villa, this usually indicates that a gecko has just fallen to its feet - where it will quickly scurry away.

Super-fast video cameras were used by scientisits at the University of California, Berkeley to monitor these falls, in order to offer clues to explain the gecko's cat-like ability to land the right way up. They discovered that a falling gecko will use its tail to flick itself feet-down within 100 milliseconds of falling - and that it then maintains this position until it has landed. The research has even led to the development of robots that mimic the gecko's self-righting mechanism - the humble gecko, turning gravity on its head, continues to teach us valuable tricks!

Book any seven consecutive nights for a stay in January 012 at either our  rural Thai vacation rental Gecko Villa or our traditional Thai pool villa Green Gecko, and enjoy the last two nights of your villa holiday at no cost. You pay for five nights at your chosen property, get to stay a full week, and will enjoy free transfers, with  zingy Thai food included throughout your holiday.

All bookings will  also include a complimentary boat tour on the pink lotus lake, which is at its most spectacular at this time.

Book a last minute January getaway now via the villas' websites and simply mention our January 2012 Thai Villa Offer.

Deploying the correct type of basil in Thai cooking often confuses those learning to cook Thai food. Specific dishes call for specific varieties to ensure authentic flavours and fragrance, so the following brief summar of choosing the right basil may be of interest - and will help in picking the right herb from the gardens at Gecko Villa.

Of the three types of basil used in Thai cooking, two are the most prevalent. The first is Thai holy basil (Bai Krapow, or Ocimum Tenuiflorum), the most widely used form of basil in Thailand. This has somewhat hairy leaves and is essential in preparing spicy stir fried meats with basil (pat krapow) or Drunkard's Noodles (pat ki mao.)

The second is the purple-stemmed Thai sweet basil (Bai Horapha, or Ocimum Basilicum), used in making the famous Thai green and red curries,and the basil that is most redolent of the herb in Italy or Europe.

The third type is the narrow-leaved Thai Lemon Basil (Bai Maenglak or Ocimum Citriodorum), a fundamental herb in preparing Khanom Cheen noodles and certain Thai curries and Isan dishes.

Two dishes that may be prepared to highlight the differences between Thai holy basil and Thai sweet basil are Pat Krapao Neua and Neu Joom respectively. This first, spicy chopped beef stir-fried with holy basil, garlic and fresh chillies, is a well-loved dish at lunchtime, whilst the second is an Isan beef hotpot with slices of meat cooked in a broth infused with sweet basil and pickled garlic.

Just like our Thai holiday villas Green Gecko and Gecko Villa, large Tokay Geckos are often seen in pairs, particularly during the mating season. The male in particular is a territorial creature. The video above was filmed in Thailand (although not at our property - where the much smaller house gecko is more prevalent) and shows a Tokay Gecko that has fallen prey to a snake, and the reaction of its mate. The latter observes from a distance, closes in, considers its options, and then executes its plan.

Watch the entire video to see who emerges victorious!

Visitors should seek accurate information before travelling to or between points in Thailand. All airports are still functioning normally.

In many places, such as Udon Thani, all is normal. The TAT has useful update pages for those seeking more detailed information on travel in Thailand. Their Thailand flood update page is here, whilst their general updates page is here. They note that Provinces in the northeast of Thailand not affected by the floods include Amnat Charoen, Nong Khai, Buengkan,Roi Et, Buriram, Sakon Nakhon, Chaiyaphum, Si Sa Ket, Loei,Surin,Mukdahan, Ubon Ratchathani,Nakhon Phanom, Udon Thani, Nakhon Ratchasima, Yasothon and Nong Bua Lam Phu.

The coming days will be trying for Bangkok, and our thoughts are with all those suffering from the floods, as well as with all those doing their utmost to minimize effects and bring assistance to those in need.

Homer's Odysseus related how those tasting the lotus fruit saw any thought of returning home simply evaporate: ‘On the tenth day we set foot on the land of the lotus-eaters, who eat a flowery food.... Then straightway we went and mixed with the men of the lotus-eaters, and so it was that the lotus-eaters devised not death for our fellows, but gave them of the lotus to taste. Now whosoever of them did eat the honey-sweet fruit of the lotus, had no more wish to bring tidings nor to come back, but there he chose to abide with the lotus-eating men, ever feeding on the lotus and forgetful of his homeward way. Therefore I led them back to the ships weeping, and sore against their will, and dragged them beneath the benches, and bound them in the hollow barques. But I commanded the rest of my well-loved company to make speed and go on board the swift ships, lest haply any should eat of the lotus and be forgetful of returning." 

Perhaps the "swift ships" are today's airliners, and once you have visited the lotus lake you will indeed be "forgetful of returning!"

During a recent trip from our Thailand holiday villa to my home village, I noticed a lot of activity in the old wooden houses along  my soi, or street. Sitting outside and sheletered from the sun, villagers were busying themselves with the time-honoured cottage industry of Thai silk production.  Each family was focussed on a diffferent task, depending upon the lifecycle stage of their silkworms. Some were feeding their caterpillars on fresh mulberry leaves; others were transferring the fully grown specimens to spinning baskets (where the silken cocoon is woven), whilst others were busy weaving threads that had already been spun and dyed.

The simplicity of the equipment used and the traditional methods employed may have appeared antedeluvian, yet the quality of the final woven Thai silk was incomparable, resplendent in traditional Isaan motifs.

At Gecko Villa, our culinary focus is clearly on Thai food, with both traditional Thai dishes and Isan specialties, but we also very much enjoy Indian food. Whilst most Thais (especially in Northeast Thailand!) shun the strong flavours of Indian curries, our whole family adores them. We have, moreover, been lucky enough to welcome guests from around India who have shared some valuable tips and tricks in respect of preparing their own favourite Indian dishes.

For us, the perfect accompaniment to our Beef Vindaloo is a pungent, homemade lime pickle. We have to  ferret out certain ingredients, such as fenugreek seeds, in Bangkok, as they are not available locally. This year we had a bumper crop of extremely juicy organic limes with very thin skins, so turned our attention to preserving a good number of them in a spicy lime pickle.

Whilst many shop-purchased pickles have a mustard oil base, our pickle uses no oil whatsoever - but does require the cooperation of a strong sun and a month or so of patience!

18 limes - preferably thin-skinned, unwaxed, and blemish-free
Juice of 2 additional limes
40 index finger sized green chillies
1.5 cups of fresh ginger, sliced into thin matchsticks
2 tbs fenugreek seeds (unpowdered)
1 cup sugar
1 cup salt
2 tbs turmeric powder
2  tsp mustard seeds

Cut the top and tail of the limes off, cut each into segments of eight, then cut the segments in half again. Place in a large glass conserving jar.
Cut off the top of the chillies, cut in half, and add to the jar, together with the ginger matchsticks and fenugreek seeds.
Now mix in the salt, sugar & turmeric powder.
Dry roast the mustard seeds until aromatic, cool then powder them, and add these to the jar.
Top off with the juice of 2 more limes. After a final mix, seal the top of the jar and place in the sun.

This pickle needs more time in the tropical sun than a snowed-in Norwegian: preferaby lazing at the private pool all day for a month! Shake and stir every day or so, and you will notice the pickle reduce in volume;  the liquid juices will gardually transmogrify into a thick paste. At this stage, transfer the pickle to sterilized jam jars, refrigerate, wait another two weeks, and then enjoy!

Make sure all your ingedients, jars and spoons are dry and sterile throughout to avoid the pickle turning on you.

The International Lifestyle Magazine , a finalist in the 2010 Digital Magazine Awards, focuses on positive lifestyle choices from around the globe. With over 100 pages, the colourful editions are sure to contain something of interest to all.
In the latest edition, there is a wide range of stories, including an Overland Odyssey along the Silk Road, the "Dark Side of Dairy", a boutique hotel in Santorini, a delicious Tarte Tatin recipe, real estate in Chile, classic Camper Van hire in the UK... and much more. In one article entitled When Elephants Fight, the Grass Gets Trampled, the writer visits our Thailand holiday villas Green Gecko and Gecko Villa, and looks at small-scale, responsible travel in Thailand's forgotten provinces, in contrast to mass tourism.
The magazine is colourful and well-presented, and may be  browsed online at no charge. Readers wishing to receive a printed copy may order one directly from the publishers online.