THAILAND · DIARY 05
3 November 2026
A new chapter – and I need time to grow into it
We arrived just before eleven. At eleven, Anneliese and I took over the villa. That is the matter-of-fact version of a day that felt anything but matter-of-fact. A new chapter of our lives had begun. And there I was, right in the middle of it, rather overwhelmed.
Of course I had expectations. What greeted us went beyond them. The care, the attention to detail! The team had created something that moved me deeply. To me, in that moment, it felt perfect. I needed a little time simply to take it all in.
A second home under the palms
To me, this marks a new stage of life: a second home under the palms. The small details showed how thoughtfully this beginning had been prepared. Every drawer was labelled, the manuals were ready, the fridge was stocked. I could hardly list all the details. They were what moved me so much: someone had thought ahead, right down to everyday life.
Even happiness takes some getting used to
We are forever being told to step outside our comfort zone. Now I seem to have the opposite task: growing into a new one. Apparently, even happiness can require a short settling-in period.
It was an emotional day. Not the sort you can finish by ticking a box on a list. The handover was complete; inside, I was still trying to absorb the fact that this new beginning really belonged to us.
Keeping the beginning
I have already spoken with the filmmaker about preserving this special beginning on film. I want to be able to look back and remember how everything looked before everyday life left its little traces. The first photographs and this short clip already capture something that is difficult to plan: shared joy.
My thanks go to the whole team for their care and attention to detail. This day exceeded our expectations. For now, I do not need to add much more. Sometimes it is enough simply to stand there, take it in and be happy.