Well, it’s me again – several vigorous Thai massages and a frankly indecent number of Sanctimony spa treatments later.

Over the last few days I’ve been pinched, pummelled, stretched, steamed, kneaded, infrared-blasted and even had my feet reflexologied to within an inch of their lives. Plus my plant count has now officially soared to a whopping 79* and counting – read it and weep, Tim Spector! Still hopeless at yoga, mind you – though I am slowly but surely relaxing into the flow of the place with each passing day. Ish.

Anyway – enough of the self-indulgent wellness twaddle. Now on to the outside world.

Put it this way, the weather out there still isn’t exactly what you’d call “sun-kissed”, but at least it’s no longer monsoon-grade biblical – and just about decent enough to venture out again without needing to book a spot on Noah’s ark.

And once you step outside the lemongrass-infused spa bubble, Thailand – once you’re away from the main tourist drag – has proven reassuringly unchanged.

As soon as the skies settled, my long morning runs quickly became a reacquaintance of sorts with the Thailand I remember. Before long I found myself dodging semi-stray dogs with nefarious intentions; skirting corrugated-iron shacks, with vendors flogging everything from pyramids of coconuts to petrol decanted into old Fanta bottles; and passing moped-repair shops that seem to crop up no less than every half-mile. Or, failing that, a neon 7-Eleven** – long ubiquitous in towns and now steadily infiltrating into the countryside too. Along the way comes the familiar parade of half-finished houses, plastic-stool 50-baht eateries, the occasional Thai water buffalo luxuriating in a bath of rich brown mud, and tiny shrines tucked into gardens or guarding roadside verges. Not forgetting the ever-present images of the Thai royal family still presiding benignly over it all too.

And, of course, the local market (you know I can’t resist!) – think mouth-watering smells drifting from makeshift stalls that genuinely make you lament not having been born Thai. The standard UK lunchtime offerings of Pret or Itsu simply do not compare – and I say that as a die-hard Itsu fan.

That said, very few tuk tuks on the roads these days – though you can now use the Thai equivalent of Uber to order a ride on the back of a moped for a pound a pop (wheeeee!!).

Still, beneath the odd modern flourish, the soul of the place is very much intact. I might not exactly be experiencing the full-blown tropical-paradise fantasy here, but at heart this is unmistakably the Thailand I know and love.

Anyhoo, I’ll be looking to explore the island further over the next few days, so will report back soon. In the meantime, I have a spa menu with my name on it to work through, so until next time – namaste and all that.

* Apple, dragon fruit, melon, papaya, lime, coconut, pineapple, cantaloupe, banana, strawberry, orange, dates, mango, watermelon, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, sweetcorn, pak choi, baby corn, aubergine, daikon, carrot, broccoli, beetroot, button mushroom, shiitake mushroom, peas, snow peas, pea sprouts, mange tout, beansprouts, red pepper, celery, cucumber, lotus flower, squash, red cabbage, green beans, kale, cauliflower, seaweed, spring onion, black bean, red bean, mung bean, edamame, chickpea, tofu, brown rice, quinoa, Job’s tears, oats, cashew nuts, peanuts, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, Thai basil, kefir leaf, rosemary, dill, chives, ginger, garlic, chilli, galangal, turmeric, cardamom, anise, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, tea, coffee, cocoa, apple cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil.

** Part of me wants to bemoan this slow march of convenience culture, but the 7-Elevens sell wine, so… Suffice to say I am now discreetly well-provisioned.