So this is the part in the part in the tour when I get to forget that I am a musician, or a professor, or really anything at all other than a woman in with a silk wrap and bikini walking on white sand with toes in the emerald water.

If it sounds amazing that is because it is. I have almost burst into tears at the pure beauty of these beaches, and the pampered luxury of a five star beach resort.

Of course the downside is that emailing costs an arm and a leg, I guess they assume you can afford it, so I will not be writing another blog entry for two days after this one.

This morning at breakfast I had carrot juice, smoked salmon, fresh papaya and pineapple etc etc. Then I headed off on a boat to snorkel around some tiny islands off the island of Phuket.

I am sad to say that the coral is badly damaged by the Tsunami and by tourism, and garbage floats around some of the rock outcroppings. Despite all this, it is still breath takingly beautiful, and I saw a puffer fish, a small shark, a parrot fish, a sea sponge and sea anemones. I didn’t want to get out of the water, even after 2 hours. Towards the end of my swim excursion Stephanie took her video camera out with her, so we will have underwater video footage!

Last night I had one of the best pina coladas of my life. Only one I had in Costa Rica compares. The key is teh fresh pineapple and coconut. Delicious, and not too much rum, so I could actually taste the fruit.

Tomorrow I will give a masterclass at the music school in town, so I will have to remember that I am a cellist tomorrow.

But for this afternoon I will wander the white sand beaches alone, missing my husband, but enjoying the full happiness of the sea and sun.