Sam Smalling and Manchester United husband Chris go quad biking in Thailand following her honest account of IBS struggle
Couple rev up their holiday by following up Thai Boxing with ATV riding - just after model Sam posted a brave picture of her with a bloated tummy to help other IBS sufferers
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SAM SMALLING has completed herrollercoaster 48 hours by going quad-biking in Thailand with Manchester United husband Chris.
The model won praise by posting an Instagram photo of herself with a hugely-bloated tummy - to show the physical effects of her IBS to help other sufferers.
And now she has stepped up her adventure holiday with Chris.
The couple followed up their experiment with Muay Thai Boxing by donning helmets for riding ATVs on beautiful Koh Kood Island.
It suggests centre-back Chris, 28, is finally gearing up for a summer without the World Cup after Gareth Southgate left him out of the England squad.
So instead of roaring with the Three Lions' squad he went roaring on a quad.
At one stage they were interrupted - or joined - by two elephants roaming around the same woodland in east Thailand.
Chris posted pictures of the exotic encounters on his own Instagram account, including one gleeful shot of Sam's quad stuck in mud.
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But 2006 Page 3 Idol Sam has her own reasons for relaxing with such an invigorating vacation.
She has admitted agonising over publishing a snap of herself looking pregnant - in a bid to reduce stigma about Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
And when one Instagram follower made a glowing comment, she replied: "Before you congratulate me please know that although it looks like I'm six months into a pregnancy, its actually my IBS playing up at its worst.
"It's taken some guts for me to post this but hopefully it's for a good cause and people won't be cruel.
She added: "A year ago there's not a chance I would have posted this, but as I'm getting older I've started to accept what is and care less about being judged.
"I've suffered with extreme bloating since I was 15. I was also diagnosed with endometriosis when I was 18 which is said to contribute to IBS.
"If someone else had spoken out about something like this when I was younger (or even now) it might have made me feel better about my situation."
But she has joined in activities in Thailand just as avidly as Chris.
They both put their best foot forward when they tried out Thai Boxing before switching to quad bikes.
But they have also been unwinding in more traditional ways - walking on beaches and eating outside.
So perhaps Smalling has one eye on one occasion he arguably prioritised adventure too much ahead of relaxation during his summer hols.
Following England's Euro 2016 woe, he ended up in a drip in a Bali hospital with his head bandaged and in a brace - after apparently being stung by a jellyfish while surfing.
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