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Published: December 28th 2009
I thought I would go back to the hotel and write my diary, if not my blog yet, which I intend to do.
I spent most of the afternoon on the computer, checking how to add entry to the blog and reading what I had written so far.
In the evening I went to the travel agent to check the ticket for Huan Hin. Then I went to a Landmark education last evening of the Forum, where participants invite guests. I arrived late. I thought it would be an interesting comparison with London. The course leader was an Indian Sikh and was with a lady translator on the stage. On average the Thai translation took 4 times longer than the sentences in English. The issues dealt with were pretty much the same as in England. I left at the break.
So all in all I didn't stay long. Enough to see that people here deal with the same issues as in London.
Outside it was all Christmassy, with lights and Xmas trees. It was the area of big hotels. There were several band concerts each organised by the major beer, Singha, Leo, Tiger, Chang. Lots of people were taking
pictures of each other in front of the Xmas decoration. I did too.
Then I went back to the hotel. Had a chat with Marine, a French girl who stays at the guest house. She seems to have been there forever and doesn't have any plan to go anywhere....
day 16th of December 2009 for us and year 2552 for them
Took it easy, packed, and went for breakfast. I asked for not spicy stuff and was a bit bold in asking for the spicy chicken. I tasted the sauce and thought it was OK. I struggled a bit to finish.
Back at the hotel where I picked up my stuff. Nok, the nice receptionist, wrote in Thai instructions for the taxi driver.
The bus ticket cost 150 to do 3 hours journey, the taxi ride cost 105 to get to the bus station. There were about 8 people on the bus and we left.
I pierced my blister. I had this big blister at the base of my heel and it had grown bigger and bigger and started to hurt as it grew higher where the sandal strap is. Put some medicine on it and a plaster.
The bus stopped all along the way to pick up people, parcels or drop them.
I arrived to Hua Hin, had to fend off the posse of taxis, tuk tuks and bike taxis. I walked to the city centre and found an hotel, drop my stuff. Could Have found better but that was enough. 250 bath, £5. I went to the beach. What a site. A tropical beach, palm trees and the
sea. I thought of my friend Kieron whose dream is to be in that situation. I walked along and sat at a bar, savouring the good moment. I was thinking about changes in my life and how this experience would change me in ways I yet didn't know.
I walked along the beach and reached the pier for fishermen. They seemed to come back from the fishing. Not the small boats, they arrived earlier. Medium size ones. The one getting along side the pier was billowing big clouds of black smokes that stayed as sinister clouds in the sky for a long time. We are talking about pollution in the West but in Thailand I am not sure they are doing anything about it or even
if the average person is aware of global warming and all the measures taken to try to eradicate excesses.
I went to a hotel/bar that advertised internet and had a beer and sent emails. It is quite time consuming and I end up feeling I should send more emails to so many people who are expecting news and I have not contacted.
I talked to the Thai lady who was managing this place. She was married to a Dutchman and liked very much Amsterdam.
The receptionist finished a shift so I asked her to give me a ride on her scooter to the night market for a bit of grub. Then I went to the bar area and it was again lots of girls and retired men type of situation. I am working hard and getting there to see it as just what's there. I thought I would go in a bar. A girl asked me what I wanted to drink, sat with me. I asked her if I was supposed to buy her a drink and of course I was. I finished my beer and left. I really didn't see the point of buying her a drink.
I walked some more and found shelter in a bar
where there was karaoke. Well it was mainly 3 singers who took turn to sing. They were very good. They should bring the X factor here. Maybe they have.
I had a pleasant time there listening to their singing. Some of the lyrics for the English songs seemed a bit bizarre and they had way of pronouncing some English words that made me wonder sometimes if they knew what they were singing about.
I left and had a last beer at a bar next to the hotel. It was more friendly and a good ambience and after a while I bought a drink to the girl I was talking to. Her name was Wan. It came naturally as it should rather than because it was the thing to do as previously. We got on well and arranged to go to the temple the day after, at 10.
Day after. Went there at 10. She showed up and said she needed to wash. So I told her I would be at the restaurant next door to have a breakfast. I had it and waited for her to show up.
As almost an hour passed by, I went to see where I met her. There she was, waiting for me to reappear.
No sign of frustration or anything. I was surprised because in Europe we would have made a big deal of it, each waiting on our side, due to miscommunication. She expected me to come back and me her to join me next door.
We went to the temple. She bought some flowers, encens sticks and some little papers, plus some candles. I followed what she was doing, lit the candle, put the flowers on a tray for Buddha, lit the sticks and put them outside the temple, and then came the folded papers. Those folded papers contained a sheet of gold that people stick on the statues, of Buddha but
also of the important people in Buddhism. As I was taller than most, I tried to put my gold leaf on the head of the statues. Sometimes it didn't quite stick. When it didn't she recuperated the piece and put it on my forehead for good luck. I reciprocated. When praying in front of Buddha, I had a sense of the adjustments and changes in me. Maybe
starting to really realising that who I am or becoming is different from my opinions or thoughts, which I had identified with.
When we went to the beach and spent the day there. It was absolutely great. We sat next to a group of Scandinavians. One of the girl was topless and faultless... I had read that it was not the thing to do but nobody seemed to have shown any signs of disapproval. I think even some guys seemed to discreetly appreciate from a distance.
The water was great. I didn't have any problems getting in quickly. It was just perfect. Spent the afternoon there without having a sense that I was supposed to do anything else. I played volley ball with a group of Italian guys who were in relationship with Thai girls and were sorting
out the paperwork for bringing them back to Italy. I could see their point. They were happy, beautiful girls. Later I just stayed playing with one of the Italian guys. We sometimes passed the ball to 3 little kids who were delightful, really happy, laughing, playful kids. We concluded
"la vita e bella".
Wan, and I, left at about
5 and had a noodle soup. Then I left her and went to get some cream for my skin. 2 types are on the shelf, for white skins to get darker and the other for darker skins to get lighter! The latter one was cheaper. I had to take the more expensive one though. I don't need to get whiter.
When I got back to the hotel I saw in the mirror that I had stayed a bit too long. I was a nice pink.
Following few days, again I write much later so no clear recollection of what I did in particular. I walked around, sipped beer and orange juice, which somehow tastes a bit salty but it's nice, and watch the world go by. Yesterday though I Woke up early to go with Wan to the market and buy things for the monks. That's what people do here. Some feed the monks daily. Then we went to the temple and gave the food.
Prayers consists of requests, so I requested for all the people I know to be happy and have a good life. Thais ask for good luck. After going through the same ritual
of giving flowers, encens, liting candles and putting gold on statues, we sat in front of a monk who blessed us with good luck.
I switched hotel for one one the piers. My room was suspended above the sea, very nice. I had the sound of wave crushing on the beach in the background.
Later I met with Wan and her friends, Ping and li, who had rented a moped for me. The 4 of us went to the Big Buddha, about 10 miles away. Again there, there was not only a big statue of an old man, who was supposed to be Buddha. I don't understand the subtleties as there seems to be different guises for the Buddha. We did the encens, candle, flowers and gold ritual. Nearby there were 2 big statues of elephants with 3 heads and we threw some coins in their mouth, for good luck...
I could not get it right. Happily when you miss you can pick up the coins on the floor. I thought I had enough, walked away, threw the coin over my shoulder and it went in the mouth of the elephant. Everyone laughed.
We walked around a small
lake and left. We stopped on the way at another big temple, but no tourist, just nuns, monks and lay people spending time there. Wan had spent 10 days there, for vipassana. There were lots of dogs, and a bit further, lots of cats. I saw a monk who was smoking and another one with his cowboy hat, relaxing in his hammock, outside his
hut, listening to rock and roll.
Later in the evening, we went to Ping's house. It made a change from doing the tourist area. The ground floor consists of a living room, a wide corridor and a bathroom. There was another room but could not see stairs to go up. Sometimes in the street you pass what could have been a shop and you can see how people live, mainly everything in one room, open to the street. We ate on the floor, rice, meat, most dishes too hot for me, although I dipped my meat in the chilli sauce.
Beside Ping, One and me, there was Tondy, a guy and another girl called Han. They were talking Thai but I bonded with Tondy by talking Bayern Munich and Chelsea. His 2 teams. He
was wearing Bayern shorts but I was a bit more familiar with Chelsea. Well the conversation consisted of listing names of players and saying good. What He was saying was Thai to me...
Later he sang some karaoke whilst the girls do what they do best, chat.
It was then decided to go to a dance. Back on the mopeds, Wan and I on one (my friend on a moped) and the other 3 on the other. Very common sight, whatever goes on a bike is fine. It's whether it fits or not. Could be a Daddy, Mummy, 2 kids and a baby.
Saying that earlier on the way to Ping's we got a ticket for my not wearing an Helmet, which is fine, in both sense of the term. The strange aspect of it is that nobody else was wearing helmet, but they were Thai, so I took it that he really cared for me and wanted to teach me security measures. They don't want their cash cow to be injured. The not being emotionally reactive seems to slip in.
We arrived at the place. It was a relatively big gig venue. On stage were rockers.
There seems to be lots of rockers and live bands in bars in Thailand. They look the part but when you smile at them they smile back. I even had a chat with the lead guitarist when we were in the loo. The loo is the place where guys go for a piss or a smoke, or both.
We had a table right by the stage, a beer fountain and when we drank it, it was replaced by a bottle of brandy that tested and smelled foul, but a bottle of beer for me. I don't know how they guessed I would have prefered to stay on the beer. I didn't see either how the empty bottles were replaced by new ones each times.
The 4 of them almost drank that bottle during the night. They do a shot and the rest is ice cube and soda water.
We danced a lot, like everybody, close to the table. Thai rock rocks.
19 december. Today I leave for Bangkok. I called last night and the bank card has arrived. Although there is no pin code. I will have to call them to see. Also the cheque that Bob
put for me apparently did not go through. I will have to call them and see what can be done. It was very sad leaving. I was not a customer but I was really good friend with those bar girls. They are very attentionate, positive, happy going, generous.
Back in Bangkok. I called the bank. I don't need a code, it's the same as before. Paying the credit card is another issue. Even though I am in Thailand they insist on sending letters by post to the London address.
I booked my ticket to Chiang Mai. Waiting for the end of the afternoon, in the market I had lunch and a foot massage. That is painful. The lady spotted my weak points accurately but remedied by pressing hard in spots in the palm of the foot.
Then got on the bus, with others going to Chiang Mai, so did others, like hordes of backpackers, a general exodus to various destinations in Thailand tourist spots.
Day whatever: I have lost track of when I last wrote and what happened in between. I don't write everyday and have to recollect what I have done in the past few
days.
The journey lasted some 14 hours. We left the agency at 17h30 or rather 18h00, left Bangkok around 19h00, with our pink sticker to signify Chang Mai. About 2 third full. A French couple, behind me, an Australian girl next to me on the other side of the path, a old couple of Canadian in front of me. I should not forget lots of mosquitoes. Everybody sprayed themselves with repellent. The air conditioning was on and there was no way to stop it. I stuffed the curtains into the air vents but it wasn't enough. When checking in the morning, everybody said they could not sleep because they were freezing. I left in tee shirt and short. Next time I put everything I have on, especially the fleece.
On arrival I walked to the hotel that a woman I met in Kao San recommended. The Mountain view hotel. It was fine. A nice garden in the centre. It was situated on the north side of the moated square that constitutes the old Chang Mai. I walked all day and visited countless number of temples, where I asked Buddha for good luck for everyone I met and for
all those at home, especially for Julia who is ill and will have to go to the hospital at the beginning of January.
When I went back to the hotel I met Julie, a Canadian, who also wanted to go trekking. We decided to go together. Then we went to the night bazar for dinner and met the couple of French people, Mathieu and Sophie who sat behind me on the bus. It was a nice evening. I
had a delicious coconut chicken soup. We went for a drink, although Julie went back to the hotel. We discussed life in Thailand and their experience of living and working in India.
The day after with Julie we looked for an agency for the trekking and booked to goon a 3 days one, near Chang Mai.
More walking during the day and in the evening I went back to the night bazar to see if I could watch some Thai boxing. I sat at a bar and played pool and discussed with a girl who was the sales rep for a coffee company in Chang Mai. Coffee is a growing market in Thailand. Later I discussed with a Chef
who had worked everywhere, even in London, with Andy Warrol
Thompson (?). I watched the boxing matches.
On my way back to the hotel, I stopped for diner on the side of the road and had a chicken soup for 25 bahts (50 P). I passed a bar and was invited for a beer - as everytime one pass any bar - but said I was rather more looking for a wee. I used the toilets and had a beer on the outside.
I was rather tired and the girls stayed on the street to hail a tuktuk. As there was none coming, one of them called one. I didn't have enough money of the ride so she paid for me. That's Thailand for you.
On the way to the hotel, I saw an elephant on the other side of the road and canal.
The day after we were picked up at the hotel for the tour. Everybody had been picked up already so we met the others in a pick up truck with a roof, something reminiscent of Indinia Jones. A family of 4 Danes, Teresa, Michael and their teenage daughters Catherine and Isabella. A
Japanese guy called Dazoo. He spent the 3 days very quietly, hardly speaking and always in the same clothes. He only had a small shouler bag. 2 other girls, an Asiatic one and a girl from Texas but they were studying in Vancouver, where Julie lives and studies as well. They only did a 2 day trip so they left us the morning after the 1st night.
We stopped at a market, bought water, hats, fruits. The first day we walked up and down hills/mountains. The country reminded me of where I come from. If you replaced the rice fields by vineyards and possibly changed the trees, one could think it was the south of France.
We paused when we arrived at waterfalls, about 3, and a temple.
We reached the first village. Well it was 3 or 4 huts and a big one which was our dormitory. They were 2 people there, a girl selling nick nack and a guy. Plus our 2 guides, Bak and Bang. It was Christmas eve and definetly the most unusual one. We sang some Carols, although except the Danes who were a really happy family and knew few Dane songs, the
rest could only start songs but didn't know the lyrics. I tried to start a lot of conversations but it was a bit quiet, but for the Danes.
The guides were cooking our meal in one of the hut and as I suspected, drank a fair amount of happy water. We drank beer, as they always sell drinks for the tourists, in each places, however remote. The guides were getting happily drunk. The meal was quite good. More beer and laughs with the guides and went to bed at 21h30.
We should have planned the bedding a bit better as everybody was cold during the night. I had a blanket but it didn't cover the top, for cover and the bottom as a softener for the hard bed.
2nd day, we said good bye to the 2 girls, and went on to walk, first up a steep hill for about 1h. The rest of the day was more waterfalls and walking. I went into the water up to my knees. A bit too cold for me. The Danish girls went in every times we go to a pool. We passed villages, although typical, with pigs and dogs,
cats and chickens, they sell the same nick nack as everywhere else.
In the evening we arrived at the village where we were going to spend the night. It was situated in a nice valley surrounded by lush hills.
We had a good laugh at dinner when our guide, once more quite drunk, was asking to marry the youngest of the Danish girl. It was all in a good spirits. I manage to broke an agreement for 10 buffaloes, 3 pigs, 5 cows and some puppies. We had him to write it down as the morning after he may have forgotten.
The morning after was mainly unfortunately spent waiting around and after lunch we did some elephant riding and bamboo rafting.
Then back to Chiang Mai. Said good bye to everybody and went for a walk.I pass the place where the bar girl had given me the money so I gave it back to her. She put it into the tips. I had a beer there, played pool and later went with them to a night club/bar nearby.
In the morning I looked for a new hotel as mine didn't have a good shower, and
mosquitoes. Well it was 150 Bahts (£3), the price of a drink in a club. I walked around and found a good one. The white house. It has been a good choice. The staff is very friendly and happy.
The street it's in has many cookery schools. I was tempted to do a day course but a bit undecided. I also went for a shave as I didn't during the trekking. I thought I would experience a barber but ended up in a lady hairdresser. Although they assured me they did that many times I ended up doing it myself as, well, it was necessary...
Back at the hotel I caught up with emails and diary.
In the evening I met the bar girls who went to a night club with a live band. We (I) bought a bottle of whisky in a shop and went in. We ordered the soda water and ice. That's the way to do it here. The other interesting thing is that customers bring drinks to the band. I wondered how the lead singer's liver will cope overtime. It was one after the other. I decided to stop going out with those
girls because I ended up paying for everything and one of them was starting to get enamoured with me and it was getting uncomfortable. It is great to be with locals and discover things outside the tourist routine but can be costly.
28 December. Had a bit too much to drink last night so feel a bit cloudy. I went to pick up my laundry but the old lady told me to come back at 14h00. So I walked around and had lunch. I posted my mandate for the bank for direct debit for the credit card. I think I will spend another couple of days here and head for Pai.
In the evening I thought of going to the Riverside bar restaurant where I was supposed to meet Mathieu and Sophie few days earlier. On my way I went to the taylor that had been recommended. I looked at material and had to decide whether I wanted a wool cashmere silk business suit or a casual silk suit. I had dreamt of one day having a deep vibrant dark blue one. So many times I want something like that and when I have it it is never as exciting as the dream of having it. Business suit, well I am not sure I want to spend the amount of money I would have to spend on it here, even though it is top quality and includes shipping (£200). So after a lot of indecision I decided to leave for the time being and do my research.
In the street, I have already talked about animals here being quite happy, I have seen many dogs on mopeds but this one was worth a picture. The guy was riding his scooter and next to his head was that of a labrador type dog, sitting straight behind and with his paws on the shoulders of the rider.
I had a green curry in the night bazar and walked to the other side of river. On the side of the river, people where warming up lanterns, 3 feet high and about same width and letting them in the night sky. It was beautiful. They had a combustible kind of cake that made high flames that could be seen even when high in the sky. Quite a sight.
I walked back towards the hotel and stopped at a court near the hotel where they have many bars, not girl bars, or maybe they are low key. I went to one where they played reggae. The band was good. Couldn't quite make the girl who was singing with lots of energy. She looked Thai, rasta, and at the end thanked everyone and said good bye in Spanish.
Another band replaced them, good too, and they got most of the place dancing to Bob Marley's songs. Very good and pleasant.
29th December. Had breakfast, checked emails and the opinions on having a suit taylored in South East Asia. Spent quite some time looking at whether hiring a bike and going to the mountain 16km out of town. I had worked out an itinerary with the hotel keeper and that would mean living early for a bus tomorrow morning. I went to check the hiring place and as I needed to have my license I went for lunch before coming back. I met a German girl, Franzi, who is studying here as an exchange and knew lots of good place to go to. Time passed and I decided to postpone the bike trip for when I come back to Chiang Mai. If I had not paid the hotel I would have left but decided to go to another lively street and leave tomorrow early.
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laurie
non-member comment
tu ne t'ennuie pas !
coucou, je lis avec plaisir le récit de tes aventures en Thailande, et je vois que tu profites bien. la traduction est parfois approximative mais je comprends l'essentiel. raconte nous encore, on se régale ! bises laurie