toddling round thailand

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So, we got here after a 3 hour journey on our yacht, sipping champagne and eating a fish buffet. Imagine our luck- like royalty and just for $9.50. Ah no only messing. We walked-boat-tuk-tuk-boat-walk-boat-taxi-bus-taxied it here. It took 3 days but it was fine. The boat was pleasant. We, of course, being the less conventional sorts we are decided to take Southeast Asia by the anticlockwise route. Obviously most people do the clockwise thing. We did it by accident but it worked really well. So, for this reason, we were sailing against the current. Thus, it was a few extra hours than the opposite route. About 8-9 hours for each of 2 boat voyages! But all was well, I was blissfully engrossed in good old dick Francis (Anne you would be proud and love this opportunity 4 yourself im sure) cover to cover, followed by Rudyard Kipling and then the life of pie. In the mean time the scenery was beautiful. There were hills, mountains, villages, locals panning for gold, fishing, swimming, bathing in the river, children playing, even a number of novice monks shedding their orange robes and dashing into the water (pic in gallery), buffalo, goats, sandy shores, huge rocks in our path and many more people passing on boats. So, plenty to keep you entertained. There were so many sandy areas, kinda strange on the side of a river. People live in all sorts of places, just a tarpaulin over 2 sticks and a rock, a make shift bed with, cloths hung on the rocks, the boat parked out front. Hard to envy this side of living, seems tough, all the kids playing in the water all day, not sure whether the remoteness and the sheltered way of life is good or bad. Laos was the land of innocent eyes and an ocean of smiles, maybe a result of their life style. Happy go lucky, like children at home, whatever happens to us then to make this fade away? Also, we came across quite a bit of burning, they burn the vegetation on the hills - the ash acting as fertiliser for next crop and also to clear land for planting and houses etc. we ate bread rolls and diarylea all the way on the first journey, the laughing cow was coming out my ears! Stayed over night in a wee village in Laos, nearly accosted as we got off the boat by guesthouse owners. Then next day - same same but different as the say here. More scenery, books and oodles of chocolate biscuits (Oreos), and parking ourselves on the lovely hard wooden pews, which would almost make sitting on a seat of 1000 needles bearable. But twas fine. We stayed overnight in border town and the following morning I dragged Chris to Thailand - finding it difficult to leave Laos you see. She is still longing for Laos now, for many reasons! The difference between the Laos and Thailand border towns was fairly extreme even though it was just a 5 minute boat ride across the water. But generally the buildings were all concrete - less wooden shacks - and lots of businesses for the locals - moped shops, shops for sinks, tiles, art - all the usual from home but not common place in Laos. There was certainly no rush on the guest houses here to get u in, money maybe not in such short supply. So off we went on our lavish bus (they provided a toilet-it flushed! - And water and biscuits! Imagine - incidentally the loo on the boat was quite testing on ones balance). I really like the countryside heading up north. Tall trees, long trunks with bunches of leaves at the top, lots of vegetation, along with soil changing colour form red to yellow to brown to black and grey. Houses with pretty gardens dotted about the place between the hills and forests, it looked a bit like id imagine Africa - because of the No.1 ladies detective agency books- but holy god!, better bus and all, they still cant use a bloody gear box. We were privileged to be able to watch Thai karaoke on video and some interestingly dubbed movie in Thai, while the bus jolted in time to the music (tragic stuff!). It was like a mild head banging session in our leather reclining seats every 10 minutes or so while we cruised at speeds of up to 15kmph up hill in 1st gear!
I like Chiang Mai, the trees and water fountains make the traffic bearable. What a bit of vegetation can do! We spoiled ourselves today. Chris got a vigorous massage while I did a whole facial thing! I know - not really what im accustomed to but the traffic and humidity have combined to make my poor skin yucky. So with a huff and a puff I got rubbed, steamed, scrubbed, massaged, poked and sucked with what I can only describe as a mini hoover, followed by more massage, some hefty tugging and manipulation of my arms, fingers and head, then covered in layers of cucumber I got another good prodding and off I went sparklingly clean and vacuumed!
I did, unfortunately, become a magnet for the mosies last night, while sensibly wearing a skirt, so, needless to say, I bear the uncharacteristically large red lumps indicating my irresistible nature and their resulting adoration of my white skin. What can I say? I knew id be famous one day but didn’t expect such an ugly reaction.
Totally spoiling myself here, mochas and brownies and chocolate ice cream to beat the band. They’ll be rolling me off the plane! Glad to say, smiling is also a hobby of the Thai people, still infectious in nature but maybe a little less in number. So we are off to Pai tomorrow I think, hill tribes and such to see, not sure about that, sound a little invasive and touristy but sure we’ll see. Then return here and possibly do a little white water rafting and who knows what else. forgotten loads of stuff, computer was sick yesterday and took a wee nap while i was in the flow of things so i abandoned it altogether and today, im a little lack lusture, all the same, said id give Chris's ears a break.
take care
toodles
gracie

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Comments

[garvey]

just your entry on the excellent elephants...my god i am so jealous...sounds amazing!thanks for puttin such effort into ur writing..its brill!