Respect and no fakes!


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Asia » Thailand » North-West Thailand » Chiang Mai
July 5th 2010
Published: July 5th 2010
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Respect and no fakes

Coulndt wait to arrive at the gaps house, where I stayed before and see again that gardens and ambience. When I looked up, saw the sign that gets full with lizards at night times and the memories of last time came up. I would live to enter and see again the Dutch mates waiting with a beer. But they weren't. The courtyard was empty but the old Chinese owner, Eddie, was sitting in the same place with the same shirt and the dog on his feet. Eddie is very friendly and tried to be a good mate- so he shouts at tourists and try to emitate the laud and funny style of an american, but with this very short and clear sentences, his Chinese accent and moustache. Eddie just said very mechanic: hello my friend? Want a room? Have you been here before? How are you today, how are you?
I just replied a shy yes and he shoted again: I have the number five go and take a look. Is still the same price and the same breakfast. And he laughs with an doing that he always reproduce at the end of the sentences. A kind of yes, but that a a very gutural mmhm.
I checked the room and nervously picked my backpack and just falled on the bed with the airco and the fans on, enjoying the imaculate bungalow decoration in an old Thai style, but above all the garden from the 3 big windows and the always charmant white klamboo. Wished to be with company...
Somebody disturbed my thoughts with a strong knocking. - Motorbike Kaa!, dizia em alvoroso. It was my broomer that had just arrived.
The unavoidable sensation of Deja vu invaded me. But as soon as I jumped on it and start to drive, it felt completly diferent. The first time was full of anxiety because of the crazy traffic and i was afraid if bumps and accidents. This time I was really enjoying it and very laid back. Then I realized how funny it is to come back to same places after some time. It is always a revealing of what changed on oneself without being noticed.

 I reach the old fort of chiang Mai road and start to increase speed. That was the moment I realized that this chaotic and aparently messy traffic was very ruled and the drivers were very causious on the manouvers. Partly because the danger with so many motobikes around, but also for their own safety. I screamed yay! And saw everybody looking at me. Felt a bit ashamed and just start to drive as quick as I could. 

When I was already entering the highway, and while being shadowed by the doi suthep Montains, I could come back to the thought that make that sound. It was because Just once more in the world is proven that no rules always work better because people feel in charge and free. And then there is no excuse or the rhetorical sentence: I was following the rules, so it is not my fault or responsibility. 
Very sarcastically, a radio spot crossed my mind: every year innocent people die on the road. Don't be the next innocente... Start to be responsible without pretending innocence and you will stay alive!
And there I was in the middle of more then 50 motorbikes, some with 3 and 4 people on it, some with the whole family. Surrounded by pick ups and other cars. Nobody would complain or shout. Maybe because nobody had rules to say who is right. On The other side there were no Calvinists on the road, they didn't pretend to be polite not to feel guilty and there were no Catholics to protest not to get ashamed. They are budhists, they avoid conflict and acept that everybody wants to arrive quick and go forward. And that's ok like that. And if somebody just went inbrtween, good for him!
So I could feel saver then never and confident driving with them. I knew the rules. No fake politness, no pretending. Just respecting and drive save!
This time the laughs were inside, once because I just remember that 2 Thais fit in my place and that last Saturday in Bangkok, I got lost in a ghetto and asked a motorbike to bring me back to the main road for 50 cents. That is usually 3 times more then a Thai pay. His join was because he never meets turists that pay so well. Once we started, we start to drive very quick in between and like a rocked tried to deliver me on time... In between he would look back and smile say in a very funny expressive way: you big boy, hihihih!! Real big boy! 
That guy never had. Bug western on his bike... For sure. The old motorbike was having it hard to be so flexible like he does with the Thais. And on the other side I was laughing of myself in the midle of those regional road going don't know where in the midle of this very small and tinny people and just about to go into a monastery for a long period without talking in deep meditation.

I would love to write about what happened this morning and published some nice pictures but font have time. Have to arrive soon at Doi Suthep monastery to start the foundtion course of silent meditation vipassana. Let's see if I can do it till the end.

Updates only when I back to this world again. I wonthave time to review this text. Sorry for typos and mistakes in advance!! 

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