The Palace

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My accommodation was booked by my country manager at Australian Volunteers International.

I was hoping for something semi-decent (after all it costs $US20 a night!), but hotels here are expensive, and I had foolishly had high hopes for expensive hotels in India (only to discover holey sheets, rat droppings, broken ceiling fans and dirty squat toilets...)

Anyway, turns out I'm not in India! (who knew??)

My hotel is a palace (not an actual 'palace', it is just very nice). My room is HUGE (think lounge room and kitchen of Edthel combined), with a double bed and a single bed (I could push them together and make a 'triple bed' if I wanted to!!!). I have a *TV* (a TV!!) with CABLE for gods sake. I have 80-something channels (it's hard to remember when you have so many!). In India I did not see a TV for months on end, just occasionally a tiny black and white one on the footpath with a crowd of men watching it. One very special day a friend in India hired a small TV from someone, and we watched a movie.

But now I have one in my room la la la. I also have an air-conditioner!! A fridge and freezer. A balcony. A clean western toilet WITH TOILET PAPER. Ornamental furniture. Mirrors. A power point! A bedside lamp (that works). A plant. An enormous painted vase that is taller than me. And HOT WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!

It all makes me rather uncomfortable, as I am not used to such a show.

But at the same time it makes me rather comfortable!

I put on the TV when I arrived, and EXCESS BAGGAGE was on, also known as THEWORSTMOVIEOFALLTIME. The next channel was 'Play School', dubbed in Vietnamese! VERY entertaining!! I've seen some other ABC shows on that channel - rather unexpected.

I had a hot shower last night :-)

I had pho for breakfast this morning. I chickened out and pointed to it on a menu... :-(

Oh well, there's another 364 mornings to practice ordering it right.

I have been for a little walk, but my hotel is in a narrow winding alley in the midst of many narrow winding alleys, and I am quite sure that it would be very easy to lose.

The people here are very open and friendly. I thought the Indian people were, but in hindsight in the beginning they just stared at me or groped me or tried to sell me stuff. People here smile at me (and try to sell me stuff), but that smile makes a big difference! (and no one has come within groping distance :-) ) I had a charming encounter with the 4-year-old son of a restaurant owner last night, who entertained me by playing with pieces of cardboard and my beer bottle for hours. Such a beautiful boy.

I love it here already!!!

Usually it takes me heaps longer than this to love a place, so it's an excellent sign. Normally I hate anywhere for 3 days, then I start to like it. Oh god I hope I don't just love it for 3 days, then loathe everything...

Beer is so cheap. That's all.

I am meeting my new friend Eddy tonight for a Sunday evening drink. I might go for a walk soon, and may even risk turning a corner, and see if I can find my way back again!!!

Hope all is well in Australia-Land. xo

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Comments

[FF]

Steady Eddie
when do we hear about Eddie and his tobacco papers and filters

[Possum]

I wish I had a sister who
told me about her travel blog....xxx

[Queen of Darts]

so do i . . .
lucky that MaPa can be relied upon to keep me up to date with the family news. :)