The Emerald Buddha is the most sacred religious relic of the Buddhists of Thailand. He has had a long and eventful history – spanning 600 years or more. Stolen by invaders, recovered through bloody wars, moved from temple to temple, city to city, he now resides in the beautiful Phra Kaeo “Wat” in Thailand. A Wat is a Buddhist temple. An aura of mystery surrounds the image, enhanced by the fact it cannot be examined closely. It sits in a glass cage, on a pedestal high above the heads of worshippers. The King had three royal robes made for it – to be worn in the hot, cool and rainy seasons. The King himself solemnly changes these robes at the beginning of each season.
The King of Thailand had his 70th birthday while we were in Bangkok. The celebrations included huge street parties and spectacular firework displays. One of the most interesting events was a public Thai boxing contest, held in the middle of a huge field with numerous excited spectators. Thai boxing is like a religion in Thailand – and what a vicious sport it is! Every part of the body is used as a weapon as the opponents kick, fist, knee and karate chop each other into pummelled wrecks while the frenzied crowd make loud grunts and groans at every blow. A few weeks later, we read in the newspaper that a South African fighter took the world title from the Thai champion.
We spent a wonderful day exploring the waterways of Bangkok and its surrounds on a boat cruise. Bangkok was once known as the Venice of the Orient – its river network was its main transport system and business hub with huge floating markets and millions of people living in wooden houses along the banks. Bangkok’s clogged and smoggy streets have since taken over – although you can still catch a river ferry to many destinations and the floating markets still in existence are a fascinating experience. One of the stops on our cruise was this building, part of the exquisite Summer Palace.
Another building in the Summer Palace. Other stops on our cruise were a handmade craft centre (Ally was in heaven) and a bird sanctuary, famous for its open billed storks that nest there in their countless thousands at this time of the year (I was in heaven!). There were so many storks in one place that you could hardly see the trees on which they had built their nests and the sky above swarmed with flying white bodies.
The gardens of the Summer Palace were as beautiful as its buildings. The lawns teemed with stationary wild animals, all lovingly sculpted from bushes. The elephants were our favourites.
From Bangkok we headed north, enraptured by the beautiful scenery along the way. Northern Thailand is clothed in hills of lush evergreen forest. The people here are the friendliest – in a nation renowned for its hospitality and warm Thai smiles. In fact, smiling is a national past time in Thailand – even in times of hardship. People also hardly ever lose their tempers here. Thai people, as part of their religion, believe strongly in the concept of “saving face”, that is avoiding confrontation and endeavouring not to embarrass themselves or other people.
Mae Hong Son is a quaint village in the North of Thailand. We visited an impressive sound and light show held on the banks of the town lake with their beautiful Wat as the centrepiece. Lots of fireworks, fire lanterns and dancing with the history of Mae Hong Son narrated in the background. We didn’t understand much though! Supposedly a bilingual presentation, there was ten minutes of non stop Thai for every sentence of English! Fun nevertheless!
Mae Hong Son is surrounded by some of the most beautiful mountains and forest scenery in Thailand. We organised a 3 day hike through the countryside and it was an unforgettable experience, although steep and challenging at times. In fact, on several occasions, I was reminded only too clearly of the “ups” and “downs” of the Otter Trail. On the first night of the hike, we slept in an isolated village inhabited by an indigenous mountain tribe who has lived the same way for centuries. Our cutlery, cups and plates were carved out of bamboo as we watched. Supper was tasty (albeit bony) squirrel (I kid you not!) freshly killed in the forest. Our second night was spent in a makeshift bamboo shelter deep in the jungle, next to a gorgeous waterfall – a refreshingly cool way to shower in the morning.
The mountain tribe village where we slept on our hike looked similar to this. Huts made of wood, perched on stilts to provide protection from running water during the monsoons. The different tribes all wear their own traditional dress and speak their own dialects. It was very special for us to share their culture for a little while.
In Mae Hong Son we hired a moped and drove up a steep winding mountain road to a remote village at the summit. We visited some beautiful waterfalls on the way and got to stand on the Thailand Burmese border with great views across the Burmese countryside. Mopeds are an exhilarating free way to travel – easy to drive and light on petrol. Great to feel the wind in your face.
Our next stop was Tham Lot, home to one of the biggest and most impressive caves in Asia. We hired a lantern wielding guide who took us through countless caverns while we oooh’d and aaah’d at the beautiful rock formations. Then we climbed into a rickety canoe and explored an underground river that flows through the cave. Every so often we had to duck bat droppings that plummeted from the roof. In the evening, hundreds of thousands of bats and swifts fly out of the cave on their hunts. The sky is black with them.
While at Tham Lot I suddenly came down with a high fever. When water blisters started to appear, we hurried to Chiang Mai, 8 hours away, for a diagnosis. I feared some rare, tropical malady, so great was my surprise at the verdict – chicken pox. We signed into a hotel and soon I was covered from head to foot in ugly (and exceedingly itchy) blotches that reached their zenith just before Christmas. I spent my days of recuperation (over a week) in a hotel room watching old movie re-runs on TV. Ally was wonderful as usual and we tried to make the best of the situation – but it wasn’t a very festive time for us.
After my recovery, we went on to Doi Inthunon National Park, once again using a moped to explore the park. The park is famous for its rich bird life and beautiful waterfalls. We reached one of the waterfalls after a stiff hike and were so hot we stripped off and had a skinny dip – one at a time, while the others stood guard for other hikers.
Our next stop was the elephant-training centre in Lampang – one of the highlights of our trip so far. This is the only centre of its kind in the world. First we got to coo over the cutest little baby elephant you could imagine. It looked like a wizened little old man with big bags of loose skin that it had to grow into – just like a puppy grows into its paws. We fed it bananas, which we had to peel, because its baby trunk wasn’t yet co-ordinated enough to do the job.
Next, we enjoyed an elephant show. They pulled, pushed and piled logs for us in the age old tradition of “elephant logging”, as well as more personal tasks like bowing and putting hats on heads. Each elephant has its own trainer – a mahout – who becomes the elephant’s soul mate. Mahouts spend much of their day perched on their elephant. The spectators feed the performers bananas and sugar cane and when the elephant is full, he passes the surplus food in his trunk to the mahout for later.
Elizabeth Barret Browning once said that “Earth is crammed with heaven” and after visiting Bulon Lae, I would have to agree with her. Gorgeous beaches, coral reefs teeming with multi-coloured life, forests to explore, rustic huts to sleep in and delicious Thai food to enjoy. Whenever it got hot at night, we’d take our sleeping bags into the forest or onto the beach and sleep under the stars. We lived like kings – and all for under R20 per person per day. Definitely a potential spot for a honeymoon.
We played lots and lots of scrabble on the island – courtesy of one of the restaurants – and are both now hooked on the game. Can’t wait to take you all on when we get back! The island had its challenges – kamikaze mosquitoes dive bombing for blood at dark, microscopic jellyfish that delighted in sharing their microscopic stings with us as we swam and giant lizards in the forest. However, a small price to pay for paradise. We phoned Julian on the day of his wedding and proceeded to get very homesick indeed. Ally and I proposed a special toast as the wedding began and imagined all the goings on in our minds.
Letter dated 17th January 1998
Hi there everyone.
Time is flying faster than ever. 1998 has arrived and there are only two months till I see you all again. I can’t wait. Ally and I have become very homesick and we’re really looking forward to coming home.
It all got particularly acute yesterday – the day of Julian’s wedding – knowing that we were missing all the special festivities. I phoned Julian yesterday (7:30am his time) to give him our love and wish him all the best. He sounded very excited indeed. He was awake at the crack of dawn with extensive lists of “to do’s” that Juliet had drawn up for him. She is always so wonde4rfully organised. I hope that the wedding went well and that everyone had a great time. The wedding started at 10pm our time, so Ally and I drank a toast and played through all the proceedings in our imaginations. Julian has promised us that the first weekend we get back, we’ll be treated with a viewing of the video.
Ally and I have just spent 20 days relaxing on the islands along the south coast of Thailand. We’ve been living a very rustic lifestyle, camping in forests and on the beaches, spending our days snorkelling on the coral reefs (the water he is a perfect temperature), reading, sleeping, eating at cute little make-shift beach restaurants and playing copious amounts of scrabble – courtesy of one of the restaurants. I must warn you – we’re getting very good, so we’ll have to have a big challenge match when we get back.
The one big challenge on the islands has been to avoid the marauding “wildlife” – bloodsucking mozzies the size of blue bottle flies, that seem to delight in biting you through your long cotton trousers with their hugely endowed needle –like proboscis – and microscopic jellyfish in the water that sting you as if from nowhere while you’re snorkelling – not to mention ginormous kimono lizards, the size of baby crocodiles, that stalk stealthily through the jungle in search of prey. Ironically, the lizards are the harmless ones – they don’t eat humans, thank heavens – although they can cause death by heart attack. There’s nothing more terrifying than walking through the forest, minding your own business, and disturbing one by mistake. They charge off into the undergrowth like rockets, in a flood of leaves and grass – making a hell of a racket.
On one day we went on a fantastic boat trip with some of the people we met on the island. The boat took us to all the prime snorkelling spots in the area. Snorkelling in coral is like exploring a mystical foreign world. Multi-coloured corals, shaped like body parts – long Dracula fingers and Einstein proportioned brains – and beautiful fish wherever you look. I’m totally hooked. In retrospect, we should have done a diving course. With the falling baht, it is one third of the price anywhere else in the world, but we ran out of time. At the moment, Thailand is cheap beyond belief – cheaper even than India. Accommodation hardly ever costs more than R5 per person per night – and you can buy a delicious plate of chicken and cashew nuts or seafood and veggies for just over that. Indonesia will be even cheaper – although we’re a little concerned that they’re frantically buying up all the food in the shops out of fear of rampant inflation. It’s been terrible to see how these once proud and strong countries have fallen so fast and hard. We’re keeping our eyes on the news to make sure thing’s don’t get too disruptive in Indonesia. We have got our air tickets into Jakarta but we can get a refund if we have to.
I hope you like the postcards – our experiences in Thailand have been wonderful. It’s such an easy country to travel in (worlds apart from India). The people are always full of friendly smiles, even in this time of hardship for them. Buses are wonderfully comfortable – the VIP’s have seats like aeroplanes and enough legroom to make even a Ross Haput happy. We’ve been kept busy with all our sights and experiences. Highlights for us were our hike through the jungle of Mae Hong Son, our exhilarating moped exploration of Doi Ithanon National Park and the cutest baby elephants you’ve seen at the elephant camp near Chiang Mai.
Low lights were my chicken pox and gloomy looks at South Africa’s share prices on the Internet. Sometimes having worldwide information at your fingertips is a distinct disadvantage! All the details of our Thailand trip are in the postcards and Ally’s enclosed letter. As usual, Ally has been keeping a journal – and it’s a real cracker, full of spicy info and pictures. This time, she has written her journal in a special book of homemade paper that we bought in India. It’s beautiful except that cockroaches Ate part of it in our hut (I kid you not) – so there’s a bit of restoration work to be done when we get home. Ally and I are back in Bangkok for a few days – reeling from the humidity – so we’re off in search of a swimming pool somewhere. We’ve both become exercise-aholics.
I hope you are all well. It was great to talk to everyone at Christmas although frustrating because it was so short. I can’t begin to tell you how much I’m looking forward to seeing you all in two month’s time.
Ciao for now.
Graeme
Letter from Ally
Dear Jill, Jo, Antony, Tony & Dorothy,
Christmas Eve arrived so quickly, I am sure it arrives quicker every year. It seems like only yesterday I was handing out presents to the family under the lavishly decorated Burger Christmas tree. Yet I have a whole year’s worth of wonderful memories. This time of year always brings out the philosopher in me. The goodwill of the season never fails to warm my heart. In Thailand there was very little of the commercial lead up we are used to in western society – so on Christmas morning I was very surprised to be greeted with a hearty “Merry Christmas” at the hotel reception.
On Christmas Day, Graeme & I went to see the Titanic and loved every moment. Later we watched Larry King interview the director who was immensely proud of his work. The only thing that mattered to him was that the experts on the shipwrecked Titanic loved his movie. He was an artist who took such pride in his work. It’s a movie Graeme and I would love to see again.
To celebrate Christmas Day, we had a Baskin Robbins ice-cream. The most delicious flavours, mocco coffee, praline and chocolate cream decorated with a generous sprinkling of almonds. A little bit of heaven in a cardboard cup.
Leaving Christmas and Chiang Mai behind, we made our way to Doi Ithanon Park. Here I discovered I could indeed drive a moped. Graeme showed me how and exhilaration rushed through me when I eased the moped into a smooth take-off. I had no problems except for the speed.
I can see the tarmac rushing underneath me and it reminds me of my bicycle. One day I was going very fast down a hill, feeling proud, then I hit a pipe, skidded and came to a slow stop on the grass pavement. Nothing hurt, except my pride.
Our next stop was at Lumpang to visit the elephant training centre. Graeme has a quote “when you love a place and leave, a piece of your heart remains behind”. I left a huge piece of my heart behind with those big friendly giants. They are kept at this centre to be trained win the now illegal art of logging. We watched the elephants perform a show then they wish to be rewarded afterwards. So they all lined up with their trunks outstretched waiting for their delicious munchies. A little disconcerting to be standing directly in front of 30 tonnes of bulking muscle. But they were as gentle as baby kittens. I took a bunch of bananas and went to feed them. They take banana so gently from your hand. Their huge trunk tip wrapping itself around the banana without you feeling it.
In many ways, the way the elephants ate reminded me of small children. With a mouth completely full, they would still reach out for more. These were either passed up to the mahout or dropped on the floor to reach for more. A special treat is the sugar cane, for some reason the mahouts don’t allow them to eat it right away. When the elephant is given the sugar cane it dutifully hands it up to the mahout. When he thinks the mahout isn’t looking, he gets a twinkle in his eye and tries to sneak it into his mouth. The mahout always notices, however, and gives the elephant a sharp rap on the forehead, whereupon the trunk would come up with the sugar cane. You could almost see the elephant thinking “darn, foiled again, better luck next time!” All I wanted to do was give them a big hug which I somehow don’t think they would appreciate.
The biggest piece of my heart was left with the little baby of only 7 months. He looked like a wizened old man with all his loose skin crinkling in his forehead. I had saved a banana for him and its thin tiny trunk reached out to take it. Like any newborn, it took a few hits and misses before the banana made it into its mouth. I fell instantly in love. I wanted to bring him home with me but I don’t think the S.A. authorities would be pleased, to say nothing of Graeme!
I was very sad to leave but onward we must march. To make leaving easier we went to a Thai massage. A highly sought after method of relaxation. What the book failed to tell us is it’s more like Thai torture. They take every muscle in your body and stretch it until you think they will surely break. To our surprise, we weren’t a bit sore or stiff afterwards. Only completely relaxed and loose.
On New Year’s Eve we found ourselves in Bangkok. Usually we spend it on the beach in Palmiet celebrating and toasting another year together. So we were a bit at a loss not having our beloved beach to celebrate on. In fitting with our Christmas partying we went to see Seven Years in Tibet. It brought out two desires in me. Firstly, to visit Tibet and explore some of its hidden mysteries and secondly, to find out Brad Pitt’s beauty secret to looking so good after being lost in the Tibetan mountains for 3 years! It would put every cosmetic house out of business. After the movie we again found ourselves at a loss. What does one do in a city with 80% humidity and stays at 35ºC night or day? Of course, one sits at a café table on the pavement and observes the nightlife. One moment we were gratefully sipping our cold Carlsberg, the next we were trying to stop ourselves from cracking up laughing. Next to our café was a transvestite club and everybody had dressed in their best drag to see in 1998 with style. They strutted their garter belts, flicked their blond wigs and batted their outrageously long eyelashes at anybody who cared to look. One couldn’t help but respect and admire their total pride and enjoyment of who they were.
As planned, we headed down south to find a tropical island to relax and recover. Graeme is slowly but surely recovering from the chicken pox. We are now waiting for the scars to fade. Our island is very basic with a beach, lots of coral and plenty of coconut palms. Not a hotel in sight, only bungalows. We quickly settled into a pattern of sleeping, reading, swimming, eating and sleeping under the stars. About the most stressful activity was a walk on the beach. I tell you, it’s stressful dodging the rocks and scampering crabs!
I hope you are all well and that 1998 is treating you kindly. I have booked my ticket back for 3rd May. I thought I could save some extra pounds for a car. Graeme can’t wait to see you all again.
All my love
Ally
Letter dated 18 January 1998
Hot and humid greetings from Bankgok
It was wonderful to receive your messages today and hear all the news. Ally and I have been living on a tiny, rustic island in the middle of the pacific – so have been somewhat isolated from the rest of the world. It is nice to be back in civilisation although the humidity of Bangkok is a killer so I keep fantasising about a nice cool dip the ocean.
Sorry that communice from us has been somewhat scarce. When I had chicken pox, I wasn’t in a condition to do anything and then we went straight to the island. You’ll be glad to hear there is a big batch of letters and postcards on the way (posted yesterday) as well as Ally’s journal. She has done a cracker of a job, as always, so it’s full of spicy details and illustrations.
My chicken pox is a thing of the past, thank god, although it was one of the most unpleasant experiences of my life. A sweltering fever, followed by strange watery blisters that made me think I had some strange tropical malady (it was actually a relief when the Chiang Mae doctor gave me the diagnosis). Then the most awful itching you could imagine. Not being able to scratch was hell – the only relief was standing under a cool shower. Unfortunately, the only two casualties were two pocks on my nose that got broken by contact with the pillow. They have left rather nasty scars which hopefully will fade – I’m holding fingers. I’ve also heard some horror stories about adults and chicken pox, so I guess I was lucky.
It was great to hear Julian’s voice on the phone. He sounded very excited. I am glad the wedding went well – thinking about it made us unbelievably homesick. Ally and I are both looking forward to coming home to see you all, although the “Old Mutual” bit is somewhat less enticing!
Mum, the idea of a holiday house sounds great! It sounds like you had a great time over the New Year – give my love to Liz, Judy, Wendy and Barbara. How is Sarah settling back in Cape Town? The best way to send a message is simply to type it into the Email “compose” page. Safer than sending an attached word document!
Jo, I’m sorry that things are so stressful at the moment. You must do what your heart tells you. It would be a real pity if you left now – being so near to the end. You’ve come so far and achieved so much! Hang in there if you can. I send lots of love and hugs.
Your house sounds absolutely exquisite, I can’t wait to see it. It will be fun popping down the road for a game of volleyball and a refreshing swim. It must be so convenient for Antony working in town. I’m glad his bridge was a success. I can’t wait to give it my own test – do a bit of jumping up and down on it, I think!
Gramps, I hope your chicken pox is feeling better on his new pills. My thoughts are with you and Gran. I cannot wait to see you. It’s just over two months. I can’t believe how time is flying by.
Ally and I are off to Indonesia soon, flying into Jakarta. Things are a little hectic at the moment, so we are keeping our eyes on the news. Jakarta has email so we’ll be able to touch sides again then.
All my love to you all
Graeme
Letter dated 23 January 1998
Hi There
Just a quick note before we catch our flight tonight.
Ally and I have had a rather sudden change in plan. We’ve been hearing horror stories from Indonesia – what with the army on standby, rioting in the streets and no food in the shops.
We’ve decided to cut out that part of our journey and go back to London instead where Ally can earn some money for a car and I can get a taste of London working and hardcore winter living. Should be an experience with a difference!
Please let me know if you receive this message. I want to phone Gran on her birthday. Does anyone know the best place and time to contact her on the 26th?
All our love to you. Keeping in touch should be easy in London!
Ciao for now
My Travel Notes
Bangkok
- Wed 3: Catch plane to Bangkok. Hot and humid - and amazingly touristic. Bars and western movies and thumping music. Follow a friendly Dutch couple to a hotel. Cupboard room but cheap. Eat cashew nut chicken for dinner.
- Thurs 4: Visit the Grand Palace. Amazing attention to detail and beautifully kept. The Emerald Buddha was the hghlight - closed in a glass shrine high above - and clothed by the king at the beginning of each season.
- Lots of indecision as to our itinery. Vietnam and Laos or Indonesia. I haven't read up sufficiently. Nice supper with Dutch couple.
- Eventually decide to fly to Jakarta ( Indonesia) return. Expensive but relatively safe and flexible. Still hounded, though, that I made wrong decision too hastily.
- King's 70 birthday. Big party with fireworks and Thai boxing. Uughs from the crowd. Vicious stuff. There were horrible fried bugs to eat - pupas and huge cockroach like beetles.
- Sat 6: Walk to Vimanmek Teak Mansion, once the residence of the king. It is much further than it seems and I get very irritated in the heat with Ally leading the way. Oh to just go with the flow. Beautiful gardens, we get there too late to see get into the mansion.
Then catch a Tuk Tuk to Siam Square to watch a movie "The Peace Makers" with George Clooney and Nicole Kidman. Brilliant movie. Delicious ice cream. Rat runs around in cinema, chap lifts legs onto seat. We all stand for National Anthem. - Sun 7: Boat cruise along waterways of Bangkok to Summer Palace, Craft Center and Open billed stork reserve. Thousands of storks nesting over a wat. Sit at vibrating back of ship.
- Mon 8: Day of admin. Post our letters. Write to mum. Book bus to Mae Sot (ripped off a bit) Try to phone mum - not there. Email (work got through, reply from Tanya). Breaks down but I manage to find a way through. There always is if you think about it!
Catch night bus to Mae Sot.
Mae Sot
- Tues 9: Cycle chap takes us to wooden hotel with romantic mosquito net. Wake up late. Catch songthaew (modified bakkie) to border market. Look for Jade Buddhas and buy cheap cashew nuts. Buy matching Nike hats. Back to town for divine spicy garlic fish.
- Lessons from Buddhism: I met a Dutch guy who is interested in meditation. Here were some of his insights (I was amazed how similar it is to the insights I have been cultivating): two types of meditation: concentration meditation (focus) verse wisdom (let go)
elephant analogy : king (wisdom), driver (concentration), synthesis (senses, motion), nirvana=destination attachment (needing) gets in way of nirvana (boundaries go away, one with universe, free of frustrations) - no right or wrong - just truth (what is good for you) and affirms your life (and others?)
all our reactions come from within - anger at someone says something about me, not you.
Mae Sariang
- Wed 10: Catch songhaew to Mae Sariang - a 6 hour journey through great forest and hilly scenery. Locals keep hopping on and off. Two wonderful (and delicious) Dutch girls. Stay at Riverside Hotel where no-one speaks English. Tranquil setting on the river. Rampant mosquitos. I am feeling a little icky.
- Insight: Backpacking is an excellent analogy for life. Travel light. Explore. Go off the beaten track. Do it yourself. Enjoy the journey, not the destination. Stop and savour it - do not hurtle through. Often, its better to savour less than dart everywhere. Connect with people. See other ways and cultures and ideas. Planning and knowledge helps - but can be overdone. Importance of flexibility, spontaneously going with an oportunity if it arises. Choices and decisions lead me on my paths. Sometimes taking the "wrong road" leads to the best experiences.
- Thurs 11: Quiet day relaxing. Read Exodus (great book). Go eat at good restaurant (battered frogs with claws). Try to telephone home - but get answering machine.
Mae Hong Song and the Jungle Hike - Fri 12: Catch bus to Mae Hong Song. Farewell to Dutch girls.
- To guesthouse for trekking. Meet Canadian couple. (director of Sinbad in Cape Town.) We hear all the skinner from Cape Town and about Winnie. Rugby going fantastically - three cheers for Nick Mallet!!! They found mass graves - not so great. The four of us sign up for a three day trek. Try to phone home again without success. Go to a light and sound show on lake with fire lanterns floating high into the sky.
- Insight Think of knowledge as a form of exploring - to allow me to better understand and appreciate this amazing world I live in. The same with creative thinking - it gives me new insights, opens up new possibilities and choices.
- Sat 13: First day of hike. Steep hill climbing through rain and bamboo forests. Linda and Terry very sweet - talk about Cape Town all time. He is director for TV production "Sinbad" She is cute, thin pixie talkalot (especially about health matters!) Scrap all the time in a jovial way. Everyone exhausted except me. Reach Karen village - stay in local hut. Buffalos, hogs and dogs. Visit Mahu village. Kids and binoculars - standing in rows for their turn. Back to first village to sleep. Christian family with Xmas tree. Carols in Thai. We sing but cannot remember. Shower in river in dark. My mind raced while we hiked but I am feeling good.
- I have an amazing spiritual time in forest clearing by moonlight
- Sun 14: Wake up to find my binoculars gone. Manage to keep relatively calm - act on what I can - the blade is sharpened in the hottest flame. Local lady finds it. Eat squirrel for breakfast. Hike down steep ravine to our jungle camp. Wash in river. I find my wallet is gone and go to find it. Get lost - scary. La, the guide, goes looking too. Walk to waterfall - with pocket behind falling water. La makes all utensils out of bamboo. Sticky rice. Boil water. Delicious chicken and sauce. Hard bed under banana leaves.
Thinking about work a lot and systems for keeping organised. I think it would be good to have a hard covered note book to make notes - to compliment my Psion. Excited about it.
Breakthrough in switching off my racing mind with numbers - 1, 2, 4, 5, 7. Very effective indeed. - Mon 15: A hard night. Morning shower in waterfall. Most scenic part of hike - big forests with spiritual light. Walk along large river. Ally worse for wear - sore leg but takes it like a pro. I do not support her unfortunately - she is hurt. La is off today - quiet and melancholy in a hurry. But a great hike.
- Catch bakkie back to guesthouse. We visit La's restaurant "The Sunflower" to meet La's wife, Fiona. Sad - she is a special person (Australian) and fantastic cook (Lasagne!) and pregnant but La does not seem happy with his life with her. She must be very lonely. But she is following her own path. We all do. I compliment her on her wonderful food and say good things about the hike to others.
- Tues 16: Hire mopeds and ride to Chineese village (Mae Aw) up steep slopes. Exilerating freedom and scenery. Gaze onto Burmese side of border - close mishap on way down. But I really got hang of bike with Ally on back - opened up exciting world for us in cheap countries.
- Say goodbye to Linde and Terri at top of mountain - sad. Then visit Fish cave in a spiritual forest. I am feeling weak (malaria tablets or malaria) I should have been taking two paludrines! Fish eat cabbage and eggs - sacred because killed Japanese in 2nd world war.
Supper at Sunflower again - feel good because complimented Fiona on her cooking and raved about hike to potential recruits. Phoned mum. Jo has bought a house in Camps Bay (she seems to be making all the right decisions! Maybe I should start copying her!)
Wed 17: Catch bus to Sappong, then bikes (bags and all). Puncture. Collapse into bed. Wooden huts in great setting. Meet Dutch girls again with two nice German guys. Feeling real bad with fever. - Thurs 18: Explore Tham Lot cave. Wooden coffins. Raft along underground river. Belgium couple comes with us. Mix up with money. Both Pascal and I are irritated but do not make issue of it.
- Conflict between self esteem and blue blade? Effortless assertiveness. Always seek first to understand. Think win win. Never lose your temper or be abrupt. Do not persist if stakes are low. With time, I realise I was right to be assertive with Oliver.
We arrive back and decide to postpone Chiang Mae for next day. I collapse again and come out in watery blisters. Remain positive.
Chiang Mai
- Fri 19 - Wed 24: Bus to Chiang Mai. Diagnosed with chicken pox. Stay in hotel with TV and pool. Itchy and feverish hell. Body covered in water blisters. Nose has huge scabs. Showers to reduce itch. Soat throat. Watch endless TV movies. (Cocktail, Dressed for Success, Sudden Death, Appollo 13, Peggy Sue Got Married, Le Bamba, Naked Bomb, Jermanji, Sabrina)
- Go to cinema (The Jackal - brilliant with Richard Gere and Bruce Willis - then Scream)
In future, I will try to become involved in something (eg my quotes or mission.) I feel tiny ups when I have done these. The best way to focus my mind off the stinging nettles onto the path is to enthusiastically get involved in some aspect of walking - good for confidence and my sense of well being. - Visit local zoo - sad bears in cage, leopards,buck. Huge avery. Strange bird watching experience.
- Thurs 25: Xmas day. Eat at The Gate, a brilliant retaurant. Watch Titanic - great movie. Phone home and speak to family, including Julian. At nightmarket, I buy a note book.
Doi Inthanon National Park
- Fri 26: Catch bus to bordering town after lunch at the Gate. I work on "a Vision of Power and Glory." Soon I will have summarised the whole book.
- Sat 27: Wake late and am ready to phone Syfrets when I realise it is Saturday. Reprieve. Hire a moped and ride through park, stopping at waterfalls. Skinny dip - take turns to watch. Stop at shady camp site. Steep road up into the mountains. Teach Ally to ride - she is overjoyed. Rickety look-out post. Top speeds on trip back. Suspect supper of pork - arrives raw.
Lampang
- Mon 28: Wake up feeling feverish with runny tummy. Is this going to end? Is there something seriously wrong with me? I take Ally, our two packs and two bags, to town on the bike. We get several admiring stares. Catch bus to Chiang Mai, then Lampang. I sleep rest of day away, feeling sick again.
- Tues 29: More sleep. Ally goes to see Elephant camp. Returns beaming. Eat at Riverside restaurant. Phone Rayburn. Decide to sell some funds.
- Wedn 30: Off to elephant camp. Baby elephant must have bananas peeled. Mahouts for life. Bow. Put on hat. Pull logs, pass logs tusk to tusk. Pass food up to Mahout. Like kids, try to sneak food when not looking - rap on head.
- Thai massage. Torture. I am tight, so she took me on as a special challenge to see how far my limbs would stretch. Strong mamma. Cackles of delight at my groans. Felt great after with no ill effects.
- Go to movie - Brad Pitt in Seven Years in Tibet. Then to Pat Pong red light ditrict. Gay and transvestite bar. Go to sex show. What pussy can do. Razer blades, smoke cigar, write, shoot darts at balloons, flowers on a string, blow horn and whistle. Couple have sex. Strange!
Ko Bulane
- Catch VIP bus through the night down south.
- Live in wooden huts. Mossie war. Mossie net. Big lizard with flickering tongue. Lizards on light beams chasing miggies. Cockroaches eat Ally's journal. Little crabs run fast on beach. Huge mossies bite through trousers.
- Food glore. Sea food on hot plate. King Prawns. Pea nut crackle. Attempts at coconut, trying to knock off tree. Sit at supper, huge thud and fall out of tree. Delicious milk.
Lazy days. Late get ups. Lots of reading. Silence of the Lambs. The Devil's Alternative. Show of Evil - sequel to Primal Fear by William Diehl. Swimming. Go on boat trip for snorkeling. Get stung by little jellyfish. Croon with lobster to hysterics of all. Sit in open restaurant area - lights plunge off at night. Sandy beaches and delicious warm water. Too lazy to explore island. - Ally and I comfortable together. We are good at doing our own thing. Other people a bit clicky. we meet friendly SA guy and his British wife. Share birthday supper. Braai. They get loaded on whisky.
- Ally and I start to sleep outside. Fantastic sunset in morning, moonlight skinny dips and aeroplane. Sense of freedom and peace in forest as light shines through. My spiritual life is rekindled. One amazing session on beach
- Ally and I have done some sharing. Quotes and what they mean. Noun game. Thinking about ideas. I share my path with Ally to give her insight.
- I edit all my jokes and quotes. Categorise my quotes.
- I have been doing thinking in my book. Writing and mindmapping is powerful - a refound tool. I streamlined my quotes and jokes. Read "A wack on the side of the Head" and summarised it and the think cards into a PSION system. Fun and hopfully will be useful.
- Ally and I playing scrabble.
- I have a desperate need to let things go. Let them go in the midst of excitement so that I can lead a balanced life. I have been very graspy in my reading, thinking etc - to escape financial worries and because I enjoyed it. I know I must restrict my concentration times with the alarm - but it is dificult to implement.
- I phone Julian on his wedding, early in morning. Feeling homesick - great to hear his voice.
- 18 / 1 Leave island. Ice cream in town. Night jounrney back to Bangkok.
Bangkok
- 19-22/1 Waiting for our flight to Indonesia. Watch Devil's Advocate, Starship Troopers, Nothing to Lose, The Big Night . Brilliant movie about two brothers running a restaurant.
- Shop at The World Trade Center - buy dark glasses, nearly a brief case, CDs. Computer Shopping center the size of Tygervalley. Attempted swim at Amari Hotel. Tuk Tuks become very demanding. Emails to family and Mike. Stay in EMail hotel in hot cupboard room. Buffet lunch at WTC.
- Ally been dieting and eating healthy - very impressed by her discipline.
- 23/1 Indonesia is looking bad. Riots and no food. Decide to return to London and try to find work.
- Cancel our tickets and bring forward Aerovlot. Lots of shopping. Ally is 7th heaven with all her purchases. I buy her dark glasses for her birthday.
- 24/1 Fly to London
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