Observations

I have done little other than get familiar with the immediate area around the hostel the last few days.  (There lots of ‘real stuff’ around this area: dogs being fed rice, geckos everywhere, young professional females sitting sideways on the back of motorbikes, food offerings jabbed with incense outside houses, monk riding river boats, bird cages lining the alleys, dirt). It has been nice though not doing too much. Includes getting familiar with the street vendors and the beauty therapy. Thai massages, noodle soup and so on. One lesson learnt is don’t get only half an hour of Thai massage. It just doesn’t cut it! I am still finding my feet with bargaining. But don’t take the first price on the street now. Which is progress. I got 30 baht off a bag and 50 of a bikini today. 

It has been a lot warmer than the last couple of days. Still nice though. Apart from at nights in the dorm (possibly contributing to me to hardly sleeping). 

In the complete opposite to South America it is easy to find bra’s to fit and replace those lost of had it. I think I might have to have a big shop before I come home. Sometimes it is the little things.

I have really started to notice that every single male traveller smokes. I am sitting by the river at the hostel (there are not many rooms here) and every guy (7 of them) are all smoking. It is rather disgusting. I mean, I did notice before. But I am still a little surprised that it is everywhere. Just because it is cheap doesn’t mean you should do it. Strange to take up smoking while travelling (as many traveller don’t smoke ‘normally’).

I properly MET my first lady boy today (rather  than saw etc). She came to the hostel as she from Chiengmai  and is a friend of Boy (the 20 year old gay boy who pretty much runs this place (when he isn’t beautifying himself)).  She came in and introduced herself as a famous Chiengmai ladyboy. Made me laugh.

Yesterday I had my first Thai whiskey; Wong Thong (cracks me up). Was strong, but could be a whole heap worse. 

I have also started adjusting to the cold showers. Enough to wash my hair even! Still not a lot of fun in the mornings. But I can cope without wanting to run and stay dirty. Showers appear to be one of the hardest things for me to get used to. Such a girl. 

I have been trying to write more seen as though I can’t take photos yet. Just need to ask where to go to get one and be organised early enough to go (I have been so lazy).

I brought some moisturiser today, once I could weed through the ‘skin whitening’ ones. I knew they existed but it was weird to see them. I spoke with boy about them when I got back to the hostel. He told me how much he likes white skin (even though he is pretty tan). But also how bad he knew it was to use the moisturiser and he would only used it before important photos. I think they have bleach in them...

A super lame attempt at photographing the sunset

The sunset was beautiful tonight. The sun was huge and red and the sky looked amazing over the river. One of the nicer sunsets I have seen. That was until it was it almost set and you could see the smog of the city.