Had a fabulous train ride out here, while waiting at Phra Athit pier I meet a couple Vicky and Yetu who were also heading to Thonburi for the Kanchan train, and have been offered my first teaching english job (even before getting the qualification) teaching in a Karen refugee camp on the Thai/Burma border, i suspect the position would be voluntary but it sure sounds interesting and costs would be low if they existed at all.
The train ride was packed, free travel for Thai's because it was New Years eve but foreigners paid extra, imagine if London underground or Sydney city rail attempted this. Fellow Sardines were very generous with their lunch though which was a great compensation, although what the hell those semi-fermented tasting fruit were i will never know, (I was just eating the damn thing to be polite). Went for a little stroll when i got here which turned into a huge walk, I remember the bridge being a whole lot closer to the Jolly frog, which has expanded hugely, including floating rooms now. I don't think I will be swimming in the river Kwai this time around, it now looks a greeny brown colour which I simply don't trust.
The Jeath museum has also expanded and is under renovation (at least I hope that is the explanation for it's current state of semi collapse and supporting scaffolding). Stopped in at a buddhist cemetery on my way back instead of headstones on top of the bodies which are dug into the ground these headstones appear to be at one end of a hillock which lies behind it, giving the graveyard the appearance of a mountain range for garden gnomes, speaking of which I saw the Thai equivalent of garden gnomes today, little smiling cherubic like creatures peering scarily out of the foliage surrounding a little pond.
Anyway I didn't intend to write today so I will sign off and shower.
Love and happy new year. N.J.
Saturday, December 31, 2005
Friday, December 30, 2005
Bangkok 30/12/05
Christmas in New Zealand was great, I had a fantastic time, thanks to everyone who took me out, put me up and shared their lives with me in various ways.
I have spent enough time away from New Zealand now to be surprised by the ingenious and interesting ways in which New Zealanders express themselves creatively, Yet am still familiar enough to delight in the eccentric as being completely normal.
I flew Emirates, and I heartily recommend them to any one and everyone, the seats are bigger and plushier, everyone gets their own personal console, which believe it or not includes about 900 and something channels including an email channel, and although it would have been cool to send emails from 7000 feet at a 10 dollar (US) minimum I decided to forego the thrill. I watched both the Tim Burton's "the corpse bride" which I enjoyed although I did not realise it was a musical. Also watched "In her shoes" the Cameron Diaz, Toni Colette movie, it was great, and I was extremely tired by that stage so it must have been good. I got into Bangkok at 2am or something tragic, my God I have so much luggage! It was only because the flight was delayed that I got away with flauting the carry on rule. They kept threatening they were going to strictly monitor it but in the end didn't seem to notice the extra chilly bin I was casually trying to pretend was light as a feather but was laden with booze (which was over the volume I am actually allowed to bring in) and this does not even begin to explain the excess in audio visual and electronic equipment I felt compelled to drag along with me. Anyway...
Bangkok is another kettle of fish, it has changed a lot, or perhaps what I mean is it has expanded a lot, I didn't realise the global gypsy culture had expanded to such an extent, Khao san road is much the same but the quiet neighbourhood, I used to like to stay in is now like Khao san was when i first started passing through Thailand. The same guy is still selling his deep fried bugs on the corner, I have tried the crickets but there is just no way I am ever going to manage a cockroach, my innate belief that they are unclean creatures, prone to disease will not let me. But the bird flu on a stick is still available at every turn and of course the fresh fruit shakes, baby coconuts and street pad thai is as good as I remember.
Tommorrow I head of to kanchanaburi, as I am relying on memory this time round, (sans guide book). It will be a bit of winging it involved, but I have confidence and as long as I get the right ferry to Thonburi in the morning I should be fine.
Happy new year everyone and see y'all on the flip side.
Love N.J.
I have spent enough time away from New Zealand now to be surprised by the ingenious and interesting ways in which New Zealanders express themselves creatively, Yet am still familiar enough to delight in the eccentric as being completely normal.
I flew Emirates, and I heartily recommend them to any one and everyone, the seats are bigger and plushier, everyone gets their own personal console, which believe it or not includes about 900 and something channels including an email channel, and although it would have been cool to send emails from 7000 feet at a 10 dollar (US) minimum I decided to forego the thrill. I watched both the Tim Burton's "the corpse bride" which I enjoyed although I did not realise it was a musical. Also watched "In her shoes" the Cameron Diaz, Toni Colette movie, it was great, and I was extremely tired by that stage so it must have been good. I got into Bangkok at 2am or something tragic, my God I have so much luggage! It was only because the flight was delayed that I got away with flauting the carry on rule. They kept threatening they were going to strictly monitor it but in the end didn't seem to notice the extra chilly bin I was casually trying to pretend was light as a feather but was laden with booze (which was over the volume I am actually allowed to bring in) and this does not even begin to explain the excess in audio visual and electronic equipment I felt compelled to drag along with me. Anyway...
Bangkok is another kettle of fish, it has changed a lot, or perhaps what I mean is it has expanded a lot, I didn't realise the global gypsy culture had expanded to such an extent, Khao san road is much the same but the quiet neighbourhood, I used to like to stay in is now like Khao san was when i first started passing through Thailand. The same guy is still selling his deep fried bugs on the corner, I have tried the crickets but there is just no way I am ever going to manage a cockroach, my innate belief that they are unclean creatures, prone to disease will not let me. But the bird flu on a stick is still available at every turn and of course the fresh fruit shakes, baby coconuts and street pad thai is as good as I remember.
Tommorrow I head of to kanchanaburi, as I am relying on memory this time round, (sans guide book). It will be a bit of winging it involved, but I have confidence and as long as I get the right ferry to Thonburi in the morning I should be fine.
Happy new year everyone and see y'all on the flip side.
Love N.J.
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Wellington
Hey all and here it is, ramblings from the "heat oppressed brain".
Wellington is proving to be a blast, catching up with my past in all it's forms.
The "Havanna bar" was full of reindeer and angels, the "Southern cross" featured a drunk poll dancing patron, (in a pink shirt, on a chair, to bad 80's music).
"The Kills" and "So so modern" both played excellent sets at Indigo.
The experience is a little like watching your best friend talking (helium throat) through a grease smeared window after several glasses of good scotch whisky. A little disconcerting a little comfortable, just off kilter enough to coax everything and everyone along for the ride.
Got my visa for Thailand after much frustrating negotiation.
Off up to the wilds Waitarere and Napier,
Catch you all on the flip side.
N.J.
Wellington is proving to be a blast, catching up with my past in all it's forms.
The "Havanna bar" was full of reindeer and angels, the "Southern cross" featured a drunk poll dancing patron, (in a pink shirt, on a chair, to bad 80's music).
"The Kills" and "So so modern" both played excellent sets at Indigo.
The experience is a little like watching your best friend talking (helium throat) through a grease smeared window after several glasses of good scotch whisky. A little disconcerting a little comfortable, just off kilter enough to coax everything and everyone along for the ride.
Got my visa for Thailand after much frustrating negotiation.
Off up to the wilds Waitarere and Napier,
Catch you all on the flip side.
N.J.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
