And so that was it. I'm done, finished, its all over. I only have one flight left and it comes back to Heathrow. I can already feel the depression snaking its cold fingers on my skin! Why oh why did time have to speed up for me! Not much I can do about it now and to be honest, I'm looking forward to seeing all you guys and having a routine again (what a terrible thing to wish for, but its true).
So I've spent my last few days in Bangkok, doing what shopping I can (I aimed for the ladyboy shops, they have 'big big' size!) and just psyching myself up to be back in my world again. The week I spent in Koh Phangan was lovely. Highly recommended as a get away spot if anyone ever needs one. The part I was in, Haad Salad is the quietest place on earth with a lovely white sand beach that's shallow for about half a mile. All the huts in that area are lovely and reasonable, the food is really nice (though not as cheap as in Bangkok) and you're unlikely to have a giant lizard walk into your room!
My only strenous activity was going to the Full Moon party held on the other side of the island. Now that was something else. They have a full moon, half moon and black moon beach party, any excuse if you ask me, but noone actually looks at the moon anymore.
Think of it as an Ibiza resort (boys and girls out to snog and much more in public), mixed with Ayia Napa crowds ('ollie 'ollie 'ollie...), set on Miami beach (men with semi-buff bodies and tops off included), add some Birmingham Broad St alcoholism (quarter litre of vodka with red bull [the amphetamine kind] and lemonade for less than 3 quid), some Croydon on a friday night youths (jailbait with fake ID), a splash of your cheesy 'I love you long time' Thai people and ladyboys and finally sprinkle on the top all the varieties of drugs you may find at a trance rave in a Liverpool warehouse and you might start to get a picture of the debauchery I witnessed. I have only ever once spent so much time with my mouth hanging open in shock (that was with a particularly seedy student job I shan't elaborate on) and I wouldn't know where to start with the stories.
Unfortunately I didn't take my camera, I felt the security risk (as you can imagine) was rather high, but I think maybe it was a good idea not to put too much of it on record. I had already made up my mind to stay sober and make sure I could remember it all and boy oh boy if that wasn't one of the best ideas I've had this trip! Go if you will, just don't get pissed and become part of the freakshow, its really not pretty!
I've been thinking about the things I won't miss about travelling to help me look forward to going home and I realised that living out of a suitcase and flying are vying for top spot. Its only taken me 21 years of flying to confirm I hate it!! After that would come being stared at like a museum exhibit and mosquito bites, again both equally frustrating as hell. Cybercafes also deserve a mention for being annoying places but after that I start to get picky. Hostel besheets, so called 'breakfasts included' that consist of hard bread and horrid tea, bus rides that take longer than 2 hours and have ice cold air conditioning and insects/lizards. To be honest, none of it would ever stop me from doing this again, its all part of the experience and I'm glad to say I've done it and wouldn't mind if I could carry on!
Oh and finally, I thought you would all be pleased to hear that I was finally forced to put my backpack on my back. Yes, in Thailand you really have to 'backpack' especially if you're planning on island hopping by boat. For me, what I envisioned to hopefully be a short trip off a boat and on to a coach turned into a 15 minute assault course down the longest and most rickety jetty I have ever seen in my whole life. By the end of it I was bent over double and just grateful that I had managed to stop from falling after tripping on stray bits of wood a thousand times. I really was not impressed although its not like you can go around the world with a suitcase on wheels now is it?!
Friday 23 May 2008
Wednesday 14 May 2008
"Sorry lady, we no have 'big big' size"
Apparently its official now. I've heard it enough times in the last week to come to terms with the fact that I am size "big big". This applies to clothes and remarkably feet too. It is awful to be in the land where everything costs about 2 quid (Bangkok) from clothes to shoes and nothing fits....repeat NOTHING FITS!!!!! Its ok though you know, I'm coming to terms with it. I don't have any money to shop anyway and its not like its the end of the world right?! Wrong. It would have been great to go home with some nice new clothes, especially as I will be too poor to buy anything in England for a long time, plus after months of dressing and feeling like a tramp, this girl wants to look pretty dammit!
The problem here is they have a general one size fits all thing in shoe shops and clothes sizes. What makes this worse is that the average clothes size is a 6 and the average shoe size a 3 or 4. They are tiny here, I even feel tall which is saying something given that I try to claim an extra quarter on my 5'3. And unlike the Peruvian girls who also made me feel tall, these girls have no booty no titty no nothing. They are like catwalk models at less than half the height and they have great fashion to boot. I'm not giving up though, I'm spending my last 2 days in Bangkok, I will find something to buy, I may have to look in their maternity areas but so be it, somebody somewhere must have clothes in "big big" size!!!
Talking about Bangkok, lets talk about Lady boys. OH MY GOD!! I knew to expect them and I saw my fair share of he-shes in Brasil and Ecuador so it wasn't a shock so much. What I didn't expect was to see the standard of femininity and acceptance they have here. I mean as I woman I can still tell the difference, but it gets hard here, you really have to look long and hard to say no. I feel especially sorry for the drunken English boys on Kao Sarn Road (famous backpacker spot in Bangkok). I spent a hilarious few hours watching several of them going off with individuals who they believed to be female....would have loved to be a fly on many a wall that night when those guys discovered and extra 'member' and sobered up! I also worry for the safety of the lady boys themselves, but do not fear, one of Thailands most famous Muay Thai boxing champions is a lady boy too, go figure! (Nong Toom Google her)!
I'm in Koh Phangan now a tiny island in the south of Thailand next door to Koh Samui, literally chilling in my own little wooden hut about 60 seconds from the beach. I decided I didn't have the energy for party central Samui but I might pop over for a day trip or something! Even though there are other people around, its deathly quiet here, you can't hear a thing but birds. There are butterflies everywhere and even when its pissing it down like it did this morning for 2 hours, you still feel the need to be outside on the veranda swinging away in the hammock. This place is the perfect place to spend my last week, its picture perfect and peaceful, just what I need to face Larndan again!
One event I'm debating going to will be the full moon party next Tuesday 20th. Its the biggest thing that happens on this island, but I have never been to a trance rave and I'm not a pill popper so I question just how much I will be able to enjoy a 'psychedelic' rave on the beach with about 30,000 other people (no I'm not exaggerating that number!). Plus I've heard a few dodgy stories of people going missing and what not. On the other hand, given the calibre of people I've met here in Thailand, I could just head down there as the only sober person, with my camera and get some photographic ammunition against politicians and the future heads of corporations! I could probably make a mint off the sun newspaper in about 20 years time!
The problem here is they have a general one size fits all thing in shoe shops and clothes sizes. What makes this worse is that the average clothes size is a 6 and the average shoe size a 3 or 4. They are tiny here, I even feel tall which is saying something given that I try to claim an extra quarter on my 5'3. And unlike the Peruvian girls who also made me feel tall, these girls have no booty no titty no nothing. They are like catwalk models at less than half the height and they have great fashion to boot. I'm not giving up though, I'm spending my last 2 days in Bangkok, I will find something to buy, I may have to look in their maternity areas but so be it, somebody somewhere must have clothes in "big big" size!!!
Talking about Bangkok, lets talk about Lady boys. OH MY GOD!! I knew to expect them and I saw my fair share of he-shes in Brasil and Ecuador so it wasn't a shock so much. What I didn't expect was to see the standard of femininity and acceptance they have here. I mean as I woman I can still tell the difference, but it gets hard here, you really have to look long and hard to say no. I feel especially sorry for the drunken English boys on Kao Sarn Road (famous backpacker spot in Bangkok). I spent a hilarious few hours watching several of them going off with individuals who they believed to be female....would have loved to be a fly on many a wall that night when those guys discovered and extra 'member' and sobered up! I also worry for the safety of the lady boys themselves, but do not fear, one of Thailands most famous Muay Thai boxing champions is a lady boy too, go figure! (Nong Toom Google her)!
I'm in Koh Phangan now a tiny island in the south of Thailand next door to Koh Samui, literally chilling in my own little wooden hut about 60 seconds from the beach. I decided I didn't have the energy for party central Samui but I might pop over for a day trip or something! Even though there are other people around, its deathly quiet here, you can't hear a thing but birds. There are butterflies everywhere and even when its pissing it down like it did this morning for 2 hours, you still feel the need to be outside on the veranda swinging away in the hammock. This place is the perfect place to spend my last week, its picture perfect and peaceful, just what I need to face Larndan again!
One event I'm debating going to will be the full moon party next Tuesday 20th. Its the biggest thing that happens on this island, but I have never been to a trance rave and I'm not a pill popper so I question just how much I will be able to enjoy a 'psychedelic' rave on the beach with about 30,000 other people (no I'm not exaggerating that number!). Plus I've heard a few dodgy stories of people going missing and what not. On the other hand, given the calibre of people I've met here in Thailand, I could just head down there as the only sober person, with my camera and get some photographic ammunition against politicians and the future heads of corporations! I could probably make a mint off the sun newspaper in about 20 years time!
Sunday 4 May 2008
Sod homesick....I don´t want to come home!!
I´ve figured out how I can do this, Flow can open up a new office in Salvador, Brasil. The economy is booming out here and they need UX people, they may not be totally aware yet, but I can convince them. I´ll take care of doing the research for location and new business and all that....all strictly professional ofcourse. Then we can have consultant rotation every few months so everyone gets a chance to do a project out here...see? Easy. And that takes care of me having a job.
Then family, Inxs, I think the air here would do you good, you can come over and work in the office with me, or you can start doing your entrepeneur thing, there are loads of artists (musical and art) who need representation and profiling, I trust you´ll hook it up in no time! Abi, they have computers here, come and programme something and Keshia...the prisons are full and need your help! And that takes care of having my family around. My mother loves travelling so it won´t take much convincing to get her to come for a visit. Sorted.
Right so friends next; Aish and Nay, well I don´t need to work it out for you guys, just get your arses over here! In the meantime, I´ll look into opening a super cheap hostel too, so the rest of my friend entourage can take it in turns to come and visit me. Can you all see how easy it is?! This way I never have to come back to England! I can live in paradise for ever and ever and ever and ever!!
Okay so moment of madness over, coming home is creeping up on me double time. Exactly 3 weeks from today. I will admit I was homesick, but knowing that within 2 weeks of coming home I´m probably gonna have an onslaught of severe depression is kind of overtaking me! I have totally fallen in love with Brazil and I´ve probably only seen like 10%. There wasn´t enough time or money and I unfortunately haven´t been able to hook up the Brazilian uber millionaire angle...can´t imagine why?!
Salvador is the most amazing city, its cute, its huge, its full of character, it has amazing beaches, astonishingly talented people and it has business and industry...it makes it possible to work and live in paradise! Imagine! Ok so it suffers from a few issues, favelas outnumber middle class areas, security can be an issue particularly in the Pelourinho (the most fun place to be in town), but its growing and changing and like everything else in Brazil, things are improving.
Mayday in Pelourinho was fabulous, three extra outdoor music stages (adding to the usual 3) were set up for artists supporting improved working contiditions. There was Reggae, Pagode, Samba, Salsa, you name it, it was there. This was all free and nobody seemed to be bothered about the rain either. Twice this week Pelourinho has provided a fabulous night out, Tuesday night the famous Geronimo played his legendary weekly free concert on church steps in San Antonio, plus it was the international day of dance and where better to find fantastic dancers of every style than in Bahia!
Its funny, Pelourinho has a major security issue, so you normally only find Brazilians there at night, when sane tourists have gone back to the safety of areas like Barra. But the most fun is to be had at night with all the live music and entertainment on offer. I managed to strike a balance, always finding people to go with and learning how to keep notes and change in my bra!
The food here is amazing too. Mainly because it all reminds me of Nigerian food which I miss like crazy. Different types of flavoured rice, shrimp mocqueca (a stewish dish) with beans and ´farofa´which is a slightly moister version of Gari (but in powder not solid form). Then there is my favourite, Acarajé. Its beanflour, mashed into a paste and then fried into small pie like shapes (its basically what we call Acara in Nigeria but minus the tomato). Once fried, its sliced up and served with an ocra mix, fresh onion and tomato, a fish paste, small crayfish and seriously spicy pepper on the side. It is delicious and on average about R$3 which is a bargain! I could eat this all day every day.
*Sigh, I do feel I´ve found a potential home in the future. I may have to work on my Brazilian portuguese, so far I´ve managed to get away with speaking spanish with a portuguese accent; I´m a good mimic and it seems to have worked, but I don´t think that would hold out for long. But this place is seriously pulling me, I suspected it might and its definitely given me something to think about!
So, I´m off to my last destination, Thailand! I´m looking forward to having a ´holiday´now. Everything slows down and I recharge my batteries before coming home. Its gonna be a long journey getting there! I have to fly to 10 hours to Dallas, then wait 4 hours, then fly 12 hours to Japan where I gain 12 hours because of crossing the date line, so I leave and arrive at the same time but the next day. Then I spend one night in Tokyo which is only rubbing salt in the wound as I can no longer afford to spend my planned week in Tokyo, but never mind. And finally I arrive in Bangkok on Wednesday. Phrew! I´m tired just thinking about it!
Another countdown has begun though, I´ll be home soon....I´ll try and bring the sunshine with me!
Then family, Inxs, I think the air here would do you good, you can come over and work in the office with me, or you can start doing your entrepeneur thing, there are loads of artists (musical and art) who need representation and profiling, I trust you´ll hook it up in no time! Abi, they have computers here, come and programme something and Keshia...the prisons are full and need your help! And that takes care of having my family around. My mother loves travelling so it won´t take much convincing to get her to come for a visit. Sorted.
Right so friends next; Aish and Nay, well I don´t need to work it out for you guys, just get your arses over here! In the meantime, I´ll look into opening a super cheap hostel too, so the rest of my friend entourage can take it in turns to come and visit me. Can you all see how easy it is?! This way I never have to come back to England! I can live in paradise for ever and ever and ever and ever!!
Okay so moment of madness over, coming home is creeping up on me double time. Exactly 3 weeks from today. I will admit I was homesick, but knowing that within 2 weeks of coming home I´m probably gonna have an onslaught of severe depression is kind of overtaking me! I have totally fallen in love with Brazil and I´ve probably only seen like 10%. There wasn´t enough time or money and I unfortunately haven´t been able to hook up the Brazilian uber millionaire angle...can´t imagine why?!
Salvador is the most amazing city, its cute, its huge, its full of character, it has amazing beaches, astonishingly talented people and it has business and industry...it makes it possible to work and live in paradise! Imagine! Ok so it suffers from a few issues, favelas outnumber middle class areas, security can be an issue particularly in the Pelourinho (the most fun place to be in town), but its growing and changing and like everything else in Brazil, things are improving.
Mayday in Pelourinho was fabulous, three extra outdoor music stages (adding to the usual 3) were set up for artists supporting improved working contiditions. There was Reggae, Pagode, Samba, Salsa, you name it, it was there. This was all free and nobody seemed to be bothered about the rain either. Twice this week Pelourinho has provided a fabulous night out, Tuesday night the famous Geronimo played his legendary weekly free concert on church steps in San Antonio, plus it was the international day of dance and where better to find fantastic dancers of every style than in Bahia!
Its funny, Pelourinho has a major security issue, so you normally only find Brazilians there at night, when sane tourists have gone back to the safety of areas like Barra. But the most fun is to be had at night with all the live music and entertainment on offer. I managed to strike a balance, always finding people to go with and learning how to keep notes and change in my bra!
The food here is amazing too. Mainly because it all reminds me of Nigerian food which I miss like crazy. Different types of flavoured rice, shrimp mocqueca (a stewish dish) with beans and ´farofa´which is a slightly moister version of Gari (but in powder not solid form). Then there is my favourite, Acarajé. Its beanflour, mashed into a paste and then fried into small pie like shapes (its basically what we call Acara in Nigeria but minus the tomato). Once fried, its sliced up and served with an ocra mix, fresh onion and tomato, a fish paste, small crayfish and seriously spicy pepper on the side. It is delicious and on average about R$3 which is a bargain! I could eat this all day every day.
*Sigh, I do feel I´ve found a potential home in the future. I may have to work on my Brazilian portuguese, so far I´ve managed to get away with speaking spanish with a portuguese accent; I´m a good mimic and it seems to have worked, but I don´t think that would hold out for long. But this place is seriously pulling me, I suspected it might and its definitely given me something to think about!
So, I´m off to my last destination, Thailand! I´m looking forward to having a ´holiday´now. Everything slows down and I recharge my batteries before coming home. Its gonna be a long journey getting there! I have to fly to 10 hours to Dallas, then wait 4 hours, then fly 12 hours to Japan where I gain 12 hours because of crossing the date line, so I leave and arrive at the same time but the next day. Then I spend one night in Tokyo which is only rubbing salt in the wound as I can no longer afford to spend my planned week in Tokyo, but never mind. And finally I arrive in Bangkok on Wednesday. Phrew! I´m tired just thinking about it!
Another countdown has begun though, I´ll be home soon....I´ll try and bring the sunshine with me!
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