Dear Diary…
Thailand Part 3

THURSDAY 23 July 2009

8:45am
The only thing that gets me outta bed is going to get my present in the cupboard! Today’s one had a note about “size doesn’t matter” … intriguing! It’s a tiny measuring tape in the shape of a snail. Totally love it! Will keep it in my handbag… never know when you need to measure something :p

10:15am
Up and at ‘em! (more up than at ‘em)

1:23pm
some damn Asian slammed my foot in a door! Might have a bruise tomorrow.

2:45pm
Chocolate Latte at Black Canyon Coffee. They play funny music there – always the same chick singing (sounds all girly, like Taylor Swift) but she does covers of Hoobastank and Simple Plan and Green Day etc – it’s actually pretty nice

3:35pm
Dad gone for a facial (it’s his Thailand thing – always goes – loves it – would NEVER EVER go at home!). I’m giving the facial a miss – reading in my room. Had enough of him. Starting to get homesick. Still 4 days to go.

6:30 – 7:45pm
Dinner = Tom Yum Goong Soup. I like this a lot. Tasty, very lemony too. Shrimps, mushrooms and other weird stuff I pick out. (Doesn’t look so fab in the photo – but I don’t have any other pics from today)

8pm
Time to shower and relax. Alone time! For some reason my arms hurt. Dunno why. Getting bored, restless, annoyed, homesick. Also, looking a bit crap. Pale. Wonder if it’s related.

8:36pm
Just realized… I don’t think I am “Homesick” so much as tired of my dad. It’s been a long past few days. He is irritating me. It’s not natural to spend THIS much time with a parent.  Also, he’s wearing the same shirt as yesterday. Isn’t it sweaty after spending hours in the baking sun at the tiger temple etc? Doesn’t he want a clean, fresh shirt every day? I do!!! Not sure if I can last until Monday without having a blowout. I hope I can.

8:45
Also, my hair is looking crap. Too much humidity and washing it every day is not working for me. Plus I need a trim and a colour. Dammit I can complain! On the plus side… I am going to have a chocolate milk – will make me feel better.

10:30pm
Lights out. Tomorrow is the last FULL day in Bangkok. We leave on Saturday morning, for Singapore, until midnight on Sunday.

11:07
Can’t sleep. Feel uneasy – itchy inside. Read for a while

11:32
Try this sleep thing again.

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FRIDAY 24 July 2009

9:03
Up. Present = book: Deception Point Dan Brown. Won’t be reading it here. Brought a fluffy chick book – This Charming Man. Very enjoyable fun read!!! Breakfast = yoghurt. Today is last day in Bangkok. Gonna tie up a few loose ends. Probably buy another scarf.

Packed rest of cargo (34 bags in total.) This is a third of them:

Lunch = 2 x bananas. Foot still hurts from being slammed in a door yesterday. No bruise though. Bought some artificial flowers for dad’s friend who wants to import them.

1:12
Back at hotel for a little rest. Am bored. Taking photos of my pills. I must be going mad!

2pm
Off to buy another scarf (came back with 2 actually) and some other general crap, really. I have now bought 7 silk scarves – this is enough (for now) aren’t they fantastical!!!??? Bought a blue/green striped one, a pinkish striped one, a big brown pashmina type one (to wear with a strapless brown dress I have), a big white one, small turquoise one, small periwinkle blue and a small cream one. (at home I already have a green, pink and blue scarves)

Also bought nail polish. It’s a pale shimmery brownish colour – I shall call it Barely Bronze. Painted finger and toe nails with new Barely Bronze polish. Feeling better about life.

3:28pm
Been reading – book is funny. Admired scarves again… tried them on, in different styles – mini fashion show for myself!

3:43pm
Sneezed 3 times in a row. Hope I didn’t catch swine flu from that dude in the lift (he sneezed as I got in)… will take some pills. Will also hold thumbs, say a prayer and smack self with lemongrass and garlic (wish I had a Wildebeest tail too). Will also face Mecca and say some Hail Mary’s– just for good measure. This should cure me, no?

4:00 – 5:30pm
Dad wants to go walking around in the streets… AGAIN… dammit man – seen 300m of Thailand vendors, seen the whole bloody lot!

5:45 – 6:45pm
Foot massage. Last one. Is so good!

7-8:15
Dinner. I had a chicken burger. Was ok.

8:30 – 9:30
Internet time

9:35pm
Shower, read and bed. Waking up at 7am tomorrow to catch a taxi to the airport. Our flight to Singapore leaves at 11:15am.

So, I am off to Thigh-Land in a few days again (see my countdown in  the side bar on the left). Everyone always gets so excited when I say this. I get remarks like “Oh, you are so lucky” … “I am so jealous” … “I wish it was me going” etc etc. Well, I wish I could send you instead of me!

Before I get too carried away – a side note to any family (or people who know my family) reading this – please keep this info to yourself, I don’t want dad to get his panty in a knot about this – Thanks

Ok – back to the post… I go to Thigh-Land with my dad. He imports clothes from there, and I work part-time for him… so, I have to go with him on some trips, to learn what’s potting and stuff. I do not enjoy it. I know that sounds really bitchy and ungrateful and sometimes I do feel bad about me not liking it. You probably don’t understand how I could not like Thigh-Land. When you see pics of Thigh-Land they look like this:

I do not go there…

I go here… –>

Do you see the lack of white beaches, turquoise waters and Mai Thai’s?Do you see the abundance of grey in place of romantic turquoise? Can you smell it through your screen (I can!)

Unfortunately – I do not go there on a romantic getaway or honeymoon. We stay in a cheap hotel (no food – not even an OPTION to have more than a teeny weeny omelette) and don’t do any “touristy” things it is rather sad. The other thing is, my dad is not my very favourite person in the whole world. I know, I am sounding bitchy again! He is ok… but not my favourite.

I am trying to be positive about the trip, although I am not looking forward to it. I am making a list of PRO’s and CON’s. At this point, I feel like the CON’s will outweigh the PRO’s… but still – I have to try! We are stopping over in Singapore for 2 days on the way back.

PRO’s

• BIGGEST PRO: It’s going to be warm!!!!!! Yay, escape JHB winter for a bit! Woo hoo!!!
• I am looking forward to “Flied Lice” it is very yummy
• The Tom Yum Goong soup is really good (I never eat Thai food at home)
• I can buy some more silk scarves
• Time away from home makes me appreciate a bath and home comforts
• I have never been to Singapore – maybe it will be nice
• My dad said we could do some sight-seeing in Singapore. I asked him if we could go to the Night Zoo (Recommended by Philly_girl)
• I am looking forward to having a massage almost every day!
  

CON’s

• I HATE the 12 hour flight… I have never enjoyed flying. So much of no space and cramping legs!
  
• I am so terrified of flying lately, after all these plane “incidents”… I don’t want to end up like Jack and Kate and Hurley and be tortured by Others!!!!
  
• My dad annoys me on a good day… 10 undiluted days are not going to be fun
• I miss Peter and my Beagles
• Thigh-Land smells gross (ok, Bangkok smells gross – seriously, it does! All that constant cooking in the streets… mixture of garlic, fish, fried banana… bleugh!)
• I don’t sleep well at all (maybe 3 to 4 hours a night)
• There isn’t a bath in the hotel room
• I miss being constantly connected (cell phone, internet, facebook, twitter)
• It’s not fun having to do everything that someone else wants to do for 10 days solid (we are there to work, not play!)
• I have to SHARE a room with my dad in Singapore (I have no idea WHY he couldn’t just have gotten two rooms… but anyway!!!)
• I miss red meat (yes, seriously, I crave steak!!)
• I really miss cuddling up to my 3 boys on the couch and just chilling!
  

So far, the CON’s are winning… I keep thinking of the warmth, the massages and the silk scarves (I really love my thai silk scarves!).

If I think of any other PRO’s or CON’s I will list them below… If you can think of any more, please leave me a comment