29 Oct 2011

Lisa left yesterday.  She got a ride north with teachers Pong and Yimlack, who have a rubber tree farm 6 hrs from Salaya.  Two of our other classmates, Olja and Malee, are with her.  The plan is to head north to Malee's house then go on to Chiang Mai for a week of leisure/misbehavior.  My parting gift to them was three bottles of icy cold Chang (the big bottles, yes!).  There is a no alcohol policy at the school, but since Pong busted me buying it to start with I reckoned I may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. 

He saw me hand over the bottles to much cheering from the girls and he smiled, but said nothing else.  I have the strong feeling that he knows exactly how much we drank and when we drank it this last month (my personal count was an impressive score of three Changs).  Pong plays his cards close to his chest and is definitely no fool.  I have a lot of time for him, he's top shelf.

This morning was our turn to go.  Po drove me, Lynn, Jenny, A, Villi, Agnes and Miki away from the school.  The road was covered with water for the first time, but wasn't deep.

This is the blue store: our primary source of Chang, Pepsi in real glass bottles and Olja's cat food.  It is a two minute walk from the school.

Just outside of Bangkok Po stopped and sorted out taxis for Jenny, A, Villi and Miki.  They are heading into Bangkok to await their flights or in Villi's case to finish his Muay Thai training.  Hopefully I will see Villi one last time before he leaves Thailand.

Villi, the owner of the Muay Thai feet:

Lynn, Agnes and I ended up at Suvarnabhumi (Su-ra-wani-poom) Airport.  My flight leaves at 11:35 tonight.  Sigh.  The original plan was to go to the airport this afternoon, but the water was coming so I got while the getting was good.  It means doing a 12 hour shift at the airport, but is better than missing flights etc.  I can't hook up to the free wi-fi until I have a boarding pass and I can't check in until 8:30pm.  It's 12:40 now.  Meh. This sort-of reminds me of the time my sister was stuck at Fiumicino Airport, eh Victoria?  No matter, I'm moping around anyway, might as people-watch at an airport while I'm at it.


The teachers and staff at Chetawan are used to saying good-bye.  I hate it, personally.  Saying good-bye to Lisa was pretty hard to do.  We have become exceptionally good friends in a very short space of time - she is a sister in my heart and I starting missing her the minute she climbed into the back of Teacher's truck.  

Lisa, waiting for the bus that never came.

I have given Kenny a pair of black fisherman's pants and left him the onus of finding me some Thai people, any Thai people, actually wearing them.  I suspect the whole Thai fisherman pant thing of being in situ solely for farangs.  Personally, I think they suck.  They come in a one size fits all format, which is a disaster for the more generously endowed individual.  However, Kenny needs meat, so they fit him ok and don't look half bad.


I hope to see Kenny and Emmy when they return from Oz.  Belgium isn't so far that we can't go there or have them come to us.  They've promised to show us around Belgium and not make us go to Bruges unless we insist.  In return I have promised no English beer.


Things that make me laugh when I think of them:
"Poopie!"
"Of course you'd sleep with me.  I'm awesome!"
"I want elephant."
"NaaaaAAAaaaaah"
Accidental (and non-accidental) breast brushing
"Miaow!"
Quadriceps femoris
"Shut UP and go to sleep!"
Lisa, screaming and doing one-legged running in place while laying on her side on a treatment couch getting deep tissue work done on the other leg.
"If you don't understand please understand"