05 October, 2011

The end of the day.  I'm exhausted.  The teachers have divided the two-hour relaxing Thai massage into 5 parts.  We've learned two of the five so far.  It's good stuff!  I am really enjoying this work and am being the best knowledge sponge I can be. 

I've taken two of my three daily showers so far.

I've lost twelve pounds since the day I left England.  I think it's mostly water.  I spend a good chunk of my days with sweat pouring off of me like someone's standing over me holding a watering can.  The sad thing is, I'm sweating like this in an air-conditioned room.  I'm not alone in my sweatfest, but I'm definitely the worst.  I was laughing with one of my American classmates that is also sweating buckets - I told her when the aliens come they'll eat us first because Americans are so plump and juicy.  There's plenty of filtered water around and I have some every chance I get.

I'm not eating as much food as I normally do and I think it's because of the heat.  I'm still tempted to sample everything though!  The fruit here is amazing, unrecognizable, alien, delicious.   I can't wait til the 19th when I meet up with Brian and Kai - one of my ideas is to try as many fruits and veggies as I can while Chetawan is closed from the 19th-21st of Oct. 

The Thai people I've met and interacted with are excellent.  I haven't met one I didn't like immediately thus far.  So much is accomplished in spite of the very obvious elephant-in-the-room language barrier.  Even the police are happy to cease crimestopping for a moment to budge up for a picture...

Look at those stern expressions!  As soon as I thanked them for the picture they all gave me big, bright smiles and resumed their normal duties.  I love this place.

We've been planning on getting down the road for a beer this week but so far have been stymied.  If we do get out I'll try to get some pics of the local area.  I know there are those of you out there that have been told that I wouldn't be drinking while I'm here, but having been introduced to Chang Lager last week I have to try it again - if only to see if it's as good as I thought it was the first time.  I can only handle one bottle - I think it's 6.4% - and the bottles are BIG.  Can you believe they only cost 40 Baht?  That's less than a pound Sterling, man!  Can't really drink too much in this heat, I'll get sick for sure.

This Sunday the class is going to the Wat Po temple in Bangkok, then to a big market.  I need to buy some clothes.  I brought things that are suitable to wear here, but I'm changing 2-3 times a day and I can't wash clothes so often.  It takes everything a day or so to dry out.  I didn't consider the drying factor when I packed.  Anyway, I will definitely be recording the adventure for all you (poor darlings) out there in non-Thailand :-)