One last day

Today is my last day in Thailand, and I am counting my Baht, weighing how much I need to eat vs get another massage. (At these prices, I think I can do both.)

Last night I took the overnight train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. It wasn't first class Kenyan service, but it wasn't bad. I was tucked up in the upper berth/cocoon, and actually slept. Mind you, all my dreams involved me being on a train, but that is fair.

Chiang Mai was okay. The first day I was there I was not terribly happy. I walked around town with a horrible scowl on my face and a headache developing. I think that my body had just maxed out on the amount of carbon monoxide it could take. I tried breathing as little as I could, so as not to inhale all the exhaust, but that didn't work terribly well. I have a new understanding-- no envy-- for those people who walk around with surgical masks on. So I didn't do too much sightseeing that day.

Day 2 in Chiang Mai was better. It started off at the Women's Prison. No, nothing you need to worry about. They have a little spa at the prison so the women can earn some money for when they are released. So I had a foot massage from a Thai felon. Who knew what adventures this year would bring! From there I wandered into the shopping district and went a little crazy (or so it felt at the time). I was actually feeling giddy at one point (could have been too much CO again) with the crazy low prices of silk. But, remembering that I am not actually EARNING any money this year (and in fact probably rapidly LOSING it, although I haven't seen a newspaper in a while), I tried to curb myself.

As this is my last day here, I will share with you some random impressions that I have about various things. No particular order (and possibly not much sense) to them:

The Thais have a thing about feet. You can't point your feet at anyone, and you need to take your shoes off when you enter a house. This is actually understandable, given how absolutely dirty and disgusting shoes (and feet, because everyone wears sandals) get in this country. But here's the thing... pointing your toes at someone is right out, but it is perfectly acceptable to hock a big loogie on the ground, and today I actually had someone blow snot on the sidewalk in front of me.

As to food, I have eaten some very strange things since I've been here, and I think it is better that I do not actually have any idea what they were. (The other night, when my meal was getting cold and particularly gelatinous, I wondered aloud, "Is this squid?") Once you know what your meal is supposed to be, you have certain expectations. For instance, when eating chocolate chip ice cream (as a special treat for having walked to the train station rather than taking a tuk tuk, and therefore not adding any more CO to the city), you might expect there NOT to be a frozen whole kernel of corn in your ice cream. (No, I didn't eat it. I chucked it over my shoulder onto the ground for the rat that was scurrying about the place.)

Granted, in the States various appliances have odd names, but I saw a toaster the other day that said "Love King" on the side.

I was walking through a particularly large and crazy intersection today (the same one that the bus sat at for 18 minutes last week), and noted that there were policemen standing on the sidewalks waving traffic on, always following the traffic signals. Now which is easier to see... a little man four lanes away, or a brightly illuminated light up in the air? Thai tax dollars at work, I guess.

Part way through a nine hour bus ride, we stopped for lunch. With six hours to go, and no bathroom on the bus, I hoped that my strong stomach remained as such. (It did.)

When you are on a long distance bus journey here, the ticket checker changes about every half hour, and therefore needs to check everyone's tickets again, despite the fact that he (or she) is the only new person on the bus.

Many Thais have, quite sharply, called out to me, "You!" to let me know I need to pay, or roll over, or pick up my meal. It sounds rude, but then I realize that they are making the effort to speak in my language, and all I can say in theirs is "Hello" and "Thank you" (and sometimes I get them mixed up), so I am thankful. (Khawp khun kha. Which for the first week I kept mispronouncing as crap khun kha.)

I have come to realize that I like cities where I am self-sufficient. If I can walk to and from the train or bus station, then I am MUCH happier (and have a better sense of orientation) than if I have to take a taxi of some sort. (Thusly, I walked for an hour and a half from the train station in Bangkok this morning, big pack attached. I will, however, take the shuttle to the airport at 4:00 tomorrow morning. Groan.)

I think that's it for this country/continent. Off to Australia tomorrow, to relax with someone I know, UNPACK, and find out what Christmas is like Down Under. (And, hopefully, to upload about a zillion pictures!)