2 pints of tiger and 2 glasses of piper…

How could I forget! Bumped into an indian Brahmen (least that’s how I think you spell it) in the street. Bought him a coffee and he told me few things… His opening line was “Hey lucky prince!”. That’s a new one for me. Also said he had never seen a forehead like mine(!) he said that was what drew me to him. Proper raj beard and envious (dali-like) moustache. To sum up said I would do (very) good in politics (Viva la revouloution!) and business. I know people who would beg to differ. Anywho also said that I would have a very prosperous time from around nov onwards for 3 years and 3 days. And kept going on about my forehead and how I looked like a prince!? Very itriguing. Hey, I had nothing esle to do in singapore apart from wonder the countless shopping malls and try and find films at the cinema. That and go round the countless sony gallery stores. I just wish He’d told me something I didn’t know. I know it will all come together (by hook or by crook!). But he did have a very interesting beard. And yes I think the champers is going to my head now. Best get another one then!

 Then again I suppose it doesn’t help going round saying you’ll have 3 years and 3 days of bad luck. I just want to know what happens after the time is up? Does it all go down hill? It only strengthens what the other people have said but did I mention his beard? Also mentioned a few home truths (like I said tell me something I don’t know) but he did have an enormous beard.

Yeah I have time for one more drink. Wonder if they have rose?

30th July, More wondering

So no exciting stories. Just more wondering around. Just looking forward to getting outta here. So I’ve seen pirates 2 and Nacho libre. Those killed a good evening. Good films too – well it made me laugh.

29th July, Bored

Well, I made it to the centre, I was miles away. Got a crummy room in the centre of town but at least I am central. I don’t know what to do with myself. There’s just shops’n'malls. Sitting in one now, I might go and find a cinema or something. Plus the hostel is nothing like a backpackers hostel like I know it, so no chance of meeting people there. I guess I am just going to wonder round and have a few (shamelessly priced) authentic singapore slings.

28th July, Singapore

With only three days here I am quite glad. Kinda reminds me of Beijing only not so much fun and not much to do. I ended up choosing a really seedy area of town to stay in. NO idea where I am but outside my hotel – which is really nice! is like strip and bar central. Westerners are a rare site as well although I will be able to practice my mandarin again. I have to move closer to the main area tommorow I kinda feel a bit uneasy, I think I am in the muslim quarter but that’s not the problem – its the street… And i’m on the gound floor so i get some of the shouting. But hey, I can sleep through anything! I suppose i’m just feeling lonely as george is still in Bangkok and I really wanted a proper hostel were I can meet some people, maybe have a bear. Instead I am watching TV and stuffing my face with a huge packet of crisps…

27th July, Drunk

Yes I am a bit frunk. 3 beers 1 bucket 1 sambuka and and a shot of samsong. I am hungry. Had to go to the local 7/11 for a pot noodle. But the most comlicated pot noodle ever. it had like 6 different packets of stuff to mix in.; No idea what it was but its very hot, and very complicated….

Anyway, I am sure I saw victor meldrew (I do’nt believe it) staying here earlier this morning. I stared at him like a crazy person then as he looked at me i just walked on cooly. But yes i’m drunk and i am very annoyed they have no room service -bloody pot noodle! I wanted a club sandwich at least. Its only 10 past two for gods sake!

I am obviously asking too much. Nothing exciting happened today, no crazy stories or such. just got drunk. Last night in bangkok so… Oh i did ask some street guitarist to play country roads though. Payed him a whole 20 baht and I danced around him like a fool. I had fun though…

28th JUly, Off to Singapore

That’s my lot, end of Thailand. Ats been fun. Unwards and literally upwards. I’m sat on the plane to singapore after my usual nervousness and panic at immigration. No problems here though. There are many things I will miss about thailand, although I won’t miss the constant feeling of being fleeced from everyone. People are nice, and some beautiful scenery although the beaches were disapointing. Its a good place for backpackers as it is so easy to organise anything from buses, planes, thai massages and ping pong shows….

Starting to get scared about setting up in australia but should be fun nonetheless. God knows what singapore is like. I wasn’t supposed to be here for 3 days. Me & dates eh? I couldn’t even tell you what day it is – honestly. Its a strange thing. The only thing I know is the date. It’s been so long that weekends and weekdays don’t matter – everyday’s a friday!

26th July. Bit of panic

With nothing really to do apart from wait till my train at 430 I decided off the cuff to go to see some cock fighting with on of the tuk tuk drivers who work at the guesthouse. George having arrived from nan to meet me went straight off to Bangkok to meet up with some girl who he liked. Funy coincdence with her. He met at Ko phagnan aftet the full moon party and shared a felafel.
They met again by sheer chance when goerge was supposed to go rock climbing the day after my first meet with the treking crew. He never made it the next day – too ill, and had to move it to the next day where he meets that girl and get it on in the evening….

ANywho back to the cock fight. Not really a tourist attraction. I don’t even know wether its legal. But not as much bloodshed as I thought. And it wasn’t to the death. It was very much a local thing. Didn’t know what was going on or how the betting worked. Just lots of shouting and finger pointing. It was like some kind of stock exchange…

ANyway, basically I miss my train (not my fault!). I kept saying to the guy I had to go but he said it would be fine. Then he has to get me a taxi back as he’s made a few bets or something so he has to stay. With only 25mins to get the train, (bearing in mind it took 40mins down) this tuk-tuk taxi turns up. I can run faster than these things! He ends up driving like a crazy bastard to the station. Without my main rucksack I really didn’t know what he thought. All in all after surviving my death ride back I change my ticket for the 550 express to bangkok…

Having got comfy in what I thought was my seat, when the train police along with the ticket people come down they tell me (after speaking in thai to me) that my seat is way near the fron of the train. Jeez! I’ve been trekking through the whole train to get my seat. And the isles are tiny. I can barely fit my rucksack through. It took me about 25mins as I have to keep stopping and crawling over peoples stuff. But it was all worth it. I have my own caboin to myself. I hope I get food included in this. But it nice to have some privacy on the train…

25th July, Hello! Massage?

Yeah. Massage was great, felt all the bones in my neck, shoulers and back crunch.

Spoke to the guy who took us to chang rai up north and he told us that at the next tour he did his windscreen got shattered from some crazy driver in front which blew rocks into his windscreen shattering it, which blinded him momentarily almost causing the van to crash… Then the transmission goes on the clutch…

Bearing in mind he did drive like a nutter and i’m not surprised his transmission has lasted this long – 4years. I’d like to say it could have been us. It would make for an interesting story anyhow….

24th July, Changrai, Blending in

Really relaxing day. Sitting in a taxi van just seeing sights, a boat trip along the mekhong to laos, to the northof thailand. Fed some monkeys and also got attacked by one (see pic, half asecond later he jumped on me and jumped around me – sharp claws too). (I’ve never seen girls run so quick-Nici was taking the phot at the time) different tribes. Bit of culture really. which was nice.

Oh and some chinese tourists thought I worked at one of the stalls in laos and asked how much something was. If only I was more on the ball – I could have a fortune (All of a couple of quid).

So today did absoloutely nothing. Spent the day time with the dangerous germans (they went to the station a day earlier) basically drinking beer. Then had a sleep and now going to see who I can meet as George is still in Nan and i’m finally on my lonesome…

22nd July, Chang mai, Chuck & Mac Dangerous

Just got back from a 3day trek, Staying with hillside folk in the mountains. Their was about 9 of us. Elephant treking (beer and big banana rollie -its what these locals smoke, lasted the best part of the day) – great, and bamboo rafting. The great thing about the whole thing though was the group I was in. We just got on so well. There were these german guys who loved the Jay pose so much they do now as instinctive as I do (see photos). Amazing experience, camp fires drinking games in the middle of nowhere with waterfalls to my right and rice paddies to my left…

‘Dangerous’ became the word of choice. Basically it all stemmed from a chicken noodle soup we had and had the choice of adding chilli powder. I was the first and said that ‘ I love the danger’. It all got out of hand and now  everything from then on needed to be ‘dangerous’. This is where the ‘chuck’ danger comes in( as in a Chuck Norris). I was called ‘Mac’ Danger. (From macgyver, you had to be there really – though mac isn’t as dangerous as chuck.) 

Though I think the most dangerous thing was the bamboo rafting – I almost fell out. It was hilarious. Everybody was just trying to knock the other people of the rafts….

So we are all about to go out tonight as are parting ways and our giude was hilarious – crap jokes but it was the way he laughed. Got me going everytime. Then everyone else. There was almost too much laughter.

Almost (so close!) Ate a grasshopper but chickened out. I looked into its eyes for too long! But apparently they taste better in bangkok – more tase to them according to my parisien friend.
Going to see some tribes people called the ‘karen’ and ventrure to the most northern part of thailand bordoeing laos and burma tommorow morning at 7am.

I felt like a pro at the night market, wondered for a bit with the two girls from the group, laura and nicki. I managed to bring the opening prices down to half even more, taught them all the classic moves – Name your price and stick to it. Then walk away. They then back down as you walk to the next stall….

Again felt really sad tonight saying goodbye, even though we only met the group three days ago we got on soooo well. Shame I can’t met em for the next full moon party…

18th July, Tuk Tuk Sir?

Jeez, ‘you want a tuk tuk? where you from? I give you special price?!’. My patience is now down to zero. Got to chang mai fine. Saw the reclinings buddha, and the grand palace, tick! Got to chang mai and imagine a crowd of people saying where you going you want tuk-tuk? then they just rip you off. GOt on one today he was completely stoned. Didn’t where he was going or where I was staying. Stopped other tuk tuk drivers just to ask. Anywho after trying to ask for too much again got back to the apartment fine. Met the crew for the trek crazy bunch. They all love the ‘j’ pose – they all seemed a bit too enusiastic but in a good way. So i’m slightly drunk just finished packing for the trek its about 130am and im still a bit drunk. But should be fine leave at 9am tommorow.

Funny little tale with george, wanted to go the ATM but the tuk tuk guy really wanted a drink and stopped at some whisky places and got like a little whisky tasting sesh at random stops. Then it turned out he was our driver into town…

Said my goodbyes to gabriel sad to see him go. He did liven things up with his zest for the night life – well the girl thing, but i’m going to try and visit him in miami on my way back.

Missed out on the disco carraige on the train – loud music a bar and cheesy eurodance. I ended up playing chess with some dutch guy. Gotta check that one out though on the way back to bangkok.

Just gotta say, amazing apartment, still no signs of slumming it, great view an amazing mountain….