Entries this day: Dream_Jessica Good_morning Got_tix Got_to_Chiang_Mai Great_first_day anna_and_nino

Dream Jessica

With Jessica in Bangkok, wanting to get to Chian Mai, but it was our first time to be here so we didn't know much. Found a bus that would go, but it hadn't arrived yet, so we went back to a little shop in the back of which was a DJ turntable. I saw her interest in the felt pad on top of the platter ad I showe her how it would allow the disc to be rotated independently of the plater. I actually turned on the thing with the Play Stop button and showed her the felt spin and unspin at a touch. I showed her how the platter could be stopped with the fingers as well, and then it would spin back up to speed. I turned it off an she said, "do you eve get troubled" and I figured out what she meant and changed it to "do you ever get in trouble" and she agreed that's what she wasnted to ask so I was like, "yeah, but what do you mean Like what context"cause I've been in trouble lots of times. I didn't think I'd be in trouble for turning on the turn table, but I was sorta in trouble for other things hand had been in big trouble as a kid. Oh! The bus is here so we went out to get it, but i t drove away and I started to chase it, running running down the street, then turning as i t turned and running on all fours to get a bit more speed. I found a rock and threw it at the bus but missed and ran some more and the bus stopped at the next stop and I was like, "cool we have another chance" and Jessica was coming up behind me and we got to the bus and it was actually two buses, the first of which was basically full, with 1 babysitter and e or 5 kids in the tent with her, and the other bus was full with two people laing own together in their tent.

We talked to the guy about other options to get to Chiang Mai, and he showed us on a map where it was and how to get there. Only about 2.5 km so we could walk it, or if we took a tuk tuk through the busy streets, he did the calculation at 1.2 km per hour it would take just a couple of hours and I was watching some insects on the wall like caterpillars joined at the butts and then some fly landed on my lip for a second and when I went to brush it waaay it was already gone, but it felt like it may have stung me, or I was just spooked by it. The feeling persisted for a few minutes and I told the guy what happened, "uh, a second ago, or maybe three minutes ago, an insect landed her and it felt like it may have bitten me, but I'm not sure if it's ust my mind making things up" and he had me stretch my lip around my teeth like a horse to see i he could see the spot any more clearly with the skin stretch, and I made some kissessing noises and he went back to get some cream, and I said "smooches please" to Jssica and woke up.

Good morning

7:29am ICT Saturday 8 May 2010 (day 14654)

Slept pretty well for hour or two at a time and now about to look for some food after I put in my new contacts and then plane ticket to Chiang Mai. Really nice to cuddle up with janette's quilt. :-)

Got tix

8:18am ICT Saturday 8 May 2010 (day 14654)

Got my ticket to Chiang Mai for 4382.50 Bhat, saw a guy walking around barefoot in the airport so I'm optimistic I'll be barefoot here, at least on the weekends. (I'm not sure if I want to take dirty feet in to be Thai massaged.)

The purchase of my ticket apparently left two seats on the plane.

Got to Chiang Mai

12:57pm ICT Saturday 8 May 2010 (day 14654)

70 minute flight and *bing*; we're in Chiang Mai! I skipped all the taxi offers and just decided to walk; it's about 2.5 km to my guesthouse. Was barefoot at first, but the ground was a bit too toasty for my feetsies so I put my sandals back on. Noticed some nice looking restaurants on my right, and am outdoors enjoying the heat at Suan Paak. This trip will be an optimal time to switch my journal to UTF-8 and be able to write some Thai characters, not that I know any yet. But I was noticing patterns on the menu, so the language does have some structure.

Funny that I'm approaching learning Thai like an archaelogist instead of pickup at Thai for Dummies or some such.

ps: it's about to rain. Possibly pretty effectively.

Great first day

7:32pm ICT Saturday 8 May 2010 (day 14654)

Great first day in Chiang Mai!

I successfully walked from the airport to my guest house, booked a room for four nights for 600 Bhat total, chatted a bit with the peeps there, and then walked to Sunshine Massage School to ensure I can find it on Monday.

Talked with founder-owner-manager Max a bit and generally looks like things will be great. He gave me water, good advice on getting an education visa, and a list of nearerby accomodation. On the list was ImmEco, which was my first choice when I searched online, but they gave either a null or negative response via email. Max suggested that was cause I had asked during a busy season, but now they were probably quite available, especially with so many countries telling their citizens to NOT travel to Thailand because of the riots.

What riots?

I walked over to Imm Eco, fell in love with its gardens, signed up for a month lodging including free breakfast for 10,000 Bhat. Sweet. I move in tomorrow.

anna and nino

9:18pm ICT Saturday 8 May 2010 (day 14654)

Skyped with Bananna and Nino; so great to see them so smiley together! I look forward to seeing Bananna again when we get back from our hot summers. I told them it was 30 degrees here, but I thought it was hotter, and it turns out it's 36 degrees here. Nice.