Entries this day: Cart_races Gave_The_Alchemist Heart Shara Tarmac Train_tix_to_Kowloon two_Thailand_weeks

Cart races

5:33am ICT Friday 21 May 2010 (day 14667)

I slept near a group of youth who didn't sleep during the night. They chatted animatedly, but their chatter didn't really affect my sleep. Their cart races did, though. Everything was blissfully quiet, and I was like "ahhhhh nice," until they came racing back in giggling, squealing, shouting pairs of cart pushers and cart riders.

I was glad they didn't crash into anyone.

"Now we should change drivers and do it again!!"

Gave The Alchemist

7:17am ICT Friday 21 May 2010 (day 14667)

Yesterday, I wrote this about _The Alchemist_:

pretty good book, though I don't know if it's mind altering any more than Celestine Prophecy or
Way of the Peaceful Warrior.

Though it's been a few years since I read either of those, I don't remember them eliciting tears and laughter within a single page, multiple times.

This morning, I read The Alchemist while waiting for the Cathay Pacific counter to open at 6:?? am. A line formed quickly when the counter opened, but since I just needed to check in, I didn't mind letting others go in front of me. While waiting, I heard in my heart "keep reading," but I ignored it until I noticed the line was going to take a while. So I read while waiting. I read the part of the boy turning into the wind, and of their continued journey for gold and treasure. In short, I finished the book, laughing and crying as appropriate.

Upon my first emotional response, though, I wanted to stifle it as inappropriate. But then, hey, I often say "let it out" and "if you need to cry, cry" to my friends and self. So I let it out. Gently, but still, enough.

Just before it was my turn at the counter, I finished the book and its epilogue. I was going to put it in my bag, and my heart said, "give it to the guy behind you." I continued to put it in my bag, and then realized the folly. I offered it to the guy behind me. "Would you like a really good book?" I asked.

"I saw you laughing," he replied.

"And crying!" I corrected.

"sure, why not?" he said in Australian. (I think he actually said something like "ah, bloody hell," but in a "sure, why not?" kind of way.

Just then, the counter was available for me, and I gave the woman my passport. She was like, "can I help you?" and I thought, hmmm, just scan the passport and see, and said, "uh yeah, I have a confirmation for a flight today at 8:50. Er, 8:20." She visually confirmed my confirmation and was all, "you just need to go to that counter over there," pointing to where I shoulda known I needed to go.

(( all big airports have the same layout. I think it's because the layout works. Little counters for buying tickets and then big aisles with conveyor belts behind them for checking in. Why had I waited in the wrong line? ))

"Thank you, that's very kind of you," said the Australian man behind me. Ah yes. This is why I waited in line.

I didn't say much past that; maybe "no problem" or "of course!" and walked away. On one level, I wanted credit for having passed the book along. I wanted him to email me and tell me it was life changing and become mates and visit his place in OZ. On another level, I wanted to have listened to my heart before and registered the book on bookcrossing.com, possibly in Christine's name as a gift to her, and then record that I had read it. Hadn't done that, though, so I'll let this journal entry do something similar.

ps: The Alchemist is a really good book.

Heart

8:02am ICT Friday 21 May 2010 (day 14667)

Right now, my heart (higher self / angels / guidance / clear fountain / intuition) says it has the info I need for life.

I can't quite believe/imagine what will be different when I attend the workshop tonight. It smeels like it will be a totalllllly different feeling.

I like the word smeels. It was going to be smells and then feels, and now it's both.

8:52am ICT Friday 21 May 2010 (day 14667)

while taxiing:

Basically, I really enjoy the guidance given from my heart, sometimes with written words like The Alchemist, and sometimes through gentle guidance by direct revelation.

There's a part of me that thinks the workshop is going to be crap; that I'll hate it, hate NLP, etc etc.

Back in Tokyo, Lisa suggested, "just pay attention to your heart and to your experience during the workshop."

Shara

8:11am ICT Friday 21 May 2010 (day 14667)

(written while taxiing 8:42am ICT Friday 21 May 2010 (day 14667))

I called Shara to wish her a good test today in school. She'll do fine as long as she simply stays calm and relaxed.

"You're not actually in the plane are you??"

"Yup, and I realized I needed to call you right now or it'd be too late."

"You're so sweet; thank you!"

"No worrie mate!" (I like you)

"What time does your workshop start?"

"Tonight at 5pm; I know it's crazy!"

"Well, have fun and give me a call when you get back!"

"Okay; see you on Monday!"

- - - -

I wonder why slow aircraft movement on the ground is called taxiing.

Tarmac

8:32am ICT Friday 21 May 2010 (day 14667)

The tractor pushing us back was like bump bump and then shove bump and then nothing. I was like "hmmmmm,"

and later, the captain was like, "The tarmac in this part of the airport is soft, and the push-back tractor cannot get enough traction to push us back to where we are allowed to start our engines. Air traffic control will not let us start our engines in the current position, so we are waiting another push-back tractor to come help us out. I'd like to say this is not a Cathay Pacific issue, but an issue with the Thai airport, and is out of our control. While we are waiting, the cabin crew will continue to provide you with anything you need for your flight.

"I expect a new tractor will be here in a couple of minutes and once we are airborne we'll enjoy clear skies for our 2 hour and 22 minute flight to Hong Kong."

8:36am ICT

Now we are moving back. Oh, I mean forward.

I wonder if there's any mention of this on Wikipedia.

I wonder if I'll notice them turn on the engines. (I chose a seat way at the back of the plane so I'd have a clear view without the wing in the way, so I can't see the engines.)

8:39am ICT

Yup. I noticed.

Must have been frustrating for the captain; we were moved forward about 100 meters to the engine start point.

Train tix to Kowloon

12:27pm ICT Friday 21 May 2010 (day 14667)

There was a big line to a big desk featuring a big sign that said TRAIN TICKETS. I stood in that line for a bit until I saw no line near a small machine featuring an equally big sign that said TRAIN TICKETS. Press [ENGLISH] for English, [1 ADULT] for me, and insert 100 HKD for the ticket. Boom. No line needed.

Why was there a line to the big desk?

two Thailand weeks

two Thailand weeks

Hello!

I've been in Thailand for two weeks, and am currently writing from a coffee shop in
the airport in Bangkok, where bustling activity hides any clue that mayhem prevails
in some parts of this city, which I've not yet explored.

My two weeks in Thailand have been primarily in Chiang Mai, primarily at Sunshine
Massage School (9am to 4pm) and Imm Eco (evening to 8am).

== Sunshine Massage School ==

Sunshine Massage School seems to be the best customer service and value for money
for Thai massage taught in English.  The actual building greets students with clean
white walls and solid wood (teak?) floors and stairs.  The place just feels solid
and well grounded, physically and energetically.

During school hours, Max (founder/owner/manager) can usually be found in the front
office/reception, ready to answer any questions, accept new registrations or
whatever else he does.

Our teacher for the past two weeks was Ohm, with teacher-in-training Air there for
the first week.  I thought the teachers' names (Ohm, Air, Dot) were all nicknames
they took while working at the school, but as I understand now, all Thai children
are given such nicknames by their parents!  When Air went to the village to
complete her training, we were supported by Dah and Mint.

Our class started with 6 students, and will end tomorrow with 4, though I don't
think dropouts are particularly common.  We six, me, Christine, Cyrille, Sylvia,
Anne Gaelle, and Shara, all went from kinda quiet before starting on the first day
to almost having dinner together last night (more on that in a second).

Christine and I shared some similarities: both from the US, both lived in adjacent
rooms in Imm Eco, both found the school to be perfect ("all that I expected, and I
had high expectations,"), *and* both were raised UU!!  (http://www.uua.org for
FAQ.)  She's been living/schooling in New York State at the Omega School, which
sounds realllly cool.  I may research that a bit more at some point.

Shara and I hung out quite a lot, though we have not-so-much in common 'cept that
we're both enjoying a nice vacationy type time in Thailand.  She likes shopping,
partying and convenience.  I appreciate that she laughs and smiles a lot, and
enjoys living in the Now.  She's my favorite massage partner, partly because of
nice physical proportions, and partially because she's got a lump on her lower
spine from an injury from when she was 12.  I like being able to switch to reiki
mode in the middle of our sessions.

Cyrille, Silvia, and Anne Gaelle are all from Europe, and often speak French
together, and English with others in the class.  Anne Gaelle is tall and elegant. 
Silvia is shorter, cool, and well-tattooed.  Cyrille is strong, intelligent and
peaceful, though likes to play-fight with Ohm.  Ohm covers a solid tiger core with
a lovely smile and gentle personality.

Today (now yesterday as I send this from Hong Kong) I took the "test" for my first
two week beginner course in Thai massage.  The test was really just a practice, but
without referring to any person, book or notes.

== Imm Eco ==

Originally built as a solid homestead 70 years ago (which survived WW2 unlike most
other structures in the area), Imm Eco boasts an on-site restaurant, lovely pool,
and maybe more secrets I've not yet seen, all set in a lovely garden of a great
variety of trees, all labeled in English, Thai and their scientific names.  Paying
guests get to use the pool, slurp free wifi access, and chow breakfast buffet each
morning.

My room, for only 300 baht per night (900 yen ($9 (http://xe.com))), features an
air conditioner I don't use (it's only been 41 degrees max), two beds (one for me
and one for my shtuffs), direct view of the front door of its building, and an
auspicious room number: 1111.  (Christine was in 1110 until last night (more on
that in a second).)

The Imm Eco staff has been great.  Just last night I got a ride on the back of one
of the security motorcycles with Dom (?) driving.  I got water for both him and his
security guard partner (Sbas?)  for their friendly service.  Tik is the woman at
the front desk who has been most helpful to me, including telling me I could get a
30% discount (from 500 baht per night to 300 baht per night) for paying a month in
advance, calling the taxi driver to return U-Cow when I lost him, and currently
holding my keys plus 16,500 Thai baht that I didn't think I'd need in Hong Kong.

== Protests ==

My summary, not knowing much: The Red Shirts (terrorists / revolutionaries / poor
masses) have orchestrated protests against the Yellow Shirts (thieves /
fraudulently "elected" / wealthy elite).  Certainly one can get more details, but
which news sources can one trust?

The current conditions are probably on world news, at least a little bit: tires /
banks / government buildings aflame, unarmed/slightly armed protesters facing
well-armed soldiers, and other stuff.

Christine chose to leave Chiang Mai after getting a request from the US embassy
that all Americans leave Chiang Mai.  She attended 6 of 10 days of class.

We remaining class members planned to go to dinner last night, but a curfew was
enacted at 8pm, with some of the aforementioned tires burned near where we were
planning to meet.  Cyrille and Ohm chose not to come at all.  Shara and I, unaware,
came anyway (but were 15 minutes late and found no one at the restaurant (which was
closed anyway due to the curfew)).  Silvia and Anne Gaelle, unaware, came anyway
(but were 30 minutes late and found no one at the restaurant (which was closed
anyway), because Shara and I went down the street a bit to get some yummy Thai food
from a street vendor.

After dinner, I went back to Imm Eco, bought Gatorade for myself and water for the
security guys, then was chatting with the front desk staff (Tik and someone else)
about the current state of bridge closures and such when Christine came up, "HI!"
She hadn't been in class for three days, but had been organizing visas and tickets
to stay in Thailand but leave Chiang Mai.  She left this morning for Koh Samui.

== Honkers ==

Right *now* (yesterday as I send this from HK) I'm in Bangkok airport, spending the
night here before flying to Hong Kong in the morning (instead of attending class on
the actual test day).  Soness, my housemate in Japan, bought me a VIP ticket to
Chris Howard's "Breakthrough to Success" weekend training!  This will be a totally
new experience for me, so I'm not sure really what to expect.

Hopefully supa fun and positively transformational!

   Love and Light
    - Rob!