Category: Uncategorized

When you think of what staring is, you imagine yourself looking at someone, or something, either through amazement or fear, or just pure interest. And it can also be taken as a sign of aggression, of intense concentration or boredom, and of affection.

When someone stares at you, and you catch their eye, you immediately wonder what they are looking at; have you got your slippers on instead of your shoes? Have you got your knickers tucked in your skirt? And at first you look away but you are immediately drawn back to that person to see if they are still looking at you, and they are!

If you stare at someone else-maybe you are people watching-you don’t want them to catch you ogling because they, most of the time, will have the same reaction as yourself. In Western society most people don’t like it, and it can be considered rude. Come on, you can hear yourself “What are they bloody looking at?”

Not so in Thailand. If you travel around Thailand and stay in more rural areas, people WILL stare at you. It is quite disconcerting at first but they mean you no harm. It is simply because the locals are not used to seeing foreigners, especially in places which are not particularly on the tourist trail.

I lived in Surin, in northeast Thailand, for three years and I was stared at everywhere I went- I got used to it after a while but sometimes, just sometimes, I would ask myself quietly “What are you looking at now?” I went shopping at the local supermarket-they stared in my basket to see what I was buying; I went to work each day-they stared at me as I cycled passed; I went jogging in the park-they stared at me as I ran by; I went to the bar alone-they stared as I sat drinking my beer. Oh, they stared!

A few years ago, my mum and auntie came to visit, and, as they walked to meet me at work, a guy on a motor-bike stared at them, taking his eyes off the road. My mum, being the sociable character she is, smiled and waved, nearly causing a road traffic accident when the guy almost fell of his bike. He hadn’t expected her to wave at him.

I remember going to Tesco Lotus and, as I cycled out of the car park, a whole family, six in total, both adults and kids, who had parked themselves in the car park to have a picnic, stared as I cycled off. I had clocked them staring so I reluctantly gave them a huge (false) smile and waved at them (Come on, it’s a bit tedious all this staring.) But it was their reaction, from all six of them, enthusiastically grinning and waving back at me, that made me realise just how much I love this place. Needless to say, the false smile I was wearing became a massive, genuine, grin from ear to ear, and gave me such a feeling of happiness. It really made my day.

Now I am living in Bangkok, the stares don’t happen very often. There are far too many foreigners living here for anybody to take much notice of us. But, if you’re in Thailand, and someone stares at you, don’t worry or be angry about it, be happy that they are intrigued and interested in you, smile back at them and just see what happens. Enjoy the Land of Smiles.

As the Thai New Year approaches people all over the country are getting ready to celebrate with their family and friends. Otherwise known as Songkran, what started out as a traditional water blessing to bring good luck, it has evolved into a full-on, alcohol-fuelled water fight.  If you happen to be in Thailand during mid-April there is nothing for you to do but get involved.

Songkran is the Sanskrit word for movement or change, and in ancient times there would be celebrations when the Sun moved into the Aries constellation of the Zodiac. The holiday starts on 13th April and lasts for three or four days.  I have experienced this crazy festival three times during my time in Thailand, each time in a different location and each time with a different view.

Songkran on Khao San Road

The first time I enjoyed Songkran was in 2008, when I first travelled around Thailand. My friends had come to visit me, and on the first day of the festival I went to pick up my friend, Hayley, from the airport. Hayley arrived, we took a taxi back to the hotel, and slept for a while before entering the throng of party-goers.

Khao San Road is a small street, filled with bars and restaurants on either side and fairly busy. During Songkran there are stages set up all along the road, and there are thousands of people- all crammed into that little street. Suffice to say I got separated from Hayley within the first 30 minutes.

But, not to worry, after a few minutes Hayley appeared, being carried along by the waves of people. I grabbed her, she was fine, and we carried on partying into the night until we could party no more.

The next day was much the same but in the evening we decided to party elsewhere. So we got dressed up and hailed a tuk-tuk to Silom.  Bearing in mind that there is a massive water fight going on with people soaking you with guns and buckets filled with ice cold water. Even people in trucks hosing you down- there is no mercy for anyone. Why we decided to take a tuk-tuk, God only knows! By the time we arrived in Silom we were soaked to the skin.

By the third day it was getting ridiculous- there was no let up, so we went to Silom again, found an Irish bar and stayed put until 1am, when the water throwing stopped for the evening.

Although we had fun, it is just too crazy. Too many people, and not enough room to move, and to this day I have vowed I would never again celebrate Songkran on Khao San Road. Except, this year I have been persuaded to go again, so I will, reluctantly, be joining the party. Although, I say that. I know once I get there I will enjoy it as much as anyone else.

Songkran in Chiang Mai

The following year, I went to Chiang Mai to celebrate Songkran once more. As if I didn’t get enough water-filled fun the previous year. But, what a difference. I was pleasantly surprised.

In the central Tha Pae gate area of the city there were the resident trucks with ice cold water cannons, music blaring at ridiculous volume levels, and the obligatory alcohol from morning until night, but this time there was room to move, and loads of it.

Along the canal, the bars had set up tiny little stages so you could dance and watch everyone strutting their stuff to the music, and getting soaked at the same time. There were huge tanks of water where you could re-fill your weapon and get your own back on the barrage of water that was being fired from the trucks and from people passing by.

The atmosphere in Chiang Mai was amazing- everyone was in high spirits and having so much fun. And when the festival ended at 10pm, we all went on to a late bar to continue the party into the early hours.

When I was there in 2009 the festival lasted for two days. And it was so much more relaxed than Bangkok. I think mainly because there is a lot more room to move and it can be easily escaped. In fact, I had so much fun the first day I didn’t make it out for the second, preferring to rest my weary bones in the hotel room.

Songkran on Koh Tao

In 2010, I visited Koh Tao with my friends, Doyle and Melody, and we happened to be there for Songkran.  Having experienced it the previous two years I eagerly told them what fun we were going to have. A day or so before we went out and purchased our weapons of choice, ready for the water war.

On the morning of the celebrations we went out for breakfast to line our stomachs in preparation for the large amounts of alcohol that would be consumed during the day.

Melody and I, being the little devils that we are, left before everyone else as we were eager to start partying. The others arrived to find us swinging from a large swing on the beach, slightly, well OK, very inebriated. We didn’t last until the end of the day; we were all in bed by 10.30pm! It was just too much excitement, or was it the alcohol?!

In the morning we were up for more excitement but were disappointed to learn that Songkran only lasted one day, due to the island having a water shortage. Quite rightly so.

And while I couldn’t stomach a third day in Bangkok, one day wasn’t enough. I am never happy!

Since then I have managed to avoid any Songkran festivities for one reason or another but this year I will, more than likely, be out and about, somewhere in Bangkok, enjoying the celebrations along with everyone else. Reluctantly of course.

 

As you may have gathered, I love my life in Thailand. I consider it my home. I have a job I love, and friends to hang out with now and again, but it’s always great to go back to my hometown of Northampton, in England, to catch up with my beloved family and friends.

And being Christmas makes it extra special. It’s not the same in Thailand, yeah they put up huge Christmas trees and decorations in the mall but it doesn’t have the same feel to it as Christmas at home. For a start, at home, you’ve got the run up to Christmas day when you get to exchange secret Santa presents and drink wine with your girl-friends, and shopping with your mum or dad. Decorating the tree and wrapping presents and not forgetting the obligatory Christmas Eve drinks. It’s all part of the Christmassy spirit. So, even though I like to make out that I am a bit of a humbug, really, I love this time of year, so I was very happy to be going home.

So a few days before Christmas I found myself sitting in a taxi, my bags packed, on the way to the airport with that tell-tale smile on my face that means I am excited to be spending time with my loved ones.

I arrived a few days before Christmas and got into the spirit quick quickly, catching up with friends and chilling with my family. I was just happy to be back surrounded by people who know me the best once more. To make it extra special this year we have three new babies in the family. My beautiful niece, Amayah, and two bouncing nephews, James and Sebastian.

On Christmas Day it was just, me, Mum, Dad, my sister, Denise and my new little niece, Amayah. In the morning we opened presents. And then watched Amayah open hers, with a helping hand from her mum and grandma of course. We had salmon, scrambled eggs and prosecco, which is the norm for Christmas lunch in our house. And, a few hours later, we demolished turkey and all the trimmings for dinner. It was delicious, like all of my mother’s food is. For the rest of the day we all sat watching TV, eating chocolates and drinking wine. It was very special.

The next day, I went for the one and only run of the holiday. It was nice to run in the cold for a change. Normally, I have to contend with 20 degrees plus temperatures, so running in the cold made a pleasant change, and it blew away a few cobwebs. (a.k.a.drinking too much wine!) In the afternoon the rest of my family arrived for the annual Boxing Day party. It was fun, although a bit different what with the new babies. There were no drinking games, or drinking of the dirty pint but there was a delicious buffet, wine (of course) and a lot of laughter. It was time well spent with my family.

New Year’s Eve saw me on the train heading to Newark to spend time with my good friends, Doyle and Mel and their two boys. Doyle picked me up from the station and we had coffee, before arriving at their home to start (and finish) two bottles of wine. Later, we went to their friend’s house for food, games, and, you guessed it, more wine. This time accompanied by a glass of water in between. Shock, horror! First time for everything! It was a great night, and when we got back we sat and chatted for a few more hours before heading to bed. A rather tame night, not like the ones we have had in the past, but I was happy that I got to spend time with them and I didn’t want to be anywhere else for those couple of days.

Whenever I go home the first few days go slowly as I get used to my surroundings again. And I think to myself “I have ages here.” But once those surroundings become familiar again, and I’ve had a few nights out with my friends, I’m almost on my way home again. The time goes so quickly.

It’s always bittersweet when I see people for the last time. Sweet because I’m spending time with the people that I love but bitter because I’m leaving them once more. But however much I love everyone at home, and I miss them a lot, it’s always nice to come back to the life I’ve made for myself. To get back into the routine of working life and to feel healthy again.

All in all I had a fantastic two weeks. I drank my body weight in wine, ate a lot of delicious food, put on a few pounds, but most of all I spent time with my wonderful family and gorgeous friends. In fact, words cannot describe just how much I loved it. It’s like I have never been away from them. They welcome me back with open arms and we pick up where we left off, just like I saw them yesterday.

So until the next time….

Since living in Thailand I have noticed that there are a few things that are unique to the place. Not just in one town or city but generally all over Thailand. Here are just a few.

Pavements
Where I come from, pavements, or sidewalks in America, are used for walking on. The reason they are there is to prevent against being ploughed down by the passing traffic. Not so in Thailand. In Thailand, there is little room for walking. There are food vendors, plants, restaurant seating, restaurant signs, rubbish, dogs, cats, and motorbikes. Yes, motorbikes, I kid you not!

Not to mention that they are badly in need of re-surfacing, so even if they were clear of stuff you still have to watch where you are walking. Also, the drain covers sit about two inches above the rest of the pavement. Just two weeks ago, I wasn’t watching where I was walking and tripped and managed to peel the skin off the back of my big toe. There was blood everywhere and it stung like anything. And let’s not forget the ceramic tiles that are cemented in around the brickwork. They are lethal, especially when it is raining. Flip flops and ceramic tiles do not work well together.

Volume/Loud Speakers
As someone who likes a little loud music- living in Thailand is somewhat disturbing to the ears. The Thais seem to have no knowledge of volume control. As you walk along, (not on the pavement) minding your own business, you nearly jump out of your skin when a passing truck blares music out of the sound system, advertising something or other. And I mean it’s so loud that you cannot hear what anyone else is saying until the damn thing passes by and is out of earshot. It’s not just trucks- young people in cars, bus drivers, motorbike riders with mini sound systems attached. I really don’t understand why they have to have the music so loud. Is it because they think no one can hear? (I get that if they are advertising something) or is it because they are impervious to it? Whatever the reason I think they should turn it down a notch!

Whitening Products
From a nation that wants to be brown and spends countless hours sunning themselves on the blazing hot holiday shores, to a nation who wants to have a white-skinned complexion is an interesting concept.

For me, I feel so much better with a tan- I feel healthier. I am not forgetting the risks of skin cancer, but to find myself amongst people who want to be white-skinned is rather strange. The Thais are a beautiful race but, I guess, like us they want to be different. So this is why you see a huge range of beauty products for sale which contain a whitening element. Some people even go so far, and I know a guy who did this, as to take pills or inject the same whitening element. Injections seem kind of extreme but this is all in their quest to be whiter.

I inadvertently bought a bottle of shower cream and, only after six weeks of using it, I realised it was part of the product’s “light white” range. Everything from lotions, shower gels, soap and face creams-it’s a booming business in Thailand.

Environment-friendly? Not!
Whenever you go shopping to the local supermarkets, the staff will pack the bags for you. They put only a limited amount of items in each bag, so you end up with far more bags than you actually need. They even double bag the heavier items. Seriously, all that plastic is not good for the environment. It’s not only in supermarkets. All the 7-11 shops give you a straw and a bag every time you buy a drink, two straws if you buy two drinks. If you pick up some takeaway food- guess what? That goes in a plastic bag as well.

So now I either pack the bags myself, but I don’t get away with this very often because there is always someone standing by to pack them for you. Or I say no to two straws and a plastic bag. ‘Mai Ow Toung.’ Literally- ‘no want bag!’

However much I find all this rather strange, I really love living in Thailand. It has really opened my eyes to a very different and unique way of life.

Is there anything unique about where you live? 🙂

I had some time off work so my friends and I took a trip to a little seaside town-Prachuap Khiri Khan. We had been planning this trip since February and it came and went very quickly. But at least we went. What we normally do is talk about doing things and never actually follow through with our plans. So I was happy about that. I needed time out of Bangkok for a few days. Although I love living there, a few days away is always needed.
We arrived at Bang Sue train station in plenty of time for the 1.33pm train, arriving from Hua Lamphong station. It was on time. The train goes from Bangkok to Su-ngai Kolok which is a border town on the Malaysia-Thailand border. It was second class and the cost of the journey was 696 baht. The train is a great way to see the countryside because the windows are open. It took around 6 hours but the time passed quickly. It is so exciting to see open spaces again. There are quicker ways to go but I totally recommend this mode of transport. Soon after leaving Bangkok, the concrete is replaced with green paddy fields and palm trees. The scenery is just beautiful.

Prachuap Khiri Khan is located around an hour south of Hua Hin. On the east side of Thailand’s narrowest strip of land, it is only 11 km to the Burmese border which lies to the west.

We arrived around 7.30pm and walked to the night market, which is about 10 minutes from the train station. We had dinner of chicken satay and pad thai, which was very nice and very cheap- about 80 baht for the two dishes.

Arriving at night is always strange and my first impressions weren’t great to be honest. It was like a ghost town. There were a few people here and there but it was certainly quiet. Once we had dropped our bags at the hotel we wandered back and found a little shop with a few tables and chairs in the front. We sat and had a few drinks to ease ourselves into our holiday. Like that is ever needed! Just an excuse to drink again.

The next day was a different day. I got up for the sunrise at 5.30am. It was just stunning. You can’t beat a good sunrise. The colours of pinks and blues were just beautiful. The colours make it a perfect time for taking photographs as well. I love that time of morning. I really must see more of them. Only the birds twittering, a few people out and about doing their morning exercise, and the fisherman coming home with their catch. It is so peaceful and quiet. My friend joined me and we followed the sunrise with a few sun salutations on the beach.

After breakfast we hired some bicycles and cycled to Khao Chong Krajok or Mirror Mountain. It gets its name from the natural opening in the side of the hill, which resembles a mirror. After climbing 396 steps we were treated to stunning views of Prachuap Khiri Khan and the surrounding areas-Ao Noi and Ao Manao.

At the top is Khao Chong Krajok temple- a small, picturesque temple which houses a couple of Buddhist artifacts- the buddhapada (Buddha’s footprint) and the saririka dhatu (his relics). It is worth a visit but watch out for the troupe of monkeys who reside on the mountain. They will try and grab anything that looks remotely edible.

We then cycled to Ao Manao which is located within the Wing 5 Prachuap Royal Air Force base. There is a concrete arch, guarded by soldiers who kindly tell you to sign in. There is a building to the right of the arch where you can do so. You are supposed to sign out but we never did. Maybe they are still looking for us!

Wing 5 is a fully operational air force base and so one is not allowed to take photographs. A crucial fact I forgot when I cycled over the runway, stopped in the middle, and proceeded to take two photographs. A guy passed me on his motorbike and said:

“You, NO!!” He then stopped at the security guard to tell him of my misdemeanor.

I cycled towards the security guard, rather sheepishly, and said hello to him with a little smile on my face.

To which he replied: “Yes, but no photographs!”

I forgot, sorry!

Anyway back to Ao Manao. It is a beautiful little bay, lined with trees, and, due to its curved shape, it is quite sheltered, so the Gulf of Thailand is at its calmest. We sat on deckchairs, had some food and a couple of beers. Then we had a leisurely swim in the green sea, the temperature of which was like a bath. You can’t beat the sea in these tropical climes.

The following day we cycled to Ao Noi- about 8km from Prachuap. A pretty little bay which looked like a graveyard for fishing boats. Hundreds of boats lolling around in little pools of water, waiting for the tide to return so they could come alive and go off fishing for the night. We didn’t go there to see the boats; we went there to visit Khan Kradai Cave or Tham Phra Non- the sleeping Buddha cave.

Another climb up another mountain-more of a hill really-and at the top we were welcomed by two resident dogs who seemed happy to see us. There are some lights in the cave and if you put some money in the box you get 20 minutes of light. It wasn’t 20 minutes- more like 10. Anyway, we didn’t put any money in the box, we just had flashlights-like proper adventurers. I felt a bit like Indiana Jones as I took my first tentative steps into the darkness. As you enter the first chamber you can easily see the first reclining golden Buddha, draped in saffron robes. Walk passed the Buddha and you continue further into the cave, and into complete darkness. It was impossible to see anything. The only sound we heard were the cries of the bats overhead. It was very eerie. Then my friends came along with the flashlights and all of a sudden our eyes were drawn to a second golden, saffron draped, Buddha. Not only that, there were three rows of sitting Buddha statues. It kind of took my breath away a little. One moment we were in darkness, unaware there was anything there, next moment we were standing in front of several statues. I didn’t expect to see so many. It was a pleasant surprise.

Prachuap Khiri Khan offers some very scenic views; a couple of mountains; temples; some monkeys; very good, cheap seafood; cheap bicycle hire; a night market; a few cute little cafes and restaurants; an air force base; and a historical park.

It is a beautiful part of Thailand and I enjoyed my few days by the sea exploring caves, mountains and beaches. But, for me, I couldn’t spend any longer than that there. I must be a city girl at heart, Bangkok was beckoning me home.

A Domestic Pigeon (Columba livia) Enveloped in it’s nest in Glenelg, Adelaide

There is one moment in everyone’s life that sticks out. One moment that you will remember forever. That memory may bring with it a whole lot of other memories or it may cause your life to go in a new and unknown direction.

The one moment that changed my life and sent me on a path that would end up living in Thailand came ten years ago in 2005.

I was married at the time. We had been married since 2002 and, although we were getting on OK, we had started to drift apart and were more like brother and sister than husband and wife.

One day I said “Why don’t you go away and think about what you want?”

His reply- “I can’t because of work.” He had in mind that he was working for our future together. Which is a good thing? No?

But it’s all very well planning for the future but if you don’t work at the present the future could be very different to how you imagined it.

“Be careful not to look so far ahead, that you miss what’s in front of you” Jeremy Aldana

So, what were we to do? Continue living in a marriage that was less than 100% happy?

A few days later I was out with my friends and, as girls do together, we were chatting about my situation. And then it hit me, like the proverbial epiphany. Why don’t I take my own advice? Why don’t I be the one to go away and think about what I want?

So I did.

I took myself to Australia for the first time. I went for two months. Alone. Well actually I stayed with family but I still went alone. It was the bravest thing I have ever done. I had never been anywhere on my own before. I was 37.

I had a great time there and spent countless hours walking and talking to myself trying to work things out in my head about what the hell I should do. Cheap therapy! It worked though.

I moved out three months later, bought my own house and two years later I returned to Australia. A year after that I went travelling for ten months. Three months after that I moved to Thailand. And have been here on and off since then.

I love my life now and I couldn’t be happier. My life as I know it now stemmed from that one moment and it is something I will always remember.

Throughout life everyone travels down certain paths and sometimes things happen that will see you on a different path.

And although that one moment might make you feel scared or unhappy- know that you will be stronger for it. What doesn’t kill you right? Think of it as exciting because you never know where your new path with lead you.

“March on. Do not tarry. To go forward is to move toward perfection. March on, and fear not the thorns, or the sharp stones on life’s path”

Khalil Gibran

Very wise words

My friend and I went to Saraburi to visit a local tourist attraction-sunflower fields. Doesn’t sound that exciting? Believe me it is worth the effort of getting there and even more so because we decided to skip the organised day trips from Bangkok and do a DIY version instead.

We left Bang Sue at 9.20am- the train should have left at 8.20am but hey this is Thailand. We travelled an hour and a half north to Khaeng Koi Junction where we changed trains for a thirty minute journey to Hin Son.

Hin Son is literally in the middle of nowhere. We had co-ordinates to follow and we had been told that the sunflower field was in the direction away from the school and towards the temple. That’s all we knew, and without ACTUAL GPS we walked for about 10 minutes to a temple we had spotted and decided that we were going in the wrong direction.

Luckily, we had seen some sunflower fields from the train, so we walked back to the train station-getting some bemused stares from the locals. On the opposite side to the station was a road but we agreed that it didn’t look like it went to the fields-we found out later it did-so we decided to walk back along the train track. Actually, we started walking through the fields but the grass started to get very long in places and we were scared that there may be snakes. A snake bite in the middle of nowhere would lead to certain death- maybe a bit of an exaggeration but a snake bite would be very serious, to say the least, considering one of us would have to leave the bitten party to go in search of help. Not a very sensible idea. So we backtracked a little and started walking along the train track. There are only three trains a day and we didn’t see one but we were constantly checking in both directions and we were ready to dive off to the side of the track if one came trundling along.

We arrived at the sunflower field with no scrapes- even though we had to scramble across the track with a 12 foot drop below. In our imaginations that drop was 1000 feet. We were a little burnt and our feet were sore from walking on the track.

On either side of the train track there are fields and fields of beautiful sunflowers. It’s very peaceful, right in the middle of nowhere. There was no one else there apart from a couple of people who arrived in a van who, like us, had come to see the sunflowers, and a few stallholders who were setting up their stalls for the weekend rush of people arriving on the train. We basically had the place to ourselves. We wandered around taking photos and then we went and rested up a while in the shade with some sunflower juice to quench our thirsts.

While we were sitting there one the stallholders asked where we had come from. We told her that we had walked from Hin Son. She looked shocked. Thais don’t walk anywhere. Once we had recovered we decided to continue walking away from Hin Son-back in the direction of Bangkok-to the train stop-no more than a hut- at Khao Hin Dad. We didn’t know the name of the place at the time but we had definitely seen the hut. We walked off with the lady shouting:
“You can’t walk that way, it’s all jungle.”

We both looked at each other, jungle? The train goes that way so we thought it was safe to say there wasn’t any jungle going to block our way.

So off we went walking along the train track again. After a while we suddenly realised that the road was running parallel to the track but there was no way that we were going to get to it because the undergrowth was just too thick. So we continued along the track. Every few minutes we could hear lorries passing by on the road but we thought it was a train, so we stopped in our tracks (get it) and were ready to dive to safety. But all was ok. How we misjudged the distance between the hut and the sunflower field I still wonder today. We were sure it was closer. We kept walking and walking with nothing but train track in front of us. In the end I spotted a way off the train track to the road. It’s a good job I saw it because we were chatting to each other and could easily have missed it. But we swapped track for road. At least it was easier to walk on. After a good fifteen minutes we finally saw a sign that said railway crossing. At the same time a guy stopped on this motorbike and was asking us where we were going and where we had been. Typical. We had been walking for what turned out to be 5 km when someone saw us and told us where we were supposed to be going.

This guy, whose name was Mr. Praset, asked us if we wanted to go to his house and sleep the night. We gathered that he ran some sort of homestay. We politely turned him down and said we would wait for the train back to Bangkok. Off he went and we sat by the road. About fifteen minutes later he came back with bananas, a packet of chocolate biscuits, and a bottle of water each for us. He sat there and chatted away to us for ages. He asked us if we wanted a lift to Khaeng Koi but, again, we politely declined and said we would get the train. Off he went again and we moved to the hut that is the train stop in Khao Hin Dad. Some more people arrived, this time to just sit and stare at us- quite amusing really.

Mr. Praset came back again-this time in his truck- and asked us again if we wanted a lift to Khaeng Koi because he didn’t think we would make it in time to get the train back to Bangkok. As much as we wanted to get the train back, we also didn’t want to miss the train from Khaeng Koi, so we agreed and got in his truck. So we were off back towards Khaeng Koi but not before going back to Mr. Praset’s home. He wanted to show us where he lived. We literally drove into the drive, said hello to his daughter, and reversed out again. From what we saw it looked lovely and we found out that he exports flowers to China from the fields at the back of his house. But we suspected that he only wanted to show off his new “farang” friends to his daughter.

Mr. Praset seemed happy at our accepting his offer and excitedly kept saying:
“Look! It’s only 5.30pm; you won’t miss your train.”
We arrived at Khaeng Koi and offered him some money for the ride. He told us before that it would cost 100 baht each but he did not accept anything from us.

This is one of these random things that happen and it’s been a long time since anything like this has happened to me. While I don’t want to be walking along any train tracks, with seemingly no end, for a while, I loved meeting Mr. Praset and will definitely be paying him a visit when I am next in that area. As for the DIY day out to visit the sunflower fields- I would not have missed it for the world.

A few years ago I went on a three day diving trip off of Ranong, on Thailand’s west coast, in the Andaman Sea. The Andaman Sea is part of the Indian Ocean and touches the shores of Thailand, India, Bangladesh, Burma, Malaysia and Sumatra. This is a very popular diving location due to the colourful coral and many species of tropical marine life-including whale sharks, leopard sharks and manta rays. As part of my TEFL course, I had paid for the four week course, accommodation and a job guarantee which was their full package, and because of this they threw in this diving trip for free.

I have a love-hate relationship with diving- actually to be fair I have only done it twice- but it is one of those things, for me anyway, that I never look forward to doing but once I have done it I want to go back for more. The problem is that I have terrible trouble with my ears. It is very painful to descend into the watery depths. If I don’t get rushed and can take my time I am fine, but descending too quickly and the pain is just unbearable.
We arrived in Ranong and boarded the “Sea World”- a 25 metre vessel especially equipped for these live-a-board trips. The air conditioned rooms are all located on the main deck providing sea views, sun decks and the communal “saloon” where you can relax watching TV or listening to music. The crew was fantastic, providing delicious meals for us in between dives, and looking after us while we were aboard.

We left Ranong around 9pm and more or less went straight to bed. It took about 8 or 9 hours to reach our first dive site- Koh Chi, 2km off the north east coast of Surin Nua. Imagine waking up and leaving your bunk to be greeted by a huge expanse of blue water, with no noise other than the squawking sea birds. The calm swell of the ocean as you sleepily get into your diving gear. It was rather surreal.

Koh Chi has an average of 15 metres visibility and I saw a lot of marine life- clown fish, trumpet fish, bat fish, trigger fish, puffer fish, parrot fish, moorish idol, and blue starfish. In fact, looking in my dive log, this is the site where I saw the most fish. It’s very calm and relaxed down in that other world. The fish are just hanging out, going about their daily business.

Castle Rock was our next dive and this is where it went pear-shaped for me. This was our second dive of the day at 11.00 am and I only lasted 15 minutes. Actually it was 10 minutes, the last 5 minutes was ascending. I got my diving gear on and my diving buddy told me that there was a strong current at the surface so I had to descend quickly. I tried, I really did, but I had trouble equalising and I was in so much pain. Because I was trying to descend but couldn’t, we got swept away from the dive site. I gave up and signalled to my buddy that I wanted to go up. Reaching the surface I realised my nose was bleeding, and then I started to cry. I think I was a little shaken at how easily we got swept away. Plus the fact that I don’t like giving up on anything.

Afterwards, my ears felt like they had the whole ocean in them, but I pulled myself together and decided to stay on board for the next few dives and just watch the others from a “non-nose bleed and painful ears” vantage point.
The next few dives sites- Coral Garden, South East Point, South Point and Hin Kong were all done successfully, even though the nose bleed had put me off somewhat. But it was the last dive, at Richelieu Rock, that was the most stunning, and I was so glad I didn’t sit that one out. There was a bit of a current, but it was mostly calm making the conditions perfect for diving.

Richelieu Rock is located about 200km northwest of Phuket and lies about 18km off the shore of Surin Island. It was discovered by Jacques-Yves Cousteau as a recreational scuba dive site, and it is considered to be one of Thailand’s most iconic dive sites. It is a horse-shoe shaped reef, rising 50 m from the ocean floor to just below the surface at low tide. It attracts all kinds of marine life including scorpion fish, moray eels, and groupers which I saw. Other divers have seen the occasional manta rays and whale sharks passing by as well.

The corals, as well as the fish, are beautiful, ranging in colour from red to purple. And it’s from the colours that the rock gets its name. Some say that it is named after the red robes of Cardinal Richelieu, while others say it is named after a general in the Royal Thai Navy. Either way the colours of the coral are simply stunning. I spent 50 minutes in the company of the rock and its inhabitants. And for those 50 minutes I forgot about painful ears and nose bleeds and enjoyed what I was seeing.

I never looked forward to any of these dives, but once I was down there I relaxed and started to enjoy myself. If I get the chance again I will go diving again but I am not quite ready to go out and buy my own dive equipment just yet.

A-One Diving
256 Ruengrad Rd, Kaoniwate, Muang – 85000 Ranong – Thailand.

Mobile: +66 (0)81 8915510
Tel: +66 (0)77 832984
Fax: +66 (0)77 830984
Email: info@a-one-diving.com