Should I Stay, Or Should I Go??……..

This weekend was my first weekend in Bangkok for a while.  By Sunday I was ready to get out, so I jumped onto a van and headed one and a half hours out of town to the beach Bang Saen. 

Arriving at lunch time I stopped to pick up some fresh steamed crabs from the ladies at the back of the beach before finding myself a sunny spot to park my bum.  After lunch and a quick swim I started to wander, I think my legs were missing their Sunday run!

 Several thoughts occurred to me as I was walking. 

I spent most of January feeling pretty pissed off and ready to leave.  I would have happily revoked most of what I wrote in my ‘Four Months of Thailand Living’ post. 

• The hole that is my apartment had, in my head, gone full circle, and was no longer “my hole, home”, to just being a shit hole!            
• Things – like hot water, a fridge, a cooker that I said I didn’t need, I’ve come to the conclusion that I can live without, but truth be told – I don’t want to. 
• The hour it takes to get from home into town (on a good day) makes it a real hassle, after a long day at work, to meet anyone in town and so mostly during the week I don’t.
• I’m sick of oil and sugar laden Thai food.  I’d love to be able to cook something for myself, but can’t (see lack of fridge and cooker!).  At school I have no choice but to eat Thai food, and where four months ago I’d then happily go and buy street food at night and really enjoy it, the thought of it now really turns me off.  I actually find myself 5 days out of 7 buying things to make a salad or sandwich. 

Something has happened in the last couple of weeks though, I still think all of the above, but a combination of really good weekends running, and some really nice evenings out with friends, and walking along the beach in the sunshine on Sunday, fanned by a warm breeze have re-inspired me.

I can think of lots of reasons why its time to move on from Thailand, and only one reason why I should stay.  The reason is so simple, and more powerful than all of the reasons to go; that are ultimately superficial, and things that I could change it I stayed.

Why should I stay?  Because I like it here! 

I think I need to start having a serious look to see if I can find a job that pays well enough to make it possible.

Ping Pong In Patpong.

I went out to dinner with friends last week to a rather nice Mexican place that served free frozen margaritas to ladies.  It was great, your glass was never more than half empty – quite lethal on a school night!

We decided we’d go for another drink after.  I wasn’t paying attention to where we were going and so am not sure if it was a conscious decision to go to a girlie bar, or if, as we were in the Patpong area, there wasn’t really too many options and so that’s how we ended up in one.

I can say in all honesty it was the most soul destroying place I’ve ever been to.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen people look so unhappy.  I’m not against strip clubs per say, in fact I seem to remember it being quite a giggle when I’d go with the lads on managers away nights from the pub.  I think the difference being that on those nights we were in places where the girls smiled and looked happy.  I appreciate that maybe they were, maybe weren’t, there’s no way of knowing, but I guess in my head it made it more ok because they were smiling.

The place we walked into on Wednesday made me feel physically sick.  It had a raised stage area, that reminded me a bit of a boxing ring, and around the sides benches on tiered levels.  As we sat down there were five girls on stage, (I say girls, but I would say they ranged from late twenties to mid forties) four in pants and boots, one in nothing at all.  Within minutes one of the lads was asked to write a note that he wanted the naked girl to write.  She took the note and kneeing down inserted into herself a thick felt pen, which she then wrote with.  I was a bit grossed out, but her ‘hand’ writing was really very good!

The next lady came onto stage, naked other than a pair of socks, with a basket full of ping pong balls, which she proceeded to fire out at us.  Its one of those things that you hear about coming to Thailand, infact I’m sure the country is as famous for it as for the beaches, still comes as a shock when you actually see it happen!  I can only say that the distance she managed was really impressive, the balls must have been going about four meters.  I think she was aiming for the drinks, and unlike a show one of my friends went to we weren’t given paddles to bat the balls back, we just had to duck!  

I have to say that up to this point it was a bit like driving past a car crash, you don’t really want to look because you know what you’ll see wont be nice, but there’s some kind of morbid curiosity that keeps you looking.  However the final act we saw made me lose all curiosity and promptly leave.

A girl came on stage and was repeatedly inserting something, that looked like a small ball into herself and popping it out into her hand.  She then lay on the floor, on her stomach, facing us, and lifted her bum up and down several times.  I’m not sure what I was expecting to happen next, maybe for her to fire the ball out behind herself and hit something on the back wall, but certainly not what happened.  The final time she raised her hips she slammed them to the floor with such force that you heard a sickening crack.  She then stood up and out into a glass plopped an egg, parts of the shell deposited next to it on the floor.  

It made me want to vomit!  I’m certainly no longer curious!  Next time I’m out and wanting another drink if the only choice girlie bar I’ll just head to 7-11 for a carry out instead!

Waterfalls, Rafting and Running, An Action Packed Weekend!

 Setting off for this weekend I really didn’t know what to expect.  On the running website I use I saw that the running club were organizing a trip to Umphang, in the mountains of western Thailand.  Its an area that I’d seen pictures of, and they looked stunning.  I’d been wanting to get to the area but hadn’t yet made it, and was starting to think I wouldn’t be able to before my time in Thailand is up.  This seemed like the perfect opportunity, all pre-planned so didn’t require any thinking from me; its not the easiest pace to get to when you’re traveling solo (I miss how easy it is to pick up friends when you’re traveling as opposed to actually living somewhere!), especially not when you only have a weekend to spare.  The trip was to set off on Friday night, return to Bangkok in the early hours of Monday morning and would include rafting, 4WD trekking, and a 10km race – perfect!

Having stressed for hours on Friday about if I would be able to find my way to the pick up point it proved relatively easy…….thanks, that is, to a mobile phone, what ever did we do without them!  My friends for the weekend turned out to be a group of about 25 people, all Thai, ranging in ages from about the same as me up to 70!

At 10pm we piled into a couple of minivans and some cars and off we set.  Within minutes I was fast asleep, and remained that way until morning!  I think that was partly a result of lack of sleep and residual hangover from Thursday night, and partly because the van was so comfortable, the seats were practically armchairs, it sure beat any bus I’ve been on! 

At around 7am we arrived at our breakfast point, and first waterfall Pha-Charoen.  I hadn’t been too coherent when I got into the van the night before so only managed the usual peasantries in conversation, but conversation flowed over breakfast as I got to know my various companions.  I was fortunate that a lot of the people spoke English to varying degrees, and so combined with my very limited Thai and lots of gesticulating we were never too stuck for words.  It was really lovely, right from the start everyone took me under their wings and wanted to make sure that I was OK, that I was eating, and that I was seeing everything there was to see. 

My Inspiration!

There were two people that stuck out for me right from the start and remained so all weekend.  Yai, a very eccentric, wealthy, 59 year old female; absolutely mad as a hatter, a lot of fun to be around.  And my inspiration (whose name I must confess I have forgotten), a 70 year old gentleman who told me “I started running a bit later in life than most!”.  He started 15 years ago and has, so far, ran races in 54 provinces in Thailand, he told me that he had 22 to go to do all of them and that he fully intended to complete them all before he dies.  “The only problem is” he said “I’m getting a bit slow doing them!” – I’d say 1 hour 20 minutes is a very respectable time to run 10kms, he certainly beat a lot of the teenagers who ran with us on the Sunday morning.

As we got back into the car to complete the last 164kms of our journey the driver reached under one of the chairs and pulled out a stack of sick bags and handed out some anti sickness pills!  The final stretch of road, nicknamed “the sky road”, bends its way along and across a forested mountain range, 1219 bends to be precise!  Lets just say I was very glad of having the anti sickness pills, and even more glad that one of the ladies had a sick bag!

A Mong hill tribe village at the start of the mountains. The people that live here are traditionally from Burma and are prevented from leaving the area to go to other parts of Thailand by police checks.

The views along the way were stunning, and more than a little bit hair raising at some points.  From the parts of road that ran along a ridge that was no-more than a meter wider on either side than the road itself, with a sheer drop either side; to the completely blind bends that we went hurtling around, sometimes while overtaking.  I felt better about the latter of which when I realized that all of the cars were joined by walkie-talkie and the car in front would give instructions to the one behind about bends coming up and other traffic on the road.

We arrived at Thee Lor Su Riverside Resort, our house for the night, at lunchtime (11.30am), a really nice place on the edge of a village.  Having been assigned rooms (and room mates), and fed we set off on our next adventure.

We transferred to 4wheel drive open back trucks (a bit like songthaws), each with a bench down either side of the back, and off we set bound for Thee Lor Su waterfall.  Before long we turned off the main road onto a dirt track, where the drivers handed out face masks for us all.  We very quickly realized why!  Even with the rain from the night before there were places that still kicked up loads of fine dirt, it would have been a long 25kms without them.  As it turned out though the ride was awesome, how the van got up some of the hills and across the seriously damaged parts of the track with out tipping over I don’t know!  And how the boys on the roof of van that followed us didn’t fall off I know even less!

We were told it would take around half an hour to walk each way to the waterfall and that we had two hours before we had to be back at the van.  I didn’t think that seemed like very much time, but it turned out to be more than enough.  I think I was very spoiled when I first got to Thailand and spent a weekend exploring waterfalls in Doi Inthanon National Park during the rainy season, they were unlike anything I’d seen before, or since.  Added to which there were no tourists.  Having had great expectations for Thee Lor Su, although it was still impressive, didn’t top Doi Inthanon.  I’d love to go back one day in the rainy season to see it in full flow, and hopefully with less people as it felt like you couldn’t move for the amount of tourists………….ok so that’s a bit of an exaggeration but I like my countryside with minimal people!!

Come the ride back to our place I was feeling pretty tired, its hard work being driven around!  I couldn’t keep my eyes open, and despite being bounced around all over the place, and having to hold on to the bar next to me so that I didn’t get flipped out of my seat, I still managed to fall asleep!! I know it wasn’t for very long, less than a minute I’m sure.  I opened my eyes and found I was still clutching the bar, and I felt all kinds of better. 

I felt a bit lost of what to do with myself when we got back to the resort, it feels a bit strange when you’re used to doing everything on your own time table to have to work to someone else’s, especially since I forgot to take my English translation away with me and so knew times things were happening at but not what those things were!

Turned out there was a few of us feeling the same way, so we went to hunt down one of the drivers and asked him to take us to the school where the race was starting from in the morning so that we could pick up our T-shirts and running numbers.  I’m so glad that we did.

As we pulled into the school grounds we could see lots of children (it turned out to be about 500) sitting having dinner.  The director of the school called us over and invited us in to talk to us about the school and the children, during which time we were privileged to witness part of their daily routine.  It was amazing, and so nice to see something naturally occouring.  I find, particularly in the school where I work everything is for show, and rehearsed to death and so to be unexpected visitors and able to witness the ordinary, felt extraordinary.  The discipline the kids showed blew my mind and then the sound of them singing was beautiful, it gave me goose bumps.

I was just quite happily looking around, taking in all of the different clothes – there are children from five different hill tribes at the school, and their uniform is the traditional dress of their tribe.  I was really quite overwhelmed by it all and wasn’t paying attention to what was happening, but knew that some of the ladies I’d gone with were talking over the microphone to the kids.  The next thing I knew the director was handing me the mic and asking if I would mind saying a few things to the students.  Talk about stage fright, 500 eyes all looking at you expectantly.  I think I managed a brief introduction about who I was, where I was from and what I was doing in Thailand, and if they saw me struggling up the hills the next morning could they give me a pull!

Then it was back to the resort for dinner ourselves, which was delicious, a soup, rice and five different types of meat and vegetable dishes.  The people I sat with for dinner were again really lovely.  I didn’t realize until after they had done it that they asked the waitress to bring some extra food for me especially, they thought what we had would be too spicy.  I felt bad because I didn’t really want the extra but would have felt rude not to touch it at all so ate a little and was fit to pop by the end.

Then it was an early night ready for the race in the morning.  I sat in bed for a while chatting with my roomie, Tong, a really nice girl, about the same age as me, from Koh Samui.  Think it really made me realize just how much I’ve been missing company since my Bangkok friends left last term.

We were up at five and back off to the school for the start of the race.  All of the students were taking part, at least all of the ones that board at the school, some of the teachers, and the people I went with. 

 It felt really claustrophobic at the start line and so as the horn blew I set off at a pace that I knew I couldn’t sustain past the first 500 meters, but I figured that by then the field would have spread out a bit and there would be room to breath.

However, I didn’t slow up after the first 500meters, in fact I sped up as it was down a steep hill.  I don’t think it was a conscious choice to sprint more the gradient of the hill and momentum meant that I had no choice!  It slowed up when I hit the equally steep up hill on the other side, and then sped up again going down the other side, and slowed again……….you follow my drift.  It’s the first run I’ve done when there was zero flat, it was equal measures of up hill and down hill, 5kms out and 5kms back along the same route.  Not that you could tell it was the same route as outbound the mist was lying really low and the mountains and moon could just be seen above it, on the return it had mostly lifted and you could see clearly the big hill that you had to run up to finish! 

I loved it though, all of the way around I was hearing “hello teacher”, I found myself saying “hello” and sometimes even managing a conversation on the down hills but, come the up hill I was lucky to manage to raise my hands into a ‘wai’.  On the return stretch whenever I saw any of the people I’d come away with I’d high five them, which would then lead to a high five chain with the students immediately behind them  

I’d been hoping for below 1hour, and did wonder if with the down hill sprinting I’d make it but, crossed the finish line at 1hour 4 mins.  Still, pretty pleased with that taking into account the size of the hills, can’t wait to see what time I can pull out on the flat.  And………I’ve got another trophy!  I came second in my category (female under 39), and third female (adult) over all – I was well chuffed.

Although the school is a government one, it is in a very poor area and so some of the guys I was with were donating both money and materials this was all done post race amongst lots of ceremony.  Part of which included a student representative from each of the different tribes coming and making a speech in their native language……..obviously I didn’t understand any of it, but thought it was lovely all the same.

Group photo, after the race.

Our final images of the school were of them singing as we were leaving, and again, I don’t know what it is about it but, the sound gave me goose bumps.

We arrived back at the resort for a quick breakfast before heading out on our days adventure.  Breakfast was pork and rice soup, followed by toast.  There were all sorts of things to put on the toast; I opted for slicing up one of the bananas and putting that on it.  It was the only time I got looked at like I was a slightly odd farrang, and I didn’t think I’d done anything that outrageous!  I thought their practice of covering the toast in condensed milk and drinking chocolate powder was far more bizarre!

We set off again in the 4WD vans and headed out to the river and onto rubber rafting boats.  The views going down the river were just stunning.

Views from the river.

Rafting under the rocks.

                               

After around an hour we pulled to the side of the river and were told we were going to a hot spring.  It was the most rustic, least tampered one I’ve ever been to, and I loved it!  About 20 feet away from were the water came out of the ground a small dam had been built that was big enough to trap enough water to be able to sit in the hot water, but with enough gaps that the water constantly flowed through so always remained hot.  It was that perfect temperature; like bath water – only not the type of bath that I run, that’s too hot to get into, the type that you get straight into and go arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!

It was then back into the boats for another half hour or so before transferring to the vans to head to a cave.  Takhobi Cave is huge, it was like being in a church, or somewhere with equally high ceilings; and although we walked quite a long way into it, it showed no signs of getting any smaller.  Our two little guides, a girl and a boy, were great, that’s not to be condescending, they really were young, maybe 10 years old!  The girl was pointing out all of the interesting looking formations to us in a voice so loud you’d have thought she was attached to a megaphone!

Then it was again back to the 4WD vans to cross some more truly stunning countryside, back to the resort for lunch.   Lunch was followed by more sick pills and the ride back to Bangkok; via dinner at the Burmese border at sunset.  What an amazing weekend………I can’t wait for the next one.

The view on the ride back from caving.

Its hard work having all of this fun!

Looking out to the setting sun in Burma.

Carpets, Bathtubs, and Running……..

I headed up north this weekend for the 7th Annual Khon Kaen Marathon. Only two weeks after my last half marathon I wondered how the feet and legs would cope, but it was all good, they seem to have learnt the routine by now.

I set off on Friday on an overnight bus from Bangkok, having consumed enough red wine (while eating dinner and watching Silent Witness – I love now knowing how to download tv!) to send me to sleep………or so I thought.

Although we were about an hour late pulling out of the bus station (for which I was asleep and only realized as the bus moved) it started promisingly enough. I’d slept, on and off, from about 10.30-3 at which point we pulled into a bus station and were sat for a while. The second we pulled off the drivers mate put some kind of Thai variety show DVD on at almost ear splitting volume, I mean, seriously, it was 3 o’clock in the morning….what was he thinking! Maybe the rocking of the bus and the wine worked their magic a little though as I did manage to doze for short periods, all of which were filled with very surreal dreams that had accompanying Thai music!

The bus pulled into Khon Kaen at around 6.30am, I’d been planning on spending the morning walking around the town before checking into my hotel at lunch time, but as I was feeling very sleep deprived I thought I’d wander over to it to ask if I could check in early. My homing device was all wrong and I walked in completely the wrong direction but fortunately a very nice lady put me in a Songtaw and told the driver where to let me off.

When I was looking for a hotel to book I decided I’d treat myself to a fancy 4* place for the night; I’m sick of the hole that is my house in Bangkok and was feeling in need of some pampering. I’m so glad I did! They let me check in at 7am and even in my super tired state I still managed to dance around the room when I opened the door! I felt like Kate Winslett when she gets to Camron Diaz house in “The Holiday”. I can’t even begin to describe my excitement at feeling thick pile carpet under my feet, having a bed that was not only big enough for three but also super comfy – no plastic covered straw like at home (I kid you not, that is my mattress in my apartment!). And then to have not just hot water, but a powerful shower and a bath to boot!

Plans of sight seeing on Saturday were abandoned in favour of curling up in bed and watching sky TV. Other than going up to the University to pick up my race shirt and number, I only ventured out to Pizza hut for take away, I figured that if I was going to have an extravagant weekend I may as well make really extravagant!

I’d done far too much of nothing all day as although I was feeling, relaxed and happy (and fat as a pig from too much pizza) I could not sleep. My alarm was set for 4am, and with no time to snooze, as I needed to be in the hotel lobby for pick up at 4.20am, I’d been hoping for an early night. I eventually went to sleep at nearly midnight!

Think there is something about getting up early when its for something you really want to do, its so much easier to spring out of bed. At 4.20am off I set with camera in hand and a Snickers down my cleavage (I’ll get to that later!). The only concern I had was that I hadn’t left enough time for a pre race poo, and since I’m no international athlete I didn’t think I’d get away with a Paula Radcliff!!

Arriving at the race start point I was very happy to see they had stations stocked with “MAUY”, its a wonder cream, a bit like deep heat that slathered onto the legs pre and post race seems to work miracles.

Before I knew it the horns were sounding and we were off!

The race was amazing. It was the most supported one that I’ve done and all of the way around there were groups people, some just randomly standing at the road side clapping, others, organized groups of University students singing and dancing on platforms, and then groups of younger kids too from a sports center all high fiving the runner as they went past – brilliant.

The course was by far the most undulating that I’ve done. Previously the biggest thing I’ve had to tackle is going over a bridge, where this one definitely had a hill in it. It felt like a real long slog going up it, so I broke the Snickers out earlier than planned. I’d figured in the last two races I’ve felt completely empty of energy around the 18km mark, and what I’d really wanted to get was one of the glucose pouches to have around that time to see if it helped give me a boost and improve my time. Couldn’t find any though so opted for fun sized snickers instead. It came out for the first bit at around the half way point, again at around 15km and the final piece when I had 2kms to go……I’ve never had a chocolate bar last so long!!

I guess it must have worked as I was still running at an ok speed from 18kms to the end, rather than the stumble run I did two weeks ago. I even managed to speed up significantly for the last km. As I rounded the corner for the last 100meters ish I saw the time was 2:11:30, I really wanted to get under 12mins so I pulled out a sprint……..just missed it, 2:12:01 (I think). Very pleased with myself – that’s 6mins off my best time.

Think I want to do a race at a University again. At the end point were lots of matresses surrounded by physiotherapy students all providing free physio - good practice for them, great for my muscles!

 Made it back to the hotel in time for the fancy 4* breakfast and still had time for a long soak in the bath before having to check out.

I headed back out to the University to join a tour the local tourist office had put on for runners. As I was waiting I got chatting to a group of guys, who I thought had been the front pack of the marathon race; as I was running in one direction with the half marathon they ran past in the other direction, the speed they moved at was amazing. It was them that I’d seen and it turned out to be professional athletes from Kenya, and between the group I think they won most of the top prizes. I should have picked their brains for running tips but never thought at the time.

The tour took us north of Khon Kaen to a part of Thailand famous for the discovery of dinosaur fossils. A dinosaur like T-rex but smaller and predating him by 40-60million years! The museum and park they took us to would have been great to take kids to but a little basic for adults. The area it was in though is lovely, made me wish I had more time to explore and go hiking – I miss just traveling rather than working…..must try harder to win the lottery!

The tour bus, very kindly, dropped me off at the airport rather that taking me back to town and me having to find a way out again. I wondered what I’d do for the three hours I had before my flight was due…………..got to love Thailand, massage place in the airport. Had a Thai massage concentrated only on the legs, it made me squeal (and the therapist laugh) on more than one occasion. That and the MUAY cream I’ve bought have worked wonders, very limited ooching and ouching this time, so limited in fact that I’m planning on joining another 10km run this coming weekend!

The Route To My First Sporting Trophy!

One month on from the Anchor Wat half marathon and I decided I’d brave doing another one!

Having had a friend of a friend translate the flyer for me, it was all written in Thai, and write directions on paper for me to show the various taxi and van drivers I would need to use, I set off.

My taxi dropped me in an area of town called Pinklaow in the west of the city, where I need to pick up a van from.  Unfortunately it was the wrong place, fortunately the people at the vans were very helpful and told a moto taxi where to take me.  That was a real experience! Normally I love riding on motos but I didn’t have my usual rucksack as it wasn’t big enough to fit every thing, so I had a big holdall instead.  With it slung over one shoulder we set off at break neck speed around super small, super bendy roads filled with speed bumps eeek!

Arrived in one piece just as a van was pulling off, asked, or rather showed my piece of paper, and asked through gestures, to be told when to get out.  Within no time we were driving through semi-tamed jungle, a real surprise when it takes forever to reach anything resembling countryside heading north out of the city.  After only about half an hour we pulled up alongside a military academy and I was told it was where I needed to be.  The place seemed to be very empty and showed no sigs of the Childrens Day activities that I had been told were taking place on Saturday.  I eventually found a man, who was frantically running around and organizing people setting up a function room.  I tried explaining, through use of my running flyer and directions I’d been given what I was looking for, but we really weren’t understanding each other.  Fortunately the lady who’d given me the instructions also gave me her phone number and told me to call if I got stuck, so looking at the man I said “I call my friend, speak Thai”.  It turned out that I was about 10km away from where I needed to be, but the guy told my friend that his friend(it turned out to be his wife) was picking him up shortly and that they would give me a lift.  The friendliness and helpfulness of people in this country never ceases to amaze me, but then I guess I don’t know if people would do something similar at home and I’d just never find myself in similar situations there as I speak the language, or even if I did and someone offered if I’d actually get in the car with strangers – it seems so much less risky here! (I don’t think that’s naivety talking, I’ve got my head screwed on and don’t take silly risks, at least very not often!).

View from playground!

Finally, arrived at Kings College, the run start point, at 5pm.  What a fancy school it is!  It’s a private, all boys, residential school that looks much more like the type you would expect to see at home.  Set in a small village surrounded by banana, coconut and vine plantations in semi tamed jungle and over looking the river, it comes complete with proper sport fields and equipment and even a swimming pool…..very fancy!

I signed up for the race, and decided that I would push myself to do the half marathon rather than the 10km, and was shown to the sleeping area.  I had been told that I didn’t need to worry about booking accommodation as there was a hall at the school I could sleep in for free, I presumed it would be in the sports hall, and I wasn’t far wrong!  I’m starting to think that I really can sleep anywhere. 

Pulling up a blanket the night before the race!

While sat on the playing field, eating dinner from one of the stalls that was still open from the Childrens Day activities, I had a sneak preview of a performance that I think was going to be happening the following evening, boys dancing with their mums to the song that goes “when I was just a little boy, I asked my mother what will I be, will I be happy, will I be rich, heres what she said to me………” – quite sweet.

As I was sat there I noticed boys were starting to file out of their accommodation, all trooping in lines to a very square arrangement around the flag poles, ready for the evening national anthem.  I couldn’t help but briefly feel like I’d gone to a mental asylum; partly caused by the boys all doing strange swaying march before sitting down, partly because they were all wearing loose fitting white, pajama like clothes – their evening uniform I suppose, but very surreal!  That said, I was wearing a white t-shirt and my pale grey fishermans pants, I’m sure I fitted right in….other than the fact that I’m a girl……and more than twice their age!

I sat reading a book as the sun went down in the school grounds thinking how much I would have loved a beer watching the river but decided that it wouldn’t be the best idea with the early, active start I had coming.  Took myself into the sleeping hall where people were already asleep, and managed about half an hour of reading before the lights were turned off at 8pm!  I wondered what I was going to do with myself, and the next thing I knew I woke up, it was 3.30am and people were already starting to prepare for the race.  There was me thinking that by staying locally I’d get to sleep until at least 4.30.

Preparations were well underway when I went outside, it seemed that all of the school boys were up and about either helping register people or just generally milling around with their race shirts on.  I found a breakfast of a banana and thai coffee, its like rocket fuel – 1/3suger, 1/3condensed milk, 1/3coffee poured over ice!  Think the combination kept me going for the first 15kms!

At 6am the race horn blew and we set off in the pitch black.  It was nearly a very horrible start, up ahead of me as we were crossing the main road a car, going really fast, obviously hadn’t seen the police signs, or the lights, or  policeman in the middle of the road, slammed on it breaks and came to a screeching, skidding stop 20meters in front of me, but scarily close to the front runners. 

From a slightly iffy start the race turned into possibly my favourite one so far.  I would have thought that Anchor Wat, the scenery and location being what they were, would be the best I’d do but this topped it.  Maybe because it was somewhere I’d never been before, maybe because it was so unexpected.  As the sky started to lighten I found myself running along narrow streets that cut through semi tamed jungle; the coconut trees silhouetted against the rising pink of morning, the air scented by wood smoke and the occasional jasmine – beautiful.

About two kilometers in a guy fell into step besides me and we ran together for about 15kms, we didn’t actually speak much but it was great to have a running buddy.  I’m not sure who pushed who, maybe a bit of both at different points.  I know I found it harder when at about 18kms he disappeared, I think he stopped for the loo and I didn’t see him again.  I think that I need to take some type of glucose pick-me-up with me next time I run, as in both of the half marathons I’ve done its around the 19km mark that I feel like I’ve got nothing else to give.  Would love to see if a sugar kick would help me improve my time.

Didn’t quite manage the final sprint to the finish line this time, think it was more of a stumble over it!  At which point I had about half a dozen different things shoved into my hand, one of which being a very weighty medal. 

I staggered over to the watermelon and coconut stands and ate and drank my fill before eventually looking at what I’d been given.  I was still very confused when a lady started talking to me who was a member of the schools PTA and said that I needed to go and register my times.  Imagine my surprise when I was then led over to the winners area!  As one of the first five finishers in my category, I was to be presented with a trophy.

 I’ve never won anything for sporting achievement in my life……unless you count the ‘woman of the match’ I got for taking some girl out with a flying tackle in a rugby match at Uni, although my prize of downing a dirty kangaroo pint would haunt me to this day I’m sure, if I could remember it that is!!

Its now Tuesday and I’m still smiling about my achievement……..well until I have to walk down stairs at which point the smile becomes more of a grimace and an ouch, ouch, ouch!

A Years Worth of Brainfarts!!

So this is probably of more interest to me than anyone else but I thought I’d put it up anyway! 

I’ve just found a status application on Facebook and it allows you to see the last years worth of status updates.  I’ve loved reading through mine, from the pointless to the poignant, a real trip down memory lane.

January
	has spent the afternoon traveling memory lane and finally picking out which travel photos to actually develop
	is Super-cala-fragalistic-ex-p-al-e-docious or something like that!!
	is off to see the rugby mmmm Yummy men in little shorts
	is very impressed with myself having spent the day in Reading at the rugby then a night out in town and hasnt had a drop to drink – wonders will never cease!!
	had such a good day yesterday but is to old for only 3 hours sleep and is now in serious need me bed!
	brain hurts from filling in a tax return, off to build a snowman now to recover!
	just went to the best dance class, although my interpritation of the steps may have been a little bit Phoebe Buffay!!
	is sick of feeling sick
	has managed nights out with drunken friends in reading and london without drinking – starting to think my halo may choke me!
	cant quite believe i’ve been stumped and out smarted by a toaster!!
	is in serious need of my bed
	is that tired I actually feel a little bit sick
	has only just woke up – how lazy!
	is thinking god help me if they ever ban facebook from the work computers I’d be so bored!!
	has just discovered an £840 tax rebate in my bank account woohoo!!!!This status contains special characters. It won’t display properly in the collage.
	just had to get my passport out as proof of who i am, feeling all happy and sad now, happy at the memories in the visas sad that i’m not still wandering
	got notified earlier that my flat has just been rented again for the next year so I can now start seriously looking at skipping the country again – yippee!!!
	is thinking Thailand for a course…must start saving…and experience and then Japan for a job
	is feeling a little bit woop woop!
	is awaiting test results and medication so I can start feeling normal again!
	interview done, place being held, please god let me be able to find my degree certificate!!
	copy of degree certificate and passport sent…one step closer…woop woop!!
	is in serious need of wine
	is really doing it
	has booked it!!
	is really not looking forward to having to get up in the morning to get to work at normal people start time
	is pissed off that I’ve only been paid half of what I was expecting to get paid this month grrrrrr!!
	is ready for drunkenness, flirtaciousness and lots of dancing!
	should be filling in the job application form for the job I already do but is too easily distracted by facebook!
	application done, now time for fun
	has started drinking!
	thinks its really rude that ob from hollyoaks jumped us in the taxi que
	needs tea
	wonders if 6pm is to early to go to bed
	went to bed early, slept for a few hours and now wide awake again doh!
	Insomnia catching up, need sleep, floor under the desk looking like a comfortable place to pass out
	is driving to the airport tomorrow…wish I wasn’t just the taxi driver and was getting onto the plane
	HEELLLP I’M SO BORED – GET ME OUT OF HERE!!
	is enjoying a really nice glass of red
	wants to know – are you being as real with yourself as you think?
	is feeling a little stressed
	has just been nosy looking at the photos of a friend of a friend and got all excited and nostalgic about the places I’ve been
	is thinking about going to see Slumdog Millionaire tomorrow – does anyone fancy going? Give me a text if you do x
	has returned to my youth and am watching back to the future 2
February
	really should take the dog for a walk but its cold outside and this bed is so comfortable
	is going for a walk to look at the roads to see if it warrants a snow day, on days like these its great not living in walking distance of work!!!
	doesn’t know what to do, would feel like a fraud not going in to work as the road looks passable but if it snows again I wont be able to get home!
	right, gonna risk it eek! The very nice little old man across the road is going to ring me later to tell me if the roads at home start looking bad
	hmmm got to work only to be told 10 mins later that a directive had come from health and safety telling people that lived outside of the city to go home!
	took 25mins to get to work, an hour and 15 to get home…..maybe tomorrow I’ll think twice about going in!!
	flights booked – 27th May Thailand here I come woop woop!!
	want to set up a blog when I go away – anyone know an easy to set up, easy to use one for someone who’s computer illiterate??
	is being interviewed today for the job i already do!
	has been told – unofficially at least That I’ve got the job that I already do that I had the interview for today!
	really fancies a pint
	is a little confused, just got an e-mail saying someone had added me as a friend on bebo – I wasn’t even aware I had a bebo account!
	wants as many people as possible to read “Lost Voices” http://www.investinme.org/LostVoicesBook/IiME%20Lost%20Voices%20home.htm
	did a fat skid on black ice on the way home tonight, was meant to be going straight to bed when i got in but no, wine called for now
	thinks thermals are good when you’re out in the cold but a little to warm on the train
	picked up a Chinese on the way home, ate way too much and is now feeling fat and content curled up in bed
	is spending the weekend with two beautiful girls building sand castles and thinks that it would be nice if the postman delivered something other than bills
	played dressups & read stories, put kids to bed, relaxed with vino infront of bad film, collapsing into bed. Good job am only an auntie i’d never cope fulltime
	is knackered
	bought a book yesterday that is classic Bridget Jones self help stylie & am actually finding it really helpful rather than laughable, that has to be a bad sign!
	is in need of excitment……
	is a little upset having used the phrase “if he was 10 years older……” only to realise that would still be younger than me!
	somehow just managed to eat an entire tub of ben & jerrys oops
	has tried to make up for the excessive ben and jerrys with double gym time today and is now in need of a sit down
	bored bored bored roll on 10.30 roll on June!!
	has just had my first kiva re-payment and want to give it to someone else now
	is looking forward to some dancing tonight and seeing what delights Leicester has to offer
	is half way down one of my dads infamous gin cocktails and feeling a little tipsy
	is making bread
	is a little bit meh
	nearly crashed on the way home to avoid running a rabbit over and then nearly ran over a cat, managed to miss both and not crash phew
	just got paid more than i was expecting, happy days
	is liking todays Twitter from His Holiness the Dalai Lama “Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.”
	needs to go shopping before work but is lacking the motivation
	has to be up and functioning at normal people time tomorrow for a course, yuk
	is excited about going back to my old flat today
	really needs to get my arse in gear and pack and drive
	is in my Reading flat. Cant believe its been 2 years, walking in feels like i’ve come home
	is thinking that if i wasnt going away again i’d so move back to Reading
March
	is enjoying sitting in the sunshine
	Fab weekend drinking & dancing with lovely friends, stayed in my beautiful flat, topped with Si & the girls & a damn good roast
	cant wait for Friday……London baby!!!
	Woooooo London baby………..we are the dancing queens la la la do do do do doo
	has been dancing and doesnt remember the last time i had so many strange men girating against my bottom!!
	has that Monday morning feeling and really doesn’t want to go to work, wish it was Friday night still!
	is drinking wine, watching “the beach” and thinking how nice it will be to be somewhere more exotic again soon
	had lunch from graze.com today and it was yummy! Get yours for £1 using promo code TWHF6GZBThis status contains special characters. It won’t display properly in the collage.
	does anyone fancy going to see London Irish (rugby) play the Paddys day game on 22nd in Reading??
	has lost my voice
	is full of snot and cough
	is having a stress
	is having one of those real meh days and would like to be anywhere other than here
	thinks things might finally be back on track and is starting to stress a little less
	is watching Shallow Hal and thinking I need to find me someone like the post hypnotized Hal
	loves payday
	doesn’t know if I’m commiserating the fact that tomorrow I’ll be too old for 18-30 holidays or celebrating because I no longer care!
	has had a fabulous birthday and is suitably full of cake and wine , thanks for the birthday wishes x
	is thinking the glass of wine at lunch and the chocolates Mandy gave me are making the night go really fast
	thinks I should dance at my desk more often, loving my 80s tracks on last fm
	is entirely freaked out by tonights Criminal Minds and needs to watch something funny before bed
	is looking forward to a night of drinking and dancing
	has just realised that in two months today i land in Thailand woo hoo!
	had an awesome night and has only just made it out of bed!
	still feels rough!
	thinks that todays blood test may come back as 50% alcohol
	Hour and 40 mins and counting……..
April
	is loving the sunshine
	thinks today would be a good day for a bbq…….but no work it is
	just went to look at the photos I had done on my birthday and am very impressed, I’ve never looked so glamorous!
	has only been in work for an hour, 6 1/2 to go and am sat in the office looking out at the students drinking wine in the sunshine and wishing I was one of them
	went out on my bike today in the sunshine and the air was filled with the scent of gorse bushes, all coconuttie, reminded me of MR Zogs surf wax and happy days
	is counting down, 49 days to go
	had a really nice morning today spending quality time (and too much money) with my mum
	really should do some work now……….maybe……
	watching Big feel like a big kid! How cool was silly string, wonder if you can still get it…….
	has discovered why i prefer trains to driving, standing traffic is driving me crazy
	loves my lovely family and all the fun i have with them
	is getting sick of “speeddate” notifications – facebook please note – I’m not interested
	is looking forward to a weekend in sunny Taunton
	has had a lovely weekend but is now stuck in a traffic jam that is moving so little that people are getting out of thier cars and sitting on the grass
	The word that best describes today is “beautiful”
	thinks my job isn’t all bad, afternoon spent working in the park while eating icecream
	has just worked out that I only have 23 working days left before I go to Thailand wooooooooooooooooo )
	is sunbathing. Roxanne just came on the radio, major Cambodia flash back oh the memories, good times
	Bad day at work……. http://twitpic.com/3pznw it could be worse!!
	Heard something that made me think this morning. If your 17 year old self could see you now would they be happy with where you are in life?…….was very happy and a little bit smug to think that the answer is yes for me!
	this time next month I’ll be on my way to Thailand )
	Ok so its not me doing it but it is a very good cause (and Tammy is lovely so please sponsor her) http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/tamsinthurlow
	Feeling a bit traumatized, just heard 30somethings described on the radio as middle aged, surely thats not so.
	The beauty of the places I’ve been to never ceases to amaze me http://bit.ly/z4hmU
	is starting to get excited about heading up north at the weekend to see Carrie, Kev and the Newman baby bump
May
	is tucked up in bed in my old room in Newcastle, only difference is i’m just visiting this time, well, that and Carrie is now married and about to become a mummy – where did the last 8 years go!
	and Carrie made the best Sunday dinner and an amazing apple and toffee crumble pudding, now feel that full i dont know where to put my tummy!
	got my passport back today with my shiney Thai visa in it, 20 days to go
	is hoping some of that euro millions is mine and doesnt want to kill the dream by checking the ticket.
	Really fancy a glass of wine but trying to detox, what to do…..
	Finally sorted myself out with Flickr, find me at http://www.flickr.com/photos/julieamaycock
	is flying away two weeks today
	Why does the need to upload all of last years photos to flickr seem to strike me between midnight and 2am, damn it I need sleep!
	Theres a semi final to Eurovision on bbc 3, its so bad its almost good
	is looking forward to a night of drinking and dancing tomorrow
	is quite possibly still very drunk.
	thinks my girlfriends rock, what i remember of last night was so much fun, think i might be hungover for a week though!
	Can anyone thats been to Chiang Mai suggest a hostel for me to stay in? And is it easy to get from the airport to town??
	has just found out my fancy photos are ready for collection, I’m so excited….
	Its my last day at work in this counrty tomorrow yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
	It’s my last day at work today, I’m so happy
	is loving waterfights and bbqs in the sunshine
	Gaaaaa packing for six months in one place is so much harder than packing for a year on the move, what to take…..
	is getting more excited by the hour
	Tickets, money, passport *check* bag packed *check* too heavy to lift *check* all set to go
	had set off for the train station and realised i’d forgotten my glasses, went home for them, race against time to get to the station, ran onto the platform as the train was pulling in – on route to london now phew!
	has checked in, boarding at 8, now sat enjoying a glass of red watching the planes go by, let the good times roll
	is in Dubai airport – 7am temp 30 degrees, thats some crazy weather.
	has arrived in Chaing mai and am off to bed, nearly midnight and 27 degrees, love it, love it, love it
	has checked into the resort where the course is being held, so far so good. Two days of relaxing now before school starts.
	walked about 20 miles today so why cant i sleep now, its not on.
June
	has a new mobile number  (I think!)
	is wondering who commented on my post because it wasn’t me, guess I’ll find out at the weekend!!
	could feel the sweat running down my legs walking around the market today – ewww! Off for a shower then must do homework, I’m soooo sleepy
	has finished my teaching prep for tomorrows lesson so have the rest of the day off. Think I’ll go for a pedicure and a massage…..my lifes so sweet right now!!!
	is really quite drunk and starting to wonder if swinging through the tree tops will really be such a good idea in the morning!
	is happy to say that I didn’t see the frozen margharitas, whiskey and beer again while swinging through the trees today!
	is so excited for Carrie and Kev today and the iminent arrival of baby Newman
	is cursing the bottle of whisky and is in serious need of hangover food and tv.
	is staying home tonight to lesson plan for Monday (first time teaching proper students) and am excited about driving into the mountains for the weekend tomorrow.
	doesn’t understand why my flickr updates don’t show on here….
	is feeling very pleased with myself, just taught my first English lesson, students didn’t fall asleep or riot and mostly joined in – success!
	is very excited as I’ve just got my work placement. From Monday, for four months, I’ll be teaching kindergarden and primary kids
	is even more please today that I’m going to be teaching young kids as todays lesson teaching teenagers was a bit like pulling teeth!
	I’d quite like to skin my feet at the moment….the mosquitoes seem have started injecting me with itching powder when they bite.
	is off to Bangkok
	has arrived in Bangkok, 7am and already its hot hot hot!
	is looking forward to a night of drinking and dancing in Bangkok.
	Happy Fathers Day Dad
	what i day, need beer stat!
	has had a good day
	is wishing i had a tv or computer or any other form of entertainment as being stuck in bed without any isnt much fun – stupid Bangkok belly.
	is happy to say that it wasn’t Bangkok belly but a 24hour sickness bug and I’m all better now!
	met some cool people last night, played pool and went dancing in a local live music venue, no farangs – other than us that is. Oh, and my new friends live in an apartment with a roof top pool – yeay
	went to see a ladyboy cabaret show last night, it was brilliant! I only wish I was that pretty and thin!!
	has to teach my kindergarden class to dance to “doe, a deer” from the Sound of Music for mothers day……I didn’t know there was a dance that went with it. Tried looking on youtube and it just lots of drunk people!
	is counting down to a long weekend of relaxing on big buddha beach, Koh Samui.
	celebrated pay day with a massage and beer. July   is wondering why when everyones schools are being closed because of swine flu mine is staying open….     has just finished packing to go on holiday tomorrow, feels strange saying that when I’m already in Thailand!     needs to get from northern Bangkok to Kho San Road in rush hour in as little time as possible, I’m thinking its going to have to be on a motobike eeeeek – was nice knowing you all!!!     is back, relaxed and tanned from a weekend of beach fun.     has discovered the “Thailand diet” isn’t working quite as it should and has joined a fancy gym today!! Wonder if I’ll be any better at actually going to this one than the ones back in the UK!     had been planning on an early night, why am I still up?!     is wishing i’d had the early night.     is off into the depths of rural thailand for a weekend on a farm.     has had the most amazing weekend in the country staying with a little old couple, being taught Thai by thier grandchildren, visiting Khemer ruins and helping plant rice in the paddy fields.     has spent the afternoon marking exam papers and found it really hard to consistently grade the answers that were subjective     thinks it doesnt matter what country you’re in, a week before it you still find you have to count down to pay day!     can judge the severity of a hangover by the food I eat. Today for breakfast I went to KFC and had chicken and chips…..its a bad one!!     was still hungover this evening (how is it that any time i drink with fellow Reapers it gets this messy!) drank coke to feel better. It worked, but a little too well, forgot that i’ve not had caffeine in weeks, 1am still wide awake & up at 6am for work     is almost officially not going back to the UK until much later than planned     would love a proper brew right now…….     has just had a really tough lesson with absolute brats and now really needs a beer     Woohoo pay day!!! Time for drinking and dancing tonight and shopping tomorrow   August   is sat in bed typing this on my new computer, I’ve finally joined the 21 century!     needs to stop work avoidance and start writing the test papers for tomorrows class.     note to self – with a little less work avoidance you wouldn’t still be having to writing test papers at 11pm!!!!     is so happy I had to go to the immigratioon office today, I slept all of the way there and back (about an hour and a half in total!) – made up for only having five hours last night!     is starting to think that Mocha, almond, fudge icecream before bed was a bad idea – sugar, caffine and coco = wide awake me!     has taken to wearing long skirts on Thursdays in an attempt to stop my P1 class from sitting on the floor and trying to look up my skirt during the lesson!     Is exhausted, smelly and happy after a weekend hitch-hiking, camping and trekking in the jungle.     take one Cambodia comrade, a Monday night, add beers and bucket = Oh my god tomorrow is going to be painful! Morning checklist -four hours sleep and lots of coffee…..I will survive…..     is getting up at 5am to do a 10km running race, I must be mad!     ran 10km throught Bangkoks heat and smog in 1hour (and 42seconds!) – and I can still walk….yeay me!     thinks there is really something to be said for dinner with friends, too many beers and illegal gambling and still making it to bed by 10pm!     didn’t want to be awake this early but my hangover had other plans!     is sweatier than a sweaty thing thats really sweaty!     just ate a banana, condensed milk and suger roti….fat and suger overload……feelings of sickness….but it was oh so goooood.     hi-ho-hi-ho its off to the farm we go…….     has just found Thai “mi peth” and English “mi peth” to differ some what……..water, need water!     really hates it when you type a mail to someone and then facebook doesn’t send it so you have to type the whole thing again, what a pain in the arse     too many sours squirms, major sugar overload, starting to shake……..     is thinking about doing an OU course, I was always a really bad student in school, I wonder does that mean I’ll be a bad student as an adult?     and Katie have just signed up for another two 10km runs!     my room is like a freaking oven tonight, may have to go to the gym for the air conditioning if nothing else!!     wonders why I always fight sleep, I’m knackered and still not going to bed, why oh why…..     decided that since its almost the weekend and only a few more days to payday I’d treat myself. Went to the western supermarket on my way home from the gym and bought red wine and potato salad – I’m happy as a pig in muck right now…     ran 12.86km through a thunder storm today!     Sat in a coffee shop trying to write end of term exams that I need to submit tomorrow to school but lacking the brain power and inspiration.     Really need to sleep but there’s a ridiculously loud thunderstorm right overhead thats flash-banging at the same time been going on for ages   September   is knackered and starting to think there is such a thing as over-doing it, and no, no alcohol was involved!     is having some serious blasts from the past with the music last.fm is throwing out at me today – love it!     is really looking forward to heading to the beach again this weekend.     is thinking about my two favourite girls.     is off work sick and swinging between feeling guilty when I’m not doing anything and feeling ok to feeling really pathetic when I move! Not moving and another movie it is then..     came back to school today to find that all but six of the kids in my class are also off sick,I should have had another day in bed!     just made myself a little bit homesick looking at pictures of me with different friends and family -just want to let you know you all rock xx     might be heading to the UK for a two week holiday at the beginning of October…..if I can find a flight cheap enough that is!     3rd 10km run = fail. Saturday night drinking and staying in bed till 9am and spending all day sunbathing = success!     is finally living and working in Thailand legally…..its only taken 3 and a half months!     flights and trains booked I’m now very excited about the October holiday     is very excited about my holiday but dreading the cold, its 22 degrees in my classroom today and I’m freezing!     has drank and drank and watched Katie get a tatoo and drank some more and is thinking that singing and dancing with two year olds in the morning will be painful!     is very hungover and doesn’t want to go sing and dance for two year olds     is still more hungover than I’ve been in a really long time, how is that even possible at 10.30pm?     wonders just how sad it is that I’m watching Xfactor on you tube, I’m thinking very….my excuse is that it stops me having to do my lesson plans for tomorrow – work avoidance at its best!     Just had massive cockroach fly into my room, in the time it took me to find something to get it out with its disappeared, yuck where is it?     and Katie Chisholm had good intentions of going to the gym, but the traffic was bad and we were late, so instead of going to the class late we went to the pub and drank beer – a much more productive use of the evening me thinks!     I’m in a sticky rice and coconut induced state of bliss     had a lovely day (that rolled into night) with Katie Chisholm and Kim Render and is now very excited to think that this time next week I”l be drinking wine and heading out dancing with Beth Smart. Good times, good times     is slightly loosing the will to live marking test papers which even when the kids fail I have to alter so they pass even though some of them clearly did no work and have no idea what they are doing!     has only had 3 students fail the semester (thought it would be more!), decided to ignore the advice of my boss – which was to alter the scores to a pass – and make the kids come in on Friday to re-sit. More work for me but I’m feeling all moral and on my high horse about it, its not fair that they get to pass without working, who knows maybe it will make them do a bit of work next semester…….somehow I doubt it!     two more sleeps to holiday   October   has just decorated my room with lots of photos of family and friends and is feeling the love     is all excited about going on holidays tomorrow but also a little sad that the end of the semester means the end of an era, new people next semester have some big shoes to fill……and not just because they’re size 10s!!     just got a message from my brother saying Gwenna (my niece) is counting the days to when I get home every morning when she wakes up. Not long now     is loving the fact that Dubai airport has free wifi and computer battery charge points, suddenly a three hour transit doesn’t seem half so long.     has arrived…..London baby Bbrrrrrrr its cold!!     Uh-oh just on my way to bed, got to be up in three hours, drinking dancing and boys, got to love ‘London baby!’     went to bed later than i normally get up last night/this morning! Dreading the hangover kicking in     cooked dinner today, the first time in more than four months…….it was pretty damn good even if I do say so myself.     is on the coldest train in the world Brrrr     has had a lovely time with the girls and felt a little bit sad when Gwenna said “Auntie Julie I dont want you to go back to Thailand”. If only I could figure out how to combine my two lives!     is knackered!     is indulging in my last cheese and wine night for some time.     Good-bye cold weather and hot showers…….. hello hot weather and cold showers!     is starting to get that spaced out feeling that comes with lack of sleep     is home     is not sure why we had to come back to work today as there is nothing to do this week, not even meetings!     has spent the morning so far watching X Factor on you tube…..work, what work?!     is so angry right now that I don’t know what to do with myself….a beer maybe!     has woken up at 3am for the second day running and cant get back to sleep, think hour going to be a long day     has spen the morning composing and sending an angry complaint letter and now doesn’t feel quite so angry any more     just had a major flash back when ‘black hole sun’ came onto my ipod of good times with Saffy Charles and Jo Heath, arh the memories……     has just signed up for the 10km race at the Bangkok marathon as part of my training for the Anchor Wat half marathon!     wonders if it would be wrong to gym stalk my instructor from tonight?! He’s so hot, it would surely be wrong not to!     temporarily lost the power of speech tonight when the hot instructor sauntered over to me at the end of class for a chat!     wonders what it would be like to work for a school that doesn’t take the piss and expect you to have no life at the weekends!     I’ve been at the gym all week to psyche myself up for applying, I’ve done it, 6th December Anchor Wat half marathon here I come – woohoo!     I was up at 4.30am on Saturday and just going to bed now 2.30am Sunday – I really hope I sleep in in the morning!   November   is sweating pure bacardi breezer!     Note to self, flowing skirt on windy day is not a good idea, the comupter teacher does not need to see you knickers!     just had the best week of lessons with my 13/14 year olds, I finally feel like I’ve cracked it     is going a little bit Latino tonight, bring on the gyrating hips,,,,and the Salsa dancing too!     I’m bored and want to do something but to hungover to move, I feel a wasted day coming on.     Woohoo nearly the weekend, beach here I come….     Sun, sea, sand the texture of flour, massages on the beach…..heaven is a place called Ko Samet.     Just had the most serious hair cut I’ve had for a long time, fighting the urge to swing hair around while saying “because I’m worth it!”     is running the streets of Bangkok, with 50000 other people, at 6am tomorrow morning, wish me luck!!     spent most of this afternoon reading in the park with my eyes closed!     Is 8pm too early to go to bed I wonder……….     has been so cold the last two nights that I went out and bought a duvet today, its so nice to be all snuggled up.     just booked my flight to Cambodia, 10 days to go     says Happy Thanks Giving to my American friends x     is loving that one of my favourite KG3 kids was having dinner at the same place as us tonight and he ditched his parents and came to sit with us and gave us all of his stickers……..what can I say, I’m easily pleased!     last night – great Mexican food, great company, cool ex-pat bars, red wine………..today -1pm and I’ve yet to make it further from my bed than the kettle and tea bags!   December   Dear Santa, for Christmas please can you visit me in Thailand. I would love salt & vinegar crisps and some Marks and Spencers knickers     just got Christmas card from my Grandma     has had a really nice evening catching up on the last two years with Sue Jenkins over dinner and a beer in Bangkok. Met two years ago in Russia and what a two years its been for both of us! Love the international traveling community, wonder where the next two will take us and what country we might meet up in next time!     Oh Siem Reap……we may have only spent two months together in the past but coming back feels like coming home     is covered in glitter and glue after a lovely day spent with the kids at Sangkheum Center.     is feeling full of Christmas happiness having just opened a parcel from my family     just been telling my niece all about my day at Sangkheum Center, she told me she wished she had been with me – it makes me all happy and sad at the same time, I need a teleporter!     has just discovered that I can sit on the roof of my building, and the wifi works up here! Happy days sunbathing while working     is trying and failing to come up with ideas of how to spend Christmas and New Year…     thinks Christmas is sorted……treking, rafting, riding elephants and staying in the hills of Chiang Mai :0     bought things for tonights dinner from Siam Paragon (thats a bit like going to Harrods food shopping!). I’m so excited for eating it; pate, cheese, olives, salad, proper ciabatta, red wine….oh and salt and viniger crisps Maybe not the best meal to eat the night before an early morning race, but sometimes you just have to indulge yourself!!     10kms 1hour 3mins, I wanted to get under the 1hour mark…….still not bad for saying I had a bottle of wine last night, and I’m still suffering from a cough that makes me sound like a dog barking!

The Best Christmas Present!

There are some presents that stick out in my memory as being really awesome; the Sindy Hospital when I was a child, my first Gettoblaster as a teenager, the hamster my brother bought me for my birthday one year, to name a few.  The Christmas present my parents sent me this year is easily up there with the best of them.

I opened a big box to find lots of individually wrapped parcels.

Inside the parcels contained a little bit of Christmas from home.

A Christmas tree

Santa

Mini Christmas cake.

Christmas pudding.

Brandy sauce.

Mince pies.

Welsh mature cheddar.

Crackers.

Red wine.

Southern Comfort.

Playing cards (with Christmas Carols on them).

Instructions for card games.

Balloons.

Christmas table confetti, and

A Christmas card from my cats!

I loved it!  That first bite into a mince pie and suddenly it felt like Christmas.

In all of my 31 years I’ve only spent one Christmas away from my family; that was two years ago when I was in Cambodia.  If I’m honest it really didn’t bother me too much then.  I don’t know if it was because I was out at the orphanage in Siem Reap and around a great group of friends, or if it was because I knew that I would be meeting my folks for New Year in Sydney. 

This year though, I’m finding a bit hard.  I was walking along Surkumvit in town yesterday and all of the way along you could hear Christmas carols, and it made me smile but feel sad at the same time, and really miss home for the first time.  We’re not a religious family, so for me Christmas has never been about God or Jesus.  Its always just been about spending quality time with my family.

The day follows a very similar pattern each year.  It starts with Pork pie (I don’t know why pork pie, but we’ve always done for as long as I can remember) with a cup of tea while surveying the presents.  Each taking a turn to unwrap a present so that everybody can see what you have.  We’ll generally have just finished when Sue and Lloyd, family friends, come to see us on their Christmas morning walk.  Once the present are done my dad will go to pick up my Grandma  Maycock and Auntie Dawn.  My mum, Grandma Allen and I will move to the kitchen to start making dinner.  Once my dad returns preparations are helped along by one of his infamous “cooks nip” martini cocktails.  We’ll all eat too much.  Grandma Maycock will go for a snooze, which will frustrate her because she’ll want to stay awake but her body will have other ideas.  At which point mum, dad, grandma and I will sit and play card games.  This year, if its anything like Sundays – which I’m sure it will be, my grandpa (who is no longer with us) will get the credit or blame for influencing the cards and helping in hands won or lost.  Happy times J

Rather than trying to re-create the day over here, which just wouldn’t be the same, since without suddenly discovering a teleporter I’ll not be with my family, I’ve decided to go for something completely different.  I’m off up to Chiang Mai on Christmas Eve and will be spending Christmas Day, Boxing Day and Sunday staying in a village in the mountains, trekking, riding elephants, and rafting through the jungle.  Think that’s not bad for a compromise, actually, I cant wait……

Cabbages and Condoms

No, not some weird experience I’ve had recently, but the name of a restaurant I went to the other day. 

Not quite so refreshing if chewed!

 

I’ve known about this place for a while, and think its a great idea, but somehow have only just made it there.  It was set up Mechai Viravaidya, the former Thai Minister of Health, with the intension of making condoms, and other forms of birth control, as familiar sight in Thailand as cabbages.   

  

  

  

  

  

  

Santa Condom and his family!

 

 The food was great , but I’m sure most people who go there would agree, the real talking point is the decor! 

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No! Its Contraception Man!

 

Stylish enough to be strutted down the catwalks of Paris and London!

Special Moments.

Working with small children I’m sure its fair to say I get more than my fair share of special moments at work.  (I also get some not so special ones too, like telling them this morning that we wouldn’t sing songs anymore because they were being really naughty, they looked distraught!……oh them simple life!!)

Today was a day that I had a very special moment.  Its been Turkish Day at school, there has been all sort of performances, including some Thai dance; I don’t know how that fits in with Turkish Day, other than to show off the talent at school as they were expecting some important people from Turkey to attend (they didn’t!). 

My special moment came when the kindergarten kids did their Thai dance section.  They weren’t very far into it when, as I was smiling at my kids, two of them stopped what they were doing, mid-pose and waved at me.  It was too cute for words

Recovery…..

Monday wasn’t anything like as painful as it should have been, either muscle ache or alcohol induced pain and I’m not too sure why, but I’m not complaining!  

Having had a lazy start to the day I took myself off for an hour and a half massage.  Followed it with a very nice lunch.  I then decided that it was about time I took a trip to the hospital to donate some blood.  I’d always said I’d get around to it one day when I was in the Reap last time, but always found I came up with excuses as to why I couldn’t.  Truth be told having never had so much as a blood test before, and being scared of needles, I was scared it would hurt.  Two years and two blood tests down the line I decided I was brave enough.  It was done by a very lovely lady who was telling me all about, and showing me videos on her phone, of her children.  Actually had quite a nice hour or so just chatting to her, and it was really painless, and made me feel good to be doing something worthwhile.  For more about the hospital I went to see http://www.beatocello.com/Assets/richner_history.html .  

For a bit of recovery I decided on some sunbathing and swimming, followed by another massage!  It was a hard day!!  I think Tuesday passed in much the same way actually (without the blood donation).  It must be the key to not aching after running because I never did feel the post run pain, I may well lose my middle toenail on my left foot though, its starting to look very purple underneath.  

My recovery was finally  made complete on Wednesday by a trip down to Sangkheum Center ( http://www.sangkheum.org/ ), the reason for my being there in the first place.  It was amazing seeing the kids again, how my little ones have grown.  

As we were in 2007

 

Mary 2009 - Growing up fast.

 

I had a really lovely day. 

Tung 2009 – Growing up fast.

 The morning was spent chasing around on space-hoppers and playing tag with arms hot and sweaty stuffed into knitted puppets. 

I spent the afternoon helping Claire with her arts and crafts lesson.  We made Christmas bells out of plastic cups, lots of glitter, and glue.  With the amount of glitter we were all wearing I’m sure we looked like Christmas faries by the time we’d done!  

I loved being back and seeing how much the kids had changed and grown, but couldn’t believe how much at the same time.  How time flies, it really doesn’t feel like its been two years.  

The end of the day came far too soon for me.  In fact the end of my time back in Siem Reap came far too soon for me.  I love my unreal, real life in Thailand but Siem Reap………..thats just in a whole league of its own