Put me on my death bed right now and I would spend most of my time snivelling and trying to get sympathy. In between, if you were silly enough to ask, I would probably recount my life in journeys. Student debt to solvency, single to happily married, starting points, turning points, aspirations. You know, the big stuff. I might not mention which particular diet fads worked or didn't work. I may not remember that mistake I made at work which was not significant but for which I spent nearly an entire week mentally crippling myself. I would definitely not care whether on Tuesday 24 August 2003, someone had remembered to put the bins out.

And yet on a daily basis approximately 90% of my energy is ploughed into just those issues and the bigger picture is....well, a bit over pixelated.

This is fine, I reason. And perfectly rational. What is important however is not to let stuff I won't remember prevent me from finding the time to create the memories I will cherish.

And so....operation no regrets. Beginning with a travelling adventure. Eleven months, eleven counties, two backpacks, myself, my husband and the odd mosquito along for the ride.

Tuesday, 30 December 2014

Thai Top Ten Moments

As is traditional, and as we leave Koh Lanta in a few days time, here are the usual top ten moments in Thailand so far. I am not counting New Years’ Eve or New Years’ Day, because, technically at least, they haven’t happened yet. And they’re a bit special anyway, all in all.

My top ten most memorable Thailand moments are, in no particular order:

  • ·        The first time I snorkelled, following the initial panic, when I simply saw an amazing fish – and set off after it.

  • ·       The first night, when we sat out on the deck, eating boiled eggs with elephant skewers, with, for the one and only time we ever hear it, Silent Night playing from somewhere, out over the water.

  • ·       The euphoric run past the finishing line in the Run for The Animals on the beach.

  • ·      The discovery of Favourite Cat in the cupboard, with her kittens, and her easy acceptance of our awe and wonder, our affection and – our food.

  • ·    The night we happened to be out on the deck for the most spectacular ‘moon rise’ I have ever seen. I have not before or since, seen a ‘golden moon’, but I will not forget it in a hurry.

  • ·   Christmas Day, beautiful and bitter sweet, holed up in our pole house, with makeshift decorations and, magically, roast potatoes.

  • ·      Meeting Jin, and her amazement at the idea that there are no wild monkeys in England, (“What? Not even in the jungle?”). Her subsequent amazement that we didn’t have jungle.

  • ·      The first time I cooked. The fact that it tasted good. The fact, indeed, that it tasted fantastic. And M’s obvious enjoyment of it. (“This is a triumph!.....” (pause) “…but I am still allowed to cook sometimes, yes?”)

  • ·      Buying, and then drinking, rice whisky. “You are buying this?”, (sheer amazement from the store holder), “you will be very, very drunk.” We are not very, very, drunk. But we are a bit.

  • ·      Everyone’s absolute and blatent disregard for anything worrying, routine, punctual or safety conscious, “It’s OK,” says our driver, noticing our white knuckles, and negotiating hair pin bends with one finger, glass of wine in one hand, mobile phone in the other, while our St Christopher trembles in my purse, “This is Thailand.”


This, indeed, is Thailand. It’s incredibly heady, intensely relaxed, often frustrating, very slow moving, warmly friendly, totally inefficient, sometimes dishonest, always peaceable, utterly random.


And deeply compelling.
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