bangkok

I arrived in Bangkok fairly happy with the decision to carry on with the traveling lark. I took the routine taxi rip off on the chin and got to the hotel. All was well initially. The weather was nice and I was comfortable. I had not a moments thought for my former Thailand lover who I deceitfully told I would not be coming back to the country due to my disapproval of the recent coup d'etat!

Then I had a bout of sickness, laid low and vomitted a lot.

A certain and perviously unexperienced travel fatique overwhelmed me. I lay dormant for many days unable and unwillingly to get back in gear. I was letargic. Little could stir me. I reckon the whole flight thing had tired me in a profound way. Both the ticketing boll*cks with Mr GayPants and the long transit had taken their toll on my nerves.

I couldn't even rouse myself to write an email complaining about the corporate theft of my flight to Bangkok. Now I acknowledge another factor; culture shock. Sounds silly as I have been in Thailand before but I had adjusted so much to a South American context that being in a totally different place was rattling and confusing. I shouldn't discount the input of Jacky's absence either.

The days were uneventful and frankly, boring. But a rescue attempt was being planned. My friends from Hong Kong had arranged a get-together and rented a bungalow in Phuket. They are very good friends. So I had to figure out how to get there. My apathy quickly dismissed a long bus journey ( a mere 10 hours) so I opted for an expensive but quick flight.

In Phuket I hoped to regain some of my former thirst and vigour.