Yesterday began well. A lie in and then down to the residence's little tropical garden where I had breakfast by the pool whilst reading "The Bangkok Post". The owner of the place - "Staborn" - speaks English better than any other Thai I have met - probably because he spent years working abroad for the national tourist board. We chatted for a while. Later I hailed a taxi bound for Chatuchak Weekend Market - a vast, sprawling market with hundreds of stalls selling just about everything under the sun. I bought three things - a bag for my laundry, lunch and a model tuk-tuk made from a Singha beer can. The young woman who made these ornaments told me it took around three hours to make one and watching her work, I could well believe this. My little tuk tuk cost me just over £3.
I wandered through nearby Chatuchak Park and managed to capture this image of a Finlayson's or Variable squirrel - unique to South East Asia:-
Bangkokians were relaxing by the lake:-
Bangkokians were relaxing by the lake:-Then I wandered through Union Mall with its throng of young shoppers pursuing their unfathomable clothes hunting hobby and onwards to my appointment at the dentist's torture chamber which I left after an hour minus the root of my previously crowned front tooth and about £100 which I had to pay for a brand new dental plate. Fingers crossed, it feels very comfortable.
Back at my room I contacted Jon's wife - Denise - to check on arrangements for the evening. We caught a cab together, then the Skytrain, finally arriving at an English pub called "The Bull's Head" - filled with ex-pats. I had my first beer at 8pm. At midnight I was watching the England v France rugby international live from Twickenham and fool that I am, I know I should have made my way home straight after the final whistle. But there was more beer and then a short walk to a late night bar where I played pool exceedingly badly. Finally, at 4am, I decided I had just had enough. With help from one of the other teachers at my school, I caught a taxi back to north Bangkok and remember, very vaguely, staggering homewards across a footbridge, putting my key in the lock and collapsing into bed.
Never again. Today has been a bit of a write off with the keyword being "recovery"...
"Never again" ! Wise words - till the next time!
ReplyDeleteTut tut! is all I can say. At your age too! ;)
ReplyDeleteme thinks you are re living your junior teacher days pud!
ReplyDeletewell done
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ReplyDeleteUNCLE BRIAN, AUNTIE JENNY & FARMER JOHN - I am contrite.
ReplyDeleteDisgraceful! You carp and cavil at poor inner city children for such bad behaviour as not carrying a pen and next we read of your drunken rampage round a foreign country in the name of sport! Little wonder our young sports 'fans' come in for such international condemnation on such a regular basis when their classroom role models are of such a stamp. Get a grip man!
ReplyDelete