Notes From Abroad

Well, today is our last day in Phuket and while waiting for our transport to airport, 3 hours from now, I thought I'd just jot a few thoughts down. The past few days have been pretty uneventful, it seems that once we've visited a destination, going back is not the thing to do. It doesn't hold the same promise of discovery and excitement as the first time. As they say, you can't go home again. Well, going Home home will be exciting but Phuket is pretty much a small berg and there's only so many temples, restaurants and bars to frequent here. The weather hasn't been terribly cooperative this past week as it's either raining or threatening to rain, both of which entail sauna-like conditions.

The foot incident has turned into it's own ordeal as well. I did not realize on first examination that I had really buggered it up to the degree that I had, and in the tropical heat, infection sets in fast - need I say this was the result of self doctoring? So, after 3 days of limping around and mostly trying not to look at it during bandage changes, I decided that Patong Hospital was the place I should visit. I shudder as I write this as I can still feel the knife scraping across my wound in the process they call debriding, better described as Thai torture. I went in for 3 days consecutively mostly at Ivan's urging, looking like a dog dragged into the vet's office, knowing full well that going to Emergency is tantamount to passing through the portals of hell. Ya, exaggeration, I know, but man, scraping a wound has gotta be up there with "the most painful thing I've ever felt". Happy to say though, no more hospital visits and I'm taking very good care of it myself and should be healed sufficiently to tramp through India.

Last night, our last night here, was very eventful. We rode to Patong on our motos and met up with a really sweet dude from England named John Mundy who we partied down with the night before. We first met him in a Pub called Scruffy Murphys and all headed to the Easy Rider bar where Ivan nearly has a house gig, albeit just jamming, and John was so impressed with Ivan's playing and my wit (haha) that he has made us promise to visit him in Suffolk, a village near Ipswich, isn't that quaint? Anyways, we strolled around and decided it was time to head home early for a change, very good decision as all hell broke loose once we got back to our hotel. Thunder, lightning and lashing rains covered the island. It was deafening and thrilling and scary all at the same time, just ask the young divers here who were screaming everytime there was a flash. Soon there was water pouring in our leaky windows and water running down the stairs and puddles all through the hotel. It's an old hotel and apparently riddled with holes. It was very cool though and a great send off.

Tonight we will be in Bangkok again and that holds it's own promise of more excitement. The people of Thailand are tiring of the Prime Minister, Thaksin, and his alleged graft and greed and are mounting demonstrations all across Bangkok calling for his resignation. There are strikes by taxi drivers, the coalition of the poor and various other factions. And along with this are demonstrations by his supporters. There are prayer vigils by monks and in true Thai fashion, some of the demonstrations include beauty pageants, boxing matches and essay contests. The people are urging the King to step in and settle the dispute but thus far he is allowing the democratic process to unfold. There are fears of violence but we shall see where the course will lead. Never a dull moment.

A few notes on backpack packing: No matter how much you think you have culled, they always end up as heavy as they started. Inevitably you will get it all done and then realize that you have either locked the key in the pack or the item that you really need is buried at the bottom and will have to repack or that it has mysteriously vanished out of your right hand while you were poking around with your left and that you WILL find the item but only well past it's need. And the last walk around town will uncover treasures before unseen that you just HAVE to have and there disappears the culling process. I don't know how long you have to travel to get it down pat but I fear there is truly no end to it. And there you have it.