Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Killing time

Ugggg. Was slightly drunk. Now I'm sobering up cause it's been about 3 hours since I've stopped drinking. Am waiting for the 8 AM bus to Koh Samet with Decha. 3 hours to go. Already fell asleep in the 24 hour Burger King. Drooled on the table and my arm. Have so much on my mind but am worried that since I've had a bit to drink it might be more TMI than usual. Can't wait to pass out in the sand.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Holy Cuuuuuute!!!


I bought these Steve Madden sandals (with Brit's encouragement) before I left NYC. I've gotten so many compliments on them. I keep staring at my feet when I walk, I love them!

Birthday dinner with my sister

We went to dinner somewhere in Thong Lor for Italian and Thai- a strange combination but yummy nonetheless. They had the band sing me happy birthday but they dedicate the song to “Tina.” We were laughing so hard I couldn’t blow out the candle.







Went out for drinks at Long Table which had a gorgeous high-rise view of Bangkok. Got to meet my sister’s sweet boyfriend for the first time. He bought me a birthday drink. He knew how to win over the little sister. : )

Do you think we look alike?


Me doing the "lightbulb changing dance", trying to show Anand that I too know a little something about Indian culture. Anand looks skeptical of my dancing skills.


Of course, I needed to end the night with American Breakfast at Foodland. So Hi So!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Happy Birthday to Me! (May 22)

le sigh, I can't believe I'm 27! I must say, I may be a little off course at the moment but I really couldn't be happier.

My auntie baked me this lovely cake (so light and fluffy!)

and I was surrounded by the women who raised me.

...and I'm gonna meet my sister for dinner tonight! Can't wait to see her, it's been years!

I couldn't ask for anything more. Well, except for my book to be a HUGE success.

Oh, and maybe a little Build a Bear doll that's part bunny, part penguin. : )

*le sigh

I stayed up pretty late last night watching Thai Lakon. I know I made fun of it at first and last night I kept watching just to try to follow what was going on. Erm. I'm kinda addicted.

Spent more time reading by the pool today. None of the Thai people come out in the sun during the day so I had the place to myself.





It rained a bit too so I snuck back to the condo for lunch and a nap.


I'm feeling pretty relaxed and happy today on my birthday eve and looking forward to seeing my beautiful sister tomorrow night!

May 20: alone at last!

Mom and auntie left today for Bangkok. I was really looking forward to having some alone time but I have to say I actually really miss mom. I haven’t spent this much time with her in a long time and I’m kinda sitting here wishing she hadn't left. Oh goodness, did I really say that? I'm not even drunk! Maybe that's the problem. : )

The silence today was definitely appreciated. I got some sun, swimming, reading, thinking, and napping done.



At dusk I took a nice little stroll down the beach. Kinda wish I had someone to snuggle with after. Anyone?

May 19: post root canal pampering!

Woke up very achey and cranky but mom and auntie really took great care of me the entire day.

We went out to lunch near Kao Takiab with this lovely view.

I had yummy coconut juice...

...and seafood in dry green curry

...and tom yum kung mmmmm!


Later, they took me out for an early birthday dinner since mom will be back up with Grandma for my birthday on Friday. The band sang happy birthday and I got a lovely little candle in my coconut ice cream.


It poured again during dinner but the air felt wonderful and it still looked so beautiful out.

What a lovely evening!

May 18: root canal and regressing

Root canal day. Woke up with the worst stomach ache. So scared and nervous.

I’ve been going to this dentist since I was a child. I notice for the first time that it looks like he hasn’t updated his equipment since 1985. Very, very afraid. I start to cry.

I think I’m about to pass out when he’s injecting me with novacaine. My dentist keeps saying things, while his fingers are in my mouth, and I have no idea what he’s saying. What if it’s something important like, “Keep as still as possible, I’m sawing your tooth into 4 pieces and I don’t want to miss.” Yikes.

It really wasn’t AS bad as I had feared. I imagine child birth would be much worse. But the noises, the yanking, and seeing his bloody fingers were enough for me to have gripped holes into the chair. It was over in 30 minutes which was a very much appreciated surprise. I was swollen, bloody, and super cranky afterwards.
(icing my face, looking pissed and miserable!)


Mom and auntie were treating me by taking me to the beach at Hua Hin. They took such good care of me, buying me mushy food, feeding me painkillers, and completely babying me. I forgot how wonderful my mom could be.

May 16: dentist and drinking

Got home at 4 AM. Had to be up at 6 AM to go to temple with mom. She took one look at me and told me I didn’t have to go. Embarrassed but super relieved.

Soooooo hungover! *whine

10 AM Dentist appointment. Tried my hardest not to puke while his fingers were in my mouth. *success. Barely.

Found out I have to get a root canal. I’m so upset. I feel like I’m gonna cry. I’m so scared that my stomach starts to hurt.

Mom did a great job at calming my fears. If anything, she’s best at babying me. This is one of the few times that I’m really grateful for it.

6 PM Went to dinner with mom’s friends. Free and delicious!



9 PM Met up with Decha again. Not without mom and friends worrying about me getting in a taxi alone.


(this is me trying to keep both eyes open in a picture)



Drank entirely too much! Stumble home at 5 AM. Watch the sunrise again. Uggg.

May 15: out of the jungle and off the wagon!

5:30 AM Watch the sunrise from bed.

7 AM Finally get up. Make coffee. No ants today. First time.

Pack my bags. Can’t believe I lasted a week here. It wasn’t so bad. I wish I had more books and more company.

I take a walk with the dogs. They run ahead again, looking back every few steps to see if I’m following. I walk to the pond where I used to go fishing with my dad. We would make fishing rods with bamboo sticks, tie fishing line to it, and cut a small square out of a rubber sandal to use as the buoy. We would go into the woods with a tin can and turn over logs and dig for worms for bait. He would make me bait my own hook. Mom wouldn’t come because killing animals is against her Buddhist beliefs.

10 AM Feed the dogs. Sticky rice, chicken bones, fish heads, and soy sauce mixed in hot water. Mmmmmm

2 PM Waiting for my flight back to BKK. Check in with mom. Ask for the furthest seat available from her.

2:30 PM Talk to Decha. He’s joining me with my mom’s friends for dinner. So excited.

6 PM Dinner with Mom’s friends. I actually really love her friends. They’re great to her and I can see how happy she is when she’s around them. They seem to lift her stress and she’s always laughing. Plus they tell me I’m pretty. : )

Realize I forgot my camera. : (

8 PM Rush over to meet Decha. I haven’t seen him in 3 years and am instantly reminded of why I love him so much. We stayed out drinking till 3 AM and went for porridge after. Mmm our favorite 3 AM snack!

While we eat we see a Thai girl screaming at her boyfriend. It was a huge scene and everyone on the street was watching. She slaps him 4 times and her friend throws rice on his friend’s head. So entertaining! Then she grabbed a beer bottle to hit him but someone snatched it out of her hand. That would have been entertaining! I couldn’t believe the guy stood there and let her slap him so many times!

Got home at 4 AM. Tried my hardest NOT to puke in auntie’s fish pond. Mom would have disowned me!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

May 14: it's not over till someone sings karaoke

I tossed and turned quite a bit last night. My back was already aching from the heavy lifting. Mom also turned off the fan in the middle of the night so I was sweating.

6 AM Woke up. Wait for Grandma to get dressed to take her to the doctor.

Mom is in an especially pissy mood today because we’re leaving for BKK tomorrow and I know she’s stressed about leaving Grandma. I know taking care of Grandma has been entirely exhausting and stressful for her. I keep out of her way.

10:30 AM Ran into a baby elephant on the street. It takes food out of my hand and drools on my shorts.


I’m just starting to get used to it here. Even the mosquitoes have gotten used to my skin. Now I only get 1 or 2 bites a day as opposed to 20. Still, I’m looking forward to getting to the beach in a few days. Mom invited herself…grrr…I was hoping to have some alone time. But at least there’s plenty more for me to do there where we wouldn’t be at each other’s throats.

11 AM An old lady at the hospital asks me what day it is. I only know how to say Friday through Monday in Thai. For some reason, for the life of me, I can never remember how to say Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Today is Thursday. I tell her it’s the day before Friday. She looks at me strangely. I suck on my thumb hoping she’ll think I’m just a retard. Around here, it's better than being called a foreigner.

2 PM Got another $8 two hour massage. Helped get the kink out of my back. Mom’s cell phone goes off the entire time. She answers it every time.

5 PM Meet mom’s friend at Pui for dinner. Mom runs into old friends, including the town’s Sheriff, who are having a party at the restaurant. We join them. Of course, you can’t have a Thai dinner party without really bad karaoke going on. The waitress, who’s drunk, sits down next to me and asks what I want. I said I was still looking at the menu. She asks me 8 more times while I was still looking at the menu. She pours me a beer, half missing the glass. She sits next to me the entire night, practically on top of me, and continuously bumps into me as I eat. She keeps putting her arms around me. I really hate being touched by people I don’t know.

7 PM I’ve had enough. I’m sitting in the corner not talking to anyone. I can’t hear over the awful karaoke anyway. This one lady won’t stop singing and she’s terrible. She’s so serious about too. I hate being the party pooper but I’m over it. I tell mom Grandma needs to get home. By grandma, I mean me.

8 PM The farm help, his wife, and daughter are at the house. They were waiting out the rain. They have dinner here and mom tells them to stay over in the spare room. I like it when there are people here. This house used to be a place where all the town’s people would stop in for dinner, drinks, and dancing. Everyone would move the party over to our old treehouse. They would put a mat down for everyone to sit, play music, and we’d all dance around. Grandma used to get so drunk off whiskey we’re worry she would fall off. The house is much too quite these days.

May 13: cabin fever

I was asleep by 8 PM last night. I slept so well aside from the one bad dream I had about going back to work at the Thai restaurant I worked at years ago. Shudder.

Slept in a bit today. Didn’t get out of bed till 7 AM. It’s funny that I go to bed before my Grandma. It’s quite nice though. I haven’t had this much sleep in a long time.

7:30 AM Waiting for water to boil for coffee. Who knew I would love instant coffee so much. I don’t even need it. It just gives me something to do.

Notice a mosquito bite at the bottom of my foot. The fucker! Now my foot itches every time I step on it.

Scoop ants out of my coffee.

Wish I brought more things to do. On my last episode of Lost Season 4. I love the character, Miles, btw. He’s my new favorite on the island. I wouldn’t be as bored if my siblings were here. Hopefully I’ll be back here with my brother at the end of the year.

On my last few minutes of battery life on my lap top so I can’t even do any writing. Forgot to bring the adaptor.

My head still feels so cloudy with stress. Can’t I just stay in Thailand forever? Won’t someone just pay off the last of my bills for me?

9:30 AM Grandma’s friend visits. She remembers me from when I was little. She tells mom I’ve grown to be a pretty young woman. Mom tells her she’s exaggerating. She takes any opportunity to put me down. She tells my mom I’m all grown up. Mom tells her I don’t have a boyfried. I know this is her way of joking but it bugs me. Whenever I did have a boyfriend she always told me to focus on my career.

10 AM It’s pouring again. Even harder than yesterday. The sound is deafening.

11 AM I fell asleep for an hour. The rain is so relaxing. Especially when I’m not commuting or trying to stay dry.

12 PM I’m getting a bit of cabin fever. Grandma is well but she can’t really walk around so we stay home. I know once I’m back in the city I’m gonna miss the calm here.

12:30 PM Took a shower outside today. It was freezing since it was raining but it felt great. Everybody should have an outdoor shower. It’s the best.


Haven’t shaved my legs in days. I could be mistaken for a man.

3 PM So bored. Whitening my teeth.
3:30 PM Going stir crazy. Mom and I drove into town to pick up food.

6 PM Feel much better after being out of the house. The views today were spectacular. The air as much cooler from the rain and there was a low fog that blanketed the mountains. Saw a beautiful rainbow. Got to see the sunrise and sunset today. Feeling much better. Wish Rich was here.






7:30 PM Watching the evening news with Grandma. Bedtime in 30 minutes.

Mom’s friend arrives with the delivery of 1500 pounds of soil for Grandma’s farm. The farm help is not around to help unload the car. I help unload the 40 bags of soil with her friend. I bet now mom’s glad to have a fat daughter. Her friend compliments how strong I am. Mom brags that I’m quite the athlete.

8 PM Super sweaty. Shower feels awesome.

Her friend offers me a beer. God, I’d love one right now. I need to see if I could make it till the end of the week without alcohol.

May 12: the rain calms me

5 AM Watch the sunrise from my bed. The sky is a pretty shade of orange, the sun just peeking above the mountain.


I work out for a bit, hoping this will relax me.

6 AM I get dressed, take a walk down by the dam by myself. Grandma’s dogs follow me. They’re like 2 little boys running around, wrestling, looking back every few steps to see if I’m still following them.




The road is still unpaved but they’ve fixed it quite a bit. It used to be full of gaps and holes and we’d have to cross over on makeshift planks. They also built a new bridge to cross over the dam.

I’m feeling much better taking out this bit of alone time, watching the dogs chase frogs by the water. (They’re just like me, always chasing frogs).


I walk back to our farm where the statue of my grandfather stands. I say a quick hello.



10 AM The rain starts again. It’s pouring and the sound is so loud we can’t even hear each other talk over it. The well downstairs starts to overflow so mom has me carrying pails of water to the well in the bathroom. I definitely wouldn’t waste the water here, knowing how much work it takes to fill up the well. I’m soaked by the time I’m done so I throw on my bathing suit and take a shower outside in the rain. It felt amazing. This rain day is exactly what I needed. The fan blowing on my damp skins feels great.



Mom also showers but she doesn't want her hair to get wet so she puts a pot on her head.


I think I’ll take a nap.

Did pretty much nothing but stare out at the mountain for the rest of the day. My nap was awesome.

6 PM Watched some Thai “Lakohn” (soap operas) with Grandma. Can hardly follow. It’s pretty bad.

7 PM Watcht the 7 o’clock news with Grandma. Again, can hardly follow. They talk so fast. Must brush up on my Thai. The news stories were pretty amusing. It’s so funny the stuff that they don’t edit out.

There was a story of 2 foreigners, 1 American, 1 Norwegian, who died from some sort of poisoning on Koh Phi Phi. I was planning on going there. Hope mom didn’t hear the story. The lectures would never end.