15.12.07.8.50AM...AWAKE...BUT NOT EAGER TO DO ANYTHING...ONLY BEEN IN CHIANG MAI ONE DAY...BUT WE KNOW ITS NOT FOR US...ITS A DIRTY PLACE...TOO MANY VEHICLES...EXHAUST FUMES FILL THE AIR...PEOPLE ARE LOUD...THE WOMEN THINK THEY ARE SOMETHING...BUT THEY ARE SO UNSOMETHING...[STREET CORNER BUNNIES].9.25AM...UNDER THE WARM SHOWER...USING PANTENE...DON'T THINK IT SUITS MY HAIR!10.10AM...BOOKSHOP/CAFE...ORDER FULL ENGLISH BREAKFAST...NU EAGER TO FIND NEW READING MATERIAL.11.05AM...WISH I HADN'T BOTHERED WITH BREAKFAST...APPALLING...ABSOLUTELY APPALLING!12.10PM...WALKING THESE DIRTY STREETS...WE FINALLY CATCH SIGHT OF ANOTHER BOOKSHOP.12.35PM...NU AT LAST FINDS A BOOK...SHE'S GETTING VERY CHOOSY!1.20PM...BOUGHT TICKETS FOR MINIBUS TO 'PAI'...A SMALL NORTHLY TOWN...HOPE ITS CLEANER THAN HERE...LEAVE MONDAY 17TH DEC...8.00AM.2.10PM...ATM[CASH MACHINE]...NEED SOME MONEY...MY RECEIPT DOESN'T TALLY...WORRIED...THOUGHTFUL...DECIDE NOT TO MENTION IT TO NU.2.20PM...NU WANTS TO GO TO TESCO'S...YES TESCO'S!...ITS OUTA TOWN...SHE RECKONS IT'LL HAVE THE SIZE TSHIRTS SHE REQUIRES.2.30PM...TUK TUK.2.45PM...TUK TUK DRIVER DROPS US OFF AT MASSIVE SHOPPING ARCADE...HE SAYS TESCO'S IS IN THERE SOMEWHERE...IT WASN'T!...NU PRACTISING LATIN AGAIN.3.05PM...SPOKE WITH THAI CHAPPIE...HE POINTS US IN RIGHT DIRECTION...ABOUT 1 KILOMETRE AWAY...OFF WE STROLL.4.00PM...IN TESCO'S...IN CLOTHES ISLE.4.15PM...ALTHOUGH GETTING HERE WAS A PAIN...I FEEL HAPPY...NU GOT HER TSHIRTS.4.50PM...TROLLEY SEMI LOADED...CHEESE X 2/BREAD ROLLS/PLUM TOMS/DOUGHNUTS!/DRINK!!/TSHIRTS!!!/PANTS/PEANUTS!5.10PM...WALKING...NO TUK TUK DRIVER IN SIGHT...SLOWLY WE WALK BACK TO THE SHOPPING ARCADE WHERE WE WERE DROPPED OFF...NU SAYS SHE'LL KILL THAT TUK TUK DRIVER IF SHE SEE'S HIM AGAIN.6.05PM...IN TUK TUK...EXHAUST FUMES FILLING OUR LUNGS.6.30PM...TUK TUK DRIVER DID WELL TO GET THRU THE TRAFFIC SO SPEEDILY...GAVE HIM AN EXTRA 20 BAHT.7.00PM...EXPLAINING TO NU I DON'T TOTALLY UNDERSTAND ATM RECEIPT...GOTTA GET MY MATHS HEAD ON.7.20PM...WALK BACK TO ATM TO GET ANOTHETR RECEIPT...THIS ONE GIVES A DIFFERENT FIGURE...I'M KINDA FIGURING IN MY HEAD I'M ABOUT 150 QUID SHORT.8.00PM...DOING MY MATHS...I THINK I'VE SORTED IT.8.25PM...FEASTING TIME!...CHEESE/TOM BREAD ROLL...DOUGHNUT TO FOLLOW...READING.10.30PM...CAN'T SLEEP...DECIDED MY MATHS DON'T ADD UP...GO THRU RECEIPTS AGAIN...IT DOESN'T ADD UP...GETTING CONFUSED!11.05PM...TRY PHONING BANK ON INTERNATIONAL CALL NUMBER THEY GAVE ME BACK IN ENGLAND...ALL I GET IS THIS WOMAN TELLING ME I HAVE THE WRONG NUMBER...CAN'T DO ANYMORE TONIGHT.11.25PM...PUT HEAD ON PILLOW...NOT HAPPY...NOT HAPPY AT ALL.16.12.07.9.30AM...AWAKE.9.40AM...SHOWER.10.25AM...AT ATM...MONEY READS THE SAME...NO MORE MONEY GONE OUT...PHEW...HAVING DONE SOME MORE MATHS...I RECKON IT ALL GOT CONFUSING FOR ME GOING FROM CAMBOD WHATEVER TO LAOS KIP TO THAI BAHT...PLUS EVERY TIME YOU TAKE MONEY OUT OF THESE MACHINES YOU GET CHARGED...HOPEFULLY I'VE BEEN WORRYING OVER NOTHING...BUT THEN THIS WHOLE EPISODE AS HELPED ME UNDERSTAND HOW MONEY CAN FLUCTUATE SO EASILY MOVING FROM ONE COUNTRY TO ANOTHER.10.40AM...IN SEARCH OF BAGUETTE FOR SUNDAY LUNCH...STILL GOT SOME CHEESE AND TOMS...I LIKE TO TREAT NU OCCASIONLY!10.55AM...TOLD CAN'T GET BAGUETTE ON SUNDAY!11.15AM...CAFE...CUPPA TEA...DON'T FEEL HUNGRY...READING...ITS AN INTERESTING CHAPTER...BUT FINDING IT HARD TO CONCENTRATE.1.00PM...LATE BREAKFAST/CUPPA TEA.2.30PM...BOOKSHOP.3.30PM...BACK AT GUESTHOUSE...GOTTA PACK...READY FOR DEPARTURE TOMORROW.4.15PM...SHOWER...HAVEN'T DONE A LOT TODAY...BUT FEEL DIRTY FROM HEAT AND FUME FILLED ROADS.6.00PM...WATCHING POIRET...DEATH ON THE NILE...ACTUALLY ITS QUITE WATCHABLE...THIS DAY AS COME AND GONE...AND IN 6 HOURS WILL BE GONE...SOMETIMES YOU NEED THESE DAYS...SOMETIMES.7.00PM...READING...DRINKING BEER...LUCKY TO GET SOME...THE ELECTIONS ARE ON AND SO BARS AND SHOPS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO SELL ALCOHOL...I MANAGED TO PERSUADE A LITTLE OLD LADY SHOPKEEPER TO PART WITH A FEW CANS.17.12.07.6.30AM...ALARM.6.40AM...SHOWER.7.10AM...WHERE WE ARE STAYING YOU CAN HELP YOURSELF TO TEA OR COFFEE IN THE LOBBY...ALWAYS LOOK FORWARD TO MY CUPPA IN THE MORNING.7.40AM...PACKED.7.55AM...WAITING FOR PICK UP.8.10AM...TUK TUK ARRIVES.8.25AM...DROPPED OFF ON SOME STREET...GOTTA WAIT HERE FOR MINI BUS TO PAI.8.45AM...ON MINIBUS FOR PAI...NU AND I ARE IN THE REAR...NOT SO COMFY.10.20AM...LEG STRETCH...CUPPA COFFEE...NU AND I HAVE BEEN SWAYING IN THE BACK...THEY DON'T DO STRAIGHT ROADS HERE!12.05PM...HOORAY WE ARE IN PAI.12.15PM...THE KITCHEN CAFE...BEERS PLEASE...MET OUR TWO ISRAELI FRIENDS...GONNA MEET UP WITH THEM AGAIN LATER...ABOUT 8.00PM.2.00PM...SEARCHING FOR ACCOMADATION...SHOULD HAVE DONE IT BEFORE BEER...FEEL A BIT LIGHT HEADED.2.30PM...LOOKED AT A PLACE BY THE RIVER...NO.2.50PM...LOOKED AT ANOTHER PLACE ON MAIN STREET...NO.3.10PM...LEFT NU ON CORNER WITH BAGS...OFF I TROT.3.40PM...FOUND WHAT I THINKS OK...13 DOLLARS A NIGHT...STILT HUT AT REAR OF BAR.4.00PM...RELIEVED TO HAVE FOUND SOMEWHERE...THERES A DIFFERENT HEAT HERE...A STICKY HEAT...HAD A SHOWER...LAY ON BED.4.20PM...ASLEEP.6.15PM...WOKE...HUNGRY.7.00PM...RESTAURANT...STEAK AND CHIPS...PAPAYA SHAKE.8.00PM...MEET WITH FRIENDS...AVIS AND HERMIONE...LOVELY COUPLE.8.35PM...MUSIC BAR...WAFFLING...SOME OLD HIPPIES HAVING A JAM SESSION...GOOD MUSIC PLAYING.11.55PM...WE ARE THE LAST OUT OF THE BAR...BACARDID AND CONTENT...DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH WE SPEND...POCKET FEELS LIGHT.18.12.07.9.50AM...EYES WIDE CLOSED.10.10AM...WARM SHOWER...WE'VE BOOKED 3 NIGHTS...BUT HAVE DECIDED TO STAY TILL 26TH DEC ...THEN HEAD FO KO SUMAI FOR NEW YEARS.10.50AM...BREAKFAST...BANANA PANCAKE...NOT THE BEST...FRENCH COFFEE...OUCH!11.20AM...BOOKING TRIP TO KO SAMUI...DIRECT FLIGHTS FULLY BOOKED...OUCH AGAIN!...SO ITS BUS TO CHIANG MAI...STAY FOR ONE NIGHT...PLANE TO BANGKOK NEXT DAY...PLANE TO SURAT...THEN BOAT TO KO SAMUI...MAD OR WHAT...150 QUID FOR BOTH OF US...IT'LL BE A DAY TO REMEMBER TO FORGET?1.30PM...BEER...BUY 3...GET 1 FREE!...SOMETIMES YOU WISH YOU HAD A DIMMER SWITCH TO DIM THE SUN...NEED IT NOW!3.20PM...POSTOFFICE...MICHAELA'S BIRTHDAY PRESSIE GOTTA BE SENT.3.50PM...BAKERY/SUPERMARKET...BACARDI/COKE/TOMATO'S/CHEESE/BREAD.5.40PM...PLAYING POOL.8.45PM...STILL PLAYING POOL...NU POPS HEAD ROUND CORNER...SAID I WOULD ONLY BE AN HOUR...NU NOT HAPPY...A MANS GOTTA HAVE A BIT OF RECREATION TIME BABE!9.30PM...INDIAN CURRY...THAT WASN'T SO INDIAN...2 QUID FOR BOTH.10.30PM...BACK AT STILT HUT.HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE.BYE FOR NOWZ.
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