Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
Chiang Mai is hot and dusty. It feels like being in an exotic snow globe city. Where the fountained moats and crumbling walls surrounding the city define it as a quaint little ornament. But there's no snow, just dust. And I'm pretty sure if I had been warped into a toy replica of an ancient city, it would be minus the Starbucks cafes.
Up here there's food everywhere. Everywhere! Even if you find yourself in a tiny little Soi which goes from nowhere, to nowhere and even the locals wouldn't be able to find it on a map, there will be an impressive array of food stalls around the next corner, boasting more dishes than an aesthetically-impaired Nandos menu (no offense Pan).
Now, as anyone who's spent any amount of time with me will know, meals are a chore. I just don't have the patience or the appetite for them. They unintentionally yet inevitably got phased out as soon as I left Joe and Carina. Joe works like a clockwork toy that shuts down when it runs out of fuel. It's tragic. He rapidly loses the ability to do anything but make grumpy faces. So Carina was reliably good at gently guiding us both to food around meal times. But that seems so long ago, now I only eat when I get hungry! I have tried a couple of proper meals recently, but I'm so out of practice that I rarely eat enough to be polite. I'd hate to offend anyone, so I've concluded it's a bad idea to try. Thailand understands my snacking needs.
So this week I've been working at a small charity organisation that helps various underprivileged locals - orphans, disabled children who've been tied up in cages, mistreated women etc etc. The company are doing innovative workshops focused on creativity and arts - this is a blog on one of their workshops that I helped with on Friday for anyone who's interested http://www.volunteercct.blogspot.com/
Friday night I signed up for an early morning Muay Thai class for the next day. I then left the shop and promptly fell into the road. For no apparent reason. And twisted my ankle. Luckily for my self-esteem, the only person who saw me was a little hilltribe lady who said 'ooooh' and looked concerned. I realized I wasn't upright and that it definitely wasn't a good idea to be lying in the road so I got up, smiled at her, refused to buy any of her wooden frogs, and limped home.
Saturday morning I totally ignored my ankle, got in the 'zone' where it was easier to ignore and spent the whole day dedicated to hardcore Muay Thai training (Muay Thai is a brutal breed of fighting where most things are game - knees and elbows to the head are the main aim, kicks and punches just 'soften up' the opponent). It wasn't part of the plan to stay all day but it was really fun. And I was being really stubborn. My 8 years of half hearted, intermittent kick boxing training paid off though and they totally want me to go back and train properly for a month or two. I guess I'll add that to my list of things to do.
So Sunday I spent Valentine's day alone, recovering, with a pool, a lounger, a garden full of palm trees a café and some bright sunshine. All to myself for two pounds. In the evening I thought I might as well go and check out a Muay Thai match since romance and Chinese New Year parties were off the menu. One of the Thai fighters had asked me to go as he was fighting and my friend I'd made at training couldn't come so I was a bit apprehensive but the worst that could happen is I'd get really bored right? As it turned out I actually got to spend the evening with a truck load of nice Swedish guys from the Muay Thai gym. And I mean a truck load - they literally piled us into the back of a bakkie. The drive was great fun with the warm air and breeze and highway taking us on an adventure…but it stopped being fun when everyone's legs went numb and we realized that losing a few people over the edge going round a corner was not only highly plausible but actually pretty appealing as it would free up some space. So I got everyone to make a pact to keep quiet if it did happen so that we didn't create a scene and the driver would just carry on. The fights were pretty intense; they weren't like the show fights they put on in town for tourists. In fact, we were the only foreigners there and by everyone's reactions, the only ones they'd ever seen.
I still ache everywhere from training, I even treated myself to a foot massage yesterday for $1 but my twisted ankle and grazed knee became painful victims of the language barrier. And on top of that my leg muscles were really tight from 6 hours of skipping and kicking, so it was more like an introduction to torture. Especially since anytime it didn't hurt, it tickled.
Tomorrow I will recover for sure as I'm going to learn to meditate. The hardcore 'don't look at anyone or speak to anyone or eat anything' retreat got abandoned. I don't think my quest for inner peace is meant to take that route at present. When the monk asked me why I wanted to dedicate the rest of the month to long days of meditation, I don't think 'to try it' satisfied either of us as an answer. Plus, this way I get to dedicate more time to becoming ultimate fighting champion of the world with the hot Muay Thai fighters.
So now I'm off to the night bazaar to buy some meditation clothes. Evidently you can't think clearly in any colour except white. Perhaps that's why they make the monks wear bright orange, just to keep them on their toes….
- comments
lulubell I can totally imagine you becoming the ultimate fighting champion of the world... and did the swedish guys think you were from their motherland? It all sounds amazing, hope the ankle feels better soon! Miss you lots x
Eve Hi twinkle toes - you've obviously found your perfect spot - it all sounds as though you are enjoying yourself which is brilliant. lotsalove xxxx
Chief M You seem to be spending a lot of time shopping!