Chapter 14
Day 16
Chiang Mai
I woke up in my room that was still early. My alarm clock was showing me that it was still 8.00 in the morning. This would be the day that I’d leave Chiang Mai to head southward, to Phuket.
I didn’t want to lose the chance of one more stroll across the city before leaving her for long time again. I went out of the hotel and I made my way to my favorite coffee shop. Along the way I could barely see traces of the last night Loy Krathong. I guess that the cleaning department had worked miracles cleaning the city overnight.
The sun was shining, brightening the colors of the town. Spirit houses were along the way, each of them with their fresh offerings, smoking incense and new garlands. The usual sleepy girls were opening the bars with boys delivering crates of new beer. Tuk-Tuk drivers were passing by screaming if I wanted a ride. Many tourists were already around and many of them were in groups before of the hotels, waiting for some pickup. The town was relaxed, colorful and nice. She looked like tempting me to stay some time longer, but I had a schedule to respect.
The breakfast at my favorite coffee shop was as good as always, and then, I went back to my hotel. I finished packing my backpacks and then I went out of the hotel. On the way out I stepped at the hotel counter, where I paid for my room and I wished a “See you again” to the crazies that were just arrived at their workplace. As soon as I stepped outside I was called by a voice. It was a Song-Tew driver that was calling for my attention. I went to him, we bargained, and soon we were going down the streets, to the airport.
I arrived at the airport that it was about 10.30 and it was already full of people. The waiting rooms were crammed with tourists, resting while waiting for their flights. I sat next to an Asian guy which was playing with his huge camera. I started reading my book and sometimes to look at what was happening all around. Among this huge multitude of people, which was flowing in every direction, I spotted a corner of peace. A place that attracted the attention and released an aura of quiet. It was a group of Buddhist nuns. They were wearing light blue robes and while talking, they had a very sweet smile.
The feeling of peace that was given by the nuns was in deep contrast with my feelings. I was thrilled. I still lived a vivid memory of my trip from Hong Kong to Chiang Mai, and I was afraid that something could go wrong. Of course, I’ve had already many flights, but in this moment I wasn’t feeling so much confident with myself.
Very slowly arrived the time to get moving again. I went to the higher floor of the airport, but my gate was still close. I wished to have a snack in order to not feel hungry on the plane, as I’d fly during lunch time. I browsed around and in the end I found that one of the airport restaurants was offering a very great deal for noodles and coke. I ordered them, but when they arrived they had exactly the same look of those that I didn’t like at the Anusan Street Market. I tried them, still skeptical, but then, I found that they were very good. I enjoyed that dish of hot noodles, and they were what I needed to cheer up.
It felt like the time was speeding up, and soon was the time board the plane. I entered the plane and I took my seat in the left hand side. I’ve chosen this side as, while approaching to Phuket, I’d have a nice sight of Phang Nga bay. Still if it wasn’t cloudy as forecasts told the previous night.
I was sitting comfortably on my seat. I had my book in hand and I was looking outside. The aircraft started to roll down the runway, it turned and aligned. The engines started to get louder and louder and then, it jumped forward, speeding up the runway. In few seconds, we were airborne. Chiang Mai was going fast away from me again. I was looking at her with the feeling that it'd take much time before seeing her again, like in those classic movies when two people say goodbye and watch each other, when one is on a pier and the other on a boat sailing away.
The airplane started to shake, the engines roared with a different voice, like furious lions in my backseat. A wing sunk down like it wanted to slash a deep cut in the emerald land below us, or like a boat fin into a green sea. The airplane roared louder and we turned, breathless, on the opposite position. In that moment, like in a slow motion movie, I seen, just a few meters from the edge of the wing, to pass a silvery-blue flying lantern.
“You know, it's dangerous!” a girl once told me
“What?”
“The baloons! Velly dangerous...”
“They fall on the head of people?” I replied joking on what she just said
“No, sometime... We close the airport! The lanterns fly... Velly high! Airplanes can't fly!”
“You're making fool of me? You Ting-Tong! Khun Ting-Tong! Ah-ah-ah!” this was my answer.
She just replied with a “Noooo! Is true!”
Yes, it was damn true. She told me it two days before, and I thought that she was making fool of me, but it was real. I should start to believe at the words of native people, especially after having shared fried crickets and drunk Thai beer with me.
In that flight I didn't feel sleepy anymore. Every now and then I kept on looking outside of the window in fear to see some flying lantern passing by. No, we were too high, out of reach for the lanterns.
“Velly High”, she said.
“Thi Suung Mak”, she said in my mind again.
The rest of the flight had been very pleasant. We headed southward and we flew over Bangkok, and then, keeping southward, we passed by Phang Nga bay. I recognized her beautiful landscape from the plane. I had my zoom camera and, catching the moment in which there weren't clouds, I took some good pictures of her. Just after Phang Nga Bay, we started the approaching to the airport where we landed in perfect time.
I didn’t want to lose the chance of one more stroll across the city before leaving her for long time again. I went out of the hotel and I made my way to my favorite coffee shop. Along the way I could barely see traces of the last night Loy Krathong. I guess that the cleaning department had worked miracles cleaning the city overnight.
The sun was shining, brightening the colors of the town. Spirit houses were along the way, each of them with their fresh offerings, smoking incense and new garlands. The usual sleepy girls were opening the bars with boys delivering crates of new beer. Tuk-Tuk drivers were passing by screaming if I wanted a ride. Many tourists were already around and many of them were in groups before of the hotels, waiting for some pickup. The town was relaxed, colorful and nice. She looked like tempting me to stay some time longer, but I had a schedule to respect.
The breakfast at my favorite coffee shop was as good as always, and then, I went back to my hotel. I finished packing my backpacks and then I went out of the hotel. On the way out I stepped at the hotel counter, where I paid for my room and I wished a “See you again” to the crazies that were just arrived at their workplace. As soon as I stepped outside I was called by a voice. It was a Song-Tew driver that was calling for my attention. I went to him, we bargained, and soon we were going down the streets, to the airport.
I arrived at the airport that it was about 10.30 and it was already full of people. The waiting rooms were crammed with tourists, resting while waiting for their flights. I sat next to an Asian guy which was playing with his huge camera. I started reading my book and sometimes to look at what was happening all around. Among this huge multitude of people, which was flowing in every direction, I spotted a corner of peace. A place that attracted the attention and released an aura of quiet. It was a group of Buddhist nuns. They were wearing light blue robes and while talking, they had a very sweet smile.
The feeling of peace that was given by the nuns was in deep contrast with my feelings. I was thrilled. I still lived a vivid memory of my trip from Hong Kong to Chiang Mai, and I was afraid that something could go wrong. Of course, I’ve had already many flights, but in this moment I wasn’t feeling so much confident with myself.
Very slowly arrived the time to get moving again. I went to the higher floor of the airport, but my gate was still close. I wished to have a snack in order to not feel hungry on the plane, as I’d fly during lunch time. I browsed around and in the end I found that one of the airport restaurants was offering a very great deal for noodles and coke. I ordered them, but when they arrived they had exactly the same look of those that I didn’t like at the Anusan Street Market. I tried them, still skeptical, but then, I found that they were very good. I enjoyed that dish of hot noodles, and they were what I needed to cheer up.
It felt like the time was speeding up, and soon was the time board the plane. I entered the plane and I took my seat in the left hand side. I’ve chosen this side as, while approaching to Phuket, I’d have a nice sight of Phang Nga bay. Still if it wasn’t cloudy as forecasts told the previous night.
I was sitting comfortably on my seat. I had my book in hand and I was looking outside. The aircraft started to roll down the runway, it turned and aligned. The engines started to get louder and louder and then, it jumped forward, speeding up the runway. In few seconds, we were airborne. Chiang Mai was going fast away from me again. I was looking at her with the feeling that it'd take much time before seeing her again, like in those classic movies when two people say goodbye and watch each other, when one is on a pier and the other on a boat sailing away.
The airplane started to shake, the engines roared with a different voice, like furious lions in my backseat. A wing sunk down like it wanted to slash a deep cut in the emerald land below us, or like a boat fin into a green sea. The airplane roared louder and we turned, breathless, on the opposite position. In that moment, like in a slow motion movie, I seen, just a few meters from the edge of the wing, to pass a silvery-blue flying lantern.
“You know, it's dangerous!” a girl once told me
“What?”
“The baloons! Velly dangerous...”
“They fall on the head of people?” I replied joking on what she just said
“No, sometime... We close the airport! The lanterns fly... Velly high! Airplanes can't fly!”
“You're making fool of me? You Ting-Tong! Khun Ting-Tong! Ah-ah-ah!” this was my answer.
She just replied with a “Noooo! Is true!”
Yes, it was damn true. She told me it two days before, and I thought that she was making fool of me, but it was real. I should start to believe at the words of native people, especially after having shared fried crickets and drunk Thai beer with me.
In that flight I didn't feel sleepy anymore. Every now and then I kept on looking outside of the window in fear to see some flying lantern passing by. No, we were too high, out of reach for the lanterns.
“Velly High”, she said.
“Thi Suung Mak”, she said in my mind again.
The rest of the flight had been very pleasant. We headed southward and we flew over Bangkok, and then, keeping southward, we passed by Phang Nga bay. I recognized her beautiful landscape from the plane. I had my zoom camera and, catching the moment in which there weren't clouds, I took some good pictures of her. Just after Phang Nga Bay, we started the approaching to the airport where we landed in perfect time.
Phuket
As soon as I stepped down the airplane I thought that it was the turning point of my holiday. From that point on, the rest of this holiday would have been only centered on the word “relax”. Only few days were left from my coming back home, and this meant that I wanted to relax before coming back to work.
I went out of the airport and I took a minivan to Patong Beach. I didn't like much the idea of coming back there, but now I had a friend that when he knew that I'd be around, wanted me to come and meet him again. Moreover, I had the chance to have first hand information from an expat living there. That sounded quite good.
We left the airport area and after more or less an hour, we stopped along the way. It’s a custom that I quite hate. You're forced to go down the minibus and enter a tourist agency where the employees try to sell you some staying in Patong hotels or try to sell you some overpriced day trip. It's an old story that I already know. The plot is this. You enter the shop with the excuse that you have to declare in which hotel you've to be delivered as they have to tell it to the driver.
I can tell it myself, I befriend drivers for such a long time.
As soon as you tell your hotel, they sort if you're enough fool to be fooled. That means, if at the fool-check you look “fool” they'll tell you that your hotel doesn't exist, it's closed, fully booked, invaded by cockroaches, serial killers inhabit the closets of each room and a meteorite is aiming straight on the hotel, precisely on your room.
I look like a fool, as I'm one.
Phom Ting Tong. Phom Baa.
The smiling girl called me at her desk.
“Please seat” she said
“No, thank you”.
“Where you go?”
“Saudi Arabia...”
“Where? Solly?” opening her eyes
“Patong like the rest of the people of the one and only minibus parked outside the door”.
“Ah...” she was starting to be upset with me, and that's what I was looking for “What's your hotel?”
“Pacific Light Hotel”
“You joke! Hotew no exist!” she said. Playing perfectly her part.
“Give me a map”
She gave me her map, I turned it and with a fat black pen I wrote the word “Here” where my hotel is.
“Hotew no exist! No on map!”
“It bad map...” I replied and I left the place.
When going out of the place I told at the driver to leave me in Soi Bangla. He asked me if I had an hotel and I replied that I know where my hotel was and it was faster if I went there on foot.
Soi Bangla. Hell and less-Hell in one single place. I was coming back there. Damn you Patsy when you convinced me to come and party at your bar. Where hellish devil temptresses dance on hellish high heels... It sounds good though.
We all went back at the minibus and we left to Patong. We kept on the way. We first passed by the “Heroines” statue and then, soon later we were in Patong Beach. In the meanwhile, during this second part of the minibus trip I befriended not with the mute driver, but with two Australian men.
The two men told me that they were going to Patong for the first time where they were looking for some fun, and then, they'd be heading to Hong Kong where the son of Mr. Black Leather Wrist Band was getting married with a girl from Hong Kong. I told him that I've been there and that Hong Kong is nice, hoping to please Mr. Black Leather Wrist Band. He looked at me and said “I don't like there...”. Damn, if he said it before, I could tell him the truth and not pretend that I had amazing time there. For a second the face of the Old Chinese Man passed before my face, like a ghost or a residual memory heading toward the glass, where was wiped away by the beautiful Thailand. I wanted to wish at the Astralian guy that Mr. Old Chinese Man wouldn't be his son's father in law.
I really hope it. For real.
The young Astralian will marry the young Chinese fury, which will force him into a lifetime hell of cooking Dim Sums into the hellish kitchen, which share the room with a clandestine public restroom in the basements of the “National Court” in Nathan Road. Triads will kidnap him and he'll survive fortunately escaping hidden into a gigantic fake copy of a plastic jade vase. He'll get back to Australia, where will stick to live in the Australian Outback becoming an hermit member of a Aborigen Clan.
We kept our way down the hill that leads to Patong. The street had been cleaned just in time as few week before it had been damaged by a landslide. Now, it looked like it never happened. The minibus made its route around and in the end, when a couple went off of it, I went down too. I took my backpack and I made my way to the hotel. When I seen the board saying “Pacific Light Hotel” I wished to scream out loud “You see? It does really exist!”.
Yes, it exist and it's even beautiful.
I entered the Hotel and after the short check-in procedure, I was given my key. The room was in the third floor. When I entered the room I found out that it was very bright, huge, clean and beautiful. The TV had many music channels and the air-con was working well.
I unpacked my bags and I texted Pat saying that I arrived, which advised me to get at his pub, but I wished first to take a shower and then to head to for a Thai Massage.
I went out of the hotel, the first stop had been the laundry service next door, then I went down the streets into the afternoon sun. While going down the streets I checked what was going on, but everything was still the same as it was years before, just a little changed.
Same Same, but different… They say.
Along the way, I was stopped by a bunch of masseurs, or at least, ladies pretending to be masseurs, asking me to have a massage in their own parlors. I already knew that in Patong people can have simply the worst massages of all Thailand, but better a below-average one than no massage at all. So, I was taken into a massage parlor by the only criteria applicable in Patong. The price. Usually even the masseurs are less attractive than in other places and the so called “parlors” are not more than simple rooms with the mattresses just separated by curtains. What I mean is that for just a message I don’t need the privacy of a room, but I can’t relax hearing all the time people talking from each direction.
I went down the street and I took the massage parlor that offered the cheapest massage. Cheap as price and as skills, I was sure, but at least, it sounded better than “pricey massage at cheap skills”. So, I entered and a chubby girl took me at my mattress that was between a silent massage on my left and a group of boys on my right that were talking nonsense aloud. The girl asked me to remain with my underwear, by good luck, I had my swimming suit under. Then she started to work my back. As expected, it was a cheap massage. Perhaps, I felt more glad from the fact that I was laying in an air-conditioned room more than the massage itself.
And I always wonder why in Patong the girls first welcome you dressed as masseurs and as you enter into your private cubicle, they change into shirt and hot-pants. I think that my headmistress in Chiang Mai would get very upset hearing this. It's not a surprise that often the Thai Massage parlors are taken as brothels.
Once I’ve gotten out of the parlor, not much more relaxed but lighter of a couple hundred baht I headed to the beach. I told Pat that I’d go to him, but I decided to go in the evening.
The beach was less crowded than the last time that I was here, in spite it was about the same time of the year. I sat on the beach, and I reminded the time that I just arrived in this place after my trip to Cambodia. Now, after Malaysia and Hong Kong, it looks like the trip to Cambodia had been something really quiet, smooth, nice and easy.
I waited that the sun went down, breathing the typical air form the sea of Patong beach. It’s warm, smelling of salt with some hint of petrol any time a boat pass by. Which is quite often.
Patong your sea smells like mine back home. And I live where is the second biggest port of Europe. Perhaps it's why I'm addicted to Patong, it smells a little like home.
I made my way back to the hotel, where I had probably the nicest shower since I left the gorgeous hotel in Hong Kong and then, I got dressed and I was ready to go.
I left the place and I had a stop along the way to have a grilled fish into one of the many farang-oriented restaurants. I like the area where are these restaurants, and this year, they were quite cheap too. I went to this restaurant, where an old ladyboy came to take my order. I chosen my favorite dish. Charcoal grilled White Snapper with steamed rice. To drink, a Chang Beer. The ladyboy took me the food and every now and then she passed by asking if I needed something more. In the end, when I paid my bill, she took me a small plate of fresh fruit which contained some watermelon and pineapple.
I reminded of Samui, when I had my first allergic reaction to the Pineapple, and ten, the Brazilian restaurant where I had my second one. So, I eaten the watermelon that was further from the pineapple. When I left, the ladyboy came to take my plate and I told her that the watermelon was good.
“The watermelon was good! Taengmo alloy mak!” I said as she smiled
“I’m allergic to pineapple. Chan phæ sabpard” I added
“Aaahhhh!” she replied smiling.
I left the place and I headed to the bar of Pat. I entered the place and he wasn’t there. I asked to the bar guy and told that he’d be there later. So, I told him that I’d be there later too. I went out the bar and I had a stroll down Bangla street. It was the typical mess that I still remember.
I’m not sure if I like it or not. Perhaps, I don’t like it, but I find it addictive. At least, I thought that this place was lively and not dead at night. At least, there was music and people. Not darkness, silence and boredom.
I came back and finally I found Pat. He greeted me and he offered me a Singha Beer, then we started to talk. It was such a long time that I didn't see him and, in spite we shared emails and posts on the forums, I felt like I met him in a past life.
He was smiling while talking about the bar, the usual expat clients and the tourists. Many girls were working there, and this was an hint that the business is quite good. He's a master in these things. He's keeping hard into such a challenging business. The bar owner in Patong. It'd rather prefer to be a gangster in the old Chicago than doing this job. But he's the best at this, the master of counter, the grand visir of the pool table and beer.
And like every grand visir proud of his heard of pure-blood horses, he was proud of his team of mixed Thai and Lotian girls which pretended to be Thai them too.
I told him that I needed to hire a motorbike for the following days as I needed to visit the surrounding areas. He first asked if I was sure, and I replied that I drive better a motorbike than a car.
He told me “follow me” and we went to a guy next his bar which was hiring motorbikes and told him that the next day I'd take one. Only later I learnt that the motorbike guy too is part of Pat staff.
We came back in the bar and I asked him if he had some suggestion.
“The place is Laem Sing Beach” a tall girl that just sat nearby said
“Yeah... That's the place...” he replied
“Where is it?”
“There” she said pointing a wall with an arrow shaped board with written “Toilet”.
“In the toilet? Something better?”
“No there!” she smiled “In that direction... Surin!”
“So, no toilet?”
“Noooooo!”
“You sure?”
“Yeeeeeeeeh!”
“So, I go with the bike, I follow the street, I arrive in Karon...”
“Noooooooo! Kamala there!”
“I go to Kamala? And then?”
“You.....” and shown with her hand a gesture like she was praying and bending forward and back.
“Ok, I go... Like that... And I arrive Surin?”
“Yes, you see... Parking... And a thing... Written Laem Sing Beach”
The last three words were those that she pronounced better. I took a tissue from my pocket and with a pen I drew, with her help a map of the area. I had another map, I should have been happy. I only hoped that they didn't send me in some bizarre adventure.
Babylon. I was in Babylon. The Biblical one. I realized it as the girl was talking to me something that I didn't understand just after having said something that she didn't understand. The clients, a load of clients, were from every corner of the planet. Some were Caucasian, a couple of Blacks, Asians and Arabians. We were all in the same place. Everybody speaking a different language. Everybody in peace that evening. Pat had worked some kind of miracle. If a day I should elect the new president of the United Nations, I'd chose him. Even though that, his election could be a big loss for Patong Beach.
I went out of the airport and I took a minivan to Patong Beach. I didn't like much the idea of coming back there, but now I had a friend that when he knew that I'd be around, wanted me to come and meet him again. Moreover, I had the chance to have first hand information from an expat living there. That sounded quite good.
We left the airport area and after more or less an hour, we stopped along the way. It’s a custom that I quite hate. You're forced to go down the minibus and enter a tourist agency where the employees try to sell you some staying in Patong hotels or try to sell you some overpriced day trip. It's an old story that I already know. The plot is this. You enter the shop with the excuse that you have to declare in which hotel you've to be delivered as they have to tell it to the driver.
I can tell it myself, I befriend drivers for such a long time.
As soon as you tell your hotel, they sort if you're enough fool to be fooled. That means, if at the fool-check you look “fool” they'll tell you that your hotel doesn't exist, it's closed, fully booked, invaded by cockroaches, serial killers inhabit the closets of each room and a meteorite is aiming straight on the hotel, precisely on your room.
I look like a fool, as I'm one.
Phom Ting Tong. Phom Baa.
The smiling girl called me at her desk.
“Please seat” she said
“No, thank you”.
“Where you go?”
“Saudi Arabia...”
“Where? Solly?” opening her eyes
“Patong like the rest of the people of the one and only minibus parked outside the door”.
“Ah...” she was starting to be upset with me, and that's what I was looking for “What's your hotel?”
“Pacific Light Hotel”
“You joke! Hotew no exist!” she said. Playing perfectly her part.
“Give me a map”
She gave me her map, I turned it and with a fat black pen I wrote the word “Here” where my hotel is.
“Hotew no exist! No on map!”
“It bad map...” I replied and I left the place.
When going out of the place I told at the driver to leave me in Soi Bangla. He asked me if I had an hotel and I replied that I know where my hotel was and it was faster if I went there on foot.
Soi Bangla. Hell and less-Hell in one single place. I was coming back there. Damn you Patsy when you convinced me to come and party at your bar. Where hellish devil temptresses dance on hellish high heels... It sounds good though.
We all went back at the minibus and we left to Patong. We kept on the way. We first passed by the “Heroines” statue and then, soon later we were in Patong Beach. In the meanwhile, during this second part of the minibus trip I befriended not with the mute driver, but with two Australian men.
The two men told me that they were going to Patong for the first time where they were looking for some fun, and then, they'd be heading to Hong Kong where the son of Mr. Black Leather Wrist Band was getting married with a girl from Hong Kong. I told him that I've been there and that Hong Kong is nice, hoping to please Mr. Black Leather Wrist Band. He looked at me and said “I don't like there...”. Damn, if he said it before, I could tell him the truth and not pretend that I had amazing time there. For a second the face of the Old Chinese Man passed before my face, like a ghost or a residual memory heading toward the glass, where was wiped away by the beautiful Thailand. I wanted to wish at the Astralian guy that Mr. Old Chinese Man wouldn't be his son's father in law.
I really hope it. For real.
The young Astralian will marry the young Chinese fury, which will force him into a lifetime hell of cooking Dim Sums into the hellish kitchen, which share the room with a clandestine public restroom in the basements of the “National Court” in Nathan Road. Triads will kidnap him and he'll survive fortunately escaping hidden into a gigantic fake copy of a plastic jade vase. He'll get back to Australia, where will stick to live in the Australian Outback becoming an hermit member of a Aborigen Clan.
We kept our way down the hill that leads to Patong. The street had been cleaned just in time as few week before it had been damaged by a landslide. Now, it looked like it never happened. The minibus made its route around and in the end, when a couple went off of it, I went down too. I took my backpack and I made my way to the hotel. When I seen the board saying “Pacific Light Hotel” I wished to scream out loud “You see? It does really exist!”.
Yes, it exist and it's even beautiful.
I entered the Hotel and after the short check-in procedure, I was given my key. The room was in the third floor. When I entered the room I found out that it was very bright, huge, clean and beautiful. The TV had many music channels and the air-con was working well.
I unpacked my bags and I texted Pat saying that I arrived, which advised me to get at his pub, but I wished first to take a shower and then to head to for a Thai Massage.
I went out of the hotel, the first stop had been the laundry service next door, then I went down the streets into the afternoon sun. While going down the streets I checked what was going on, but everything was still the same as it was years before, just a little changed.
Same Same, but different… They say.
Along the way, I was stopped by a bunch of masseurs, or at least, ladies pretending to be masseurs, asking me to have a massage in their own parlors. I already knew that in Patong people can have simply the worst massages of all Thailand, but better a below-average one than no massage at all. So, I was taken into a massage parlor by the only criteria applicable in Patong. The price. Usually even the masseurs are less attractive than in other places and the so called “parlors” are not more than simple rooms with the mattresses just separated by curtains. What I mean is that for just a message I don’t need the privacy of a room, but I can’t relax hearing all the time people talking from each direction.
I went down the street and I took the massage parlor that offered the cheapest massage. Cheap as price and as skills, I was sure, but at least, it sounded better than “pricey massage at cheap skills”. So, I entered and a chubby girl took me at my mattress that was between a silent massage on my left and a group of boys on my right that were talking nonsense aloud. The girl asked me to remain with my underwear, by good luck, I had my swimming suit under. Then she started to work my back. As expected, it was a cheap massage. Perhaps, I felt more glad from the fact that I was laying in an air-conditioned room more than the massage itself.
And I always wonder why in Patong the girls first welcome you dressed as masseurs and as you enter into your private cubicle, they change into shirt and hot-pants. I think that my headmistress in Chiang Mai would get very upset hearing this. It's not a surprise that often the Thai Massage parlors are taken as brothels.
Once I’ve gotten out of the parlor, not much more relaxed but lighter of a couple hundred baht I headed to the beach. I told Pat that I’d go to him, but I decided to go in the evening.
The beach was less crowded than the last time that I was here, in spite it was about the same time of the year. I sat on the beach, and I reminded the time that I just arrived in this place after my trip to Cambodia. Now, after Malaysia and Hong Kong, it looks like the trip to Cambodia had been something really quiet, smooth, nice and easy.
I waited that the sun went down, breathing the typical air form the sea of Patong beach. It’s warm, smelling of salt with some hint of petrol any time a boat pass by. Which is quite often.
Patong your sea smells like mine back home. And I live where is the second biggest port of Europe. Perhaps it's why I'm addicted to Patong, it smells a little like home.
I made my way back to the hotel, where I had probably the nicest shower since I left the gorgeous hotel in Hong Kong and then, I got dressed and I was ready to go.
I left the place and I had a stop along the way to have a grilled fish into one of the many farang-oriented restaurants. I like the area where are these restaurants, and this year, they were quite cheap too. I went to this restaurant, where an old ladyboy came to take my order. I chosen my favorite dish. Charcoal grilled White Snapper with steamed rice. To drink, a Chang Beer. The ladyboy took me the food and every now and then she passed by asking if I needed something more. In the end, when I paid my bill, she took me a small plate of fresh fruit which contained some watermelon and pineapple.
I reminded of Samui, when I had my first allergic reaction to the Pineapple, and ten, the Brazilian restaurant where I had my second one. So, I eaten the watermelon that was further from the pineapple. When I left, the ladyboy came to take my plate and I told her that the watermelon was good.
“The watermelon was good! Taengmo alloy mak!” I said as she smiled
“I’m allergic to pineapple. Chan phæ sabpard” I added
“Aaahhhh!” she replied smiling.
I left the place and I headed to the bar of Pat. I entered the place and he wasn’t there. I asked to the bar guy and told that he’d be there later. So, I told him that I’d be there later too. I went out the bar and I had a stroll down Bangla street. It was the typical mess that I still remember.
I’m not sure if I like it or not. Perhaps, I don’t like it, but I find it addictive. At least, I thought that this place was lively and not dead at night. At least, there was music and people. Not darkness, silence and boredom.
I came back and finally I found Pat. He greeted me and he offered me a Singha Beer, then we started to talk. It was such a long time that I didn't see him and, in spite we shared emails and posts on the forums, I felt like I met him in a past life.
He was smiling while talking about the bar, the usual expat clients and the tourists. Many girls were working there, and this was an hint that the business is quite good. He's a master in these things. He's keeping hard into such a challenging business. The bar owner in Patong. It'd rather prefer to be a gangster in the old Chicago than doing this job. But he's the best at this, the master of counter, the grand visir of the pool table and beer.
And like every grand visir proud of his heard of pure-blood horses, he was proud of his team of mixed Thai and Lotian girls which pretended to be Thai them too.
I told him that I needed to hire a motorbike for the following days as I needed to visit the surrounding areas. He first asked if I was sure, and I replied that I drive better a motorbike than a car.
He told me “follow me” and we went to a guy next his bar which was hiring motorbikes and told him that the next day I'd take one. Only later I learnt that the motorbike guy too is part of Pat staff.
We came back in the bar and I asked him if he had some suggestion.
“The place is Laem Sing Beach” a tall girl that just sat nearby said
“Yeah... That's the place...” he replied
“Where is it?”
“There” she said pointing a wall with an arrow shaped board with written “Toilet”.
“In the toilet? Something better?”
“No there!” she smiled “In that direction... Surin!”
“So, no toilet?”
“Noooooo!”
“You sure?”
“Yeeeeeeeeh!”
“So, I go with the bike, I follow the street, I arrive in Karon...”
“Noooooooo! Kamala there!”
“I go to Kamala? And then?”
“You.....” and shown with her hand a gesture like she was praying and bending forward and back.
“Ok, I go... Like that... And I arrive Surin?”
“Yes, you see... Parking... And a thing... Written Laem Sing Beach”
The last three words were those that she pronounced better. I took a tissue from my pocket and with a pen I drew, with her help a map of the area. I had another map, I should have been happy. I only hoped that they didn't send me in some bizarre adventure.
Babylon. I was in Babylon. The Biblical one. I realized it as the girl was talking to me something that I didn't understand just after having said something that she didn't understand. The clients, a load of clients, were from every corner of the planet. Some were Caucasian, a couple of Blacks, Asians and Arabians. We were all in the same place. Everybody speaking a different language. Everybody in peace that evening. Pat had worked some kind of miracle. If a day I should elect the new president of the United Nations, I'd chose him. Even though that, his election could be a big loss for Patong Beach.
Days in Phuket
It was my first day in Patong Beach. I woke up in the nice and clean room and I headed downstairs for the breakfast. This time, it was in the hotel restaurant. I ordered a black coffee and toasted bread with jam.
After breakfast I prepared myself and I went to the motorbikes boy. I went there and he gave me an Honda Scooter and an helmet. I wore the helmet, the sunglasses and I was ready to leave. I followed the street that was going in the opposite direction of the one that I should take. I made the circle around the city and, following the beach street, I went in the right direction. Just outside of the town, the landscape improved, the sandy beach mixed in huge rocks. I kept on the street that was made of a multitude of turns following each other in an endless stream. It felt like ages when I arrived to Kamala (but the following days, as I already knew the street, I felt as it was just behind the corner) and I didn't leave the beach street. The city itself looked so small, and actually, not so bad. I guess that by night there is also some nice nightlife too, but the city lacks of a very important thing. She doesn't have Pat.
I kept on my way and as soon as I left Kamala the street came back to be all made of turns going up and down the coastal hills. Soon I arrived at the battered soil parking lot that I was told about. In the end of the same parking lot there was a board with written “Welcome to Laem Sing Beach”.
I parked my bike and I gave about 200 Baht to the guardian. It was good having somebody watching at your bike while being at the beach.
I went down the very long stairway that leads to the beach. Once I arrived in the end of it, I found myself into a rather small beach. The white sand was caressed by sapphire sea. I thought of how much money that I've spent in day trips while I had such a beach so nearby.
In the back of the beach there is a line of bars which are a little more than huts. I went to the one that Pat told me about, the one with scarves and flags form football teams and I asked for a chair. The boy, a dreadlocks wearing Thai guy was named Ismail. He took me at the only line of chairs and umbrellas and shown where to sit. It was still low season, but later I've been told that in the high season the beach is packed with people.
Ismail is quite a funny guy. He kept on walking around the umbrellas, always ready to take something at the clients that were calling him for a drink.
The sea was awesome. The water gets deep in a few meters, so, while for some people is bad, for me was awesome. It was great to swim in such a nice water. That place felt pretty much like paradise.
The lunch was at the Ismail restaurant, which provided a range of Thai foods, like fried rice, noodles and soups. The first day I've taken a very nice Tom Yum a soup customized by Ismail with seafood and served along some white rice. The procedure is to smash the rice and to pour the soup over it. Then you eat the rice. That's the Isan style of eating the Isan food. To drink was a fruit juice. I loved that place so much.
In those days I was hearing that on the TV music channels was often played the song Paradise by Coldplay, and I think that it's appropriate for the way I was feeling in those moments
And so lying underneath those stormy skies
She'd say, "oh, ohohohoh I know the sun must set to rise"
This could be Para-para-paradise
I waited for the sunset, then, when the shadows covered the beautiful beach and the first stars started to appear at West, I decided to leave this place. I went back to the parking lot and I took my motorbike. Then, all the way back to Patong to take the bike back at the Pat rental.
This was the plot that I repeated each day of my staying in Phuket. Only the last full day I went to Koh Raya with a day trip. In past I've loved that island, but this year, in spite it's still quite beautiful, became very spoiled by the tourists and the tourist venues. Where once was a nice white beach, now there are shops, restaurants and a black floating pier for the docking of the speed boats. I hope that the governor will do something to stop this spoiling. That's the same reason for which I didn't want to go back to the Kay Islands, which I loved. It's because I remember how beautiful were the first time that I've seen them, and that the second time they were already spoiled. I wished to keep my good memories as they were in past.
After breakfast I prepared myself and I went to the motorbikes boy. I went there and he gave me an Honda Scooter and an helmet. I wore the helmet, the sunglasses and I was ready to leave. I followed the street that was going in the opposite direction of the one that I should take. I made the circle around the city and, following the beach street, I went in the right direction. Just outside of the town, the landscape improved, the sandy beach mixed in huge rocks. I kept on the street that was made of a multitude of turns following each other in an endless stream. It felt like ages when I arrived to Kamala (but the following days, as I already knew the street, I felt as it was just behind the corner) and I didn't leave the beach street. The city itself looked so small, and actually, not so bad. I guess that by night there is also some nice nightlife too, but the city lacks of a very important thing. She doesn't have Pat.
I kept on my way and as soon as I left Kamala the street came back to be all made of turns going up and down the coastal hills. Soon I arrived at the battered soil parking lot that I was told about. In the end of the same parking lot there was a board with written “Welcome to Laem Sing Beach”.
I parked my bike and I gave about 200 Baht to the guardian. It was good having somebody watching at your bike while being at the beach.
I went down the very long stairway that leads to the beach. Once I arrived in the end of it, I found myself into a rather small beach. The white sand was caressed by sapphire sea. I thought of how much money that I've spent in day trips while I had such a beach so nearby.
In the back of the beach there is a line of bars which are a little more than huts. I went to the one that Pat told me about, the one with scarves and flags form football teams and I asked for a chair. The boy, a dreadlocks wearing Thai guy was named Ismail. He took me at the only line of chairs and umbrellas and shown where to sit. It was still low season, but later I've been told that in the high season the beach is packed with people.
Ismail is quite a funny guy. He kept on walking around the umbrellas, always ready to take something at the clients that were calling him for a drink.
The sea was awesome. The water gets deep in a few meters, so, while for some people is bad, for me was awesome. It was great to swim in such a nice water. That place felt pretty much like paradise.
The lunch was at the Ismail restaurant, which provided a range of Thai foods, like fried rice, noodles and soups. The first day I've taken a very nice Tom Yum a soup customized by Ismail with seafood and served along some white rice. The procedure is to smash the rice and to pour the soup over it. Then you eat the rice. That's the Isan style of eating the Isan food. To drink was a fruit juice. I loved that place so much.
In those days I was hearing that on the TV music channels was often played the song Paradise by Coldplay, and I think that it's appropriate for the way I was feeling in those moments
And so lying underneath those stormy skies
She'd say, "oh, ohohohoh I know the sun must set to rise"
This could be Para-para-paradise
I waited for the sunset, then, when the shadows covered the beautiful beach and the first stars started to appear at West, I decided to leave this place. I went back to the parking lot and I took my motorbike. Then, all the way back to Patong to take the bike back at the Pat rental.
This was the plot that I repeated each day of my staying in Phuket. Only the last full day I went to Koh Raya with a day trip. In past I've loved that island, but this year, in spite it's still quite beautiful, became very spoiled by the tourists and the tourist venues. Where once was a nice white beach, now there are shops, restaurants and a black floating pier for the docking of the speed boats. I hope that the governor will do something to stop this spoiling. That's the same reason for which I didn't want to go back to the Kay Islands, which I loved. It's because I remember how beautiful were the first time that I've seen them, and that the second time they were already spoiled. I wished to keep my good memories as they were in past.
Day 21
Coming Back to Italy
It was a Saturday. I woke up in my room. I knew that it was the last time, for this trip, that I'd get up in Thailand. I felt a strange feeling. I was happy for this wonderful trip, and sad as it was already finished.
I dressed up and I went outside, for a breakfast. This time I went to the Tiger Inn. Here I took a black coffee and some scrambled eggs. A long day would be before me, and I wished to start with an appropriate breakfast.
The previous night I came back at the restaurant where was working the old Ladyboy. This time I asked for a combination of grilled fish. She shown me some very expensive, but then I asked if she had some special offer, and she shown me a list of mixed grilled fish for singles, which had quite acceptable prices. I chosen a grilled mix with squid, prawns, crab, mussels and two different kinds of clams. To drink I took a Chang Beer. Later I went to say “Good Bye” to Pat which offered me one more Singha Beer. I'll be missing this place.
After the breakfast I came back to my hotel where I finished packing my bags and soon it was time to leave. A minivan came to take me and then, after having collected many other tourists around Patong Beach, we came back to the airport. In the airport I had to wait ages for the plane. In the meanwhile I checked how many Baht I had left in my wallet. I needed to save some cash as I'd have to stay long in Bangkok and surely I'd have to take a coffee or a Pad Thai. I browsed the shops for a snack and I found a Taro fish snack. The Taro fish snack looks like many small French fries, or better, like flat noodles made with a paste of fish and other ingredients. I chosen the spicy flavored.
My plane started in perfect time, and I arrived in Bangkok that it was still afternoon. I had to wait for such a long time for my evening flight. In the meanwhile I bought a couple of small Thai Rum bottles and sandwiches to take with me for the time that I'll have to wait in Bahrain. Then, it was still time for another Pad Thai and a Black Coffee at the Black Canyon Coffee.
My Gulf Air airplane took off in perfect time. I was sitting next to a Thai girl from Chiang Mai. She told me that she was going to meet her boyfriend in Paris. During the flight she told me that in past she had a beer bar and she told me how it works with the compensation of the girls. Those bars are real cash machines. I mean, they bring a lot of money to the owners, taken from the willing pockets of the clients. I told her that I still had half package of Taro Snack and we started to eat it together, it looked like she loves that snack. I told her that I love Chiang Mai and I was there already three times. She was happy to know that, and she asked me where I stayed. I told her about the Grace Boutique Guesthouse and then I told her about the one where I spent the longer time, the Royal Guesthouse.
The Royal Guesthouse. As soon as I named this place she shivered.
“I know the Guesthouse... I hope you had room in low floors”
“Yes, I had one in the second floor. You know there is no elevator”
“No, no for elevator... High floors are haunted... The spirits are there!”
“Ghosts? I never met one there!”
“You don't know... A woman spirit is there, maybe you seen her, maybe you heard her... She's in pain, she was killed. And more spirits there”
She was convinced of what she was saying and she shown me that, thinking of that place, she had goose bumps”.
“You know, many spirits in Chiang Mai. Many home haunted”
“Have you seen one?”
“Yes, at night, my boyfriend seen him too”
“Him? A man?”
“Yes, every night we were fighting when we were in the room. When outside we were very happy, then a night we seen a man with face all big... The next day we made check out and the owner asked if we had some bad thing at night. We asked why his question, and he told about the ghost of a man that died in that room and was found many days after, with his face and body all swollen”.
She said that from that night, her boyfriend is carrying with him Buddhist amulets to protect himself against the spirits. Then she continued
“Have you heard of the deaths in Chiang Mai?”
“The nine people that died in the same hotel? Yes, I heard...”
“Seven, they were seven”
“I've read that they were killed by some pesticide for the bed bugs...”
“No, it's not true! They were killed by the ghosts! Where now is the hotel, before was a cemetery! Somebody must have done something that made the spirits angry!”
I wasn't much convinced from what she said, even though, the Royal Guesthouse looks a little bit of creepy, maybe that's why she thinks that it's haunted. But it looks like it's a common belief in the city.
The girl was still a good company during the flight. The hours felt like passing faster with some company. Then, when we landed, we parted our ways. She went to her plane to Paris and I went to my plane to Milan which was in perfect time.
This was my coming back home. The trip itself had been full of experiences which gave me both bad and good emotions. I explored many places and met a lot of people. This is the way of traveling that I like the most. When you're free to wander and you haven't a schedule. When you decide day-by-day what to do. Of course, I like to plan a little what I can do, but it's not like having to follow those huge group trips. Along the way, from Ina to Tim, Pat, Stefano, Nam and all the others that gave me their company and good hints for enjoying this trip, and I'm grateful to every and each of them.
I dressed up and I went outside, for a breakfast. This time I went to the Tiger Inn. Here I took a black coffee and some scrambled eggs. A long day would be before me, and I wished to start with an appropriate breakfast.
The previous night I came back at the restaurant where was working the old Ladyboy. This time I asked for a combination of grilled fish. She shown me some very expensive, but then I asked if she had some special offer, and she shown me a list of mixed grilled fish for singles, which had quite acceptable prices. I chosen a grilled mix with squid, prawns, crab, mussels and two different kinds of clams. To drink I took a Chang Beer. Later I went to say “Good Bye” to Pat which offered me one more Singha Beer. I'll be missing this place.
After the breakfast I came back to my hotel where I finished packing my bags and soon it was time to leave. A minivan came to take me and then, after having collected many other tourists around Patong Beach, we came back to the airport. In the airport I had to wait ages for the plane. In the meanwhile I checked how many Baht I had left in my wallet. I needed to save some cash as I'd have to stay long in Bangkok and surely I'd have to take a coffee or a Pad Thai. I browsed the shops for a snack and I found a Taro fish snack. The Taro fish snack looks like many small French fries, or better, like flat noodles made with a paste of fish and other ingredients. I chosen the spicy flavored.
My plane started in perfect time, and I arrived in Bangkok that it was still afternoon. I had to wait for such a long time for my evening flight. In the meanwhile I bought a couple of small Thai Rum bottles and sandwiches to take with me for the time that I'll have to wait in Bahrain. Then, it was still time for another Pad Thai and a Black Coffee at the Black Canyon Coffee.
My Gulf Air airplane took off in perfect time. I was sitting next to a Thai girl from Chiang Mai. She told me that she was going to meet her boyfriend in Paris. During the flight she told me that in past she had a beer bar and she told me how it works with the compensation of the girls. Those bars are real cash machines. I mean, they bring a lot of money to the owners, taken from the willing pockets of the clients. I told her that I still had half package of Taro Snack and we started to eat it together, it looked like she loves that snack. I told her that I love Chiang Mai and I was there already three times. She was happy to know that, and she asked me where I stayed. I told her about the Grace Boutique Guesthouse and then I told her about the one where I spent the longer time, the Royal Guesthouse.
The Royal Guesthouse. As soon as I named this place she shivered.
“I know the Guesthouse... I hope you had room in low floors”
“Yes, I had one in the second floor. You know there is no elevator”
“No, no for elevator... High floors are haunted... The spirits are there!”
“Ghosts? I never met one there!”
“You don't know... A woman spirit is there, maybe you seen her, maybe you heard her... She's in pain, she was killed. And more spirits there”
She was convinced of what she was saying and she shown me that, thinking of that place, she had goose bumps”.
“You know, many spirits in Chiang Mai. Many home haunted”
“Have you seen one?”
“Yes, at night, my boyfriend seen him too”
“Him? A man?”
“Yes, every night we were fighting when we were in the room. When outside we were very happy, then a night we seen a man with face all big... The next day we made check out and the owner asked if we had some bad thing at night. We asked why his question, and he told about the ghost of a man that died in that room and was found many days after, with his face and body all swollen”.
She said that from that night, her boyfriend is carrying with him Buddhist amulets to protect himself against the spirits. Then she continued
“Have you heard of the deaths in Chiang Mai?”
“The nine people that died in the same hotel? Yes, I heard...”
“Seven, they were seven”
“I've read that they were killed by some pesticide for the bed bugs...”
“No, it's not true! They were killed by the ghosts! Where now is the hotel, before was a cemetery! Somebody must have done something that made the spirits angry!”
I wasn't much convinced from what she said, even though, the Royal Guesthouse looks a little bit of creepy, maybe that's why she thinks that it's haunted. But it looks like it's a common belief in the city.
The girl was still a good company during the flight. The hours felt like passing faster with some company. Then, when we landed, we parted our ways. She went to her plane to Paris and I went to my plane to Milan which was in perfect time.
This was my coming back home. The trip itself had been full of experiences which gave me both bad and good emotions. I explored many places and met a lot of people. This is the way of traveling that I like the most. When you're free to wander and you haven't a schedule. When you decide day-by-day what to do. Of course, I like to plan a little what I can do, but it's not like having to follow those huge group trips. Along the way, from Ina to Tim, Pat, Stefano, Nam and all the others that gave me their company and good hints for enjoying this trip, and I'm grateful to every and each of them.