A brief insight into Thailand ...

Day 238 - Saturday 6 September 2008

There really isn't a whole load to say - for what I've been up to this last week we've all done many times already - kicking back on a beach that really could be anywhere - and trying our hardest to step out of the pace of our lives and relax - I'd say it's mission accomplished for me - but it needed all my fortitude through the itchiest sunburn of my life (a sensitive skin in exposure to the sun is a common side effect of malaria tablets)

The Ao Phai (pronounced Ow Pie!) beach here on Koh Samed has been just what I needed when I was a bit whacked from my South East Asian exploring - and it's just what you'd expect for Thailand - off the beaten track a bit (this is no Phuket or Koh Samui), crystal clear water, blue skies (this Gulf of Thailand is drier than the west coasted Andaman Sea during the current monsoon season in Asia), covered in tropical vegetation (including belting palm trees) and flitting double-winged butterflies of the most striking colour - my backside has barely left the third umbrella from the right on Samed Villa's own private bit of beach ...








Now I'm no beach connoisseur - and I am really pleased to have ticked off one of the world's top beach destinations on this adventure - but I've see nothing here any more beautiful than we found off the back of Miles' 'The Black Pearl' last year at the Balearic's seldom visited 4th island of Formentera - so if you are into your beaches - maybe we're already blessed enough in this department in The Mediterranean

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balearic_Islands














And I only really say that from my new position as a global explorer - for during this trip I've come to know my strengths - and play to them - but sun bathing isn't one of them - this week has pretty much sealed that deal - beaches and me just don't really go together like they used to (or may do at some point again in the distant future for never say never) - for now though - I've decided that the sun tan thing is for the young pups - especially the girls - the pupesses - the best of whom will win medals in future Olympic Games for lying horizontally, staying perfectly still and going a deep shade of brown (that'll make it in by 2020 the way those increasingly commercially driven OGs are going!) - they're the real deal (the girls not the Games) - professionals in their chosen discipline - and I admire them for their abilities - mind you - give them a crumbling temple in the jungle and the tables would soon turn in my direction!














But I have had a great chance to smash through a few books (now listed down the right), finalise all my research for Nepal (that Lonely Planet is already looking traveller-eared!) watch a couple of movies on cable TV (Seraphim Falls was just OK), and finish off my observations of Thailand (that have been collated by dipping my toe in the Gulf of Thailand rather than diving to it's greater depths - bear that in mind as you read - and come yourself to tell us all more?!)

All men in Thailand seem to wear an amulet (often of incredible size) bearing the image of Buddha (that is illegal to remove from Thailand following a spate of their most valuable Buddhist art disappearing overseas!) to bring them good fortune

Religion and the law are inextricably linked here - don't you even think about doing anything but venerating the Lord Buddha

That King and Queen are 'number 1' and many people where a Livestrong style 'Long live the King' wristband - King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX) and Queen Sirikit

They're not big fans of the Khmers but are bloody quick to use the Temples of Angkor to fuel some of their tourist trade!

They've the best infra-structure here in Indo-China (as it used to be called - the area wedged between the two super powers) - and it stands out as easily the most developed (though Vietnam's gaining ground FAST) - so why do I see seriously disabled guys begging in the street that I didn't see in struggling Cambodia - that just doesn't make sense to me - maybe because of the development around you here stuff like that stands out more

'That's got a kick' needs to be uttered after most meals - they LOVE their chillies - but the food's not grabbed me as much as I thought it might - but I have only eaten in a limited number of places

They drive on the left hand side - and there seem to be a few more rules on the road than in Cambodia or Vietnam - but they don't hang around!

They're OBSESSED with England's Premiership - in fact - I can hear Sky Sports' Richard 'Hairy Hands' Keys as I type (no doubt writing down his all time England XI Matt!) - there's also a Manchester United credit card and an Arsenal store in downtown Bangkok - they look at me like I'm weird when I tell them I'm more of a baseball man!

The mosquitoes lurking in the vegetation on the islands are voracious, numerous and appear, vampirically, at dusk - the little, silent, buggers!

It's not 'kids off' time right now and I'm sure I saw a teacher (?!) give a kid the old slap on the back of the legs when he was misbehaving in The National Museum - ah - just like the old days!

Political coups are very, very regular and often pass through peacefully - in fact they've been through about 10 governments in as many years in their recent past- and it looks like they're about to go through another (and not totally peacefully!) - 'hold it all together lads - I need to fly out of here on Wednesday!'

Trashy soap opera (and possibly government backed) TV dominates the Thai speaking channels

Getting a massage (or a foot one like I had - sunburn again!) is a cracking way to 'force yourself' to relax on Thailand's beaches - it'll be provided by one of the legions of women working their way up and down the beach - and will be quite different to the ones you can pick up in Bangkok

During this UK/USA 'recession' (can I say that?!) and consequent reduction in traveller numbers - there's no such issue in booming Asia - the beaches of Thailand are packed with Chinese and South Korean young people enjoying the sun - who beautifully cover their modesty and often head into the water fully clothed - bless them - a more regal approach

And finally there's that whole European guy/Thailand girl thing going on - not noticeable in Bangkok - but many, many straight (and gay) partnerships here - I'm still a believer that some of it's genuine - but I've seen too much of this world now and know that it's also money related - each to their own and good luck - but it's not for me - I won't be returning with a wife from Thailand - despite what some of Lichfield Hockey Club suggested before I left!






















And that's Thailand - and in fact South East Asia - just under 2 months of it - another great leg of the adventure comes to an end - and a leg that's been conducted during holiday/vacation time and rightly seen many young travellers finding their way - for this region is very accessible - travel agents who sort out all your travel are abundant (though watch the rogues) and the people here speak wonderful English (way more and better than their friends in e.g. Japan) - it's cheap, got amazing treasures and is a bundle of different countries close to each other

But remember that it is just that - DIFFERENT countries - it'd be easy to lump this region together and consider it as a whole (just like the guidebooks) - and in many cases it would be right to do that - the Khmer Empire, at it's height, ruled across all of Cambodia, the east of Thailand and southern Vietnam - but in my opinion - that would be missing the point - for everything that they share - there are equally as many subtle differences - you just have to look longer, harder and deeper to find them - I'm not saying I've done that perfectly - but I have tried - and I feel like I can say that I know a lot more about South East Asia now than just Angkor Watt - and when you can say that - it's time to move on ...

And, boy, does Kathmandu and Nepal sound like a whole new exciting chapter!