So i am back in Chiang Mai. Half a day of flying solo and things start to go a little pear shaped.
I was supposed to be on a bus to Chiang Rai leaving at 5pm and had flown from Mae Hon Song this afternoon to get to the bus on time but the bus was full and so was every bus leaving tonight.
No great shame as i am getting to hang out in Chiang Mai again. I got to see the amazing Lek on guitar but the downside is that it's election night again so no booze. I was absolutely busting for a G&T and heard on the grapevine that there was a possibility of getting one at the night bizarre so i headed back there and low and behold within 5 minutes i had one in hand.
I love travelling solo but the hazard as a woman is unwanted attention and my unwanted attention came in the form of an American wrestler without the muscles but with the head scarf.
There i was innocently sitting at the bar quietly reading and listening to The Eagles (from the bar not on my ipod!) when he came and sat next to me and tried to film me! from about 10 inches away. Asking politely and ignoring him didn't work as he didn't seem to understand (he was German i think)but i found that 'Fuck off!' did.
I spent this morning in Mae Hon Song (you'll notice my spelling has been bad anyway due to odd keyboards but village and town names are spelled differently everywhere so i have no clue on what is the correct version). MHS was very clean and appeared quite wealthy. A complete contrast to Kuhn Yuam and the nearby Karen villages. Stopped off at another Wat, Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu. Slightly different to others we have seen, they are two burmese style Chedis. As with many of the temples there are still parts that women are not allowed to enter. I just don't get this fear of women in religion, even something as 'gentle' as Buddhism, where does it come from and why is it still happening today...
Yesterday we got to go to another Karen village, specifically so that Vicky could look at it's school. Through the trust she has donated a significant sum of money towards the building of some dormitories at the school. The dorms will allow for children of neighbouring villages without schools to attend school as currently many are unable to due difficult roads and long distances.
The village itself was about 45 minutes up a mostly unbuilt road off the main road in the most stunning setting. It's nestled deep into those hills i mentioned before and the school is out of a story book, sparse but utterly delightful, i would skip to school if i went there.
Lucy and i wandered around the village and were the subject of much curiousity. Many villagers hid and looked at us through the windows or behind doors, children ran and giggled as we walked by and they called out Sawadekai (Thai for Hello) or Omouchipah (Karen for Hello both spelled completely incorrectly) We could see no one in front of us but when we looked around there was quite the crowd gathering in the street, it was quite sweet.
The ride back down the hills was quite the adventure. A complete thrill ride as we stood on the back of the flat bed truck as it zoomed down the hills at 80 plus kilometers an hour, turning corners like it was on rails. I know what a windscreen feels like now as so many flies and insects smaked against my face. I wanted to laugh several times as it was so exhilarating but there were many of those insects bouncing of my lips and didn't want to risk it.It felt like i was handgliding with a jet pack attached to me but the views were absolutely magnificent so it was worth it.
In the evening there was a bit of a party for the gap students and teachers as the students go on to work on the water project. Loads of yummy food but poor Lucy missed out on most of it due to projectile vomiting. Not sure if it was heat stroke or dehydration but whatever it was laid her out and after what we ate i didn't envy her having to see that twice.
So now i have a buzz on from my G&T's, a couple of shandys and a steamed grouper with garlic and chilli, i am heading back to my little guest house on the Ping river to the BBC world service.
Tomorrow i have a 7.15am bus to Chiang Rai and then straight on the Chiang Keong and Laos.
Talking of which i had visa pictures taken today and as usual i am pulling a strange face. It's either me or it's pictures taken at certain angle but again i look a little 'simple' and have a lazy eye, no wonder i am attracting guys with bandanas.
Currently Listening to: The Eagles - Lying Eyes
Temperature: A steamy 87 degrees.
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3 comments:
Sam - I don't think it is a matter of fear of women, but the opposite sex as a distraction to those who have given themselves to the pursuit of God, or nirvana, or whatever. Something like that, anyway.
I see your point Bob, i had just been watching a news piece on war and how rape is still being used as a weapon etc and was up to my ears in women constantly getting the shorter end of the stick...plus i really wanted to go into that part of the temple as it looked like it had lots of cool stuff in it!
Yup, I understand. There is a convent in Cleveland by which we ran every week. The chapel was modern and looked really interesting, but as a man I wasn't allowed in.
I will certainly agree that women generally get the short end of the stick - often tragically so.
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