Big Adventure 24

Well, we’re alright now. The leaders here – I’m not sure if you all have the current name; they are now called the Council for National Security – all went to Chiang Mai this past weekend and consulted with a “renowned” fortune teller there. No more worries for us now.

In the deep south, they have started deploying female rangers and soldiers, and they are suggesting “lipstick and smiles” to present a softer, gentler approach in dealing with the rebels. In related (I think) news, three senior citizens and a few more children were shot dead by those rebels.

I think if I was a woman in the force being sent I’d be reconsidering my career choice – or at least I’d be consulting with a fortune teller before going.

In today’s news, 34 of 35 new doctors being sent to the deep south have refused to go – they are borrowing the money to pay off the government (about $16,000 ) rather than do their required three years there (less time if they’re killed).

Also in the news today, there is a proposal to ban the use of cell phones while driving a car. Interesting that they would address that safety concern ahead of the driving of a motorbike with one hand while talking on a cell phone. With the family on back. Speeding. After a few drinks. With no helmets.

The guys I play basketball with have decided to organize a bit. They have made four teams through a “sort of random” drawing (the best players – and the tallest – were distributed amoung the teams separately to make it more fair. Full uniforms complete with numbers and names have been purchased from Bangkok supplier – about $22 – and a round robin tournament is being organized, complete with entry fees and prizes – bottles of whiskey are being proposed, to be opened and shared at a banquet at the end. All extra money to the school where we play.

The four teams are the Bulls, the Lakers, the Cavaliers and the Heats (I don’t have the heart to tell them it should be Hots). I am #14 on the Lakers – just like Kobe Bryant in almost every respect (the big differences are that his number is a tiny bit different and that I have never been to Colorado).

We have not started playing yet, and I hope I don’t miss it all while away in Canada, especially since I’ve already bought my uniform (not to mention how important I am to our team !!!).

On a related topic, a big “thanks to Geoff for the beautiful Team Canada jersey he gave me, number 99, very high quality, lined, it will be perfect for playing outdoors in Canada in the wintertime. I did wear it once playing here – all the guys were very impressed, most giving their best pronunciation of “Canada”. It was a bit warm to wear playing.

We are now into April, and I find myself reflecting on an important anniversary which in rapidly approaching. That’s right, it will soon be 10 years since I quit smoking – the best thing I have ever done for myself, so far.

The Buddhists try to do things to “make merit” in celebration of their birthdays – do some good deeds for others, meditate, etc. - thus making their current life more meritorious, thereby improving their karma and potentially make things go better the next time around. It’s a good plan really.

As some of you may know, I am now forty-nine and will soon turn forty-ten. As I recently said to Jacquie, there is absolutely nothing that I would want to do on a birthday as a special celebration that I don’t already get to do every single day, so finding some way to “make merit” would be perfect. I will reflect further on that.

In today’s paper is a further report on that whole cell phone while driving a car ban. The ruling CNS has decided that there is insufficient evidence of safety concerns to institute such a ban at this time.

In Bangkok a city bus failed to stop at a light, at least at first – it did eventually come to a stop after slamming into the back of 7 taxis, 7 other cars, 3 pickup trucks, 2 vans and a “6 wheeler”. One dead, many injured. Was the busdriver talking on a cell phone, or maybe drinking a coffee?

The CNS has voted to give themselves another15% raise (they had already given themselves a 15 % raise previously) because they deserve it “in recognition of their dedication and hard work”

In Burma (Myanmar) they have passed a new law to stop doctors from overcharging for services. Five years in jail – I wonder how many packs of Burmese cigarettes they will charge other inmates for a check-up?

We also got the news story over here about the Canadian woman who has explained, in support of her lawsuit, how devastated she was to find out that she does not in fact have cancer. Yeah, it’s got to suck to get that news. I think I’d prefer that misdiagnosis to the alternative misdiagnosis, but hey, it’s not my lawsuit.

This is the hot season here. It is the first time we have been here for the hot season. It is, in fact, hot. It could be called the hot and humid season, since the humidity seems to run over 80% consistently. Thank God we have had time to acclimatize to the warmer weather – now the oppressive heat is almost bearable. Sami is having a hard time, but spending his days wet and his nights in our air conditioned bedroom helps him. Us too.

In a related story, the people here have had thousands of years to learn how to cope with the climate, and so we are now entering the “Songkran festival” (April 13-17), a Thai New Year celebration which started out as involving older people sprinkling younger ones with water from a bowl for good luck but has now denigrated into basically one big long water fight. Tesco is now selling hundreds of different styles and sizes of water guns, everything from the basic pistols for about $0.80 up to the huge cannons with backpacks of water, more suitable for fighting forest fires. We volunteered at a fundraising day for the local international school, and there during the water fight portion of the program all varieties of water weaponry were on display. Actually many people opted for the low-tech buckets full of water. It soon turned into a wet t-shirt contest. I good time was had by all. Can you say “your mommy’s a ho”?

The key here is that everyone takes some time off to have some fun, and everyone – young and old – play and spray each other with water. This year the government is promoting a safe Songkran celebration by banning the sale of the high powered water cannons that can knock people over – apparently thereby hoping to limit repeat of the serious injuries caused in previous years when those weapons take out motorcyclists driving by. We have actually been warned by several people against driving the motorbike during the festival. Great, something else to watch out for while driving.

Sunday April 8. After a “pot luck” brunch and swim at some friends, we spent the rest of the day working at the “Samui Rocks” rock concert, put on by the Rotary Club. Four pm to two am. Lots of really good music (mixed in with a little bad), together with large quantities of food and alcohol at inflated, made for charity, prices. A lot of work but also a good time, and of course I did make a little merit in celebration of my impending birthday. There is something pretty funny about seeing a sixty year old white guy and his 30 year old TG (Thai girlfriend) rock out to “Smells Like Teen Spirit”. I do wonder if that guy would have been as into it without the many beers.

Clive and Karen, upon discovering that it is my forty-tenth birthday, have invited us for supper on that day. My original thought – play basketball, watch the final of the European Basketball League playoffs, and go to the Reggae Pub to dance and party late – won’t be happening.

Our dog sitting gig is working out great now – Julie is starting to settle in. The other night she got away from me during our walk and ran away, with me and Sami in pursuit (damn she’s fast for a little dog), and she ran straight home to our place – a very good sign.

Today is April 10, 2007. Just after midnight I went to the store and picked up a Lemon Bacardi Breezer and a Reeses “Nutrageous” bar and sat on the beach listening to the surf and contemplating the last forty-ten years. I don’t remember the first few (and some short bits in my twenties) but overall I’m pretty happy so far. I probably could have worked a bit harder at a few things and relationships, and not as hard at a couple of others, but since even small changes would likely impact on the larger picture I can say absolutely that I wouldn’t change a thing.

Here’s to saying that when I hit ninety-ten.

Yesterday at Tesco I ran into the woman I buy the barbequed pork on a stick from every (almost) morning. Remember “you not love me but you love my King.”? Well at Tesco she asked me “Are you here alone?” I quickly explained that I was here with my wife, then hurried off to find her. I sure as hell don’t need Jacquie telling me she won’t let me go there to buy meat – it’s the best thing I’ve ever tasted. Maybe it’s time to remind her that it’s her King that I love.

Yesterday I also found out that the basketball tournament will be held over four days – April 21, 22, 28 & 29. I’m away for 3 ½ weeks out of the whole year and I’ll miss the whole thing. Our point guard – who does a great job of getting me the ball and who is very competitive – seemed pretty disappointed. I am too.

In a completely unrelated basketball story, I have finally admitted to myself that the Boston Celtics will not make the playoffs this year. With 23 wins right now they would need to win 2 of their last 3 games to make it to .300 – very unlikely. Good draft pick maybe? Is Larry Bird available?

It’s Monday the 16th. First of all, “Happy Birthday” to mom.

Yesterday was finally a quiet day. For a while it seemed like the celebration of my birthday just wouldn’t end. Tuesday night was a wonderful dinner at Karen and Clive’s, then to the Reggae Pub (it was pretty dead so we didn’t stay) We skipped the house party and watching the basketball game. Wednesday was “Quiz Night” at the Frog and Gecko Pub with some friends. We came third, out of the money. Thursday was lunch and a swim with the sister of a friend from back home, then to Chaweng for a slight early taste of Songkran (the least exciting day of the birthday week).

Friday was the official start of Songkran. Folks, I COMPLETELY underestimated the magnitude of this water fight. Our beach is very unpopulated compared to a couple of the others, but our road was basically lined on both sides with people with buckets and/or water cannons or hoses and/or white or red paint, and hoses keeping large garbage cans full of water. And a few drinks of beer / whisky. Driving on the road in both directions were trucks full of people on the back with buckets and/or water cannons and/or white or red paint, and large garbage cans full of water. And a few drinks of beer / whisky. All vehicles were repeatedly stopped in little blockades to be soaked, have paint smeared on faces, arms, etc., happy New Year wishes and kisses, then on to the next. When not being stopped, then they simply threw / shot water at you as you drove by. Many used ice water for a much better effect. The people on the trucks, and those of us on motorbikes armed with our own water guns, retaliated as best we could.

Everyone was simply having fun. From 8 am to 8 pm it was pretty constant – after that the twelve plus hours of drinking started to slow some of the people down, so on the way to the barbeque / pool party at friends we got soaked, but on the way home not so bad. By the time I walked the dogs, they all agreed not to soak the dogs, provided of course that I submitted to another drenching.

I felt a lot closer to 5 than 50. We had a ball.

Saturday. This was the highlight of the ‘Five Days of Birthday’. We were invited to join our landlords’ entire family (all here from everywhere to visit for the New Year) in praying with the three Buddhist Monks invited here for that purpose. We found the experience very spiritual, but did agree that it would have likely been even more so if we had understood even one word of what was said.

At the end we then did the traditional Songkran blessing, pouring a small amount of scented water into each Monk’s hands, then he pours it from his hands onto our heads and offers a blessing. This is followed by the same thing with a row of family elders, then the younger people walking amoung the crowd asking the older people (yes, we both obviously qualify) to perform that blessing. It seemed a clear reminder to the young to have respect for their elders.

Finally, and after the Monks had all eaten and left, we shared a wonderful lunch with the family.

The day finished up with a Hash run and barbeque. It was fun, but frankly nothing could compare to how we spent our morning.

So here I sit on the beach on Monday morning. The party is over. Thankfully. The government had been hoping for a 15% reduction in road deaths for this years holiday. Sadly, there were 99 more accidents and 144 more injured. The number of deaths did go down, but only by 18, or about 7%.

We need to pack a few clothes and get ready to leave. Jacquie goes to Bangkok at 6 am tomorrow, then I follow at 10 pm on Wednesday. Our plane to New York leaves at almost midnight on the 20th, and through the miracle of time zones we arrive in Halifax (at Stanfield International) in the mid afternoon on the 21st. I expect the first thing on our agenda will be a little nap.

I’ll write more after our return from the great white north.