Wednesday, February 27, 2008

ouch...

A few rainy, cloudy days before the sun broke through and i tested the strength of my all-natural, paraben-free sunscreen...it failed, miserably. Despite slathering it on from the predawn hours, I got the worst sunburn i think i have ever had in my life. it hurt to move, mostly my stomach and front of arms, even my stomach muscles hurt! i didn't know that was possible, to burn one's muscles, but now i am a firm believer...

two days hence and two tubes of aloe vera gel, later, i can move and eat again, and am heading up North tonight for some more stifling hot, humid weather, this time sans the cooling ocean breezes...and what made me think that coming to Thailand in February was better than in December? I'm not complaining, really, just enjoying the massive display of overlypriced, but highly valuable used books, 20 baht Phad Thai cooked to order on the street, and the lack of anything in particular to do at any particular time (except, of course, getting to the bus on time!)...

blessings, and if anyone wishes a postcard, send thy address hence!

Sunrise.


I woke up on this island, alone with memories, feet swollen from the humidity, scratches from climbing on the same rocks that are here forever, the ones that do not move to us. Remaining unchanged for this lifetime of ours. I meditate, eyes closed, mind wandering, repeating in my mind a mantra with each breath, watching the sun hidden behind clouds rise above the ocean. Now the rain pours down, thunder crashing in the gray skies above, pouring sheets of moisture through the green canopy in a way that convinces you it will not last long, but god dammit, you'll know it's here while it lasts. Torrents, short-lived, creating space to breath and move, for the air to once more fill with humidity and symbols to fill my mind, demanding permanence on my flesh, should I choose to make them so....tattoed by skilled hands clenching a long, thin sheath of bamboo...a different sort of scar


I get up early this morning, almost too late to run to the other side of the island to watch the sunrise, but I do so anyway, sweating in the pre-dawn heat...I sit for a long while, it rains and I squat underneath a rock until it stops...the sun appears
and I practice yoga for a while and enjoy the feeling of the rough rock on my bare feet...my flesh pealing away in layers, leaving an imprint, my imprint...I was here.

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Sprouted islands, elusive sunshine...

Hello all, not to complain about the weather, but...it's humid as hell and the clouds crowd the sky...similar to the bungalows on the beach...a lot changes in 3 years...

At least one more bungalow has been sandwiched between each pair that existed before, ...a formerly lonely side of rocky beach now boasts a paved trail leading down to the ocean, with bungalows on each side...Thai's sweep the dirt streets wearing Hawaiian adventure t-shirts, makes me wonder what life was like here before the foreign invasion. What were these islands like before every spot of available beachside had been doused in concrete and manufactured to sell Coco-cola and bottled water, with Reggae music on the side. I feel like i'm reverting back to 'The Beach' (the movie or book, take your pick), reminiscing about a Thailand that may or may not have ever existed...

A few more days and I will heading to a village to study Thai massage, sleeping on a mat under the stars amidst jungle mountains...I hesitate to romanticize what I haven't seen, but i'm looking forward to being immersed in that study...giving and receiving all day...

blessings, apologies for my meloncholy...it happens even in paradise...

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Flat tires, smoggy Fridays, and some damn good pad thai..


Well, I finally arrived in Thailand, several hundred dollars and a couple days short, but here none the less. Just for future reference...I would not recommend missing a flight. I've traveled quite a bit, and thankfully or luckily or perhaps just by chance, didn't ever have to have the misfortune of arriving to the airport, check in counters closed, watching the plane I paid to be on fly away into the great, big world....without me. Well, first time for everything, I guess...and hopefully the last. It just turned out to be the most expensive flat tire I've ever had experience with.

My dear friend who agreed to drive in the rain to deposit me at SFO, well, the car had other plans, and halfway up Hwy 17 decided that damn right front tire had had enough. Okay, still time....I plan ahead, after all...trusty backup friend to the rescue...uhh ohh..., hmmm...we are only going 10 mph...an accident miles ahead slowed us down for a good 40 minutes, and by the time we flew down the summit and up Hwy 101, the clock was approaching 11:15...hmmm...flight at noon, supposed to check in two hours before...I'm calculating in my head how fast i could run through security to get to the gate...

I was ready to break into a run at the check-in counter, boarding passes in hand, but wait?, what's that?, I'm too late? Thank you very much, Ms. Ticket Counter person, come back tomorrow...I breath....I keep breathing all the way to rental car counter, sure, okay, i'll pay your obscene taxes, just get me out of this airport!

*I headed to Castle Rock and ran in the rain, and decided I had been meant to miss the flight in order to see the insanely beautiful fog floating in through the redwoods, with soft forests of moss growing sideways on the trees...filtered light drifting sideways. Hmmm...maybe winter isn't so bad after all...

Arrived at the airport EXTRA early the next day, only to just barely make it onto this plane because of the nice pleasant Indian-accented representatives from cheap0air.com...bastards, I almost got away with just the $100 date change fee...oh well, what are credit cards for?

I ran around the Royal Palace this morning, appreciating once again the efficiency that comes with stop lights, and drivers who obey them (and p.s. I didn't fall like last time, though I did catch the sidewalk trying to move on me)...

I'm off to the islands tonight, to wallow in the warm Pacific with yummy Pad Thai in my belly...(hopefully it will stay there on the ferry!)...

Photos to come, my friends..blessings and much