HIYA!
I am sending this to my mom but thought, "This is something I can put on my blog too."
For your entertainment:
Wow, flying to Pocatello, Idaho isn't any cheaper than the cheapest airfare that I've found to Thailand! Zowie. And I was shocked to see that gas is more than three bucks a gallon! Shoooksujojadlj
But I'm glad it's so damned expensive. Maybe it'll be another NUDGE for those Americans who are callous and apathetic to get off their fat asses and out of their mush brains and start converting to more sensible ways of living.
Like walking more. I've been walking so much lately. I love it. I came out today for a walk knowing that I'd look for an internet shop too. The website that I have the blog on has a policy of not allowing it to be used as a business tool. Like looking for contacts overseas. Well, recently an email came from someone looking for someone to contact four gold sellers here in Thailand. I answered it even though I had vaguely remembered reading this policy. The lady - Bonita, in the US I think - said it'd only take about 30 minutes. Well, it's taken a little more than that but no problem. She asked how much we'd (I'm sure that that initial email went out to all the "Traveller Helpers" listed with Travellerspoint.com) charge for the 30 minutes. I thought about it, and typically, I came up with a low price. First I thought about 500 baht, which is I think about $12 or $13. Then I thought, "That's ridiculous for only about 30 minutes." Then I mentioned in my email $5. Then, without deleting the $5 I said, no, a pound of organic prunes is fine! I love prunes! Bonita contacted me saying okay. So the first thing I did today on the internet was contact her. I told her that if she's satisfied with my service (how do you like that?) then I'm okay doing more in the future. And if she wants to refer anyone to me, then that's okay too. Just as long, I said, as I don't get SPAM out of it too. She responded saying that she's satisfied with my service but didn't say anything about more in the future or refering anyone to me. I thought about how cheap this must be for her. Of course. But I really didn't know how much to charge. I just thought really about what I want. I am not going to make much out of just doing this once. At the time I decided on a charge, it didn't occur to me that I could perhaps make some money doing this. Honestly, I really don't want to work for luxuries anyway. And things like gold, which are extracted from the Earth. You know, I've just convinced myself. I'll only do this once. It ain't worth it. Thanks Troy. No problem, pal.
I talked with the one monk that will go to Burma yesterday. Still going. The only thing I don't like is, well, there are two things. One is, that I keep pushing my "start date" back. It's been a good month now that I've been intending to walk. The monk told me that he'll start sometime after May 2nd as he's decided to participate in the demonstrations against Thaksin Shinawatra, the former? care-taker prime minister. That demonstration is scheduled for May 2. After talking with a friend, I pretty nearly decided to go to. The things that guy Thaksin has apparently done are atrocious. What audacity. To do these things to so many tens millions of people, many of whom are quite poor, and many many of whom voted this man into office twice. Though I'd like to hear something from his side of the story, all I'm told is that he doesn't answer. Questions are posed to him straightforward and he'll answer with something completely irrelevant. And there are other things that he's apparently doing to keep people uninformed about what he did since he was elected the first time.
I wonder what you have heard or read about Thaksin and the political turmoil this country has been going through lately. Is there a pro-Thaksin slant? I haven't looked around on the internet at all.
I don't think I'll walk alone. Though I feel that to sometimes walk alone would be better. Seems like I have a walking partner. That's one thing I'm not feeling good about. I'm not only putting myself off by delaying the walk, but I'm delaying him too. He's been ready for about a week now. And he was ready in late February. Then during the traditional Thai new year period, at the middle of this month, he was travelling with his wife. But aside from this few days, he's been ready since February! It's been raining so much lately. In spurts for the most part. But nearly every day. It does provide some cooling from the stifling heat but of course also tends to increase the humidity.
My friend and I were in Chiang Mai, in the north, for about a week, visiting a friend and staying at the university student's dorm that he is managing. And we visited the land that he recently bought. Also visited the place where I did a workshop on alternative home-building two years ago. They've got mostly adobe homes (clay houses) but there are a few that are not only clay. Some of them are so nice. If I ever really settle down, and I do expect to, I would really like to build one of my own. They can be done so incredibly beautifully, for so cheap, that last so long, and don't have to be "dirty".
While in Chiang Mai we walked hours and hours every day. Except for one or maybe even two days. It feels so good to be walking. And walking ... and walking ....
The day before we left we went to an Israeli restaurant that we'd eaten at about 5 or 6 years ago. It all tasted great. Not long after leaving though we both felt thristy, and not very well. I felt really hot inside, which I've only felt once or twice in my life. My friend had the runs the whole next day and felt terrible the whole day. I didn't do as badly. I called the restaurant to see if they use MSG and the lady said no. I'm told that these are signs of having eaten food with MSG in it. I've apparently gained (not won!) an intolerance to MSG. I ate at a veg restaurant recently and my face was swollen the whole next day. To be fair, though, I was told that they don't use MSG either! I don't very often eat at restaurants but it I think I will become more careful than ever about what I put inside.
Enough. Troy. This is the end to the odds!
