Thai Recycling, And The Too Fat Farrang

Garbage Along the Klongrien

My teaching ‘headquarters’ were right across from the ‘khlong’. A khlong rien is a multipurpose ‘water’way, used for rain water run off and sewage. Most of them are concreted off, to slow down ground water contamination, though in the smaller communities they still resemble natural rivers or large ditches.

The Khlong has a particular smell, is murky, and not entirely appealing to the foreign eye. I would learn that most Thais here love the Klong – they swim in it, fish in it and want to live near it.

Along The Klong The Klong Thai Hut on the Klong

The Klongs are viewed the same as waterways anywhere else – desirable real estate – a place where people gather and where the more expensive homes are located.

A THAI RECYCLING ISSUE

Of course that doesn’t mean that they aren’t primarily lined with garbage, they are. Thailand is a bit behind on recycling, and though my neighbourhood had daily garbage pick up, many don’t. Plastic was introduced to Thailand quite late, and that has become a major issue.

You get food AND drinks in plastic bags and unfortunately many are simply discarded where and when they are finished.

One particularly educated Thai explained to me that when he was younger, street food (which is the major way Southern Thais eat – homes often do not have traditional kitchens, and lack refrigeration) came in coconuts and banana leaves.

When one finished their meal, it was common to throw your natural, biodegradable remains wherever you finished. The monsoon season came and washed everything ‘clean’ (or ‘water come, make all clean’, as I was told).

Now that plastic has arrived, the tradition remains but the end result is not the same. Plastic consumer garbage lines and fills most streets, local beaches, khlongs and the ocean. Local governments have been trying to introduce the concept of recycling, but most people I spoke to about it felt like I did in 1990 – ‘Huh?’.

READY TO TEACH

I didn’t have former teacher training, but planned a few lessons with some research on-line and with the help of a few teaching friends.

Though I was ‘ready’, it was less than 24 hours from my arrival that I found myself in a classroom. Sure, I had serious jet-lag with the 36 hours of commuting from Vancouver Canada, to Hat Yai Thailand – but that wasn’t the most nerve wracking part of my experience, I still had to get to work!

A SERIOUS LANGUAGE BARRIER

My hosts felt it was best to throw me into reality, and in hindsight, I can’t really disagree – though I nearly had a nervous breakdown.

I had my Thai host write me map-like directions to school in Thai, thinking that would help me get to and from school. I did not yet have a cell phone, and had zero idea of my bearings. Just my school name and temporary home address written down with one landmark – the 7-11.

Don’t kid yourself, this is NOT your idea of a 7-11. I was excited when I first knew I would be nearby a familiar local convenience, but this 7-11 is nothing like ours in North America. More on that later!

Thai 7-11

On top of not knowing where I was going, or how to get back, and being in a part of Thailand that generally did not speak English (and not yet speaking Thai), I had to ride on the back of a small motorbike. A Thai motorbike driven by a man that I was (at least) 4 inches taller than, and outweighed by 60-80lbs. For real.

When I arrived to the ‘taxi stand’, I discovered that none of the drivers could read or understand a map, so my attempts at preparing my backup were futile. Fortunately, I had been practicing the name of my school all night in my sleep, and they recognized it when I told them (but how would I get home?!!).

They spoke amongst themselves for quite some time. Their conversation turned to laughter, and before long I realized they were trying to decide which of them was heaviest and tallest – which of them COULD take me.

Taxi To Work Young Students Motorbiking

They knew a few words of English;

‘Ahh! SoOoo FAT farrang (foreigner)!’

‘Sexy, sexy lady!’

O geez. A great way to start my day! I decided then, that this would be one of my future lessons – appropriate use of English words – how to compliment and what NOT to say.

I hopped (wobbled) on, nearly knocking him to the ground. We struggled to stay upright and straight throughout our tour. Neither of us enjoyed it –  I would say it was actually quite dangerous. The traffic, the instability, the lack of helmets.

DECIDING TO RIDE

I saw some of my YOUNG students along the way, driving themselves to school. Much too young by Canadian standards to be driving a motorized vehicle – some as young as 10 years old! This inspired me.

If I was going to have to deal with the motorbike ‘taxi fiasco’ on a daily basis (and yes, it went like that EVERY DAY), I was going to have to get my own motorbike and teach myself to drive.

No, I didn’t have a licence in Canada, still don’t. I have a funky eye problem and Canada is very strict about letting people with my issue drive. But if my 10 (+) year old students could drive themselves to school, so could I – dammit!

THANK HEAVEN FOR 7-11

How did I get home that day? The 7-11. There was a taxi stand right outside my school. Another embarrassing group talk (it went the exact same way – this group also used the word ‘jumbo’). It turned out that when speaking, Thais leave out the ’11′ part of  ’7-11′, so it took a while to figure that out between us. Once we did (and the largest driver was selected), we still had to find the right 7-11.

Our fourth stop proved fruitful and when he dropped me off (and I tipped him a lot), he said;

‘Tomorrow – same same?’

‘Yes! Same Same!’

I showed him on his watch which time I needed to be picked up in the morning (made a sleeping sign, pointed at the sun and then his watch), and we made a deal that would last a few days. A nice temporary break from the to-and-from school stress.

Unfortunately it wasn’t too long before his co-workers were upset with him for hoarding the foreigner who tips well, and he ‘disappeared’, starting the fiasco all over again.

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Jungle Ants

Thai Jungle Ants Love Pepsi

Click to view the horrific ‘Thai Jungle Ants Love Pepsi‘ video!

I spent the day uploading my first videos to YouTube. I found some of my time in Thailand. Remember this from my last post?

I also discovered that Thai Pepsi is the best, still made with sugar cane (instead of corn syrup) – just drink it quick. Having it anywhere near you sends a beacon out to the jungle!

Well, I found the video to prove the above statement! I had finished my Pepsi and taken a bathroom break. The above video is what I returned to 5 MINUTES LATER!

Horrorshow!

Funny, I take videos of just about every where I go and hadn’t thought to share them until today. Duh!

You can find me at YouTube here.

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The First Day – Thailand

Overlooking Southern Thailand

When the opportunity came to teach in Thailand, I took it. One afternoon I received a phone call from a close family friend, telling me that if I wanted to teach in Asia, there was a job available.

A job with very little pay, too many students and in conflicted southern Thailand. Of course I jumped at the opportunity, and within days I had shut down my Canadian life. I broke their record for the least amount of time between job acceptance and arrival.

I had no idea what to expect, but the serendipity of the moment could not be missed. My teenage daughter was spending the summer with Grandma and friends in Ontario, so I had some time to decide if I would be staying, and if she would be joining me.

Though I had travelled much before, I had never been to a tropical country. I have a very low tolerance to heat, which kept me fairly grounded in the northern hemisphere.

As such, I had never seen one of these little guys outside an aquarium before, and was entirely shocked to make his acquaintance in my bedroom.

Indoor Lizard

I would very quickly discover that these little cuties are the Thai version of house flies. They are in every home, and essentially harmless, so you aren’t to pay them any mind.

Though there are many varieties, the most common (upon very close inspection) really are quite cute. Nothing offensive, slimy or creepy about him at all – aside from the sticking to walls and ceilings thing. That made my adjustment a lot easier.

Little pets that you don’t have to feed or clean up after. Well, I did find little poops on the walls from time to time, but with all the other jungle things I had to adjust to, easy to wipe off gecko poos were the very least of my worries. More on that later!

My first sunset in the industrial town of Hat Yai did not disappoint. The view from my temporary room was tropical and pink. I had never seen an entirely pink sky before… I was about to see a lot of things I had never seen before!

Thai Sunset Many Motorbikes

Life really picks up here when the glaring sun sets, and the temperatures slightly drop. Every night in southern Thailand is like the most gorgeous summer night you have ever experienced. Light warm breezes, consistent storm-less weather, many people wandering about, lots of night time activities.

At one time, Hat Yai was officially 24 hours with malls and restaurants remaining open all hours. That changed but the lifestyle didn’t. Though the main shops are closed, there are night markets on almost every other corner and food vendors line the streets.

People are out in droves, every night of the week. My hosts decided to take me out to show me some Thai night life. I was shocked by the sheer number of ‘motorbikes’ on the road. Thousands! They far outnumbered motorcars. Economically speaking, a motorbike is the wiser choice.

It wouldn’t be too long before I was looking at buying my own ‘motorbike’.

On our night tour, I met the most adorable Thai Pomeranian. We immediately fell in love – I wanted to steal him from his owners, but he was well taken care of.

Having a pet dog or cat is not very common in this part of Thailand – though many run feral and wild in the streets.

Thai Pom

I had spent the day on the verge of passing out. More than once I stepped into the (cold water only!) shower, fully clothed to prevent myself from expiring. Within 20 minutes of soaking, my clothing was entirely dry! Amazing, and so, SO HOT.

It was quite intentional that part of our tour that night included the ‘BlueKiss ICE Bar‘.

I would end up frequenting this bar a bit, just to spend time in the ice room, pictured below. Below zero and always empty (unless a group were coming in to talk to me, the ‘crazy Canadian – she like the cold!’), the little refrigerated back room in the bar was a place I retreated to, for a few weeks.

By the time I was in my second month of teaching, I had physically adjusted to the heat and could no longer tolerate the below zero temperatures of the Ice Bar – much to the chagrin of the other patrons who were hoping to gawk at me and count the minutes I spent in the freezing room.

Often I would exit to a crowd and cheers!

In the Ice Bar Farrang Toilet

The toilets were a surprise to me. Though many chic clubs, restaurants and shops will install a farrang/fallang (Thai for caucasian foreigner) toilet, they still use it like Thais, which left me wondering what I was supposed to do!

They still do not flush toilet paper (or use it very often – paper products and wet tropical climes are not a great combo), so the used remnants are visible in a bin beside the toilet. And though it is not a hole in a pit, they still squat on it like one. Being a north american sitter myself, I took this photo to celebrate my first squat experience.

My hosts had a farrang toilet. They also had scorpions. I would meet one tonight, my first night, and have many, many more VERY close encounters. I had to pick them up to get them out of my house at least 3/4x a week!

Thai Scorpion

I hadn’t been very exploratory in the food department before moving to Thailand, and so started with some vegi noodle dish. I was impressed by the flavours and the packaging – how cool is it to have your spices right there under your meal? No extra packaging required. Brilliant.

1st Thai Dinner Spices Underneath

I also discovered that Thai Pepsi is the best, still made with sugar cane (instead of corn syrup) – just drink it quick. Having it anywhere near you sends a beacon out to the jungle;

‘Hey! There is a juicy farrang here & she has sweet drinks! Everyone, let’s go!’

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(continued)

Runaway *Recommendations* SCOTLAND

Behind Greyfriars Bobby

Pizza Paradise, the green building behind Greyfriars Bobby.

If I had a good experience at a local business during my travels, I am going to tell you about it!

1. HOSTEL: Budget Backpackers, Cowgate & Grassmarket Edinburgh. Sitting close to the top of my hostel recommendation list, Budget Backpackers is conveniently located, nicely decorated, affordable, and friendly. Just make sure to book ahead, they are usually busy.

2. FOOD: The Elephant House, Edinburgh. This is the place that JK Rowling penned her first Harry Potter book. The building is gorgeous – inside and out. They boast specialty teas and a variety of coffees, the food is pretty good too. An hour or so spent here, in one of the cushy Victorian chairs with a medieval view, will inspire you too.

3. DRINKS: The OZ Bar, Candlemaker Row, Edinburgh. A quaint little pub run by Aussies, with a specialty toward travellers. Coming in for a drink will make you feel like you have walked into a room full of old friends  - or like you have entered ‘Cheers’ in Boston (where everybody knows your name). Friendly! And the authentic Aussie food is ok too.

4. DANCING: Opium Alternative Bar, Cowgate Edinburgh. Reminiscent of the Toronto alternative scene in the 1990′s, stinky, sweaty, dark and loud – in an old crumbly building adjacent to a gothic bridge. If you can handle the music (or enjoy it, as I do), you will appreciate this place – or at least find it very interesting – and despite appearances, the staff are very friendly.

If you are not into the ‘alternative genre’, just up the street from Opium is Cabaret Voltaire. With an interesting ‘dungeon-y’ interior and beautiful, fashionable staff – you can rely on the Cabaret to provide you with an experience that includes whatever is ‘hip’ at the moment – lighting, drinks and music.

5. FOOD: Pizza Paradise, 32 George Iv Bridge, Old Town, Edinburgh. I have been eating my regular/thoughtless/quick meals here for years – and I didn’t even realize they had pizza until researching to find the name for this post. Why here? A place that gets 2 star ratings and doesn’t have the friendliest staff? Because the food is cheap, quickly prepared, (usually) fresh and the building is conveniently located just off of the Royal Mile and behind Greyfriars Bobby (as pictured above). Do you really want to think about every meal you have to eat? Where, and what and cost? No, I don’t think you do. I can recommend the variety of loaded baked potatoes (with so much heaped on top, it is a balanced meal in itself), though I can’t say anything about the pizza. They have good strong coffee here too.

6. FOOD: Clansman Hotel, Loch Ness. There is a quiet restaurant upstairs, and an often busy cafe downstairs. Having eaten at both, I say if you have some extra time while visiting the loch, head upstairs for a proper Scottish meal (and drink, of course). Sit by the window so you can take in the loch views. Got some Scottish blood ancestry? Try to find your clan crest. We were fortunate enough to get a good seat on our last visit.

7. TOUR: Haggis Adventures, Edinburgh. If you are unable to rent a car, or just afraid to drive in a foreign country, that’s no excuse not to see the rest of Scotland. I chose Haggis because it was the cheapest tour company I could find, what I discovered was a friendly company with local, knowledgeable staff and tour directors. Their coaches are comfortable and usually NOT packed in like sardines.  I was definitely satisfied – and I used them more than once.

To read about the Runaway travels to Scotland, check out the ‘Honeymoon Tour List‘, or head to the Scotland section.

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Runaway *Travel Tips* SCOTLAND

[Edinburgh from the castle, Scotland] (LOC)

My Scottish tips list is short – Scotland is an easy place to travel, and there is not much you need to know before going.

1. Bring a sweater. It doesn’t matter what season you arrive, be ready for rain, and and cool temperatures. The weather in Scotland is very similar to the weather here in the lower mainland of British Columbia. Though we do get warm summers, you never know when a cool ocean breeze is going to roll in and bring some rain.

2. Rent a car, or take  a bus tour. Don’t limit yourself to one of the major city centres. You WANT to see the Scottish countryside, take in some castles and lochs. There is so much to see and do, I cannot recommend exploring enough.

3. Do some research prior to leaving. What else is in the area you will be travelling? Surely there is a magnificent piece of history close by – a stone circle, or ancient strong hold, some fantastic ruins or incredible clan/medieval history. If you are sanding right beside it, why not know it is there so you can take an informed look? We would have missed Macbeth in Lumphanen (where we were anyway) had it not been for a little research.

ADDITIONALLY;

Scotland is generally the most affordable of its neighbouring countries, though still quite expensive in non-European terms. However, reasonably priced accommodation can always be found – especially if you are willing to stay in hostels or B&B’s – very popular options in Edinburgh and environs.

The Scots are friendly, warm and open to tourism. The country is quite safe, though there is a pervasive drug issue – watch out for hypodermic needles – even in the woods. Having said that, I have not found obvious signs of the same drug crime related incidents that happen here in Vancouver, Canada (we have a pretty seedy underbelly here in our DTES). For whatever reason, it isn’t something you should worry about – just watch out for discarded needles (we found a few ourselves), when you are walking in less travelled areas.

To read about the Runaway travels to Scotland, check out the ‘Honeymoon Tour List‘, or head to the Scotland section.

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Runaway *Top 10 See and Do* SCOTLAND

Downtown Edinburgh

Normally in this section, I would (try to!) focus on the main city centres of a country, but Scotland is a place I have spent a lot of time – and it tops my list as a personal favourite – so placing that limit is nearly impossible.

I have travelled through Scotland by rental car and by public transit, alone and with others – without issue. Scotland is quite small, convenient to traverse, exceptionally beautiful and full of history at each turn. I suggest you try to see it all!

TOP 10 ‘SEE AND DO’ - SCOTLAND

According to the Habitual Runaway 

1. Do the ‘Castle Tour’. Drive the route on your own, or book a tour – it doesn’t matter, just don’t go to Scotland without taking in some castles and baronial mansions. Be sure to check out my personal favourites, Craigievar and Dunnottar.

2. Walk the Royal Mile in Edinburgh. Every time I am in Scotland I walk the mile. And so should you! Everything about it is magical – in a dark, gothic type way. The architecture is old, the history is brutal, the shops are adorable and the food is generally quite good. There is always something happening on the mile – whether it is a chainsaw-juggling-self-professing-Canadian, a couple of ‘bag-pipers’, or a group of acrobatic flame throwers – you are likely to be entertained.

3. Visit Edinburgh Castle. Though a typical suggestion, the castle is really quite something. You can visit the all important ‘Stone of Destiny’ here – once the seat of many generations of Kings. The crown jewels are here too, and there is much to look at in the various museums that litter the site. There are a heap of regular activities happening at the castle, so it is worth checking to see if anything special is going on while you are on tour.

4. Scare the heck out of yourself in Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh. Day or night it is a haunting, creepy place – and a brilliant location to immerse yourself in local history. The shop staff at the Kirkyard are informed, and happy to share some lore with you. You can read about our (awesome!) horrendous experiences in Greyfriars here and here.

5. Visit St. Giles Cathedral and stop in to the Knights room. Though the cathedral itself is quite something – gorgeous intricate stained glass, ornate interior woodwork and so on – it is really the Knights room that is a unique ‘must see’. What’s a ‘Knights room’? Read about our visit.

6. Take a ‘Ghost Walking Tour’ in Edinburgh. Yes, there is an element of ‘tourist trap’ to the companies that line the Royal Mile offering ghost tours, but having taken more than one myself, I found the guides to be well informed, the tour itself fun – and a bit creepy – and the overall cost negligible. Most of the tours are somewhat ‘the same’, as the guides are re-telling many of the same facts, the difference would be whether you chose to go underground through the closes and into the catacombs, or if you chose to remain above ground, exploring the ancient city.

7. Check out Aberdeenshire. Aberdeenshire is the region of much former long term clan strife. It is the primary base for castle tours and is varied in its natural landscape. Touring through the region makes you feel like you have entered a fairytale – particularly if you are a fan of rolling green hills, Scottish farmland and ancient castles and strongholds.

8. If you happen to decide to head to the Loch Ness, as most of us seem compelled to do (it is a big lake with some local mythology attached to it – I am not going to ‘recommend‘ it!), make sure you visit neighbouring Urquhart castle. An impressive ruin, Urquhart played a big role in the Scottish Wars of Independence. There is evidence of visitors to the site encountering a ‘fortress’ as early as the year 500.

9. Visit the Commando Monument. The monument itself is quite spectacular, but what is more stunning is the natural landscape that surrounds it. It was in this region that young men prepared and trained for WWII. Standing at the monument and looking out over the Nevis mountain range is both breathtaking and haunting. I also stood face to face with a very serene (and LARGE) buck in the parking lot here.

10. Walk the Grassmarket in Edinburgh, a focal point of Old Town, with incredible (and horrific) history. A cattle market operated here for almost 5 centuries. Grab a drink in the oldest continuously running pub in Edinburgh – an old haunt of Robbie Burns – the ‘White Hart Inn‘.

To read about the Runaway travels to Scotland, check out the ‘Honeymoon Tour List‘, or head to the Scotland section.

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