Chiang Mai 1

Well, I didn't end up going out too late. I think a lot of people fled the island as soon as the boats started running again, so the town was pretty dead. Plus, my already shaky self-confidence wasn't at all boosted by my waiter at dinner that evening, who described me, in the "Customer" listing on the bill, as "A little boy". I don't know if he was being blatantly disrespectful or trying to make a joke, but it wasn't a very pleasant thing to see either way. So I went to bed rather early, ready to catch my boat at 10 the next morning. I got up early, got packed, and even had the laundry service give me my laundry damp, in order that I might make the boat. Unfortunately, I suddenly found out that the morning boat wasn't running. I got pretty worried about this, thinking I would miss my train, until I looked at the tickets for the first time and realized that the man at the ticket office had booked the wrong train, too. Luckily, the timing worked out so that I would still be able to get to Bangkok, although I would have to get a different train to Chiang Mai. I should also mention that, for whatever reason, I was starting to feel rather ill. Ultimately, I ended up being in transit for something like 32 hours. There were a few pleasant moments: I loved the sleeper berth from Chumpon to Bangkok, and I managed to cure my seasickness on the boat ride, by pressing continuously on my wrist. But the 12-hour ride to Chiang Mai, in a car that essentially amounted to a bunch of really uncomfortable airline seats, and attended by a stewardess who scoffed incredulously when I asked for water, was less pleasant. I'm pretty sure I had a fever at this point, I felt so cold that I had to spend the entire ride wearing a sweater and toque. Also, I finished my book within the first half-hour, my iPod ran out of juice not long after, and trying to fall asleep on one of these trains makes an airplane seem like a nice hotel, so I got to spend most of the ride either dozing fitfully or surveying the undeniably beautiful but somewhat repetitive central Thai landscape. Heavy flooding and monkeys were the main points of interest. By the time I got to Chiang Mai, I was exhausted, and not too kindly disposed toward Thailand. Trying to deal with Thai payphones, which I for some reason can't figure out, put me in an even worse mood. Finally, I managed to get to the guesthouse that David, my volunteer coordinator, told me to stay at the first night, and things suddenly started to go much better. David was waiting there; he paid the taxi, arranged my room, and took me out for dinner. We made some very lively conversation (which I had been more or less deprived of for the last few days), and I got a good night's sleep. Today, David picked me up and took me to the ProWorld offices, i.e. his house. I met his wife/assistant, who's name is (I am not making this up) Supaporn, or Porn for short. Thankfully, it doesn't sound as bad as it looks. They are both wonderful people; I went through orientation at their house, then had a nice lunch and was taken on a city tour by Porn. I also had my first Thai lesson; Geaw, my teacher, says I am doing very well. So things are looking up! I head to my homestay tomorrow; hopefully, I'm in for a great three weeks. LYA