The first thing I noticed when Daniel and I went for a walk is that Daniel walked at Daniel (Toronto speed) and I walked at Thailand speed. There is a difference when it is 35 degrees in the shade! I wonder how long it would take Daniel to slow down if he lived here? Probably never, I suspect.
This was the first time in two months that I have had to discuss eating, what time to go to sleep, what to see and so on and frankly, it was just very natural. I guess it helps when the person you are making decisions with is your son. For example, last night, Daniel said:” let’s go for a walk”. Now you have to understand that Thailand has no sidewalks or lights so when you walk, you do so at your peril because you could break your ankle falling into a huge crack or even worse, get hit by a car or motorcycle because you are walking on the wrong side of the road (or the right side of the road for that matter!). I would say we walked for a mile or so up some mountainous road and it was only afterwards that I realized this is what I do all the time -every night in fact). I go down soi’s that are not well lit, discover all kinds of interesting activities and see what most tourists never see. Last night, Daniel and I discovered a whole street set up with tables and what looked like card games going on at each table. I told Daniel that gambling was illegal in Thailand so we must have been delusional. However, to get back to my point, only my son would want to do something so crazy as walk where it clearly was not safe and I realized I do the same thing all the time.
It reminded me the first time we played golf together. Daniel hit his first shot ever (150 yards straight down the fairway) and then ran after the ball. I never saw anything like that on a golf course before. That is because I can’t see myself!
It was certainly interesting seeing Phuket through someone else’s eyes. For example, last night walking on Bangla Road in Patong Daniel saw all kinds of ladies of the night with foreign sex tourists. Frankly, I either didn’t notice or am so used to it that it did not leave an imprint on me. He was also petrified in our rented car because we were driving on the wrong side of the road. By this time, I guess I am used to it, but it is interesting seeing “myself” as I must have been only 2 months ago.
Because it is the ‘rainy’ season’ there is a tremendous undertow in the ocean and you are apparently not supposed to swim. Daniel told me this after we spent the afternoon in the water. Apparently they lose 6 tourists a month who go into the water, get swept out to sea and can’t get back in. Daniel told me there was a red flag by the lifeguard station .I certainly did not see the lifeguard station or the rid flag.! That certainly is one difference between Daniel and I. There is nothing he does not notice….ever.
We are staying at Surin Beach in a 5 star hotel. The difference between where I usually stay is night and day. In some of the places I have stayed in when I ask for a towel, they look at me like I am from another planet. Soap in these places was absolutely out of the question. In this hotel, they even turn down our beds at night and the swimming pool, I am sure is more than Olympic size as it winds it way down a palm studded alley. Anyway, Daniel is getting up so I am off to our scrumptious breakfast. Catch you later!
The meal was great and today we are off to Bangkok. Can’t wait to see how Daniel reacts to where I live and what I do. Maybe he will write the next blog. I now I will certainly miss his company but he is coming back in November when we will see the rest of the Thailand! Last night we went around Bangkok a bit and even though I have lived here a few months it is not surprising that Daniel gave directions and showed me around.What else is new?
This was the first time in two months that I have had to discuss eating, what time to go to sleep, what to see and so on and frankly, it was just very natural. I guess it helps when the person you are making decisions with is your son. For example, last night, Daniel said:” let’s go for a walk”. Now you have to understand that Thailand has no sidewalks or lights so when you walk, you do so at your peril because you could break your ankle falling into a huge crack or even worse, get hit by a car or motorcycle because you are walking on the wrong side of the road (or the right side of the road for that matter!). I would say we walked for a mile or so up some mountainous road and it was only afterwards that I realized this is what I do all the time -every night in fact). I go down soi’s that are not well lit, discover all kinds of interesting activities and see what most tourists never see. Last night, Daniel and I discovered a whole street set up with tables and what looked like card games going on at each table. I told Daniel that gambling was illegal in Thailand so we must have been delusional. However, to get back to my point, only my son would want to do something so crazy as walk where it clearly was not safe and I realized I do the same thing all the time.
It reminded me the first time we played golf together. Daniel hit his first shot ever (150 yards straight down the fairway) and then ran after the ball. I never saw anything like that on a golf course before. That is because I can’t see myself!
It was certainly interesting seeing Phuket through someone else’s eyes. For example, last night walking on Bangla Road in Patong Daniel saw all kinds of ladies of the night with foreign sex tourists. Frankly, I either didn’t notice or am so used to it that it did not leave an imprint on me. He was also petrified in our rented car because we were driving on the wrong side of the road. By this time, I guess I am used to it, but it is interesting seeing “myself” as I must have been only 2 months ago.
Because it is the ‘rainy’ season’ there is a tremendous undertow in the ocean and you are apparently not supposed to swim. Daniel told me this after we spent the afternoon in the water. Apparently they lose 6 tourists a month who go into the water, get swept out to sea and can’t get back in. Daniel told me there was a red flag by the lifeguard station .I certainly did not see the lifeguard station or the rid flag.! That certainly is one difference between Daniel and I. There is nothing he does not notice….ever.
We are staying at Surin Beach in a 5 star hotel. The difference between where I usually stay is night and day. In some of the places I have stayed in when I ask for a towel, they look at me like I am from another planet. Soap in these places was absolutely out of the question. In this hotel, they even turn down our beds at night and the swimming pool, I am sure is more than Olympic size as it winds it way down a palm studded alley. Anyway, Daniel is getting up so I am off to our scrumptious breakfast. Catch you later!
The meal was great and today we are off to Bangkok. Can’t wait to see how Daniel reacts to where I live and what I do. Maybe he will write the next blog. I now I will certainly miss his company but he is coming back in November when we will see the rest of the Thailand! Last night we went around Bangkok a bit and even though I have lived here a few months it is not surprising that Daniel gave directions and showed me around.What else is new?
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