The famous toilet(frog not included)

I'm not sure what to write here so I'll leave it up to you... By the way the internet was down for a couple of days, hence the delay.

My first storm

It was actually entertaining. Basically after leaving the school under a 39 degree heat and laying in our hammock unable to move but thinking about going to the lake it started getting cool. I mean it's 3 o'clock in Thailand at the end of February? The temperature continued to go down as I was actually getting comfortable.

Just so we understand each other, I am never confortable after 9.30am because of the heat.

I started thinking it was going to rain and smiled. Then the sky's colour completely changed. There were dark gray clouds but the house looked like it was under a spotlight, if it was a Hollywood film we would have a UFO by then. As I moved from the hammock to see where the light was comming from, it slowly started to rain.

A few seconds later it was the heaviest downpour I ever saw. Even after seing rain in India I wondered where all the water was coming from.

About one minute later the lighting started, then the thunders. The lighting was so close that both me and the dogs jumped. Like the sissy that I am I put all metalic stuff on the table and went to the other side of the room. The thunder was so loud the doors shook. It was my first night alone in the house...

I then decided to watch a film with my flashlight in hand. I watched Slumdog and hated it (I read Q and A and liked it). When I got up I saw dozens of dead crickets, ants and other insects under my flip-flops and all around me. Frogs the size of my fingernails jumped all over the place. Dont these things ever knock and ask permission?

The next day the exact same scenario happened. Except that this time at 21h exactly the power went out. I insisted and tried reading the latest Saramago book (the elephant's trip(?)) with my flashlight. I really like the book but my eyes couldn't work under pressure. The book tells the story of an Indian elephant that was living in Lisbon in the 1500s when the Portuguese king decided to offer it to the archduke of Austria, the poor animal and a contingency walked from Lisbon until Wien. I was saving it for when I would be travelling around Asia but once I read the first page I was off... Oh, it's supposedly a true story, he just fictionized the details of the trip and the characters. I tried telling one my students what it was about but he walked away giggling. Once I figure out why I'll let you know.

Control freak

So my director showed up at my place yesterday, opened my door 1.5 seconds after knocking and told me that she heard I had a problem with one student.

Basically I asked a boy to come to the board, he refused, I took him by the hand until he sudenly pulled and resisted, then I said walk or get out. He did neither so I dragged him out to the headmaster and said I need help with this boy.

So here I was sitting on the floor with nothing more than a t-sirt and underwear on, listening to hear rave about that boy's behaviour, he is such a sweet boy... Well, the sweet boy tried to kick me on the way to the headmaster...

I do wonder what colour the sky is in her world.

Yoga show

Once a week the Baan Unrak orphanage hosts a yoga/hip hop show done by the Baan Unrak kids. I finally got to see it. This time they organized a buffet and show kind of thing. There were around 7 different veggetarian plates and drinks to choose from for only 150BHT (3EUR) with several yoga groups and one rock group. They dont make a lot of money but all helps.

The twins Bee and Cee (I couldn't make up those names) did a traditional Burmese dance. By the way they are both my students and taught me how to say "tickling monster" in Thai...

I did wonder if when I was their age I was that flexible and strong.

The hip hop was an addition done by the students. I'm sure the nuns love it.

I admit I lost part of the show because I was playing with this little dude. He also was not very discreet in making me feed him off MY plate...

Some did not really enjoy the show however. Everyone's a critic.

Baan Unrak orphanage

It currently houses around 150 children plus some 15 mothers and maybe 5 workers.

It's a uphill some 20 minutes outside the center.

this is the meditation center, it's actually quite nice.

And it has a great view.

I've asked the director of the orphanage that I could play or teach sports with the kids, I've done it before and I actually like it. After not hearing from her for two weeks, yesterday I was followed from the lake to my house by two teenage boys who couldn't stop giggling. Apparently that is the shy behaviour in Asia. Only today did I figure out that they wanted to play football.

Volunteer house

To all of you that keep insisting on seing where I live here are some pictures:

This is the living room. There are some "western" chairs but they were outside in the sun at the time...

This is the "kitchen". Please note that most Thais dont have a fridge, it was one of the volunteers that bought it. Also please note the purple hammock, I am there everyday...

And this is my room. Big mosquito net and net in the window and yet I still get bitten...

Ok, ok so I still have to take pictures of the bathroom but with five women in the house and the frogs it's hard to find it free. This house is for the school volunteers, there is another one for the orphanage volunteers. The male volunteers stay in a third place, sort of like little huts.

By the way, five women living together is not a good idea.

Books in a bucket

In the back of the house, the part that I prefer not to go in because of its dark corners, dark spiders and other creepy crawlers, I found a red bucket with some books. The books were all stuffed inside, yellow with dust, crumpled from the heat but otherwise there ready to be read. The find included Emile Zola's Shame and Nick Hornby's High Fidelity. The day before I complained I had nothing to read.

Tropical toilets

No matter how I live in Asia I will never enjoy going to the toilet. I am getting used to it but I don't like it.

First it's just a hole in the ground, that's it. The whole squatting thing is not as nice and pratical as it seems. For one it makes sure I can never get drunk here as I need all the balance I can have. Second, there is no flushing system, there is a bucket. Enough said.

Sure at least I have plumbing but I also have the upside of living in a tropical country with the hottest months approaching. Not only are there mosquitoes in the bathroom (it means I take a shower while watching my back to see if I don't get bitten), there are geckos (lizzards that make a strange geckooooo sound) - I know they are harmless but it's weird to try and take a dump when there are five of them staring at you upside down - some spiders and then from time to time there are frogs. Like last night, it was so hot I couldn't sleep and kept drinking water. I had to rush to the bathroom only to see the biggest frog of my life on the wall next to the toilet. It looked ready to pounce. How can you work under those conditions?

They tell me it's only going to be worse as the heat sneaks in. I can't wait.

humid notes

Time is relative, I know. However after living (only) 2 weeks in Thailand I am pretty sure time runs differently in Asia than it does in Europe. All the volunteers I've talked too agree, time flies by here. Every morning when I get to work and I see the date I wonder where did the time go. Actually about every two days a volunteer will say outloud, "what do you mean it's friday, yesterday was sunday!"

Before arriving I was warned about stray dogs in Asia, I shoud've been more prepared. There are so many, it's worse than rabbits really. I'm very happy I got rid of my childhood fear of dogs because around my house alone there are around 11 dogs. Thais are not very fond of dogs. Most dogs get beat up, some poisoned, a lucky few are taken care of but all starve. It's impressive to see so many with ribs showing but I was warned that if I feed them the landlord will poison them as he doesnt want them around. Two days ago the lady yelled at me because I was petting one. She wants to bring her truck, catch them and put them out in a field kms away. I told it was not in my karma to help kill dogs. Even in a Budist country, where karma is more than understood, I received an icy look as a response. sigh.

Some of you complained I havent posted as often, it's true. But it's so hot and sooooo humid that going anywhere near a computer means enjoying a sauna effect, sweating buckets in front of strangers. As much as I enjoy the internet, I do have a limited set of clothes. What I miss the most is listening to music all the time, after 15m my laptop is so hot that I worry it might burst. It is slowly abandoning me. First the wireless died, now the battery no longer charges.

Saturday there is a volunteer day in another village, the ngo is building villages for locals and for refugees that are always arriving. The idea is to help plaster the final house, barbecue, jump in the river and hang out. We've been invited to stay over but I'll see the conditions before I decide, call me a sissy all you like.

Regarding my classes, there was no need to panic because of my public apology. I'm not getting killed by some skimpy teenagers. I have so far put 4 kids outside my class. One for the rest of the hour, three until they came to their senses. However I have also played with the first graders in the playground. I stopped talking or rather trying to talk to a Thai teacher with little English and went to chase the girls out of the playground house. The teachers in the office came to the window to see what all the screaming was about. I also taught two 5 year old twins how to really put out their tongues to their teacher (who was passing), it was one of my great moments.

Public apology

I would like to apologize dearly to all my former teachers. I had no idea.

Volunteer game

As volunteers we are told even before we leave to lower our expectations. Even as tourists you should do the same. Actually if you want the same, stay at home.

Surprisingly enough I do pretty well in that game. I imagined Sangkla to be super poor and miserable, with mind boggling boredom and half naked children with their ribs showing. Of course i'm thrilled it's nothing ot the sort.

Despite that the volunteers here (from my ngo, Baan Unrak and others) have developted a sort of sadistic game. We compare our lack of confort and conditions.

- I have 5 dogs barking all the time, day and night.
- Oh yeah? I live with eleven dogs.

- I have a huge lizzard in my room, I named him Steve.
- I had fleas. I killed them for a week.

- You have net on your windows, what a luxury.
- You have internet in your room.

- You're free most afternoons.
- I have to deal with teenagers.

Those are just some examples, I think you get the point.

Now I am preparing my classes for tomorrow, I hope to go to the lake today. Yes, I know it's cold in Europe...

Happy f****** Valentine's day!

For me it's Friday the 13th. It's Jason is coming. It's slasher. It's bad luck. It's severed heads.

For my co-workers and students it's the day before Valentine's day. Firt thing in the morning I got a little heart shapped box that said "I'm falling in love with you". The office manager gave it to all the teachers. Then I got candy, chewing gum and yes, yes, yes! a heart sticker to put in my shirt. I really need to learn how to say "I'd rather shoot myself in the head and pick up the pieces" in Thai.

In my next class we're going to draw cards and hearts. I want a knife.

On other notes, life is settling and I'm ok (I get that question a lot). Because the director is away I had to teach computer class to grade one and two. It was the most boring time I've had here so far.

This afternoon me and another volunteer are taking Parvati to swim. She has cerebral paralsy and needs the exercise. However she speaks Burmese, Thai and English realy well. She also very social. However once in the water she shrieks of pure joy, it's quite nice to see but the first time she almost gave me a heart attack.

This evening we are going to see a show at the market, the children from another NGO organized something and by the way everyone is talking about it, it seems the whole of town will be there. I'm sure so will the mosquitoes. I've been biten by mosquitoes (and they used to ignore me in the west) and I also had to get rid of a blanket the school director gave me as it was infested with fleas. She has 15 dogsm I should've said no thank you.

The town has several volunteers and it's nice to chat in English after a tiring, full of gestures and drawings conversation with a Thai or Burmese.

Remember how I mentioned Thais considered the head sacred? Well, apparently the Burmese think differently and since most of my students are Burmese I've been hit in the head, touched, rubbed and God knows what. I'm going to be so confused when I leave this place.

One thing that is universal is hugs. First thing in the morning my first graders fight to see who hugs me first. And we're not talking about a quickie either, it's a long 5 minute or more hug. It's a great ego lifter I can tell you that...

First day at the school and other notes

Since my former boss was an asshole I was a bit worried about sharing a class with the school's director. But she just took part of the class upstairs and I stayed with the rugrats. My 9.30 class is around six, seven and eight years old and it's their first year of English. They are adorable and easy to teach. Well, so far, let's see how teh year goes. My 10.30 class is from nine until eleven years old and the English leve varies, two or three have no clue of what I am saying. Like at all. The 12.45 class is a handfull, they're range from eleven until fourteen and some well, have issues. One boy lost his legs in a mine, another doesnt speak to people but hits... It seems all I did was five letters of the alphabet and end fights. I also dodged a pencil. I love my reflexes. No the pencil was not for me, it was another fight... However it was only the first day so we will see.

The school is quite big but a lot of things are different. The kids bow (they do a wai) and greet you. Usually that means first thing in the morning you have a screaming chorus when you walk in. They also sing before lunch. I was a total pig and just goobled things up before I even realized they were waiting to sing. I think the whole singing thing is big here, if you ask them to draw a quarter of tehm will hum or sing out loud. Less cute when you have twenty doing twenty different songs.

Considering that I am surrounded by Burmese I am getting confused, I no longer know who is from where and the cultural rules are a bit different so most of the times it means I get something wrong and they laugh.

Another first today was a snake. I saw my first outdoor snake. It was in our backyard while I was in the hammoc. I didn't move while my Brit housemate kept saying how cool it was. Not cool for me I can assure you. Those are not dangerous but still... I think they are also more out now that it is warm, don't know.

The house is pretty big and there is some confort, I'm no in the middle of the jungle as some suggested. The whole Asian toilet hing still needs to warm up to me. The other volunteers have lived together for a few months so I am sort of trying to find my space.

People are still nice and friendly, some in the market already knew my name and that I was a teacher. I had forgotten how it is to live in small towns. One guy gave me a ride in his scooter just as my water ran out and I was going uphill. He refused money. I could hug him. (I didn', don't worry).

I think tonight is the las day of the Budha festival, I hope so because there is a lot of noise and with the crickets, birds, dogs walking outside my window I have enough things to keep me awake.

Sankghlaburi

Create a Free Slideshow

I'm not complaining but it is getting really hot and humid. Each passing day has a few more notches up the humidity level. I can't wait for the hotest months of the year: March and April.

Enjoy the slideshow, I'm off to shop before the store closes.

Settling in in Thailand: strange fruit

Thanks to my laptop's sissiness I havent been able to post a lot of pictures, I hope that from now on all will be ok. I'm sort of settled. My room has a carpenter in it but hopefully by today it is all done. In the house there is a Mexican, an English, an American and a Thai woman. Today or tomorrow there is another American coming, at the end of the month the only male volunteer of the group will arrive as well.

Here are some pictures of Bangkok's biggest temple, the Golden Temple:

The temples usually consist of several buildings, including a house of prayer, a cantine, quarters for the monks, and of course, lot of Budha statues. So walking around actually is tiring. The monks are not supposed to talk to women or even touch them so if you want to hand in something you give it to someone else or you put it down where they can pick it up. So don't ask for directions to monks nor sit next to them in a bus if you're a woman.

So far I have tried a few fruits I didn't know. There is one that looks like a brown grape but then the peel is hard like a nut. The inside is white and sort of remind me of licorice, ie I hated it. But I've found two that I'm in love with:

This called a rose apple, because it looks like a rose.

And it tastes like an apple. Actually it tastes like one of those apples that dont have much taste but are very very juicy, it's great to kill your thirst.

This one here is my personal favorite so far, it's called something like a mangoose.

You break it open and eat the white stuff. It's absolutely delicious. I've eaten more than a kilo already.Sorry guys but eat your heart out. I went swimming yesterday and that lake behind me is actually my backyard. I just need to go down some steps to jump in the water. Hard life...

Getting to the school or how to sty awake for 20 hours

Nothing is simple, wise people say. Well, transportation in a foreign country when all the information is a language and alphabet you don't know is everything but simple.

In a perfect world I would wake up at 4am and catch the bus at 6am and be at the school at 13pm. But my world is not perfect.

I woke up at 4am, took a taxi at 5am and already things started to go wrong. The guy didn't turn the meeter on, didn't speak or pretended not to speak English and took me into some dodgy looking street that was completely deserted. Not a good way to start the day. Then he overcharged me but there was nothing I could do.

I had a piece of paper with the name of the town, nothing could go wrong. Except that there are two towns with the same name. I took the wrong bus at 6am and got there at 8am. I walked around and tried to ask where was the school but nobody knew it. That made no sense. Also I was told the bus took 7h, not 2h. After waking up two friends I had the full address, with zip-code and everything. I was in the wrong part of the country. I had to go back to Bangkok.

Two hours later I bought the ticket to the right district. It matched the bus counter and platform I was given by the school. Three hours later the bus stops and it's the end of the line. Great... A lady with no English tried to help m and didn't leave my side until the right person was taking me to a mini-bus that went to my town. I was tired, hungry and confused. I woke up another person in Europe and got the school's number. It was busy. The mobile belonged to a man that didn't speak English. Jesus... In the mini-van office I met someone that works for the school and he helped me out and explained that I didn't take the direct bus so now I had to travel in the mini-van for 4h. My suitcase had to pay a ticket too.

I'm from a curvy island but that was the worse trip ever. I even banged my head on the ceiling... Not taking that bus again, I can assure you. After several motionsickness pills I arrived in Sangkhlaburi. Yay! The director was waiting for me and took me in her motorbike. It was the first time that I rode without a helmet.

I met the other teachers and volunteers, then went to the market to get some fruit and tried some that I had never seen before (again in a usb-less computer, pictures to come soon). To end the evening I talked to my housemates. I went to bed after being up for 20 hours and slept like a log. As soon as I find an usb entry I'll post pictures.

This week celebrates the week when Buddha was dying and had not yet sellected a substitute sort of speak. So some Thai boys enter monkhood for the week alone. Their families pay fortunes (that they dont have) for that privillege. The temple next to our house is preparing the party. There will be noise for the next week I was told and considering that I woke up with the drums calling the monks to medidate, I believe my first week will be agitated.

Bangkok: your questions

I've noticed that some of you are more curious than others. Don't be shy, by all means... Keep sending those emails. So with some pictures (I finally found a pc with a usb!) here are some answers.

I am still in Bangkok but the school is in Sankglaburi, outside Bangkok. I am going to the school tomorrow. I agreed with the school to stay here a couple of days to recover and well, sleep. I'm very curious to see life outside the capital. Bangkok is a huge city, it makes Lisbon seem small. It's a mix of a town, you have tons of modern buildings, office towers and a shopping center here and there and then in between several Buddhist temples and local appartment buildings, those are usually only 2/3 stories high. There is also a river and traffic is so bad that the boat is faster. Traffic is immense but not chaotic, it's just rush hour all the time. The only shopping center I visited is the MBK center and it's huge, seven floors and tons of corridors. It took me 30m to find a toilet (2BTH) and then another 15m to find the exit. Speaking of that, you know how you usually have an entrance and an exit door in shopping centers? well, they take it very seriously here. You're not allowed to leave through the entrance door and vice versa. Let's just say there is a security man that no longer likes me in the MBK center.
This is the king. I cant spell his name properly yet so never mind. Usually his image is inside or outside offical buildings or there is just a banner saying something like 'Long live his magesty'. Thais are very tolerant and usually ignore farangs(foreigners)'s stupid behaviour however regarding the king, Buddhist temples and things like that are usually not forgiven.

So be respectful is the rule. You wouldnt believe the clothes I saw some farangs use in temples, two even tried to sit on Budha... Some of you were very surprised with the feet issue, Thailand is not the only country by all means. Most of Asia and Middle East have the same cultural/social rule. Since Thailand is 95% Buddhist the country sort of had Buddhist rules in their society. For example the bow, the feet, the head being sacred, respect for all live and well, mostly non violence. There is an Islamic minority in the South and that isnt going very well but every country has its torn... The bow is very tricky, somehow they know their social place just by looking at the person and so the hands are higher or lower. I have no fucking clue so I only do it if someone does it first and I try to do it lower than them. Bangkok is very safe. Or at least feels like it. I walk alone all the time and so far I've been ignored, which is what you want when you're discovering a city. I only see other tourists when around the shopping area or business area. Of course the Golden Temple is full of them but more on that tomorrow.
Only the traffic gives me a sensation of a work life or busy feeling. Otherwise, everyone is so calm and nice that I feel very relaxed, even though it's a big city. of course I'm so jet lagged that I get tired sooner than usual.

Here are two examples of spirit houses. These are big ones as they belong to a shopping center and an office tower. I dont know yet but it seems anyone can honor the spirits. You see people lighting incense, some pray as well, others leave flowers or food. Most bow when passing it. Local tiny ones will be shown on the blog soon, sizewise they are like big bird houses.
This was on the bathroom door. I think they mean "use of sanitary hose', the little tube Asia uses to clean up. Basically, this means there was once a person that decided to play with it and got people wet. I like that idea.
I cut the people on purpose, it was the third time I went to the same car and he was already looking funny at me. I did say I could live off corn, right? I think the guy now knows. I havent been to a restaurant yet, I just browse these street carts, some streets have dozens of them. You can just pick up some fried fish on a stick in one, fresh fruit in another, then grilled chicken or pork on a stick, boiled corn or veggetables... The bigger carts include plastic benches and you can just sit and enjoy your meal. The food is absolutely delicious.

Tomorrow morning I am taking the bus to my school. It will take me all day so maybe I will only post Friday. To my Portuguese readers, the new travel chronicle should arrive Saturday.

Bangkok: first impressions

I know most of you are still sleeping or have just gotten to work by the time this is published, that is one of the issues I am facing now that I live here. It's weird that my body thinks it's time to go to bed while my clock says it's time to go and eat. It's also annoying that when I have time and energy to chat my friends are asleep. I suppose we'll find a time that suits us all.

Last night there was a strange bird/insect outside my window making noise. Actually it sounded like a bloody party. Apart from that I slept ok.

I went outside after breakfast and just walked around. I was a bit reluctant at first, mostly because I am so tired and sleepy but also because I was worried Bangkok was going to be like Delhi. I couldn't have been more wrong. (yay)

The internet connection is very slow in general, the trick apparently is to go to a videogame store and ask the local geek for the internet.

Bangkok is a huge city but it is nice, the traffic is immense but they respect traffic lights, pedestrians and just normal sanity. You just have to be pacient as it takes hours to get anywhere.

The streets are clean, the men don't stare and I just walked around mostly ignored by locals. It was perfect. Of course it's about 30 degrees and the city's huge. The food stalls around the street and corners look absolutely delicious and clean. I remember that in Delhi most things looked greasy or very fried. A few minutes ago I bought some sweet corn for 20BHT and I was a happy bunny. I could just live off corn. I think it's a sign I'm going to be ok in this country, I can buy corn and fruit at any time of the day. Nham!

So far this is what I picked up from the local culture:

• The king is sacred, no jokes, insults or making fun is allowed. Punishable by law. While that seems simple, it implies as well that you can't step on a coin or bill as it means you are stepping on the king's face.
  
• The head is sacred, feet are dirty. So you can't touch someone's head, you can sit with your feet pointing at someone or at a Budha statue. Just sit with your feet to the side if you are on the floor. Sitting on a chair is easy. However it means no feet up on the table or bag.
  
• You are not supposed to greet people with your left hand or eat with it. Left hand is well, the toilet one. Even washed it's the dirty hand sort of speak. This is a rule in Asia, Middle East, parts of Africa...
• Thais believe in spirits and the spirit world. It is customary to build a spirit house whenever a new building or house is built, this will honor the spirits that lived in the area before. Usually it has the best spot of the place and the richness of it varies, it depends on the building. Like a shopping center is expected to build a good one etc
  

Arrival in Thailand: a summary (a long one)

Of course me being me I had to have already a story to tell.

It started when I decided to chew some gum in order to protect my ears a bit during take off and half the pack flew away in a beautiful rain. The guy next to me had a good laugh. A few hours later he decided to have a coke and it exploded on the two of us.

As mentioned in a previous post in Abu Dhabi I had to zip up my coat, and the passport control guy looked at my picture for so long I started getting selfconscious. The security checks after Brussels and London are a riot, 3h to look at your picture but you can go in with bottles of water, no need to take the computer out and the one guy that didnt have a backpack had to take off his shoes. All this is done while the guards are laughing at each other and going out to get coffee... coming back... going again. A riot.

I arrived in Bangkok at 7.20 am in the morning. After leaving Brussels at 10 am the day before. Then we went to passport control. It was my turn at 9 am. Basically I queued for 1.40 minutes. So much fun. My suitcase was in a corner somewhere, no longer on the belt but it was in one piece. Then I exchanged some money. I spent 30m looking for the information point. Oh yes, my suitcase has 20k and my backpack 7 thanks to my old and trustful laptop. At the information point I tried to figure out where to go next, I could tell straight away I was the first of the day without a hotel booked. I decided I was too tired to go to the old town, where the tourist attractions are. So I am in between the tourist area and the bus station. Then in 3 days time I am ready to take a bus to Sanglaburi.

Around 10am I got in the bus. It took some 40m to get to the center and then another 1.30 just to move in the traffic. The Bangkok traffic lives to its reputation. My first impressions are biased becaused I was tired, sleepy and hungry. There is no way I would drive in this town and I understand why they sell face masks.

There is something strange about the bus that I will have to investigate. Basically next to the driver there is a lady not doing anything. I cant quite tell what her function is. She doesnt leave her seat, she talks and laughs with the driver, sleeps a bit, if you ask for directions she points to the driver and that's it. Maybe she knows kung fu and is secretly protecting the bus...

Ok, so after 2h and something in a bus, I was starving, I had a headache and no hotel. I saw that the rough guide recomended a guest house in the area and tried my luck. That's when I found out that in Thailand you can have several copies of the same street. For example, there is soi kesamsan street 1, 2 and 3... It's great when you firt arrive. While dragging my suitcase I asked where the street was, they checked I wanted the first street, not the second then proceeded to explain (gestures, no English) that it was on the other side of the street. Which was fine except there was no zebra crossings but one of those pedestrian bridges. So there I was, fresh in Bangkok, with 34 degrees, carrying a 20k suitcase up some stairs. It got to the point school girls were giggling away at my huffing and puffing. On the last 3 steps a guy took pity on me and helped. I could barely mutter 'thank you'.

The bridge gives access to a shopping center, a fancy one. It took me 20m to figure out the exit. Yep, very fancy. Then I asked again for directions, refused a taxi and found myself in front of the street. Except it was on the other side of two very busy traffic lanes. For those that have been to India, crossing the street here is the same level of adventure. For those that havent been just imagine me making a run for it with a suitcase, going up some steps and running again.

Checking-in was easy. My room is on the 4th floor, no lift. I was SO dead when I got to my room I decided to ignore the jet-lag rule, took a shower and went to sleep. And here I am, in my head it's lunch time, here it's 8 in the evening. I havent seen anything yet. Well, I see some mosquitos around me but that doesnt count. And that's it. I am now living in Asia...

Live from Abu Dhabi

All I can say is that along with the free internet, the Abu Dhabi transfer lounge comes with locals that stare. As such I have a jacket on and zipped up despite the 25 degrees. My flight is delayed, so much fun.

The Etihad airplane was pretty cool. The chairs come with films, tv shows, cds and games. Basically spent my time in the menus looking through all the choices....

On my way...

I leave in a few hours for Abu dhabi. Then in the evening I take a flight to Bangkok. I cant promise any news before Tuesday so please behave in my absence.

Those of you that read Portuguese are welcome to follow my chronicles at the site "tempo de viajar"(time to travel).