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9.
Bangkok
8th
June 2004
Phew,
Welcome (back) to Bangkok! I have been working hard as
always, ha ha ha. Just
completed a three week trip with the hugest group ever
- three people. Yep just three.
I
was very very lucky that they were normal cruisy people.
It could have been very bad otherwise. But they were content
if I could show them to a bar in the evenings and a cake
and coffeeshop in the mornings. We got along well enough
together that we are meeting up in Bangkok too, a cool
little blues club just down the street.
I
have the joy of two weeks off, yes as I say working hard,
then starting to lead trips through Cambodia. I am looking
forward to challenge of that. I have to do heaps of reading
beforehand though so it is good I have a lot of time off.
I have three Mexicans, an Italian, a Brazillian, UK, USA
and Aussies on my next trip very multicultural. Could
be great could be horrific!
 My
new bosses were doing a tour of duty through Vietnam whilst
I was leading. There has been a change of the boss in
Melbourne office for the Indochina region so she was meeting
all the operators and leaders. They were in the same hotel
I was in for the trip in Hoi An so it meant I couldn't
play up too much and was on my best behaviour. Although
my old boss was very impressed when he found out I carried
around a Playstation in my backpack.
Very
sad life I know, but Vietnamese TV can drive you insane.
When they dub over a Chinese show, instead of using several
people for the different characters they just have one
voice, one voice for every man woman and child on the
TV program. I never have any clue as to who is speaking
to who!
The
weather in Vietnam is improving up north. Second time
in six months I have seen blue sky in Halong Bay. Great
way to finish the trip with three people, we had a huge
boat (sleeps up to 20!) them, me a local guide and a crew
of five, blue skies, seafood banquet, deck chairs on top,
swimming, Yes really roughing it! Well the trip does but
the last couple of days we try and end on a high, so people
can forget all the bad times. It was good boat crew I
got them to teach me how to play Chinese chess, exercises
the mind, a little tricky as all the pieces have Chinese
characters on them and they are different for red and
black team. Odd.
 Back
to doing some physical exercise as well at the Muay Thai
gym here in Bangkok. Although I nearly busted my nose
last night, stupid German tourist showing off and playing
way to hard, but the Thai guys got him back (ha ha ha).
At least the blood from my nose washed out a lot of Bangkok's
pollution. Reading the paper in the mornings they always
have the air quality index, most days it sits on a charming
orange colour - the unhealthy zone. Fresh air in Cambodia
soon.
Marlo
About
the Author
Marlo Perry is a Group Leader for Intrepid
Travel in South East Asia.
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