...and of all the answers I'm sure you were contemplating, sadly the answer is "in a Thai hairdresser". As the temperature rises to the mid thirties, I was getting hotter and hotter so thought a haircut might help. I had spied a place where I had not seen the staff searching each others' hair for nits (an unusual occurrence...) so thought I would take the chance. I thought my Thainglish and sign language had worked until I felt the razor going at the back... Not sure what the back looks like now, but the razor work stopped. Perhaps she had thought I had asked for a finished job of an inch all over rather than an inch off all round.... Now if I could just identify what that itching is...
I am now back to Thailand and in Khao Lak, a long stretch of pretty coastline which is still relatively undeveloped. A few reasons, it's surrounded by National Park - both on land and sea, it's also a fairly narrow coastal plain backed by steep hills so not a huge amount of room to build. It was also very badly hit by the tsunami and has had to be virtually rebuilt - unlike some Thai resorts that were built in the 80's, planners, even Thai ones, have learned a little more since then. I understand that local planning laws state that no buildings can be higher than a coconut palm - now the palms are quite tall around here but it does limit buildings to about three storeys.
I am staying at Khao Lak Beach - and in the mysterious ways of Thailand it isn't actually central Khao Lak but south of the headland and the original area that tourism here started. I thought I could take a quick walk over said headland to get to "civilisation" in Khao Lak but after one try I decided my life was worth more than a bigger choice of restaurants. The road between the beach and the hills is a main highway but there are no pavements this side of the headland. Thai driving is atrocious and lorries, buses and cars speed past and whizz around the hairpin bends like they're on the M1, so I decided to give it a miss. The beach here is lovely, a long sweeping bay but with a few erosion problems. Not sure why, I don't think it's anything to do with the buildings as there aren't that many and the trees whose roots are gradually being exposed look like they've been here many years.
I am staying at the Khao Lak Diamond, one of four hotels here and a little "village" of support services have grown around them - restaurants, bars, shops, tour operators and tailors. Walking out of an evening is a bit like trying to get through Harrod's or Selfridge's fragrance halls as you re stopped every few metres by a tailor... All you need is here apart from some investment in the hotel. Could be quite nice if only they got their act together and used a bit of bleach in the bathroom... Also it's really irritating, there are not enough sunbeds therefore the Germans are up at the crack of dawn putting their towels out so if you want one you have to play the same game. But am moving on soon so no problem.
Not much action here until today, March 1st. At 8 am. the National Anthem played out loud and clear. A good thing I discover as they play this through the tsunami warning towers twice a month to test them - this morning they were obviously working well. And as I went on my walk I noticed lots of activity just up from the beach with loads of loud firecrackers. I followed the crowd up into the forest to a clearing where some sort of festival was happening at a temple which was hidden away. From the firecrackers and the people it was a Thai Chinese festival. The people were really nice offering me a bit of tree trunk to sit on to watch the proceedings. Lots of young people all dressed in white and continual firecrackers going off. That, as well as food was what people were bringing and obviously the bigger and louder the firecracker the better. They were being hung from every tree and thrown around the ground with abandon. Given this is a forest in the dry season, all a bit of a worry... And as I left a nice old guy offered me a lift in his three wheeled trike, I declined but was touched at how kind and welcoming the people were. The hotel are no use at all when I try to find out what it's all about, all they can say is if they are dressed in white they are Chinese not Thai Buddhists. A good way to find out I thought was to pay a visit to Peter's Bar which was right where the action is, and of course even though it is only lunchtime it was rude not to order a cube. Now it might be called Peter's Bar and English is not widely spoken but as far as my Thainglish allows the conversation tells me that it's all about the local village celebrating their ancestors - that makes sense with the young people in white, a funereal colour. There was also a bamboo structure on the beach which I thought did have a funereal look - this apparently will be pushed out to sea this afternoon.
The bar guy said about three o clock but given time here I'm not sure. Also there is a sign indicating this festival is going on for two days so it might be tomorrow - sitting here for hours drinking Sang Som and Coke waiting for it all to happen may not be such a sensible move... But no, suddenly the band (sounding very Balinese, like a Gamelan orchestra) start up and gradually as they get faster and faster, the bamboo structure is hoisted aloft and paraded across the beach down to the sea and loaded onto a long tail boat and motors off into the distance. One guy in white seems so overcome he throws himself into the sea to chase after the boat and has to be dragged out by two other white clad devotees. But it's a good job these people are so nice and welcoming. Luckily this is a quiet beach but given their ancestor ceremony is hijacked by Westerners in brief (well, there are a lot of German's) swimmies toting cameras, they are very gracious.
I return the next day to see what was happening but all had changed - God forbid you needed help in the Khao Lak area today as all of the emergency services including ambulances and rescue boats had gathered for some sort of ceremony with lots of speeches and a few firecrackers. It's all happening here...
Well, actually it's not - apart from the weekend's excitement, it's been a quiet time. Still trying to do my day's walking and it's nice to say hello to the elephants each day.
An evening visit to Bang Niang market (the area I am moving to next) in the hotel shuttle bus feeling just like a German Saga outing but apart from that my biggest issue was European or Thai for dinner...
And getting to know another doggie friend, Hannah. Sweet little thing but still can't beat my fave, (my fave in Thailand that is), Darling from Samui!
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Location:อ.ตะกั่วป่า,Thailand
