Had an early start - I actually got out of bed before Simon and Joy! Ok it was a Saturday, but still. Konkrete drove me to the Northen Bus Terminal - I had only been to the Eastern one. The north version is a lot more chaotic, I think Thai people would struggle just as much as I did. I asked the main desk where Lamplaimat tickets were sold and went over to counter 107. She said no, didnt even try to sell me a wrong ticket! So back to the main desk where the chick pulled out a massive map of Thailand. I said lamplaimat again and she pointed to Buriram! Finally getting closer. I pointed to nearby lamplaimat and she must've figured something out as she rushed me over to a different counter where I bought a ticket and was ushered to a line. I had no idea what time the bus was going to leave, if it had left already or if it was for sunday! The advice I had gotten from the school was catch a bus to lamplaimat at 7-8:30. But luck was with me again as I sat down on what I hoped was the right bus. As noone was yelling at me I figured something must be right.
The bus trip wasnt too much fun - 8 hours long! But we did have a couple of stops where I could stretch my legs and pee, even a lunch break next to a market. I wasn't too keen to stray too far from the bus as I definitely wasn't in the mood to be left behind.
Thankfully all the roadsigns are in English as well as Thai, so I could tell when we were getting closer to Buriram/Lamplaimat. All of a sudden there was a sign pointing left to Lamplaimat but the driver was keeping straight. I had made out that I was a dumb foreigner and said Lam Plai Mat several times, but when I said it this time the bus pulled over and dumped me there on the side of the highway. Deja vu! I wearily eyed the 1km sign to Lamplaimat - it was bloody hot! I had my big backpack, day pack and laptop to lug. I figured this was just the bus stop (a bamboo seat) and so called Yim (the head english teacher) to pick me up. I had to repeat mine and Williams name a few times before she started talking English, but even then I couldn't hear much. She asked me where I was; where was I??? I said a few nearby landmarks but she said I'll meet you at 7/11. Oh great, there aren't many of those in Thailand. I picked up my bags, the effort covering myself in sweat and trekked towards Lamplaimat, hoping like hell the 7/11 wasn't around the other corner. After 1/2 hour of gruesome walking I spotted it, and a ute pulled over near me. Thank bloody christ! But no teacher Yim - it was teacher Saeng and Toi - Yim was with a sick relative. We went straight from the town to Cabbages and Condoms restaurant - its next to the school about 8km from town. Stupid place to have it as noone will come out so far! We had lunch and I learnt my first words of Thai - "mai ow prik" - no get chilli! T. Saeng was going to singapore in a few hours so I was ditched at my new home in the school - the guest rooms, next to Wichian's room. Air conditioning!
I had barely unpacked when Wichian (the principal) shouted out "beer oclock" - at least william taught something here! But we went to lamplaimat first. Its not as small as I thought - it has a supermarket, big market, cheap market, food market and on tuesday nights a fun fair market! But nothing else... Wichian asked me what sports I played, but to him running isn't a sport. Pool? A little. So off we went to a dirty little snooker hall to play snooker. ok...
Back to the Cabbages and condoms restaurant for beers before dinner. We were soon joined by Toi, and later yim. Was a good night, but I noticed on the menu that there is snake head, ox and frogs! I asked Wichian, but snake head is just a type of fish. But if I wanted, I can eat snake somewhere else. Umm no thanks, maybe later. Wichian also tried to offer me Papaya salad, but I was smart enough to say "mai ow prik"! The stuff is potent with chilli, and they told me about when william ate a chilli and got very sick. Wichian was laughing a lot as he talked about the tears and runny nose willaim had. So another lesson today, don't trust wichian!
Yim and Toi went back to the school, but Wichian said he needed to find an atm so we drove into town. The atm was broken, so Wichian went to a 7/11 and came out with 2 more beers! He handed them to me and told me to open one for him, the other for me. So on my first day at school, Wichian, the principal (a rather respected one) was driving me down the highway with no seatbelt on and drinking beer, after a lengthy beer o'clock! Ahh... the thai way of life.
