All is changed. The hostel didn’t have my
booking so I had to wait over 6 hours for my bed. Not happy. Memories of Jo and
Brian’s success here began floating away like it was all a dream. The
management barely speaks English. All the guests are incredibly rude and
unfriendly Chinese people. The menu of great food is gone. No more Wednesday or
Saturday BBQs, or casual days sitting around talking to travelers. Instead I
find it very simple to sit down and write my assignment. Bonus you might say,
if the Internet connection would work.
Constantly a battle with something, paying
extra for a nice room full of rude people with skill saws going outside the
window nonstop. Every evening terrible music played, by the unfriendly Chinese
groups of young adults that hang around, and blasts through the walls and makes my
head split. I look forward to leaving on Sunday, and erasing my memory of this
stay. Although the Bad Monkey is still here and full of dreadlocked wanderers,
and the markets and trinket filled shops are still jam packed full of very cool
wares from ancient artifacts to embroidery and jewelery, colourful ethnic
clothes and hand-worked leather, horn and bone thingees.
I am happy the weather has held out, and I’m happy one of my assignments
is behind me. There is light shining from the cracks in the clouds, the sounds
of birds and insects are hiding under the droning construction work. I will pass through again for the fire festival next weekend. I will always find perspective in life: the downs augmented by the ups, generally good food and some company changes everything, and not too long now I will be wondering what's next in my path?
