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Getting Around

THAILAND | Tuesday, 16 November 2010 | Views [461]

I seem to be constantly on the move each day since I arrived at the beginning of November. Phuket Island is larger then I recall and a simple trip which appears only a few centimeters on the map is actually 20 kms and takes half an hour on the bike.
Speaking of the bike I am racking up a lot of miles just getting food, dropping and collecting laundry (lots of smelly traing gear) and sight-seeing. I still dont like the local drivers and I find I have to concentrate quite hard on what is happening around me. It is commone to round a corner and find someone coming towards you in YOUR lane or just trying to avoid the guy in the van that just stopped on the left from opening his door and collecting me and of course  the bikes, cars and dogs that  come flying out of some small laneways (soi).
Having lived in Asia for a few years now the lack of road rules isnt new to me, but the Thai's take it to a new level (they still sit second to the Vietnamese when it comes to crazy drivers). One favourite road rule I have noticed is using the middle line ie the bit of road dividing opposite travelling lanes). This is some sort of 3rd lane which I like to call the Katoey (look it up, that was hillarious when I told some mates from training the other day). I believe direction, speed and traffic lights are to be considered suggestions at best and only applicable to cars as most bike riders ignore them completely. 
I was going to try and tie in the road story above with my thoughts on the future (get it?) but I have very few thoughts right now. Even after my detox in which I attended meditation sessions, I think I was the only person that didnt truly reflect and instead kinda snoozed. Perhaps I am already enlightened enough. 
The Detox was a great kick start although I did constantly find it funny that when they spoke of the bad western diet, aside from fast food the next common example meal was going to a steak house and having a big tbone, potatoes, gravy and red wine which is kinda the meal I had 3 times in the lead up to going there. Once with my folks, then with Ross, Ally and Kingy and finally with my friends from Hong Kong (ok that was a lamb shank). We had another guy that is going to be training at my camp do the detox and after one session where the steak dinner was discussed a few times I spoke to him as when headed back to camp. We were both trying to be sensible about the detox but eventually he asked "is it just me or do you get hungry each time they mention the steak dinner". I agreed. 
So the detox is over and the training has started and I am loving it. Sure I walk like a 90yr old and today for example I am in pain if I look left (an hour of clinch work will do that to your neck).  I'll talk more about training next time.

Tags: muay thai

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