How is it…. (7)

It is now 22 years ago that I met the Thai T. We lived together for 10 years and with her I have a 20-year-old son who has been living with me for 9 years now. With a clear conscience I can say that with her nothing is (still) what it seems. Read the story of Lung Ruud.

The was as far, Thailand here I like. Ik zat so in the plane en perhaps was the the same one as a by which T two day earlier to Chiang May was flown. Dat heb ik her never wanted Incidentally.... Dat shall did not, want because ofe "de hast" can ik HAD, was ik with a reputable society out Singapore flown. Beautiful stewardesses, good eten en... phone. A tick blasé waist ik so from the plane to my ouders om te to tell that ik op away was.... De (af)account came later en that heb ik known.

Na de transfer op de oude airport of Bangkok, ging the direction Chiang May around ik al asked in de dinner arrived. De travel was without notable problems expired. Ik HAD even even what can not be purchased sleep. By de customs and de Thai -say maar– Marechaussee, I walked the little one into the arrivals hall and there T was beaming with a smile from ear to ear. Why, I know it isn't, but from the moment I saw her there I no longer decided to take her by her nickname T, but address it as B, which is, after all, her "real" naam wash. I think I do -unconsciously- wanted to leave the associations with the salon behind me in this way. 

Well, how nice that you're here, I've already made a whole program of what I want to show you, so B. On to the hotel, through the somewhat chaotic and thick clouds of smoke vwork. There B had booked two rooms -nice anyway- near the Warorot market. Fary touristy, that was right. When the taxi stopped in front of the hotel I immediately had my reservations. An old, flaking, ragged tent, in front of it a little man who “directed traffic”, blew his whistle angrily and waved his arms. No one cared anything about “Pietpriet”. Sometimes a car would stop and he would get some money and salute him. The car in question then drove to a place that “Pietpriet” had not designated. 

The clerk, missing some teeth, gave the keys and wanted my passport. That seemed to me well not a good plan and for those occasions I had made copies and one of that I gave him. Busy stuff from which I understood that a copy was not possible. Anyway, I said in Dutch and there he stayedt with 100 Bath. The room was possibly even more shabby than the outside of the hotel and when I dove onto the bed I sank into a huge hole. I walked to B's room, knocked on the door and said firmly "we won't stay here", no way and explained to her why and what. Yes but, so B, it's not expensive and we're just sleeping here. That may be, but this is a bit too much for me. 

B didn't know where to look, loose face, I understood later and I was chai ron, that also became clear to me later. Okay, so, B didn't know another hotel so quickly, but I had the travel guide and that one knew. Have a taxi come, after calling nog one night had to pay for two rooms, because - with a lot of back and forth translation work - those rooms were booked and the hotel had to let's see if they would still be occupied that night. I myself thought not. 

On the way to the totally unhinged traffic, it was now 16.00 p.m. Thai time - to the Amari hotel. That was better and I could go there myself in English, as it turned out at the desk. The desk clerk looked at B from bottom to top and back again, while she still looked very decent. Not too short, too exposed or offensive. The man at the counter began to tell a story against B or turned slightly red. I hadn't seen that before. I asked her if there one problem was, well, uh, nope. It seemed different and not only I had to get my passport handing over -that didn't seem like such a problem to me-, but so did B. Strange, but no, T assured her, that's normal, after all she was also a guest and she blamed the red head on the heat, it was also hot. 

We got the keys and the bellboy took the suitcase. B had her things in a bag. This rooms were a lot better and I asked B if it was a problem for me to take a power nap was going to do. No problem, then B would have the opportunity to arrange some things for her work. We agreed that we would have something to eat around 8 o'clock. We ate in it that night hotel, because to be honest I was still recovering a bit from the trip and the first impressions of the country. Then a few things didn't quite work out as they should. I became served with all due respect, but B's plate was - just not - thrown down in front of her. I asked B what did this mean and said replied, Thai people are often not very nice to others Thai, that happens more often here". Ik found the rude maar decided me in te to hold. Na even a pair drinks, to bed, tomorrow weer asked day en op step. 

Op time at the having breakfast again will de rice, de omelette en de stir-fry vegetables -ik hield the bij a continental breakfast- about this B slammed down. Er walked make also someone round in de service with what stripes op de sleeve -new ja hij deed nothing maar watched- around ik, about this B could react, op got off. Ik told Home what Wed yesterday en was happen in are reputable hotels and that ik not amused was over this approximation. De Mon nam in action, called out de head waiter can a scold received en said "everything is tasks which of, sir". Jeeze, is that okay zo here, de busted out waiter gaf ik later a type. 

The day left B me de Temple op de berg Two Suthep see, around I bad of onder de impression hit. In de loop of dinner back with a song tew, de rode minibus that je real everywhere zag. We took a private rit to the hotels. Get changed, swimming trunks, respectively swimsuit on en splash maar. However op the terrace expectant ik weer keurig served, maar B viel a very what less courteous treatment th part. Well it was me zat. Bathrobe caught, to de tubs, manager te to speak wanted and him the to happen explained. This Mon responded -for medium real cryptic then- "Sir, do we Know the counters"? well, how had to ik that new know, what language can Mon awkward English say. But good me HAD m'n punt made en de manager promised get well soon en can came er also. 

The evening Aten we op de food market at de night market all sorts of delicious -that je with coupons could Pay-, new ja ik and..... About de market strolled en then even a a drink at the swimming pool with _ meanwhile- very common operation. It occurred to me that there were more in the hotel Farang, but mostly older, sat with a young Thai at their side. These ladies were rather "provocatively" dressed and avoided each other very emphatically, strangely. The men searched and then drank a beer or more. 

I had told B that I would like to rent a car myself because then we would see more of the area could see. The next day we came across a car rental company that had the Suzuki with four wheel drive rented. Not too expensive and - mindful of the preparations - I took pictures of the car with just a device made for that purpose..… They thought that was strange with the landlord and that's what the lady said. Yes you can, but as a precaution and I made sure that all scratches, dents and dents were good. Take the car with you, get used to driving on the other side and there we went on to Borsang. 

Despite the “full tank”, because that is how we had received the car, the car started to stall halfway stuttering and sputtering. Fortunately close to a gas pump and I did some kind of technical and said "must be a petrol problem" and damn it took 45 liters. 

Had a nice day, on the way back B had to go to a man for insurance or something vague and we had to go to the shopping mall. There B wanted to buy another bathing suit, because the one she had now was a bit small. Another pair of trousers, two blouses and long trousers and looking at me expectantly at how I thought it looked and at the checkout too. Okay. 

That evening at the Mae Ping we ate at a restaurant -which I believe every Farang knows- and wonderful again… Too bad about the Thai singer who is in unintelligible but false English was wailing. Nothing to drink, but pulled over by a cop who told me I wasn't indicated direction. That is, he spoke through the open window past me to B. When I heard what was playing I asked В and now? B said give him two dollars and then it's done. No sooner said than done and it was done. After another drink, also for that day. 

The days of rain together with trips to Doi Inthanon, Fang, the zoo, Lamphun, caves, hot springs and more worth seeing. In beautiful wooden temple, Wat Pan Tao, I bought from a nice lady 4 more pen drawings of a village on a mountain slope. They would be fine do on the wall at home. af every now and then B had to go away for an hour or so and then I strolled around towards city. It started to run nicely towards the end of my holiday and had quite a bit by now seen beautiful, ugly, friendly, poor, rich, special and ordinary and enjoyed it. The most Thai people were friendly, helpful and I thought so at first sight pretty relaxed. I did like it. 

Ik said B that ik very was curious to the village around ze from came. Well said B, that is a very end rijden over a poor away. How much kilometers is the and asked ik. Wide 50, maar the is long rijden en "warm make "No. AC in parents house, and lot of fly's there". Ze HAD er real not zin in pale . Okay, maar er "kndawned" toch iets. 

The evening ging we to the rock cafe, ik HAD de auto late stand for en we were with de rode bus gone on the road. Nimble a pair beers op en declining to the hotels asked ik B, "B, what is er at de care, ik heb the feeling dat er iets plays what important is". No, No., No., why you think so, nothing special With me". B, ik know the did not, maar the is iets what ik feel. Well was ik never zo van the floaty, so understood yourself also did not good true this belch actually from came. B zweeg, ik shut up also further. 

Later pale that ze can night "her knots HAD counted" en my rely back had to see te to win en zo that er real nothing to it de care could are... De next morning said B that we to her village would to go. Oh, nice, make rejoice ik me op en you, her "Jawel" sounded what food. Later heb ik B more often about this the feet thrown that ze me then de had truth can not be purchased en moeten say. Then was ik de day Erna left, with as a memory a beautiful, maar also confusing time en holiday en was the with that af en ready been. maar B shut up en would that -for the time being- also even to persevere.

To be continued