Friends. Family. Integrity. These are the enemies you must crush...

(Picture 1 - From my last day in Chiang Mai, the first time around. So sad.)

...if you wish to succeed in the world of business.

Alas, I am no business man.

It has been some time since I have updated this, and the blog only catalogues my exploits up until Chiang Saen, a small eternity ago now. In my defense, I have been busy trying to find a job and the thought of writing in the blog usually darkened my mood, if only because it reminded me how far I was from Meaw...

...at least, it did.

(Picture 2 - She just pushed a guy off a bicycle. Note the look of singular glee)

As some of you may know, I am now back in Thailand with my darling Thidarat, two months early, jobless once more - after all of three days working, knee deep in liquid effluent - and considerably poorer. Whats more, it will cost me a small fortune to return home before the middle of January for reasons not quite clear to me. A fortune I cannot afford, if I wish to return here proper, at the end of April for Meaw's birthday. Frankly, it would be better for both of us if I could return in a week or so, so that I might start work again, after my foolish and desperate flight for Chiang Mai about ten days ago.

Not because we are sick of one another, of course, but rather because we both have big plans for our future together. Plans which, unfortunately, involve money. It is high season here in Thailand, and the tourists are out in force, and thus Meaw, when she is working, is bringing in a comfortable amount of money by Thai standards. I, however, am not and my bank account is slowly bleeding to death, I cannot truly treat her and I am in a persistent state of stress and worry over said financial woes.

Having said that, I am very glad to be back. Ecstatic, even. It is fair to say that this year's birthday was up there with my sixth, which involved a McDonald's party - children truly have no sense of style, fo sho - and an aloi moon cake, complete with blue icing and silver foil rocket ship. I'll tell you all about it in subsequent blogs because the fact of the matter is, I have plenty of time to kill here in Chiang Mai, now, since Meaw must work in that wretched massage shop everday (actually, she has Sundays off and her boss is giving her a salary on top of what she makes from each massage, because she opens and cleans and serves up coffee; frankly, Meaw should be boss of the place but that's another story) and I must not impede her from doing her job, with my moping, loitering and occassional bouts of drunken jealousy. Fortunately, I can no longer afford the latter. If I had followed the original plan, and I had worked through until the middle of January, then I could have taken care of her, and money would not be a pressing matter, and we could have spent a month off in Cambodia, Sisaket (her home) or just Big Ch M. Alas, I am a fool in love and came early, out of desperation, temporary insanity and loneliness, when I had barely scraped together enough to pay for the high season - read, expensive - ticket out here.

In fact, I don't think I did make enough to pay for it. Irregardless, my life savings will have flat lined by the time I leave on January 14th (I'll explain why I can't come back sooner, later). A fact my parents will undoubtedly remind me of at every opportunity, bless their hearts. Rightly so, of course.

(Picture 3 - Queen She-Bitch, Luck. That's right darling, just squeeze a little tighter...)

So, in summary, I am back in Thailand, almost broke and off my meds. I have a constant sense of looming panic at the back of my mind, extensive friction burns in places best left unspoken, a limp and probably a few parasitic infections picked up in the rustic surroundings of my darling's enchanting albeit rustic home village.

I am smiling again, though; something I had scarcely done at all in the month of November, despite the best efforts of my dear mum and dad to keep me focussed and fixed on the happier future.

(Picture 4 - It.. it's alive! )

If only the local newspaper needed an unqualified columnist. Oh, if only!

Toodle pip, to all those still awaiting updates on the ongoing excesses in the Orient.

- Jamie

P.S Lots of pictures to come.


(Picture 5 & 6 - Lesbian Asian Slumber-party IV - One night in Chiang Mai)