Well
last night couldn't have been much better... Super vibe both at the
restaurant and at the club... many friends, much kindness and good
feeling, I definitely belong here (in the winter). And I'm packed and
ready, traveling super light, I'm gonna try and not check any bags, as I
just have a 3/4 size backpack and a guitar... It would be so cool to
just walk on. Last night a 15 year old Chinese
girl came up to tell me that she played guitar. Of course I invited
her to play a song. 'Oh no, too shy' But then 5 minutes later, up she
comes at the urging of her older sister and she sang and played
something nice. (I think it was in english... a little hard to tell,
but of course everyone paid attention, and many recording devices were
engaged). (and Chinese tips were forthcoming, if one cares about that
stuff... (one does:-) Mostly it was nice to have that cross cultural
connection and appreciation. I spread a bunch of money around to the
folks who work at the guest house, some solid tips for their kindness
over the two months and a bunch of tips and kindness came back to me... I
guess that's what they call the 'flow'. It's flowing big time and I
continue to be one of the luckiest characters that you may know... Off
to Cambodia this morning, a night in Phnom Penh, then a bus to
Sihanoukville where I have some good friends and good musical
opportunities... Thank you Chiang Mai, you are a dream!
Packed up this morning, had a final cappuccino (on the house since it was my farewell coffee) and was given a gift by Linda who is the sister of La, the cafe owner. It was an herbal spray that she made from some kind of plant, to be used for muscle ache. (she took a course and shared the result with me). Grabbed a tuktuk to the airport, everything went smoothly into BKK and then into Phnom Penh. Had to 'gate check' the guitar, but it came through unscathed, so we're still on a roll.
Made
it to Phnom Penh... the $7 tuktuk ride from the airport into town was
totally worth it from an adventure standpoint... Basically every
intersection is a game of chicken and the folks who can make it across
the busy streets are to be commended... (I don't think they know the
word 'Huevon' here, but that's what it takes to get through some of the
busy spots) (it's 'balls' in Spanish) The driver
took me to the place where he'd make his little commission, but it was
kinda creepy, the guy working there quoted a high price, quickly came
down when I refused, then said he'd throw in a free condom (wink wink)
Uh no, dude. I directed the driver to the place I had stayed last
year, couldn't remember the name, but wonder of wonders I honed in on it
without a wrong turn. (is it the savvy traveler, or merely the
creature of habit?)... whatever, here I am at the Okay Guesthouse, the
price is right, got a bus ticket to Sihanoukville in the morning and it
feels like nap time. Good timing in that I'll get there two days before
Chinese New Year when the place goes nuts for 3 days and rooms are hard
to come by. But my man Simon has arranged for me to have a room by the
beach... and it all looks promising... (We're not in Chiang Mai
anymore, Toto)
So now I'm very tired, not enough sleep last night, but I'm only a 5 or so hour bus ride to Sihanoukville, and we'll just see how it feels there this time around. I loved it last time, but you never know...Gonna lay down at 7pm and try to sleep a bunch... I have zero desire to go out and about in Phnom Penh... maybe if I come ack through... I'd rather hang out with a book and fall asleep..So I will....zzzz
