Short and Sweaty — Krabi Province, Thailand

Phra Nang Beach

My first term as an elementary professor finally came to an end and we had two weeks to kill before I had to head back to school for summer camp, so we threw some clean underwear in a grocery bag and ran down to Krabi Province on the western coast of southern Thailand, situated on the Andaman Sea. Koh Kwang, our little guesthouse, was located on the quiet Klong Mueang beach on the outskirts of the province and about half an hour from Ao Nang where all of the tourists flock for their imitation goods and charter boats.

Mandatory Vacation — Vientiane, Laos

The Mekong River

Any expat who’s lived or worked in Thailand will tell you that dealing with visas is a pain in the arse—especially if you don’t have a long-stay, work visa. Keeping your papers current is expensive and tedious, especially if you’re not near the border. Fortunately, my work permit went through and I was able to get a ‘multiple re-entry visa’ that is good for a year. Unfortunately, Reaksmey won’t have a job until May, so we have to deal with keeping her visa current. It’s all a moneymaking racquet in my opinion, and just goes to show that even if you’re living in the most laid-back country in the world you still can’t avoid red tape.

Koh Chang tree house tryst

Seaside innuendo 

As our wonderful homecoming was nearing its end we consulted the map and considered our options. We had no intention of crossing back into Thailand by way of Poi Pet/Aran and we had some more time to kill, so we decided to head southwest from Phnom Penh to cross the border at Koh Kong, head to a small town near the gulf named Trat and catch the ferry over to Koh Chang Island for a few nights. Though we were wary from our previous experience, crossing the border into Thailand at Koh Kong was far less harrying than Poi Pet—even though there were times we thought we might not make it.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia — October 22, 2012

Tonight Reaksmey and I were very warmly received by her extended family of whom she has not seen in over 15 years. All of the tension we built up during our 11-hour journey from Bangkok, passed through the bowels of Poi Pet, and smeared across the country highways of Cambodia was immediately released as we hugged and laughed with her aunt, uncle, and cousins in the hot evening rain. We had long since bid adieu to Monkey Jim and his companion, and we were struggling to get the cabby to take us to where needed to be. We were stopped on the side of the road trying to buy time while we squinted into the dark through the beaded lines of light that the rain was tracing on the windows. He was itching to kick us out of the car, and no sooner than he was opening the trunk did we see our family pulling up.

Dining at a prince’s feast before dragging the river of lust

We had of pleasure of being invited to one of my student’s birthday party (an offer we couldn’t refuse) and we went along with some of the other teachers. The entire school was invited but that’s neither here nor there, thank you. The child’s name is Bright, and he is the six-year-old heir of the 3^rd largest rice exporter in Thailand. Royal Rich’s Rice Co. or something along those lines... Needless to say, this kid has his own house right next door to his folks’ mansion and a personal servant that he calls “The Boy,” who is more of a slave than a nanny. Naturally, The Boy was not allowed to come out of Bright’s house to join the party and his dinner was literally passed to him through a window of the house.

On traffic and taxis

The city of Bangkok operates at a pace altogether unlike any city I’ve ever been to. A year in Philadelphia was but sugarcoated languor compared to the speed and honest grit that inhabits this bustling metropolis.

In our little district of Nongkhaem (approx. 25km west of downtown Bangkok), the term “sidewalk” has a loose meaning (if any at all) and if you’re not watching your back, front, and sides at all times you are likely to be toppled over by the perpetual stampede of every manner of motorcycle and motorized cart weaving through the pedestrian minority. And yet, the locals maintain such a well-tempered balance and respect for proximity that the fact that they push its limits would never cross their mind. It is this balance that struck me in my first week here.

Monkey Jim and the kid with the coin

Getting from Bangkok to Phnom Penh, Cambodia was pretty interesting and, at times, a tad hairy. One (or two in our case) has the choice of taking a bus, which is guaranteed to be cheap and always late, or a chartering a taxi which is much faster and air conditioned. Not to mention that being long-boned and crammed into a bus is not much fun. So we decided to take a taxi to the border and were told the best place to find a one that will go to the border is at the bus terminal. So we went.

There were a few drivers leering about the parking lot and one of them got our attention.