THE BEST THINGS ABOUT THAILAND PART 2

As promised here is the second part of the list of our best things about Thailand so far.

1. Seeing the biggest waterfall Donna has ever seen, standing at the bottom feeling the spray cool you down and seeing the rainbows in the water.

2. Reading Louise Warner's autobiography 'Just For One Day' on Donna's Kindle when she wasn't using it.

3. It is the little things. Going for a shopping trip to buy some trousers and shoes is so much fun and an adventure.

4. Wanting a night out in Chiang Mai, walking through the streets which were all dead and then turning a corner and finding the biggest street party/halloween party ever.

5. Sweating a lot at the biggest street party/halloween party ever until they turned on the biggest water sprays and soaked everyone.

6. McDonalds. For the first time, after 3 days of authentic Thai food on the motorbike tour. 10 chicken McNuggetts, large chips and coke. So wrong but so so right.

7. Staying in a guesthouse with a kitchen with a cooker and a toaster. After a month away, do you know how good it feels to make your own toast.

8. Green Tea Kit Kats. Kit Kats that taste like tea. Very wrong. Confounded by the fact that they are green. Yes, green, tea tasting Kit Kats. Why would you ever think that was a good idea? And how did you make the chocolate green?

9. Having your own garden. Staying in a hostel where the room we were in not only had its own balcony but it actually had its whole own garden. So many different chairs and places to chill out.

10. My Fisherman's pants. I bought them for 60 baht from Chiang Mai market especially for our massage course. They are rubbish in so many ways that it is a challenge for even me to pull off but, the fact that I do, means they makes the list.

11. Ice. Staying in a hostel which has a free ice container. No one in England right now will appreciate how cool it is to have ice whenever you want it to cool your drink down.

12. Praying mantises having sex. I saw some when I went for a hike in the hills around Chiang Mai. I thought that the female praying mantis eats the male praying mantis when they have finished having sex. Unfortunately, we didn't stick around to find out but seeing any animal having sex would make my list.

13. Hiking through paddy fields. Because they are all drowning in water, you have to walk along the thin walkways trying not to fall into the water. It is quite cool but you probably had to be there.

14. A Samson Set. For the equivalent of 4 pounds, any bar will give you a half bottle of whiskey, a large bucket of ice and a couple of bottles of mixer. This is more than enough to get anyone drunk and is a fun ritual to make.

15. My cooking (also Donna's cooking). See previous post on how good our food was. I have not been able to eat a curry since because I know it will not be as good as my own.

16. Chinese donut. The donuts are quite bland but they give you sweet milk to dip them in.

17. Weeing in swimming pools. I know this made the list before but it is so good I had to add it again. The human body if left to its own devices would wee at least 20 times a day. We tend to wee less because of the constraints put on us by modern society. It is good to be in a position to regress to our natural state.

18. Long Island Ice Teas. Discovering that they taste rubbish in Thailand because they insist on putting lemon/lime juice in them. Once you have discovered you should ask for them without lime/lemon juice, they are just as good as anywhere else.

19. Being drunker than everyone else in Pai but doing it in style, considerately, funnily and just a whole damn cooler than anyone else.

20. Travelling with Donna when you are feeling grumpy and/or cynical. She is very good about it.

21. Waking up in the morning and showering being an optional part of getting ready.

22. Retiring clothes. The happy/sad moment when you have been wearing the same t-shirt for 3 days on the trot and deciding it is finally time to stop wearing it because either: Someone makes a positive comment like 'I like your t-shirt' which means everyone will now notice if you wear it tomorrow, Staying in a hostel with someone you don't like. (this is based on the idea that they won't recognise you if you change your clothes) OR It has finally started to smell

23. Being comfortable enough to ask your husband to leave the small bamboo hut you are staying in because you have a bad stomach and wants some privacy when you use the toilet.

24. Being comfortable enough to not ask your wife to leave the small bamboo hut you are staying in when you have a bad stomach and need to use the toilet.

25. Sitting in an empty bar drinking a beer with your wife when neither of you have said anything for at least 1.5 hours while you write this blog and your wife does some research because you are both so comfortable.