Asia by Hammock

Today is Song Kraan, the traditional celebration of Thai New Year. The Thais celebrate it by engulfing their entire country in a huge waterfight (think Crested Butte 4th of July times a country). Its a great time (unless you are stuck in the back on sangetheauw headed to Kata beach... I was) and an even better excuse to buy a dry bag.

Before that I had three fun days of diving with Sea Dragon in the Similans. A good group of English and French and some all around amazing diving. Turtles, dolphins, goats, moreys, nudibranchs, crabs, lobsters and the rare chineese floating tourist (I've made that joke before). The weather was nice during the day then pissed rain on us at night which was ok since it masked the snoring. Plus its pretty sweet watching a thunderstorm in the middle of the Andaman Sea set against a stunning view of the stars. On the way back this huge 'thing' surfaced a few times next to our boat, bringing with it dreams of a whale shark. We chased it but couldn't find it, so we've decided it was a minky whale rather than deal with the emotions of losing a whale shark.



The night I got back I went out with Da, the ex-barmaid from the Marlin, at the Sea View where she now works. Its a beautiful hotel and we had a good time talking, then the rest of the night is best summed up by the following postcard (which I wrote at about 2am and belies the fact that I am reading an old English travelouge):

I just had one of the most surreal and yet rewarding, karaoke experiences of my life. I walked into a completely empty bar save for the 2 bartenders and the piano man + singer. Instantly I have ordered a beer and they are presenting with something "by our man John Lennon" (they are not exactly British). Then they ask for requests, and since there are no American girls (since there is nobody else at all) I ask for Journey. I expect a confused response but instead get the first fantastic chords to faithfully. Unfortunately the piano man does not know all the words, and lets face it, neither do I. So he dashes off a quick Sweet Home Alabama with yours truly providing the "bamma, bamma, bamma" in the middle of the (empty bar) [sic]. By and by it becomes their last song and lo, and behold, they've found the words to Journey. So I get up, belt out an amazing rendition of Faithfully to no one but the bar maids, pay my tab, steal a pen and now I am writing this card. Faaaaaiiiiiiiithfullllllllly.

Ok, off to enjoy the last of this exchange rate and to figure out the order and type of massages for tomorrow!