The short of it

I started a four day Thai massage class on Monday. It was a bit difficult yet quite fun, and it was also something I wouldn't typically think to do. I like to break out of my mold occasionally and do the unexpected. Plus, when I return home, I can barter massages for food, because I'm going to be broker than broke.

I went to a Muay Thai match with a few people from my trekking group. The first match was between two children (yes, children--they couldn't have been older than six). It made me uncomfortable, and I started squirming in my chair. Witnessing that in the U.S. would have tipped me into moral outrage, but here I just go with the flow (albeit uncomfortably). The big matches with the "heavy" fighters (120 lbs.) were a little intense. I'm glad I've seen some Muay Thai, but I probably won't be hanging out at any more matches.

The following day, Tuesday, I slept all day long. Not much to report there.

On Wednesday I went to the night market and bought a bookmark. I have a paltry bookmark collection, and most of them are rather clunky. In the evening, I finished The Beach and started on Vanity Fair.

Tonight I think I'm going to the night market again, for lack of something to do. I'm ready to exit Chiang Mai. Great city, and I like the whole 'hippy' culture, but I'm tired of the tourist scene. (Very ironic, considering I'm going to Khao San road in Bangkok, otherwise known as the most touristy place in the universe. However, I'll just be there for a few days while I process my visa for Vietnam.)

I'm going around to a few more hilltribes tomorrow, so I can't stay out too late.