January 2001

Jan 05

Today I went to school for a few hours. I ran to and from it. Didn't get tired much. It happened near the house on the way back. I was running across a grassy field and suddenly my foot got caught up in a hole! I The foot got twisted and I instinctively fell on the ground. The foot was not hurting much but it was obvious that it was a proper sprain. I managed to jump over to the house. It was impossible to step. Somehow I didn't cry at all. Although this sprain can ruin the Thailand trip for me. I know this but the thought does not stay in my head. We spent a long time at the doctor's. I rode around in a wheelchair. They covered my foot in ice and then bandaged it up. The pain did not go away.

It is not very comfortable at all to have a bandaged foot but I am not thinking much about it. I have a thought in my head that maybe the holidays so far have been so bad in exchange for the Thai being a lot of fun. I surely hope for it.

Jan 6

I was finally allowed to start packing and to bring my own suitcase too. I got to pack whatever I liked and how I wanted it. But I wasn't enjoying it much, I guess because I have been in an indifferent mood today. I packed all my clothes, jewellery, all other things. I sewed padding in my swimmers and I can wear them freely now. So happy about it. I can walk a little now already and am hoping that the foot heals soon. We're leaving tomorrow and they say everything is cheap there. I'm so excited about buying a lot of things!

Jan 7

We finished packing and cleaning in the morning. It somehow didn't take us long to get to the airport and it wasn't very exciting. Perhaps because everything had been arranged in advance and I had time to fantasise about each step. That's a pity. After all, everything that is new is more interesting. I was very disappointed in the plane. It was full and our seats were in the middle. I could not see outside at all. So unfair! Some boring old men get to sit next to the windows and they just prop their pillows against them and snooze away! I so don't want to grow up to be this boring!

We have arrived. While we were waiting at the customs, I was studying everything around. It was very hot. Kind of empty. It wasn't as colourful and pretty as in Australia. People aren't very friendly. Another airplane had landed and the passengers walked past us. They were Westerners and all the women were so fat! Everything is written in the local hieroglyphs and I cannot understand anything. This all made me a little scared. Everything is too unfamiliar!

Friends of my English teacher's and from the hotel came to pick us up in a car. I stared at everything hungrily as we drove for about 35 min through the city. It was 1130 at night but it was very bright from the lamp posts alongside the road. The roads are massive and there are a lot of cars but we moved fast. There were a lot of people of all ages on the streets. And a lot of stray dogs. It was noisy. I liked that part - the buzzing of a megalopolis. Everything seems different here, like the climate and the culture. First I didn't like it. But then I figured it out - Bangkok is a city for doing something. Australia is good for holidays. So they are both good in their own way. Bangkok seems a bit similar to Nakhodka (my hometown). Like the smell. I guess people may be nocturnal like this here because of the heat. They all probably sleep all day so they don't boil alive. I like it.

Jan 10

Mum and dad are fighting now. Mum is angry with everyone. She is listing everything that's she's not happy with. Now she moved on to me! Argh. She yells so much at me! And dad too. I don't think anyone in the world gets yelled at as much as I do. Imagine mum in my place? But I forget it quickly and am getting used to it. It is still upsetting, of course. We went to see a doctor today for mum. He's been doing acupuncture on her and putting electricity through the needles for the last days. The doctor is an older man, a bit overweight with shaded glasses. He is rather kind. Mum liked him at first but now she's angry with him for giving her too many drugs to take. She is upset about the money they are spending. Mum is so tight with money! To be exact, she is tight for a lot of the time. But sometimes when she is at the shops, she is more loose than most people. I find it strange. Mum keeps moralising and lecturing. "We should have done this, should have known that, that was wrong..." How isn't she tired of this? I cannot understand her. She wasn't raised well. Not at all. She is too self-confident and would not listen to anyone.

Tonight we went on a dinner cruise. It was beautiful but I didn't like the food. On the way back, dad asked the driver to take us to our hotel directly, as mum suggested (we were meant to get pick-up and drop-off from another one nearby). The driver stopped the car in a dark spot and told us to get out and take a taxi. Dad was insisting that he should keep driving. They were almost arguing. I got quite scared! Really. Eventually he took us to the originally planned spot. Mum kept complaining later that she'll write a claim. As we walked to our hotel, we walked through little streets. They were littered with pubs. Like dirty ones, you know. There were so many people there, including foreigners! They are all pervs after all. I learn so many new things here. This is like a cultural study trip.

I really like driving and looking out of the window. There are never-ending restaurants with tables and shops selling food alongside the road. There are always a lot of people. I like that simple life. But I think it is only good when you just watch it. I could not be a part of it now! Con be interesting to try though. Mum says that this is a city of contrasts. That really is true. There are like levels between people. And the difference between the poor and the rich is massive. I've never seen this in my short life yet. It would be interesting to visit different countries. I decided that I want to study hard so I can be very rich and be able to do everything!