The pile of shoes left outside Pops Guesthouse as travelers vie for unavailable bookings for the local islands. It's the High Season Blues for those that have not booked ahead.
The lazy river in lazy Trat
In case one of the riverside firetraps goes up in flames, we are ready to hose them down.
Trat is mostly a sleepy little town on a sleepy little river. I have a most awesome corner room on a quiet street with a little view towards the river. Nothing much happens here. Around Pops Guesthouse, the local travel hub, there is a scrum of tourists trying to get to one of the local islands. Ko Chang is the big party island. It's booked. Booked solid. The smaller, "quieter" islands like Ko Mak: booked. Down the Southeastern sliver of Thailand between the Gulf and Cambodia there are several small beaches with bungalows. Booked. So the folks that did not book ahead are trying to find somewhere to go. Anywhere. Me, I'm perfectly content to while away the end of the year doing nothing.
Maybe I will rent a bike and go tooling around some of the local mangrove swamps. Maybe its time to rent a scooter and go putting around the countryside inland. Maybe I'll sit on my butt and watch the river go by. Regardless, I have found a quiet little backwater that suits me to a "T". I've seen temples and grand sights and palaces enough. Today I wandered about, had great luck at the local amulet market, and enjoyed some fine market stall food. I watched the local kids training at a Muy Thai boxing ring, outdoors of course. I bought some of the local "Yellow Oil" which is supposed to cure anything it is rubbed on. Its a secret family recipe passed down for generations and a local specialty. Here you can purchase luck and purchase cure-alls, both for a song.
It is time for nothing. I have no agenda, no plan, and no expectations. I have to be in Bangkok on January 5th. I may make an island run after the New Year turns, but if I don't, well, I have been to islands before. In the meantime I am feeling the wonders of laziness creep into ever part of me. Trapped like a Rat, in Trat, with everything that I need. Life is so good.
You wouldn't buy rubies and sapphires, because you weren't sure if they are just colored glass or real. Now you have 'Yellow Oil.' How do you know if it is just yellow colored snake oil? :-) Slow is good, Lazy is good. After all it is all about changing your pace Marco! Be good and be healthy.
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