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It’s just over a year ago that I hung up my backpack and even though this trip was really just a holiday to a country I’d been three times previous there is something strangely liberating slinging it on my back and going to Sydney airport.
I arrived in Bangkoks new ‘Suvarnahumbi’ Airport which had only been functioning for the previous 6 days in a Capital which itself had just witnessed a military coup two weeks ago. As expected Thailand was functioning normally although the airport was still undergoing some quite significant cosmetic adjustments. I was actually surprised to find the new airport open as Thaksin Shinawatra (PM) had previously staked much of political reputation on the airport being ready after the first opening date elapsed that it should surely it would have added weight to the coup had the airport not been open in time. Thai pride however does not stem their democratic system but their King and whatever western nations may think about the removal of a democratically elected PM his landside elections were only a reflection of available options and not his popularity or very questionable business/political integrity.

Thai Tales

Stucros
2006-11-13 10:59:29

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It’s just over a year ago that I hung up my backpack and even though this trip was really just a holiday to a country I’d been three times previous there is something strangely liberating slinging it on my back and going to Sydney airport.
I arrived in Bangkoks new ‘Suvarnahumbi’ Airport which had only been functioning for the previous 6 days in a Capital which itself had just witnessed a military coup two weeks ago. As expected Thailand was functioning normally although the airport was still undergoing some quite significant cosmetic adjustments. I was actually surprised to find the new airport open as Thaksin Shinawatra (PM) had previously staked much of political reputation on the airport being ready after the first opening date elapsed that it should surely it would have added weight to the coup had the airport not been open in time. Thai pride however does not stem their democratic system but their King and whatever western nations may think about the removal of a democratically elected PM his landside elections were only a reflection of available options and not his popularity or very questionable business/political integrity.

Flying in late at night I had decided to spend the night in the airport and get the first flight to Samui rather than getting swallowed by Bangkok. Then from Samui the journey was a simple taxi to the port, boat to Koh Pha Ngan, taxi to Had Rinn and finally long tail to the Sanctuary. The purpose of this break was more to meet friends ‘not in Sydney’ than have any new experiences.

First off Kalamity Keys who I’d left a year ago in Laos only to find that a year later he’s made it no further Thailand. Months spent in Burma monasteries and teaching English to Burmese political prisoners have perhaps taken his traveling to a different dimension. In fact since we departed it seems that both of us have become fully fledged ‘Yogis’ his in a meditation sense and mine from yoga. With loads ...