Never a dull moment, as the saying goes. Exercise is very popular here in Nakhon Sawan and the
park provides ample opportunity to participate.
On a balmy weekday evening I ventured out on a walk of the periphery
with some new friends, the plan being to cover two laps and get some dinner to
satisfy the hunger mustered by our four mile walk. One lap covered and we were feeling
energetic, ready to take on the second until a man approached us with an
unusual request. He was in the park with
his son called Big, a daily ritual for them.
Big particularly likes to play volleyball but has no team to play on and
no friends to create one so his Dad approaches people they meet on their
nightly excursions and asks for a few minutes of their time. Big has learning difficulties, he’s 22
physically but mentally he’s still a child.
His father reckons he also has Autism although told me that this has
never been officially diagnosed. Anyway,
Big likes volleyball and it’s pretty much all he likes to do, but only passing
the ball back and forth really, and only with women. Go on Big, I like this kid’s style! He cherry picks potential team mates from the
park for his father to approach with his rather unusual invite. So, we had an unscheduled stop to our walk
for a quick volleyball practice. I
learned how to hit the ball correctly thanks to my new team mate and Big got to
play with two foreign ladies, how exotic!
With the change of temperature from the UK & Ireland to Thailand, I knew it was only a matter of time until the lurgy took hold, I’d even packed cold remedy from my trusty local Wilko back in Blighty. I wasn’t wrong. Come the weekend, all I was fit for was bed. There was no Bon Bon, temples up massive hills or blueberry ice cream for me this weekend, just back-to-back ‘Greys Anatomy’ which, I must admit, was a treat. I dosed myself up on Wilkos finest and a rather decorative looking cough syrup that I picked up in the Big C pharmacy for 40p. Low priced remedy = quicker recovery = increased productivity, it’s a no brainer really.
I was back on track by Sunday so took myself off on a shopping trip with a friend who wanted to get some motorcycle practice in. We trundled off on her 50cc moped to the riverside market for some dinner ingredients, a group of the girls had planned a meal whereby each guest would bring a dish and they were all going to be western. What a delight! Having eaten rice and noodles daily for almost a month I was craving something closer to my own home cooking. Don’t get me wrong, the food here is great but when rice, noodles and a bucket load of spice is your only option you become weary of the same cuisine day after day. I never thought I would EVER tire of Thai food, but you know what they say, too much of a good thing… So we’re pootling along the streets of Nakhon Sawan on the chicken chaser, feeling like characters in some sort of computer game, the goal being to mow down the farangs. Sounds like fun, huh? Not when you’re in the middle of the road with a gazillion mopeds swerving in and out, not to mention the numerous Toyota Hiluxes cutting you off. The rules of the road are defunct here in Thailand, they have their own unwritten rules which are made up as they go along. I have discovered it’s kind of like a game of ‘chicken’ - whoever is the bravest gets the right of way and that’s that. Forget what you learned at home, that shit don’t fly here. I’m getting better at crossing the road now and have adopted the ‘Evil Knievel’ persona that most motorists possess, my four year old nephew would be appalled at my hypocritical abandonment of the safe cross code. We picked up our western goods and set off home to calm the nerves.
My splurge on a two course meal needed to be worked off, and I am planning for a beach trip, so there’s only one thing for it, that easily accessible exercise I talked about. I joined in on an aerobics class in the park one evening, all kitted out in my new fitness gear and ready for action. My lack of co-ordination put a kibosh on the plan however, the aerobics lesson comprised of an hour of several sequences, kind of like the zumba class I took back in Bristol (http://sineadnua.blogspot.com/2010/10/around-world-in-11-dances.html). The other people in the class were flying around like pros while I hopped from one foot to another flailing my arms about hoping that by pure fluke I would hit the nail on the head. I was sure that I was providing great entertainment to the rest of the class but I am so used to being a spectacle here in NS I was beyond caring. Plus, my beach visit is looming and my bikini has not seen the light of day in a while, nor has my torso. Head down and jump, it’s all exercise right? The next evening I took part in a boxercise class in the local gym. Now we’re talking! I sweat out about as much as I did on my excursion up the temple steps. Bikini body, here I come. We punched and kicked the air along to a loud rock playlist while the (particularly attractive) instructor monitored the room to ensure we were kicking ass with all our might. Attractive man, rock music, kicking ass, happy Sinead Nua.
Week two of summer school is now taking shape and I am researching fun Hallowe’en themed games and crafts for the kids to partake in, I’m not sure who’s having the most fun - them or me. Today’s craft was to be culinary, to tie in with a food vocab review. After a peruse through Pinterest I found a great little creation – Witch Hat Cookies, made from Oreos with a Hershey Kiss on top, held in place by a dollop of peanut butter. There’s no shortage of American treats here although that Hersheys chocolate isn’t chocolate, it’s chocolate’s evil sister dressed up to look like a tasty treat but ready to laugh in your face. Give me a Galaxy any day. The Witch Hat Cookies were a hit and with the help of the sugar hit I think I’ve made a few little friends, happy faces all round. As I type, the teachers are busily planning a mass trick or treat sesh within the school for a Hallowe’en party on Friday, with games galore. Any recommendations from readers? What Hallowe’en games did you play? Feel free to post them!
Images: Sinéad Millea, Samantha Rey
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