#FromRichesToRags

I stepped onto the rickety bus that only cost 40baht so I didn’t have much room to complain that it was a death trap and that I had to stand the entire way clutching my bag so it didn’t slide out the back.

At my hostel, I was led to my room. I was the only guest in the place so I had the tiny four bed room to myself. I opened the curtains to what looked like a dump and when I text a picture to my friend Eric his literal response was, “Why are you at the dump?” Sigh! At least I had aircon and a fan! That evening, I headed down the street to find the night market. It was the best one I had been to yet (and I’ve seen a few now!) the street was buzzing with people playing music, doing silk paintings and selling handmade trinkets.

Food...food...food, I searched! Bingo! I decided to have a hotdog on a stick and my god it tasted so good! I followed it with some fried chicken and then went on a hunt for some sort of vegetable. None to be found unless paired with sea food #yuck! So I left it. Rain began to fall so I headed for cover. Unfortunately, I chose the one

spot closest to the terrible child singer, I mean, fair play he’s brave to sing in front of all those strangers but maybe he should save it for school concerts and his mum and dad on Christmas.

Ears bleeding, and after only buying food and a magnet (very restrained), I headed back to my lonely hostel room. The bed was scratchy and hard so I used my nifty sleeping bag that Sean and Katy gave me and snuggled down. I slept and slept and slept!

My body jolted awake in a panic as I tried to comprehend where I was and that it was okay to have slept for so long. What to do today..? The hostel owner suggested I go into town to look at the buildings. It was vibrant with colour in the daylight, lots of murals on the walls and brightly painted European houses in rows along the streets. I went on the hunt for more food when it began to rain..no not rain, absolutely chuck it down! I’ll just wait it out. Three hours later I was sitting in a cafe having had lunch still waiting for the rain to pass. One woman even walked past me and remarked that I was “still here!”

“Yup!” I responded gesturing to the relentless downpour. Luckily, due to being burnt to a crisp the rain was cool and healing on my skin. I knew I needed to leave. I waited for the rain to change from heavy to moderate and practically ran back to my hostel- the wind whipping my umbrella so it turned inside out, my feet soaked, my hair frizzed to an oblivion. I was looking goood!