Meth: a Ticking Timebomb Gone Viral

One Small Step For Me, But One Giant Leap For Myself

My bike still sits in my carport awaiting me to gain the courage to take it out for its first run. It's not the bike I fear, it's the way the people drive here that scares the hell out of me.

Today my realtor (one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen) arrived to sign the lease. She then kindly offered to take me to an area where I could get supplies. It wasn't very far away from my house when she dropped me off, and I set out on foot to explore the local surroundings. I walked to a 'roundabout' and stood by the side of the road watching as the traffic negotiated the chaos that is driving in Thailand.

I saw a Farang approaching from my right and said hello, hoping he could speak English. He turned out to be an Aussie. He thought I was having trouble crossing the road. I commented I was just observing and trying to learn how to survive once I started riding my own bike.

He then crossed the road and went into a small restaurant. I saw an opportunity I couldn't resist so I followed him into the establishment and asked if I could join him. I picked his brain as far as Hua Hin being a good place to live, how long he has been in Thailand etc. We sat eating the most delicious food and talking for well over an hour.

He then pointed me in the direction of the local fresh food markets. There were stalls selling all sorts of stuff that I needed. At one stall the guy was selling washing detergent and fabric softener. I bought a kilo of powder and a litre of softener for 69 baht...that's AU$3.00. I paid with a 100 baht note and told him to keep the change. The smile was worth so much more than the $1.30 tip. At another stall, they had underwear for 35 baht a pair. I offered to buy five pairs and gave him 200 baht...keep the change and again, that smile and bow. These gestures cost me, in real terms, nothing. Yet they made me the happiest man in Hua Hin.

I bought a watermelon and grapes, then headed to the 7-Eleven on the way home to get shampoo, yogurt, some milk and cereal for breakfast. I was pretty loaded up and the guy at the 7-Eleven counter asked if I wanted a lift home. He bundled me and my bags into a motorcycle with a sidecar and asked where I lived. I showed him the way, but I took a wrong turn and got lost. He was so patient and when we finally found my place, I offered to pay him, but he didn't want my money. I insisted he take 50 baht and he graciously accepted with a smile, a thank you and a bow.

I went for a swim in the pool today. I put on my goggles and swam about ten laps. Rested and then did about eight. Rested and did five and then did push-ups by lifting myself out of the water, holding for ten seconds before releasing myself back into the water. I did this about twenty times. Not bad for my first day of training. Tomorrow, I will do the same, if not more.

In Patong, I was using Valium to help me sleep and negate the effects of psychosis. Before I left Patong, I threw the remaining pills in the bin because I didn't want to carry them through airport customs and I don't need them anymore. I've decided no more alcohol (I had a few pina coladas in Patong and a couple of beers). No drugs of any kind are to enter my body from here on end.

A good day indeed.