Penang Curry in a Hurry

Weekend 1 I arrove to Phuket with McKinley.
Weekend 2 I arrove to Bangkok at Ali's.
Weekend 3 I went to Khaw Yai National Park with Ali and Puffy.
Ooops, my VISA is up...Weekend 4 (this weekend) I fly to Penang, Malaysia to renew my VISA and to explore a city in 48 hours. I rush back to my new found love, Puffy, and to my Thai language class (of which I am missing 2 and will need a private tutor on Wednesday to catch up).

Bangkok Cara

Learning the Art of Thai Massage

I checked my phone today for any missed messages. I didn't actually expect any since Ali is the one who got me the phone and is the only person that actually knows the number, but I checked because it felt strangely soothing to think of the possibility. I checked my cell phone while waiting on the skytrain platform as I listened to my ipod. When I got on the train I looked around and saw a few people sporting similar white buds from their ears looking down and fumbling through the ipod menu with the same music ADD I used to have in NY. I listen to Krishna Das and smile as I gaze at the large buildings whizzing past me.

I am in Bangkok and I am learning the Thai language (as well as Indian head massage). I take the train to and fro and sit in the class for three hours daily practicing the five (!) tones with my five other Japanese classmates. We have all been in this crazy city for less than two weeks but have no end date so we all chose to learn the language with hopes of sounding like a "local".

I am living with Ali, an Iranian yogi I met at Sivananda in India, and his lovely miniature pincher, Puffin. The three of us make a lovely little family. Everyday we meditate, practice yoga, run, swim and cook. Puffin's energy outlasts us, but she patiently waits when we sit in silence. We fill our week with visits to yummy veg restaurants and dinner dates with Ali's friends. Sometimes we go to the movies, sometimes we watch movies (hello cable television!). I have a really nice life here and the idea of going back to India is a mere dream at this point. The only thing missing from this is teaching yoga...but I am working on that. Also, trips to the mountains, but we have a car and plan to go often.

I don't plan too far out these days but I'll let you know the immediate plan. Ali will go to Iran for a month to teach yoga and I will stay here living his life - his apartment, his car, his dog, his language school, his yoga school, his friends. When he comes back, then we go on holiday. Where? I'll let you know the week before. So not too much of a plan, but hopefully I'll be able to ask for vegetarian noodles in Thai and be able to do full Salabasana by the end of this.