Blues and Cloudbursts

So tomorrow marks the first day of what, at the moment, will be my final year at my current place of employment. I have to put in the "at the moment" because if I've learned anything this year...actually if I've learned anything in my life in general, it's that life is completely unpredictable. To say now that I know where I'll be mentally 10 months from now would be a silly thing to do but for the time being, my mind is made up.  As I've said before, it will be with a heavy heart that I leave Bangkok but things at work are no longer holding me here and the allure of the deep blue Balinese ocean and all its lovely inhabitants is just too tempting. Bangkok (and its 4 million international schools) will always be here and I can always come back. Last night I was reminded of how cool Bangkok is as me and some friends stumbled into "Adhere 13th Blues Bar" a small hole in the wall that we had heard about but had never been able to find. After getting lost, getting cranky and then getting down to the business of finding it come hell or high water, we managed to finally stumble upon it and my-oh-my what a lovely find. It's about the width of a hallway and the length of a bedroom but they somehow manage to cram in an entire blues band, tables, a bar and enough people to make fire code inspectors back home wake up in a cold sweat. The music was great, the people were cool and the whiskey wasn't too expensive (but always of the "high" quality you would expect of sangsom).

After we left Adhere we ended up somewhere down the street at "Post Bar" but I remember very little of what transpired there but I must have enjoyed myself because I woke up this morning with a hangover that could draw blood and fuzzy recollections of meeting some teachers from St. Andrews. What I do remember about last night was feeling sad about leaving already. I just have to remember that there will be a million new adventures waiting for me on the isle of mola mola and mystery.

As you may have noticed from the accompanying picture, I have managed to buy a new camera to replace the one the bit the Balinese dust mid-trip. I'm still experimenting with it but I'm ready to snap up Bangkok and share it with the world (once I figure out how to use it).

Here is another shot I took while "practicing". It's rainy season here at the moment and this magnificent storms roll in about 5pm every night. Being on the 14th floor I get to see it slowly move across the city scape as it sculks and rumbles towards my balcony. Hard to capture on film but here's my best attempt.

Alright, the clock has chimed 10:30pm and this global vagabonding educator needs to get her beauty sleep in preparation for the first big day back. Wish me luck and let's hope the new group of year 7s (that's grade 6s!!) that I'm getting don't eat me alive or make me pull my hair out.

Cheers from the approaching storm

J