Lay-lo

@Ko Phangan

So days here are more or less the same. Not that it gets any boring. In fact, it is such a relief to know that things in heaven will always be as beautiful and peaceful.

The sun set and rise varies only a few minutes throughout the year. There is almost no difference between summer and winter. Watermelons, bananas and pineapples are available year round too. Oh! and coconuts! Lots of coconuts :)

We bought a hammock for 200 Baht. I hanged it in an "experimental" way. But it looks just fine and I've been using it since yesterday. Rob doesn't seem ready to use it yet; which results in me occupying it almost all of the time.

Here is a thing about hammocks. In my vision of heaven there are certainly a few. Their random and common existence here is one of the things I love most about Thailand. Thais are very creative when it comes to hanging hammocks around. I have seen them on balconies, in parks, at shops and markets. They are basically everywhere! Yesterday I saw a hammock hanged on the back of the taxi-pickup-tuk tuk-like thing. I thought the idea was brilliant.

Thai people are gifted when it comes to making things. They are very good at fishing, cooking, painting, tattoo and so on. They are simple, peaceful and self-sufficient. Almost all Thais in the South have their business in their houses. I get the feeling of walking into someones house as I step into a bookstore or a pharmacy. They have an amazing way of merging their daily life with what they do for a living. Even a Shakes and Sandwiches stand would feel like if your Thai buddy's Mom was cooking you breakfast at her kitchen at home.

There is a huge number of Thai people cooking all sorts of food on stands in the streets all over the country. Thai people barely cook at home. Not having a kitchen in an apartment is not unusual....

Sunset, the same day...

At sunset the wind stops and everything stands still. The absolute peaceful stillness blended in all tones of pink and purple on the sky feels like a magical farewell ceremony of nature to yet another day.

The Natural order of things and the harmony of their coexistence make me float with everything else around. I capture the joy of the moment of floating a lay-lo, facing the sky, watching the moon swallowed by the day light. The water so still, the skies bright blue. Every now and then a tiny wave washes my face, I can hear the singing of birds and the engine of a passing-by long-tail boat in the distance. Everything seems too good to be true. Yet, it is all real.

At night a million star twinkle in the dark blue sky. I can hardly spot any of the constellations I know. I can see a storm somewhere in the distance but I can't hear it. The palm tree the sea and the sky appear for a split second at a flash of lightning before everything is swallowed back by absolute darkness.

I'm watching the army of ants getting ready for our daily fight. Little bastards!