Getting accustomed

I am enjoying Nam Som and its laid back way of life. It is a small town - supposedly a city - but still sells plenty of western shampoos and so on. Still my hair remains wavy in the extreme and i'm crying for my hair straightners at night - but the frizz is so far kept at bay!

I love the dorm with its hammocks, kitchen, airy attic bedroom and balcony - it is known as Ban Falang - the westerners house!

Being the only Falangs in town does not mean we are isolated. Next week I will start teaching for an hour twice a week in the hospital and I have met the two nurses ( Pi Mon and Dai a girl and boy) who want to learn english and there will be others sometimes too. They came to Alexis's leaving do last week for food and have been really kind and helpful.

"Pi" bfore the name means "older" and is given as a sign of respect though not always among friends.

This region,the Isaan region of northeastern Thailand, is renowned for fried chicken, sticky rice and the spicy papaya salad. We generally go to the market in the evenings to buy unnamed and unknowable dishes - mostly delicious - though last night's fish bones and very spicy salad were not the best choices!


Yesterday, Saturday, some of the volunteers from Nong Khai came to a nearby historical park. There are cave paintings and odd rock formations from people who lived here 3,000 years ago. It was a bit of a trek in the heat and (unusual) sunshine but worth seeing.

There were Buddha images carved into the rocks, shrines to Buddha and all these ancient temples. It's hard to imagine that this is an out-of-the-way sight. In Britain this would be our main attraction. It's Stonehenge x6 i think!