October

Well first off; im sure you have noticed the new page. Completely Interactive. Totally clickable and rocking! Im feeling so cool now that i know how to use blogger :)

Monsoon season; Annual leave......ok it wasnt much of an evenful month. :)
Made a couple of new friends....some foreign people new to "Sin City"
Im sure you wondering what i eventually ended up doing for annual leave? Well.....i enquired about this retreat thing....and turns out (thanks to monsoon season) it was flooded in and there was no way to access this temple....so they said they would keep me posted. So instead my thai-language teacher AND meditation teacher; Khun Pongchan; mentioned that there is place near to home in Rayong that can take you on for like 3 days. which sounds better than 10 days (lets be honest....me in 10 days of silence.....omg.....3 days yes....10....i dont think im ready....) AND i dont know if i could go 10 days without speaking to Pukka. Yes; I have a Pukka ;) . And hes amazing. Perfect really. Its a bit of a lame story....but its still cool and i love how lame it is....tee hee hee.....lovely..... :)And he happens to be on my mind all the time and he knows it :)

Anywoo......So i spent my leave lazing by the pool; going to gym....with Wends, Steph and Nina. Nina is new.....and she rocks....so we have been doing all these gym classes....mainly because of hot instructor Meaw....omg.....HE IS SO HOT/ADORABLE!!! I'll need to get a picture for you all.....so i now do BodyCombat; which is Muay thai; and then body pump and TONS of yoga.....TONS.....with the most rocking Indian Yogi. His name is Rishi. So bendy! And so funny! Hes new to pattaya and thinks its disgusting. Poor fella. Anyway because im Farang im easily noticable so we have become quite chatty before class. Flip he's funny! I bends you into these pretzle like positions. And smiles while he breaks you in half! Or comes up to me while im balancing on one foot with my arms in pretzles and tries to scare me till i fall over. And because i joke that i only have 4 friends (which is true....i really shouldnt joke about that) So everytime we meet someone new in yoga class Rishi and I are like "Ok; friend number 5....6....7" hes classic. Cracks me right up. But its cool. Im really enjoying yoga; Im doing all the different types; Hatha; Sirviya-something yoga....balance-like-a-pretzel-yoga.....fart-yoga....super-hot-class-yoga......and balance-on-one-hand-like a tibetian-monk-yoga :) The other yogi is this bird called Om. OMG. (Oh and wendy's personal trainer's name is....Vacuum......HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA....Vacuum.....) So Om. Om...G....Shes so so bendy! I have never seen anything like it.... its like contortion class rather than yoga class.....she always laughs at the shock on my face....Any way back to Meaw. So hot. "ONE MORE TIME" and "OK! NOW SINGLE!" Hes great. His instructor stage presence is just.....rocking.....And he sings along to the songs....and the words are completely wrong and hes just great..... these are the things i love about pattaya.

Well its definatly hitting winter.....its cold as! 29 Degrees. Heavens; ive started pulling out my winter woolies! ;) Ok.....the only way you tell its winter is the fact that the sun is setting earlier.....thats it.....its 29 degrees today.....it'll be at least mid 30-ies tomorrow......and probably late 30-ies by sat....sunday rain is forcasted....monsoon rain.....Monsoon rain is RATHER annoying. It floods certain roads and what a mission! You need to plan your trip at least an hour in advance to miss the flood/traffic....because one would assume with an entire SEASON of monsoons...EVERY YEAR; that people living here would know how to drive during a flash flood.....but no; no real storm water drainage either; so the roads are flooded with putrid smelling sewage.....can someone spell C-H-O-L-E-R-A! (Probably not me...i cant spell)

This month was really rather un-evenful. Work wise it was ok; preparing for our re-audit in December so thats keeping me UBER busy. And sadly our Technical Engineer resigned!

Dave; I wish you the best of luck for your future endeavors; you can only succeed because you are smart and great and intelligent and can only make the best of what ever is given to you! Good luck mate; it was great getting to know you this year! You have only ever been helpful and kind and really i only wish you wonderfulness for your future. You really deserve only goodness peace and prosperity! Your charisma and level headedness will be sorely missed by all im sure!

Talking about work......I have a new friend at work. Art. The Petroleum engineer. What a brilliantly smart girl! Same age as me and studied in Perth.....wow.....what a smarty pants! And sweet and kind and i've really seemed to click with her at work. She rocks! Other than that; again; October has been rather uneventful! Well i dedicated this section to her and Benny....who both share my love for pink! :) http://nkpink.blogspot.com/

Ill Keep updating stuff during November. Now that I've been on annual leave im ready and prepared to knock the rest of the year dead! As well as the fact of planning my christmas holiday with the FAM! So excited! will be great to get out of Pattaya for 2 weeks! Really looking forward to that.....

Hope to hear from you all soon! Dont forget to click on the Thailand Link to see what my october thoughts are on Pattaya/Thailand!

XOXOX
นิคคิ

22 October

Ok! Leave is a mere 8hrs away....its in reach...in grasping distance. Once i come back you'll have found out what i decided to do as i have STILL not decided what to do........aaaaaggggggg!
But its cool; I'm really looking forward to the break! I think its going to do me the world of good! :)
So I bid you all farewell for 1 week and i shall catch you upon my return with pictures and items and happiness!

12:15 pm. I just found the ULTIMATE site OMG.....and she lies....shes not in bangkok; i checked her pictures she's so in Pattaya....my home town....and she hasnt written in her blog since april? maybe she's died of the Giv's?? Heaven only knows

http://bangkokescortathaigirlsdiary.blogspot.com/

All my love!
Niki

The Silent Treatment! OCTOBER

16 October 2009.
UUUGGGG ...... Unporductive day at the SA embassy ..... bunch of useless gits. One would automaticaaly assume that the SA embassy in anouther country is efficient ..... 6-9 months for a passport renewal .... are you kidding me?? Like the Scotts / Americans etc .... 3 weeks ...... what the hell ...... racisism .... is. it because I'm an african?

Big brother Jerrard would be SSSOOO proud of me! I cycled for the first time like .... ever! OMG MY ASS!! Im using a pillow next time because thats just ridiculous ..... do people cycle more than the measily 5km i did? Seriously? The only thig that kept wendy and i going was the COMPLETELY adorable riding instructor guy ..... we are inlove .... we have signed up for all his classes .... we are fully aware that hes gay ... .. but he's still eye candy and that is a RARE comodity in Pattaya!

My little brother called me yesterday! It was SSSOOO good to talk to him! (MISS YOU ALEX AND ALICE!) And im so happy and excited for him. Juat talking to him made my day! :) Then cycling RUINED IT! But then din din with Wendy .... made it all ok a.gain! :) Yesterday was a half decent sunny-ish day which is good!
So back to planning my annual leave. NOW i have no idea what to do! Do i road trip and sleep in my car? Or do i take a bus ..... up the winding scary roads to Chang Mai ...... ooooh so many decisions so little time! AAAARRRRG! Let me tell you what concerns me about the bus option .... a. people dont have drivers licences. b. Mo.st of the time .... the wheels are smooth and to top it off there is no spare. c. They are over crowded (Not only with people but goats, chickens, pigmee's and anything else you can fit in a suitcase).. d. They drop you off on the side of the highway (as kerri and i learnt from experiance last time).. I may not end up in ..... Chiang Mai. I may end up in Mai Chai; Chang; Koh Si Chang or any other similar sounding places. So distrubing ...... so so so disturbing. None the less .... I need to get my A into G and make a decision! This is my first leave since APRIL! So ..... i better make it count (or i could spend the full week sleeping on the couch! I wouldnt mind that actually .....

13 October 2009.
This story is getting soooooo complex now! OK. So Wendy needs to do her visa run; but i cant leave the country because i dont have a multiple entry visa yet. Dam. so it looks like a may be back to planning my 10 days of silence ..... while Wends goes on a mission to get her visa renewed. Or living on my couch for a full week ..... that could also be a good idea. Burn some DVD's and just VEG! UUUGG How complex! Cant a road trip / silent meditation be simple and straight forward. So i added a cool new link today ..... have a look .... called the freak files:) hahahaha ..... just about any sort of weirdo you may get in Pattaya!

12 October 2009.
Ok ..... ok ...... After and LONG conversation with more than one person .... maybe 10 days is a bit to long for my first time .... So im doing 3 days ..... yeah ok lame .... but its better than. nothing:).
and for the other 7 days ROAD TRIP WITH WENDY! YAYAYAYAYA !!!!!! I cant wait! :) Hahahahaah.
We'll road trip up north and come back down! (Definately "stop" and "sight see" the little Wat Doi Suthep i was supposed to go to:) So excited! Woohoo! Sleep in the car and under the stars! Its like a holiday but for free! Whoo Hoo!
We Joined a gym this weekend ..... ouchies ...... i can bearly move today! But im determined to look hot for Summer:) (well winter in thailand is practically like summer anywhere else).

10 OCTOBER 2009.
So today i have to start geting my stuff together for my big over land trip to Chiang Mai. So I think to myself .... lets be smart about this ..... so i ask the tea lady (who rocks) K. Preeyaporn to please tell me where i can get the white robes to wear at the temple. (I think i may have asked where i could get a white temple) so she then explained to me ..... thai only that i need to ask someone who speaks english because she is terrible at temple stuff and then proceeded to physiclly show. me the last time she went and how she fell asleep and got frusttrated at sitting and meditating for hours. I honestly whish i had a picture for you because it was CLASSIC thai moment of the day. Here is this 5foot nothing thai lady showing me all the meditation positions she fell asleep in. Classic. Absolutely Classic.

Now i STILL havent found out where to get the robes. I'll do some wondering today ... and maybe get lucky. I saw a temple looking place on my way home with the orange man robes so maybe i get lucky? And maybe he'll understand what i mean if i say i'd like a white temple? I'm actually quite excited! I think this is going to be such a wonderful expaeriance. This Wat is located up in the hills and is surrounded by dence forest. Im not sure where i sleep; im letting it all just ..... flow.
I havent decided if i should fly or train there just yet .... but ill see whats the cheapest. Free Holiday it cant get better than this:) Free Accomo; Free food. All i need is transport and im sorted:).

7 OCTOBER 2009.
Ok. So after much deliberating what i should do with my free time during my weeks leave (and traviling was the only option) I decided to make a rather ..... strange choice of leave location.
Annual Leave in 24 October - 1 November.

http://www.fivethousandyears.org/
I have decided to don the white garb and spend 10 days in silent meditation in a Forest temple in the far north of thailand.

Yes me ..... SILENT .... 10 DAYS! In a temple called Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep in Chiang Mai.

For preperation i need to ensure i am prepared with 3 white suits which i will also sleep in at night (hopefully there are mozzy nets too!!).

Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep.

For preperation i need to ensure i am prepared with 3 white suits which i will also sleep in.

11 Lotus flowers.

11 Candles.

11 incence sticks.

then my day will consist of the following:.



schedule for the arriving day.



12:30 - 14.00 arrive at the IBC Office at the temple.

15:00 demonstration (showing how to practise for a new meditator).

17:30 openning ceremomy.

22:00 the day ends.



daily routine for meditators.



03:00 the day begins.

05:00 morning practice.

06:30 breakfast time.

08:00 short Dhamma Talk.

11:00 lunch time.

15:00 daily meeting with your teacher.

22:00 the day ends.



Outside of these times, meditators are free to practice at their own pace.



schedule for the leaving day.



04:30 the day begins.

05:00 morning practice.

06:30 breakfast time.

07:00 time to clean the room.

11:00 lunch time.



So Wish me LUCK! Ill be completely out of contact for the full 10 days. No cellphones / Laptops / ipods / books snail mail / birds with notes ..... nothing! I shall report back when i return with (hopefully) pictures and a new view on life:).

training rules for meditators (Which is MEEEE !!!!).

the eight rules of training -.
These are the eight rules (precepts) of training each meditator undertakes at their Opening Ceremony and follow during their stay here. These rules help us to live in peace and harmony, to show loving kindness, compassion and respect to all.
"Panatipata veramani -.

Respect all forms of life including mosquitoes, ants, spiders, cockroaches ... We have insect repellent.

"Adinnadana veramani -.

Respect other people's property, if you need anything please ask. Please return anything you borrow.

"Abrahma-cariya veramani -.

Remain celibate, please avoid intimate contact with other meditators, especially the opposite gender. This includes physical contact and intimate speech.
"Musavada veramani -.

Respect honest, gentle speech. Speak when it is helpful and needed. Speak with loving kindness.

"Sura-meraya-majja-pamadathana veramani -.


Respect your body, please don't take alcohol, drugs, caffeine or smoke cigarettes while you are here.



"Vikala-bhojana veramani -.

Respect your practice, don't eat solid food after twelve noon, your digestive system will benefit from the rest. It is difficult to be mindful when eating and your body and mind can become sluggish and tired if you eat too much.



"Nacca-gita-vadita-visuka-dassana mala-gandha-vilepana-dharana-mandana-vibhusanathana veramani -.

Be your natural self, please don't wear make-up or perfume or jewellery during your stay here. Do wear modest loose white non-transparent clothing, long sleeved tops and long white trousers.



"Uccasayana mahasayana veramani -.

Live simply. The mattress is thin and basic but the blankets are cosy! Please try not to sleep more than six hours a night.
Before leaving, meditators have a Closing Ceremony at which they undertake five rules (precepts). These help them to live a caring, respectful life which enhances their meditation practice. These are to avoid taking the life of another living being, to only take what is given, to be faithful to their partner, to speak with compassion, loving kindness and sympathetic joy and to avoid alcohol and drugs as they can cause us to be careless. and unintentionally hurt others.

OCTOBER-06-2009: Continuing monsoon Season.......

Well as monsoon season starts drawing nearer or continuing (no one can actually tell you when monsson season stops ans starts)...it seems the storms get worse and worse. This morning i was stuck in traffic for about 45 minutes; navigating through crashed trucks and motocycles  and people and dogs and any other unfortunate thing that happened to be on the road. Its now comming up for winter....and I can really feel a temeperature differance. You May laugh but 27 degrees for me is FREEZING! :) I even wore a jersey to bed last night....
So Now im sitting at work....sipping my Nam King (Ginger tea) waiting to warm up just a smudge! :)

Here you can seem some images of the Monsoon comming in....

I do not know why this happens during the rain; but accidents pop up all over the place and the roads just wash away....literally.....thet have a monsoon every year...one would think they have caught on :)

12 OCTOBER 2009
Ok so monsoon season is still on the rise! And after a 2 hour "sprinkle" there was a sever flash flood blocking off beach road and 2nd road, I have never seen anything like it in my like. I went into gym......came out of gym 2 hrs later and BAM couldnt use the road. People were sitting on the roofs of their cars. I thought there had been a tsunami! Bit os a scary scary moment! Seriously....i have never seen a flood. Car accidents galore. And what makes a flash flood here even worse is the drainage systems. The Sewage drains dont actually "drain" anyting. So the minute the all get blocked they pump up the grossest things through the man holes. The smell is DISGUSTING and i dont doubt for a second if that water gets on your skin or in your mouth you will have cholera/ dysentry and a million other things! YUCKY! OMG THE SMELL!!!! It was putrid!