The Long Way Home

Teaching in Thailand, can be physically demanding especially when it requires giving physical education classes to the young ones; it's just like herding cats and the noise level of every class leaves you drained and voiceless. It is paramount, then, that the end of the day involves an icy cold beer, lots of Thai food and, most of all a good bed.

The problem was, though, that this primary school in Ayutthaya was 20 kilometres from the nearest guesthouse. Everyone at school assumed there was somewhere to stay near the school but a motorcycle taxi took me to the town centre and we couldn't find anywhere to stay. After half an hour of unsuccessful looking the driver decided to take me to his sister's house. She had several young children and wasn't impressed by her brother's intention to help out a foreigner.

So we motored on to a residential area where an old woman saw an opportunity and offered me an empty room with a squat toilet. Now, I have no problem with a squat toilet...but no bed? That is another story.

With sweat pouring down my face I waved 'thank you, but no'. I asked the moto driver to take me to the temple area 20 km away where I was sure that there would be guesthouses. It was a stunning ride through green rice paddy fields that revealed sparkling temple spires in the distance. And the wind dried my drenched forehead.

By now it was getting dark but we paused and I saw a Pad Thai vendor across the road; my favourite food! I ate feverishly. Several hours had passed but I was now sated so I hitched my bag over my shoulder and wandered down to the riverside. There in a perfect spot was a guesthouse with a vacancy; an attached cold shower and a soft bed...perfect!

Thai people will usually try and help you with anything and everything. It is incredible that the moto driver wanted to make sure I found somewhere for the night. He even presented me with a map of the temples in the area. It is this quality of the Thai people that makes living here a fascinating and enriching experience.