Sunday, December 16, 2007

SSSKKKKYYROSSSSS


On Friday I raced around Bangkok like a mad person.

I went out to collect and stroke Blackberry; dear Blackberry is beautiful and looking none the worse for his dunking in tea. BUT, he was empty of battery so I tore home, riding SIDESADDLE up my soi on a taxi motorbike (God I’m brave).

Next I climbed back on a soi bike and sped to meet some friends for the journey to BNH Hospital in Silom to carol sing. We sung, ate mince pies and drank sherry (so civilised). I LOVE IT. I love singing carols – yes, I love them.

I rushed home to finish off some artwork, shower and change and then I was going back to Silom to meet the Skyros group…

It’s a bit scary meeting people you’re going to spend the next two weeks with; what if you don’t like them? What if they don’t like me? It’s particularly scary because this kind of holiday is about self development; holistic stuff (can you tell, I’ve got all the buzz words?) so hugging trees baring your soul might also be involved.

However, for all my fears they all looked normal and they all seemed very lovely. We had a talk at the hotel and then those that weren’t too jetlagged went out for supper.

Saturday morning I went back to Silom to meet at the hotel to transfer to Koh Chang. This is the first moment I’ve had time off since I got here, and things haven’t really started – first course tonight, but we’re all getting to know each other, and still, they are all lovely!

Rather … annoyingly … the writing tutor Julia Bell doesn’t get here ‘til Thursday because she was a late booking, but apparently she’s willing to do some make up sessions. Also, the whole ethos of the course IS hugging trees I mean, freeing your creative spirit and stuff (that jargon again) and David Moreno is doing an early morning course in morning pages/yoga/meditation so there will be lots of creative stuff to do.

I think I was meant to come though. I’ve met a woman who’s been a freelance journalist for twenty years who’s happy to talk to me about it. (For any ‘Eve’ readers, she wrote the piece a couple of months ago on Borneo orang-utans). In turn at lunch she met someone who knows someone who may be able to help her sell another article on them. She has fantastic pictures of twenty of so baby orang-utans sleeping side by side, but can’t get a bite out of a mag!

So I’m very excited, planning the next holiday already…

6 comments:

Caroline said...

Sounds fabulous!

I am most jealous (in a nice way of course).

x

Lane Mathias said...

Of all the exciting things in your post I am still most excited by side saddle on a motorbike!!! That's cool:-)

The course sounds wonderful already. Brill to have lovely people there to hug trees, no sorry, develop with:-)

And I've got to ask who the enormous people are on either end of the carol singers??:-)

Leigh Forbes said...

Oh, JJ. You're there at last!

Er, you might have to translate the expression: up my soi for me; I'm not familiar with that part of the anatomy.

Give the BB a hug for me, and, while we're talking about hugging things, take care not to scratch your face on any bark, okay?

Jenny Beattie said...

Oooh, thank you Caroline. It's wonderful so far.

Lane, I have to confess to having been most excited by the return of my dearly beloved Blackberry, but followed up promptly by the sidesaddle motorbike ride.

Those enormous people are terribly Thai: they wander around the hospital ... uhm, promoting the hospital, maybe? Everytime I go there, they are there - most bizarre.

Hi Leigh, thank you, I'm glad I'm here at last. Up my soi, you suggestive little minx, means 'up my street' soi being the word for street!

I've given the BB a special hug from you, thank you.

Lucy Diamond said...

Oooooh! Hope it's going well. Have a fantastic time. Am also VERY jealous but will take vicarious pleasure in hearing all about it.


and happy happy Christmas too
xxx

Vicky said...

your christmas sounds exciting! hope you have a lovely one and a great start to the new year!