Everyone Looks Like Damo from Home & Away

Every time I walk past this tuk-tuk driver on Soi Chanasongkhram Road, next to my Guest House, he delivers me a charmless smile as if we are old school friends, and loudly asks me if I am from either from Malaysia, Singapore, Bali or Sri Lanka. Every single day this week. The destination appears to change with his mood. Surely it's obvious that I'm from Bengal, India and was brought up in England? Idiot. This man is ruining my trip.

In the past couple of days I've also discovered, as I was unpacking my clothes, that my only pair of jeans that I'd brought, and the pair that I wore for the journey over here, had a massive rip down my backside. Basically, this must have meant that I looked like Christina Aguilera in the Dirrty video, but without the grinding. No wonder the Qantas Air Stewardess begged me not to store my hand luggage at the upper cabin locker on route here. It's amazing what tailors out here can do for one pound fifty though, I'm now patched up and ready for more.

I've been recommended by a few folk to embrace the shadier side of Khao San Road (most of it) and get myself a new ISIC card. This really appealed as I truly have missed being a student. On obtaining said card, the only problem was that they couldn't fit 'University of East Anglia' across it (my old Uni, I wanted a glimmer of truth in this deception), and so, pressed for an alternative I panicked and chose 'Leeds'. I could have gone for Cambridge, Oxford or Edinburgh, but I had to go for Leeds. For shame.

The good news is that the new ISIC card is already paying for itself. Sure, in the photo I look like I'm about to mug a nun, but I've already gotten half price on various tourist attractions. Some have been charitable organisations, but I don't have time to feel guilty about these things.

One of the more interesting trips that I've made this week has been to Jim Thompson's House. For those of you who are not aware of Jimbo, he was an American assigned to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), forerunner to the CIA, during the Second World War. Although he didn't see any action, he fell for the City of Bangkok on a posting here and developed his own business of exporting Thai Silk.
However, after a trip to the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia, he went missing and there is still huge mystery circling his disappearance. Was it the CIA, or local tribes or was it suicide? I fear only one man can resolve this issue, and that's: www.jimcorr.com. I'll drop him an email to see if he can shed any light.

Some of you may be aware that I have also ditched my plush Hotel with pool for a more traveller styled Guest House. This downgrade is of epic proportions. If any of you have read The Beach by Alex Garland you'll be able to envisage the room that I'm in as it's exactly how the author describes the one that Daffy shoots himself in at the beginning of the novel. All painful light at night seeping through the vents and questionable stains on the wall. I love it.

This is not entertainment

The only positive thing going is that the common room is great, loads of backpackers and really cheap Changs for me. I got invited to go to an infamous Ping Pong show last night by a group of Canadian girls. I can't think of many things worse and with the hope of preserving some of my innocence, opted to watch Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen with the other grotty hippies in the common room instead. Who is the winner in this sorry tale? You, for not witnessing either.

Bangkok Song of the Day: Emma Bunton - What Took You So Long?
This breezy classic came over like a dream whilst sitting in a taxi on my way to Siam Square

i-Pod Song of the Day: Phoenix - Lisztomania
I know, I know. This IS up beat for me