As it happens, city life isnt for me. Even though this tiny village I'm in at the moment (about the size of Tromso) seems to be unaware that I am very much aware of the fact that I am white. Farang, foreign, blond, na-nuk, whatever you might dream of calling me, I've heard it all before. Bangkok is so used to the streams of scandinavians running around that they didn't pay any mind to me, or not that much anyway. But here, oh the amount of oooooo's and aaaaaaaa's and clapping and yelling you get to hear every time you step outside your guest house room.. I guess some attention is always nice but honestly. Maybe they'll get used to me soon.. =)

Tomorrow we (and when I say we, I mean a class of tourism students from the uni and their teacher who want to follow me on my research trip) will be heading to the islands. Koh Muk is the place we're going and a shady bungaloo will be my final destination. One on the sea, you know! The following weeks will be spent in Khao Lak doing some volunteering. Some actual field work. T'will be exiting and memorable I'm sure! But its time for me to face the crowd again in search for some real phat thai or maybe some tasty dimsum. Wish me luck!

Right, I have changed my mind. My future won't be entangled in the beer consuming flabby tourists here in Thailand but a more sophisticated croud, Thai mobile phone owners. The director of the biggest local telecom operator DTAC has taken a fancy to me and would apparently like me to be his concubine. Or something. He is looking for a wife/made/cook/english teacher and thought I might just be the right young lady to fulfill those duties. Although I stressed the fact that I don't infact cook or clean so well.

If that doesn't work out I have an alternative plan. Plan B as I like to call it. We visited a small community called Santi Asoke yesterday. Its the perfect utopia amongst all this overflowing consumerism and westernization that I have come to frown upon (although still participating in it pretty obediently). Every member of this Buddhist movement works all day for no money to provide for the development of the community. And everyone seemed so happy and serene. Just like in any other kind of cult, exept they aren't being milked out of their own money (because they have none) and aren't made to commit group suicide for the benefit of the heavens or whatever. Chai. So I might just move there.

There you have it. You can still find me roaming around Bangkok for a couple of days but on Sunday I'm off to meet the people of down south. Until then, take care all!

I guess theres no point in trying to resist. In the steamy night of the red light district of Bangkok, amidst the pingpong shows and boys who look like girls and druelling tourists waving their piles of money around when all you need is 200 bhat and you get a decent dosage of HIV or a nasty STD if your lucky, I decided to change my topic of research. What a cradle fo anthropological wonders those couple of fully packed streets for the damned. Although I must confess that after a couple of Singhaporenese beers I admitted to one of my Finnish/local informants that actually I would like to start a profession as a beergirl on one of the streets. The first (and probably also the last) Western beergirl to ever step into a hot red miniskirt and high heels. I would like to promote Singha. After all, with a university degree in my pocket (or bra actually) my wages might just jump from 200 to 300 bhat a month.

As this fits nicely with the normal mumbojumbo I write onto my blog, (I feel a little too unacademic most of the times in comparison to my other blog compadres) I shall continue along these lines throughout my journey in Thailand. For all of you interested in the academic outcome of my stay here, please turn to my finished Masters thesis in June 2007. Inshallah.

Ok must go but later all!

Being on vacation is harder work then I remembered. Somehow it feels like I had more energy at the end of the day when I was still working in Balestrand. All this hanging out in the center and eating out in tasty restaurants and partying all night is really getting to me, I'll be glad to get away from it all tomorrow night. I'm sure I'll have time to catch my breath in Bangkok. But before my first updates from the other edge of the world, I would like to take a moment to remember all the good times and fabulous people I got to experience this summer in Norway. It's funny how everyone says that this summer was not as good as the previous ones. My opinion is that thats a load of poo. I had a great time and for all you people who made it a summer to remember: you know who you are, so thank you and a big hug to you all!