Performing Nuns and Papparazi

Me hiring the bikes
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After I left you, we went to a pharmacy to get Kim some medication. It's terrible that Kim has been so ill, but we have both learnt from it. She was lucky to have had a comfortable place to stay in and she wasn't alone. Best she be ill now rather than later while alone and staying somewhere with less amenities. I invested in a couple of courses of antibiotics myself and bought loads of rehydration sachets. When it happens to me, I will be ready.

Kim went to bed and I joined a group of French people in the lounge area. There was Fred, Luc, a nurse who's name I don't remember and two girls named Maude and Emily who had just arrived from working in India teaching local people to protect the turtles in the sea. The conversation was all in French, but I got the jist of things and Luc was helpful if I didn't understand. I enjoyed sitting there and listening as it's a good way to improve my French conversational skills.

Little did I know how many bloody photos I'd end up taking!

The huge white Buddha in the centre of the Wat grounds
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In the morning my lovely Kim left, but I wanted to stay longer. Had a coffee with Fred and Luc and Fred asked if she could join me on my bike ride to see the floating nun. We got our bikes and cycled about 3 or 4 km to the Wat. My bottom was still feeling the same saddle from 2 days previous. All this exercise is doing great things for my figure! Good choice to go to the bikini beach islands after these trekks and cycle ventures.

When we arrived is was quite deserted. There was a couple of Monks walking around and a couple of food vendors. We climbed up the many steps you see in the photo. The hand rail is designed as a long dragons body curling all the way to the top, it's amazing to see. At the top is a little temple and an entrance to the cave. We gave a donation for the power and a series of light bulbs turned on inside the cave. It was a really small entrance as you can see in the picture with me. It was quite small inside, but long with a few shallow steps. We climbed a ladder to get out, but Fred dropped her flip flop down the hole we had just climbed out of. I wanted to go back and take photos so I said I'd get her shoe. Little did I know how many bloody photos I'd end up taking! When I got back to the really low part where you had to crouch down, the lights went out and I was all alone in the pitch black of the cave. Lucky for me I'm not afraid of the dark or indeed spiders. I had left my bag up the top with Fred and inside it was my torch. All I had was my camera, so with the use of the flash, I papparazi'd my way out. Was a funny experience. So silent and dark with my feet climbing up rocks and my hand above my head to stop me banging it on the roof. Unfortunately, the many flashes used up all my camera battery, but Fred gave me copies of all the photos she took of the Floating Nun and the Wat grounds.

Me in the cave the first time. Not the dark time.
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The floating Nun, was a most bizarre experience. Many years ago, a Nun would float in water while meditating and moving in different poses. The tradition has continued, but it's definitley lost it's sacred charm. We approached the little area where the vat of water sits surrounded by bleachers, and the nun was sitting on a deck chair watching t.v. Now, this Nun don't float for less than 200 Baht donation and just at this time, 2 tourists arrived, so we all payed 50 each. It was weird. I felt a little silly and gullable. I also felt really bad for the nun. To have become a tourist attraction must be the most unspiritual thing for her. She moves into Buddha poses while floating, but I can't see how she floats, unless she holds her breath for the entire 5 minutes.

Fred in the cave
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After a bite to eat at a cosy little (cosy meaning filthy dirty by English standards) dust track eatery, we got our numb bums back on our saddles. We got back to the Raft house and had our well needed showers. Afterwards we got back on bikes to get to an Internet place. I have never know a connection that slow, so I gave up, left Fred to her emails and went across the road for a beer. After a little people watching, Fred joined me and we started to chat. We chatted and chatted for ages and had some wonderful conversations about each others lives and really bonded. She's a lovely girl. Really shy, but very clued up. She's 24 and also travelling solo. We'll definitely see each other again along the track.

The many steps with the Dragon hand rail
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When we got to the bike place it was shut, so we went back to Raft house and had dinner while watching Thai t.v. Fred went off to bed and I was left all alone, so I went to my room to paint my toe nails and listen to my Ipod.

What shall I do tomorrow?

Elaine x x x