Love is in the air (part 1)

12-Sept-2006-Yesterday morning I sent the bicycle to be repaired. Yes, Alexia was right, there were holes on the tyre. So, I was there at the mechanic shop to see the mechanic repairing the tyre. At least, I learnt to repair a holed tyre. I had lunch at the restaurant back at the guesthouse. Tiu was there, so I asked her about her son. Thank goodness, she remember me. I remember her because of her friendliness during my very first visit there few years ago. She told me she went to Marta, an island in Italy for 6 months. She has a Martese boyfriend now. So, she told me about her experience in Marta. I noticed she was drinking and smoking heavily while she was chatting with me. Then, a crowd flocked in to have lunch at the restaurant. There were a few Malaysian tourists, so I talked to one of them. Then, I waited for the crowd to leave so that I could settle the rent for my room.

Tiu's friend, Oak came with a chubby baby girl. Mama(the owner of the guesthouse) cuddled her and then passed her to me. Tiu invited me to go with them to the Elephant Camp. So, I rushed back to the raft house to ask Alexia to come with us. Alexia and I sat at the back of the pick-up truck. Then, the pick-up was halted near to the bridge of the River Kwai to pick up tourists. We waited for a while there. Oak, came around to pass me baby Cream. I was sitting at the back of the pick-up stated sweating and holding a sweating baby. Alexia decided to get off to have a meal. She told me not to wait for her.

Actually, I was supposed to leave for Bangkok this morning but I decided to stay back for one more day. I have to go for my visa run tomorrow cos I have to leave the country on 14-Sept 2006. Yeah, the visa run has become such a nuisance and it is really annoying cos I have to put everything aside to get it done. Or else, I really would like to stay back and spend more time with Alexia and my new found friends.

The Elephant Camp was pretty amazing. The elephants there seemed to be well taken care of. At least, I didn't spot any elephant with torn ears and injured skin. It was really awesome to see more than 10 elephants bathing in the jade green River Kwai at one go. It was really a very rare view to behold. The guide told me that it is better for the elephants to work with the tourists than to work in the forest. Well, I am not the elephants, I can't tell whether they really prefer to transport tourists on there backs on daily basis.

Cream obviously is not a baby who loves to smile but at one point, I started smiling when I teased her. Oh, I felt this great joy in my heart when I saw her smiling. After the Elephant Camp, we stopped by at the Snooker Bar to return the pick-up to the owner. Then, Oak insisted that I went to her house by the river.