It hit me when I least expected it. I've actually been waiting for a diarrhea-attack (still waiting...), so when I was pushed and shoved by homesickness, I was unsure on how to fight back and therefor took it like a girl, just lying down really.
Everything was going quite well, met a friendly guy on the nighttrain to Chiang Mai, bumped into him again when we had both rented some bicycles, had a lovely breakfast (him: full English, me: pancake with banana)
and cycled through the city. We saw heaps of markets and temples. I mean no disrespect, but the first, let's say three, are impressive: 'Look at the woodcarving', 'wow, it's a dragon', 'amazing buddha'. But the dragons become horses, elephants, tigers etc. The incents smell the same everywhere, the buddhist monks are just men in orange robes checking the internet on their computers and I felt exhausted. Not just tired of temples, cycling, stairs, the heath, but also of my company (not his fault) and mostly of myself. I apologised to my newfound (and lost again) friend and returned to my room in the guesthouse, where I wasn't entire sure what to do with myself.What did I want? That seems to be the big (reoccuring) question at this time in my life. So what does a girl do when facing these demons and dilemma's (nice title..). She sleeps and then she sleeps some more before posting a distressing status on her Facebook.
Thing was, I received so many do's and don'ts, but no footnotes on how to deal with homesickness. But, for future reference for fellow travellers (and holiday-makers), a small warning:
- you are probably not immune to homesickness. It will happen. When you least expect it, or in my case, when you are very tired.
- diacure doesn't help.
- also do not, I repeat Do Not drown yourself in sorrows (or the River Kwai or any other large quantity of fluids).
- take the advise of my social worker; just walk, take notice of your surroundings, but no! hard! thinking!.
- give in to your exhaustion and sleep it off.
- the moment will pass. This is also the reason nobody tells you about it; because they forget. When you look at the pictures, you will think 'lovely weather, good food, hurray for swimmingpools, temples, more temples and a nighttrain'. And not 'god I'm so lonely', 'I don't even know what to do in Chiang Mai, let alone in my life'.
- other lovely tips and encouraging words included Ben Folds and cupcakes, Tigerbeer (and other alcoholic beverages) and the mantra: it's normal, it will pass, just relax and enjoy it (it being an unknown variable).
This was mainly monday and tuesday after cooking and eating a pad Thai, a green curry, cashewnut chicken curry, chicken and coconutsoup, fishcakes, rose-apple and black sticky rice pudding, I felt a whole lot better. Meow's Pad Thai cookery class is a definite thumbs up and cheer up. And off course, everything is better in Pai!
yes, I am staying in a cute little hut, and yes, that is in fact a bucket of Mojito.
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