Ted (Thailand) - Ow my eye, prostitute minefield and a little drunk

No, these three things do not go together in some hilarious and embarrassing anecdote, but are rather in consequential order.

Chapter 1: Ow! My F#*$$*& eye.

On Sunday I somehow woke up with an eye infection. I believe it was caused by swimming in the guest-house pool with no goggles, mixed with the detrimental nature of my contacts. My right eye's only weakness became the sun, or any form of light, and I spent Sunday and most of Monday lurking in the dark confines of my room like a wimpy version of Batman, or Jim Gannon. Whenever I day walked, I felt like someone had just kicked me in the eye with a spiked boot, or maybe smacked me with a staple gun. I eye hobbled to my morning class on Monday, wearing my badly mangled sunglasses that hardly stayed on my head, and continued to wear them sketchily all throughout the lecture and practice conversations.

Luckily, the local pharmacist sold me some eye drops and I can see once again, although I've refrained from wearing contacts, which has caused problems mentioned in Chapter 2.

Lessons Learned: Thai pools are no place for unprotected eyes, and pharmacists are like prophets sent here to guide the incompetent. Bless their souls.

Chapter 2: Prostitute Minefield

Never have I seen "lady nights" in such numbers. Yesterday I saw them leaning against cars, sitting at tables, lurking at bars, etc, all trying to get my attention. I can't walk anywhere without encountering them, and they slightly scare me. Today on my way back from a bar, one of them literally came out from a dark corner, started asking me where I was going, what I was doing, and after I said I wasn't interested (in Thai), started following me before deciding that I was walking too fast. A 21 year old, slightly intoxicated white suburban boy must be like candy to them. It didn't help that I hadn't worn my contacts and was unable to tell who was tellingly scantily dressed and who wasn't. The horror.

Lessons Learned: Walk on the side of the street near the old city encircling moat as the lady nights seem to be afraid of the shimmering waters, and try to walk quickly and non-drunkenly as often as possible.

Chapter 3: A little drunk.

Time: The Present. What's there to say?

Some Random Observations:

-lots of stray dogs in Chiang Mai
-moat encircling the "old city"
-Cheap Thai, Lao, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, European food.
-My room comes with a breakfast that consists of eggs, tea, imitation orange juice and toast, which I eat every morning because I'm cheap.
-According to a 43 year old Belgian who makes instruments and jewelery and who mentioned his "crystal" dealer disappearing, Thai and Lao people actually say a lot of dirty things to each other in public that foreigners have no idea about.
-there are old temples all over, even in between modern buildings, damn.

Hope you're all doing well, abroad and at home!

-Ted