To Thai, or Not to Thai
"So tell me Lara", I hear you say, "What expectations did you have, and why did they lead to bollocks?".
Well, my fine friends and strangers (not likely, but it's a nice sentence I think), let me share with you my recent misfortune.
I was, as some of you no doubt know, meant to go to Thailand today. In fact, I should be lifting off from Danish ground, in under 30 minutes. But, I'm not. I am here. In Århus. Why? Well, having never received a ticket from the travel agent (Kilroy, for you Danes out there), I wandered down there on Saturday, as one of the first things I had to do on my list of 'must dos' before I left. I asked the nice woman if she could print me a ticket, or tell me why I had not been sent one, and she said yes, if only I had my reservation number. "But of course I do!" I replied. It was when I saw her frown at the computer, that my stomach flipped and the cold sweats began.
Nice woman (rapidly becoming not-so-nice-woman): "It says here, that your ticket was cancelled on the 29th December..."
Me (rapidly becoming not-so-nice-me): "Excuse me, what?"
NWRBNSNW: "Yes, the ticket was cancelled. There's a note here, and the money is in our refund department waiting for an account number."
MRBNSNM: "......................."
Quite a lengthy silence stretched out here, as the information sunk into my head, and she stared rather awkwardly at me, the computer, and around the room.
MRBNSNM: "Er. So...they're gone. That's it. Nothing you can do. Don't you understand? I've been walking around in this bloody wind and snow thinking, 'Sod it all! I'll be on a beach in three days!' And now you're telling me that I'm not? What am I meant to do?"
NWRBNSNW: "Yes.......well I can book a ticket for you somewhere else.....?"
You see, this is a nice offer. I mean, she was nice. And she was very apologetic, and I know it wasn't her fault, but, 'somewhere else'? Like......
For:
Right......I see......
How can this happen? Do you realise this is the third, yes, the third, time in my life I was supposed to go to Thailand, and have been denied?! I am seriously beginning to wonder if all the warnings from loved ones of being sat on by elephants, contracting rabies from rabid elephants, being eaten by elephants/tigers/dogs/the locals, washed away by a tsunami and other highly unlikey events are actually not that unlikely, and maybe Thailand and I are just not meant to be.
I just don't understand. What did I do? I knew somethings were too good to be true, and maybe this is the price I am paying. Hmmm. I suppose Thailand will always be there, and if I decide to risk life and limb, and play poker with fate, then yes, I can always go another time. But it does make a girl wonder, that's for sure.
I don't know. I am waiting, as I write, to hear from them about a new ticket, or a full refund, but will only go if I have at least three weeks there. If I get a full refund, I am thinking Egypt and/or Berlin. I have to go away. I just have to.
The saddest thing is that at home, I have my bags, a sleeping bag, a mosquito net, a wonderful travel diary (not dairy, as I used to write. Although I'm sure that one day, a travel dairy will be available. Why you would want one, is beyond me..), a brilliant gift from Flatmate Numero Uno (the latest Rough Guide to Thailand), and bikini and shorts, and now they're just lying there. Forlorn. Useless. Wasted. My poor things. My poor self. How much pity do I have for me right now? Quite a lot.
But!
As a kind Line (as in the name, not ______ ), told me; positive thinking. I must look for the positive outcomes. And there are some.
A) I will be present for the first day of skool.
B) I will be able to look for my own place sooner.
C) I will be able to look for a job sooner.
D)I will be able to experience another snowy Danish winter (that wasn't on my original list, but you know, it could be cosy.....whatever).
E) I will not have to rush my last bits of coursework for Greenwich.
F) I might be able to go to Egypt/Berlin, or anywhere else for that matter.
G) I might be able to buy myself those jeans and shoes I've wanted for ages.
H) I can spend this cosy, wintery month, with people I love and care for.
I) That's about as far as I can stretch.
We'll see. We'll see. I'm sure something good will come out of it. I can't believe that this is the third time, and that I'm not going to get anything out of it. Come on karma. Karm me up.
I was, incidently, also blown clean off my bike the other day. Arse over tit. It hurt.
I also played foosball on Saturday night, and managed to bruise my knuckle, even though all you do (as you well know), is twist some knobs.
I am losing faith in this karma krap.