Sunday, July 22, 2007

Daft Punk

I've only recently discovered that I actually really, really like Daft Punk, and Paul showed me these videos on the wonderful world of Youtube.

I want to be able to do either of these things. Now, please.

In this one, I believe she danced at half speed to the track played at half speed and then it was returned to the correct speed, which makes it look extra cool.



Friday, July 20, 2007

Happy Anniversary

Paul and I have been married for a year now, which seems just an impossible thing. Come tomorrow we will officially no longer be newlyweds, and you stingy bastards who haven't got us a wedding present will be too late to do so. FOR SHAME!!!

I suppose it's traditionally about this time that people tend to reflect on the year gone by and consider what they've learned. I've learned a fair bit, mostly in the last month.

I've learned that I am neither as strong nor as weak as I had hoped or feared, and I am not independent, or adventurous, or wild or anything of that sort. I'm lap-dog, not a lone wolf: I wont be travelling the world alone and sleeping in yurts or whatever it is that properly strong, independent women do.

I need company, a person to support me, reassure me, understand that I'm needy and insecure, but keep me strong and show me I'm safe. I need someone to talk to, to describe things poorly to, to be able listen to my nonsense about Orwell, the economy and tomato-shaped universes and not judge me for it, realising that it's not a sign of pathological stupidity, as it may seem.

I've learned that I need someone who reminds me that I'm beautiful and who believes that I'm worthwhile and special and unique and feels better for having seen me, and who can tell me all of those things without feeling weak.

I've learned that I need a partner who understands and supports me and never judges me and finds me lacking.

And I've learned that I have all of that, and I've learned that I have all I need.

Happy anniversary, Paul xxx

Thursday, July 19, 2007

At last, I'm finished!

Go, immediately, to my Flickr page, for Lo! I hath uploaded all my pictures and they're *damn* cool. There's elephants, and fights, and my hair looking really *really* stupid.

Go!

NOW!

Scotland 1 - Thailand 0

Woo hoo! I won!

Before the fight all day I was pretty nervous - I was supposed to be resting or sleeping but really I was packing and worrying and eventually got a nap about 4 pm and had to get up again at 5pm. I ate some food, worried a bit more and eventually met at the gym to head to the stadium at about 8.30pm.

Then it was all set for many more hours of waiting around, watching fights and going "oooooooooooooh! Ouch!" at the slapping, cracking sound that the fighters' shins mad against one another's legs, and thinking " I really don't want any part of me to make that noise".

Noom arrived with my custom shorts, which in no way resembled the design I had given him and were the wrong size, so had to deal with that and tried not to let it throw me off.

Eventually, about 10.00pm I went back to get my hands wrapped, get changed and start warming up. I was massaged with Thai oil and vaseline to get good and warm and slippy (no jokes, thank you) and then it was some stretching and shadow boxing to keep warm - they don't hit the pads here in Thailand before a fight since they're all already pretty warm most of the time!

There's alot less fuss made about fighting here, so no entrance music, no big intro, my trainer just walked off and went "Sayla!" (which is the closest they can get to my name), I followed him, and before I knew it it was time to get in the ring.

In Thailand women aren't allowed to go over the top rope, because we suck, apparently, so I went under the bottom rope, bowed all around and waited for my opponent to get in. Then the announcer gave us both a big intro and I got a huge roar from the crowd - it was very busy and there must have been quite a few people there from Scotland or Europe,. because they were very supportive.

Once the music started, we both sealed the ring and performed our Wai Kru's. And I didn't even fall over! Although I nearly went round the wrong way to seal the ring, which was a little embarrassing.

The ref called us into the middle and said.....something, and I nodded like I understood and went back to the corner, Tim took my Mongkon off and it was time to get started. The plan was to go Thai-style and stay relaxed and playful the first two rounds since they score them 10-10 whatever happens, so I kept her off with a few front kicks, followed up with a wee bit of boxing. She got me once or twice with punches to the face, and one of her teeps through me off balance as I was about to kick when it landed, but I recovered and came back forwards. During the first break after round 1 Tim told me to stay in the centre of the ring, keep in front of her and don't let her run around too much, since she was constantly moving backwards.

Round 2, I followed Tim's advice and kept to the centre of the ring, staying in fornt of her always. We continued with the teeps and punches exchange but I was obviously starting to intimidate her a bit, since I was bigger and moving forwards all the time. I landed one elbow during a flurry and got sparkled by a right hand in return and blocked, gave and received a kick or two. We got into the clinch at one point with me up against the ropes, so I turned her, got her against the ropes and kneed, which I was rather pleased with.

After the round, Tim told me to start faking left front kicks and stepping into a right body, or vice versa - step and kick, step and punch.

3rd round - just did as I was told. We both stepped up the pace and got in each other's faces a bit more. I stayed inside her range and kept pulling her guard down to get her with right elbows and must have hit her 5 or 6 times before I finally caught her an absolute cracker on the jaw with a cross elbow. She dropped her guard, stepped back and rubbed her face, went to her corner and I eventually remembered to go to the neutral corner while she got her standing 8 count. While I was standing there though, the ref came and got me and lifted my arm to say she had asked for the towel to be thrown in and I had won.

I couldn't believe it, and looked to the corner to say "Eh?!" and everyone was celebrating, so I figured it must be true and grinned my head off, and that was that really. The crowd went mental, which was good - I was worried they'd be rooting for the Thai and I'd get booed, went to thank the other team and get some water from them (this is just something which happens, I don't know why) and it was all over.

I'm totally un-injured - I don't have a single, solitary bruise from the fight which, as anyone who trains with me will know, is miraculous, as I bruise much like an over-ripe peach. In fact, I could have fought again the following day, with no trouble at all, and I can only hope it wont be too long before I get the chance to try my hand in this country.

I'm very pleased with how I performed - the one thing I wanted to achieve was to look confident and competent - like I knew what I was doing, had sound technique, and preferably that I had fought before, and I'm told that's what I looked like, so I'm happy.

If it transpires that there's a video to show I'll post it on the blog - I really hope there is, but I'm not holding out much hope.

I'm back at home, unpacked and washed, after a mammoth and awful journey home, with sleep-deprivation to the max. But I'm home, and that's what matters :)

And that's all folks!

(Yay, Scotland!)

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Here come the nerves...

So, the fight is in about 24 hours, and any semblance of being cool, calm and collected has pretty much been stripped away.

My heart is already beating faster, I feel sick, my head hurts and I'm clammy with sweat - either I'm sick or I'm very anxious: I'll reserve judgement for the time being.

I had a very strange experience this evening - I went to the Sunday market with Damon to find a present for Paul (this I did, and oh what a present, but more of that later....) and was handed a poster with a big picture of me on it, advertising the fight tomorrow. That will just never, ever, ever happen again. Never in a thousand years, unless of course I fight again in Thailand, will I, personally, be used to advertise a fight, and rightly so. Seriously, if people actually come to this show just on the basis of that poster they're going to get a pretty skewed idea of what Muay Thai looks like! Anyway, it was scary, and it was very odd, but it was also kind of cool :)

As for the present? Well, what can I say? Not much, actually because it's a surprise, but he'll love it, and he'll love the fact that I managed to get it back from the night market riding as a helmetless passenger on the back of a moped in Thai traffic, clinging on for dear life, trying not to decapitate other motorists with it. And hopefully he'll appreciate the truly epic and monumental effort it's going to take to get it and my rucksack back through 5 airports on 2 (3?) different continents, despite the fact it's going to exceed all my baggage allowances. Mostly I'm just chuffed I managed to find something that, whilst probably still overpriced tat will look damn nice at home and make my honey smile.

In other news, I never managed to see Doi Suthep, because I was stood up by the guy who was going to give me a lift, but I probably needed what passed for the rest I had instead.

I did, however, see elephants. Lots of elephants. Big ones, small ones, ones as big as your.....elephant. And I have LOTS of photos, but you'll have to wait till I get home to see them because I've got other things on my plate just at the minute.

Anyway, it's probably time I was going home and trying to sleep, but actually just lying in bed going "ohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgod" until 5 am.

Wish me luck!

Aarayan x

Friday, July 13, 2007

3 days and counting....

The fight's on Monday, so I'm all finished training now - it's time to rest and let the muscles repair themselves. Mr Kob's had the posters made and it's most scary seeing myself on one (looking terrible I might add) and the promise of a "Scottland [sic] vs Thailand International Fight!" - let's hope it's worth watching!

My opponent has had 10 fights, which sounds alot but isn't many by Thai standards. She's 55kg, which is quite a bit lighter, but hopefully not too embarrassingly so. By the sounds of it at least I wont be fighting the tea-lady ;)

I achieved a nice bit of gift shopping today, and tomorrow I'm off to learn about elephants (very exciting). On Sunday I will go and visit Doi Suthep, get a massage, and go to the Sunday Night Bazaar in town for more, hardcore shopping.

Monday will see me resting, cleaning my room, packing, getting my Kruang Wrang and dad's Buddha blessed by monks at the temple and then it's time to put my money where my mouth is.....

I'll be in touch before then, but think of me on Monday at about 5-6pm GMT...

Aarayan x

Sunday, July 08, 2007

Sunny Sunday Sightseeing

After last nights very late night, I had a lovely long lie this morning, with no thoughts of having to get up for training and running and all the rest of it, and finally dragged myself out of bed at about 10.30 for a shower. I met up with Ben at 12 and went for lunch down the road, having for myself half a roast chicken with sticky rice. Yes. I'm fat :) After the waiter claimed to have absolutely no idea what pad Thai was, or what a noodle looked like, Ben gave in and ate the chicken satay which was brought to him and blatantly should have gone to someone else instead. You snooze you lose.

After that we headed into Chiang Mai on Ben's moped, and went to see Wat Phra Singh which is, seemingly, the finest example of a wat (temple) to be found in Chiang Mai. So says my Rough Guide to Thailand, and it was very beautiful, but I would love to have seen Doi Suthep while I was here - I just don't think it's going to be possible though, without a willing volunteer with a moped to take me.

I have uploaded some photos of the wat here, and it was lovely to see such a beautiful building and experience some of the atmosphere of calm inside it. I got myself blessed by a monk, who threw ALOT of water at me whilst chanting, presumably in Pali, and received a small, scented piece of white string tied around my left wrist. I wont lie: I have no idea what it means. Ben had to tie it for the monk, as monks are forbidden to touch or be touched my a woman, presumably because it's just not fair when you've been celibate for 50 years.

Because it's Sunday it's eat-what-you-like day (this is an unofficial thing, obviously...) so Ben wanted to go to Mike's a place which sells hellishly unhealthy Western food, like chilli burgers and the like, and after a wee basket of chips for me I felt pretty damn Western, I can tell you. Honestly, the look of internal struggle on Ben's face whilst his conscience fought his appetite was a wonder to behold :)

And that was that, really. We headed back, got a coconut icecream with Damon at the gym from a wee man on a moped who came by, then had another coconut icecream and sat about an shot the breeze whilst the heavens opened and dumped ridiculous quanities of water on Sunpaliang.

I had kind of hoped my day of tourism might last a bit longer, but it's been good to get out and about, and see some things which have nothing to do with Muay Thai. I'd really like to go to the Night Bazaar this evening, but without a friend and some transport it isn't going to happen so me this week. Perhaps something will come up - you just never know. Either way, perhaps banana rotee will feature in my plans...

I'm really looking forward to getting home now - I'm pretty homesick and quite lonely alot of the time, although it's been much easier this week with having plucked up the courage to force innocents like Ben and Damon to hang out with me. But I miss my friends, my family and my Paul.

One more week to go of hard training, then a day of bathing and feeding elephants, two days off, and a fight - plenty to think about and keep me occupied at any rate and before you know it I'll be back in rainy, rainy Scotland, damp but happy :)

Aarayan x

Transformers: The Movie

Last night a few of us from the gym decided to get the hell out of Sunpaliang and go and see a movie at the mall, also called Central Airport Plaza (a magical sounding place, I think you'll agree).

Anyway, like a child who has spent long weeks locked in a cupboard under the stairs with nothing but a book about antidisestablishmentarianism to read, and no company beyond that of a small, unhealthy hedgehog called Bert, I was terribly excited by all the bright shiny lights and flashing things, and jingly noises which emanated from the various games machines and shops in evidence. However, since the movie wasn't actually on until 10.20, and as we arrived at 8.30 and the mall shut at 9, we had very little to do in that palace of wonders for an hour or so, but eventually, however, the time passed, and the hour of wonder drew near: a movie! In English! With *colour*!

And we weren't disappointed. How could we be? They're *robots*....

.... and they're IN DISGUISE!

Obviously, the plot was.... shaky, and to call it far-fetched wouldn't even do it justice, what with it being about a race of alien robots.... IN DISGUISE! But none of that matters a jot. The special effects rocked the Casbah: the robots transform and fight and move in a way that made me feel like I was 7 again and watching the cartoon movie for the first time. It was exciting, slick, funny and can only really be done justice by the big screen and a healthy dose of Dolby Surround Sound with sub woofers.

Now, it *is* a Spielberg movie, so it's not without its issues - there's alot of Optimus Pride based sentimentality about his duty to protect the fledgling human race, and no small amount of American war propaganda, with American soldiers proclaiming "All I want is to see my little girl again" as they tenderly care for the small Arab boy who, of course, has befriended them. I mean, why wouldn't he?! *All* Arabs in war zones just love the Americans, and likewise, all American soldiers are brave, fine, upstanding young family-men who wouldn't hesitate to lay down their lives for small children and alien races. Obviously. It's America.

Anyway, those irritations aside, it's well worth watching, and from my admittedly hazy memory of the original cartoons, it does the story justice. Just remember, none of those other things matter, because they're fucking cool robots....

IN DISGUISE!

Friday, July 06, 2007

Tourism, at long last.

I've got a plan. On saturday the 14th I don't have to train because the fight is on Monday and I'm supposed to have a rest. So, rather than resting in the *traditional* sense, I'm going to go and visit an elephant conservation park for the day and learn about feeding and bathing elephants. I'm going to do this all on my own, because *I*....... am a brave little soldier. My mum should be proud. I even have a waterproof camera, so I can take pictures of big, wet elephants right up close :)

I'm also this Sunday going to go to see a temple in Chiang Mai with Ben from the gym and go to the night bazaar and get some souveniers, so it's tourism all round, really. Finally! Some pictures of something other than Muay Thai!

In other news, it has been decided that my fight will be 5 x 3 rounds, full rules (since they all are here) and Tim assures me the girl wont be tooooooooo tiny (maybe 5kg lighter) but will have a few fights experience to make up for the deficit (but not, like, 200 or anything). At any rate, he assures me she wont be "embarrassingly small", which is good. The last thing I want is just to beat up a tiny little woman.

Everybody seems to think it's going to be a walk in the park for me, and she'll take one look at my relatively massive, Western self and go "ooooh, I fell down! I'm KO'd" about 2 minutes in. I hope that doesn't happen, I want it to be fair, and I want it to be a proper experience which I can learn something from - I'd rather lose in a fair fight, and feel that I did my best than win unfairly.

So, I am attempting to lose at least 1kg this coming week, so that I come home at 63kg, and if I could lose 2kg then so much the better, and so I bid farewell to pad thai, to khao pad, and to sticky rice, and usher in a new dawn of yoghurt, fruit, boiled rice with chicken, and soup....


...and banana rotee. Of course, still banana rotee :)

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Fotees.

Photos are up now on my Flickr account - check them out here. There's more going up all the time, and I'm going to try really hard to get out to something touristy this weekend so I have at least *some* pictures which aren't about Muay Thai :)

Aarayan

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Banana Rotee is made by God.

Handily, or perhaps unfortunately, for me, God has a little cart at the top of the road where she makes and sells this heavenly dish....uh-oh.

Banana rotee, for those philistines amongst you who don't know, is basically chopped banana, mixed with egg and condensed milk, fried in an egg-based, thin pastry-type casing, and all folded in on itself, fried more and then, when it's all lovely and crispy and golden (and at this point about 8mm thick and the size of a paper-back book in length and width), chopped into bite-sized chunks, covered in more condensed milk and sugar.

Oh. God. Yes.

What's that?.... Did I lose weight in Thailand?...... Um......

What else is new. I've been introduced to the food market in Nongghoy, which is the suburb of Chiang Mai in which I'm staying, and it's a fabulous place. There's loads of tiny little stalls, each selling something different, like pad thai (stir fry), khao pad (fried rice), barbequed meats like pork (muu), chicken (gai), duck (yaang) etc, seafood, all sorts of yummy things in different formats and different combinations. Also, there are plenty of stalls selling sweets and fruit, and for some reason the fruit here is amazingly sweet - pineapple tastes totallt different, and the watermelon is fantastic. Jealous? ;p

Training is still much the same, very different, not always as hard as I expected, and I hate running, so very very much. So much. However, at least running at home will be easier, because it wont be 30 degrees. That's going to be enough of an improvement.

Other than that, I have some hopes to perhaps go to the zoo at the weekend, or visit Doi Suthep if I can convince someone to come with me - I need to have been a tourist at least once before I leave!

I'm trying to get some pictures up for you, but it's a bit of a nightmare - keep checking Flickr, there'll be something tomorrow or the day after, come hell or high water......

Aarayan x