From the Mountain to the Beach

Stride, woman, do not slow down

From the mountain to the beach

Lose the high horse and the crown

The world is not far from your reach.

Sunset and colors at Patong Beach

View of Chiang Mai from atop a mountain

And so it was time to move again. Chiang Mai has carved a place in my heart that will never fade - well, to be more literal and precise, I have inked Chiang Mai on my skin. Permanent tattoo and I do not regret it. It is time for me to explore Phuket - not a very interesting choice because it is very touristy, nevertheless, I am glad to be see the beach and bask in the laid back culture of Patong. The moment my feet touched the sand, I felt free and at home. I was looking at another puzzle that makes up the world we live in and I am absolutely fascinated. To be frank, I am easily fascinated with a lot of things. I am a very curious person and anything new or weird or exotic or peculiar grasps my attention. Anything non-traditional, non-mainstream attracts me. Oh well, fine, Phuket is actually mainstream, but from my viewpoint as a social scientist, there are facets and features in this place that collide with dominant social structures, at least the ones I am used to. I love the hordes of people here - they are a strange mix of beach-bodied Europeans, Bob Marley wanna-bees, voluptuous women, and tanned locals. I am still not sure where I fit in this motley of characters but I am sure not bothered by it. I never want to belong to any category anyway. I can say though that the more I move around different places, the more I affirm what kind of individual I am - simple, fuss-free, nomad, unconventional, and independent.