Happy New Year 2006

How was New Year everyone? We're all getting older so I guess there is less expectation, but still its a good excuse to get out there no?
Unable to afford a week on the islands I stayed in Chang Mai and looked after a huge house with 4 cats, hardly knew a sole, but still managed to find a noisy party see some fireworks (out of one eye...couldn't focus out of two) and the New Year in. Thai's love to party, any festival and the entire country joins in, this means New Years eve could have been any of 3 or 4 nights of equal excessiveness and music. Had a quiet meditative moment while 100's of fire lanterns were set off into the sky - first white with dazzling tails of sparks turning orange fire color high in the sky. beautiful and shanty beyond words.
In an effort to get back to the "real world" and find a job I've had a hair cut and bought a pair of shoes....but as yet can't make myself buy black trousers and shirt. It'll happen, but slowly slowly.
Christmas at Monthanthan Falls, was wonderful, not so sunny weather but quiet forest, bird calls, waterfall and cooking over a fire....what more could you ask for?? ah yes there was enormous amounts of alcohol, food and games ;-)
going to have spicy glass noodle and mushroom salad with sticky rice and mango for afters heh heh hehh