I sometimes wonder if a universal translator would be helpful or harmful to us. I suppose the immediate benefits are obvious, everyone would be able to understand everyone else. When I ask for noodle soup with chicken I'm not going to get a whole fried fish that's staring back at me. Then again , just knowing what the words translates to doesn't always mean you'll get their intent. People who speak my own language say one thing and mean an another. I understand the words, but have to watch for the subtext. Still it's a little strange being in a place where everyone except me speaks at least one other language. There have been several times when people are talking near me and I being self-involved, I wonder are they talking about me. In some cases they probably are. In others it's like being at the grocery store when the checkers are talking amongst themselves and you're barely there. As it is, I know enough German to know someone is speaking German. Oh I can also say good morning, count to five, and tell them my birthday is in May, you know, if that sort of thing comes up. I know enough Spanish to ask for bottled water and tell them that they have a nice cat, may I give it some milk. The rest of my language skills comes down to good old fashion mountain man gibberish.
We arrived on Koh Tao about four days ago and I've been sick the whole time. It started as a little sniffle and cough and has lingered on and become an exercise is expelling grossness from my face. Still I've been doing my best to not let that keep me down since we're right next to Paradise. The other portion of the restort we're at is called Paradise Zone. Granted it's a hike up about 15 flights of stone steps through some ant infested jungle, but it's really lovely once your heart starts beating at a normal pace again. Originally we were coming to the island to learn scuba, but given my cold and the week long course, we decided against it. Instead we'll likely snorkel, when I can breath normally again anyway.
We're leaving the island today and heading to Phuket. That makes today a travel day, which means schedules are going to be somewhat flexible. Hopefully we'll make it there sometime this evening. That will give us a day to get settled because on the 13th is the Thai New Year and there is a country-wide water fight to prepare for. It should be a good time, assuming I'm not wearing my white tuxedo out that night. It will be a little strange heading back into a city after nearly two weeks of island life. Living like a cat has its advantages, but I suppose it's time to mix it up a bit.
