Every silver lining has a touch of grey.

Today was probably the darkest day of my travels so far. I woke up at 4am not feeling fantastic and things just deteriorated from there. I was planning on getting an early start and heading to Pai, about 110 km out of Chiang Mai. I had my bags pretty much packed but wasn't counting on a viscous bout of food poisoning. It seems that the furtherest I would shuttling today would be between the bed to the convenience, which in this case thank God was quite convenient as it was all mine and only a few paces from the bed. Having said that, the move between the two felt like the hardest sections of the trek I completed only a few days ago now.

I tried to listen to music to take my mind off things, but not even Jerry could not pull me out of the dark emotional funk that I was descending into. I tried to talk myself around, trying to notice improvements in my condition, and trying to remain aware of any signs of dehydration. I gave myself a couple of time limits as to when I would try to take a shower and get a move on outofthe room, those time limits all came and went. Finally with thoughts of the joys of home, a home I now longed for like I never imagined I could, and with the knowledge that I was fast running out of a very precious paper commodity I willed myself (actually more like hobbled very disgruntled into the shower). I was conscious too of the fact that I was going a bit stir-crazy in the 7 by 5 meter cell I found myself in.

It was around 2 in the afternoon when I got out of the shower. It then took me, through a whole lot of debating and a lengthy self motivating dialogue another half an hour to get dressed and head out into the smoggy 37' degree day that awaited.

I got out of the guest house at about 2:30 and stumbled the 4 or so blocks down to this vegetarian restaurant I had discovered almost a week before - I remembered spying on their menu a couple of teas which were touted as being just the thing for food poisoning, dehydration and its usual accompaniments.

Upon getting there I was greated warmly as I had been one of their only repeat customer of late, which I no indication of the quality of food, which is excellent, but rather due to it heading into the low season and the restuarant being down a small side street. The place is called Baan Chock Dee - Restuarant & Cafe, and is run by Amm and Marc. It is the only all vegitarian food place that I have found in Chaing Mai and it has a great selection of western and Thai veggie dishes inculding a full range of veggies burgers. But the real charm of the place is not just in it's selection of food, but in the warmth of Amm and and her family and friends as they mill about the place - you get a real sense of community and a close knit unit who is always open to new company.

On the day that I arrived, I was shown genuine concern at my condition, as they advise the best course of dishes and teas. It was still very early in the game so my stomach wasn't up to the challenge, but they engaged with in conversation which took my mind off things and then in a few hours of dominoes which I highly reckomend as a distraction from disgruntled bowels.

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I have actually written this post over a numbe of days, not feeling up to finishing it in one sittig for obvious reasons so the time might seem a little fluid as you read through it.

I went back to Amm's place last night and had a bigger meal and again the dominoes were brought out. A few more hours lost and then an early night.