Phuket was pleasant and I’m glad it’s all over. I don’t do well at luxury resorts at the best of times and, thanks to my work, am acutely sensitive at this time to the ways in which tourism development affects local populations, evicting them from homes and traditional lands, and overlaying their culture with that which is more acceptable. I also wondered, how many of those who visit Phuket realise this is a Muslim majority area? I think back to the Australians met in Indonesia talking about how they disliked travelling in Muslim areas. It was very expensive: aside from the room itself, our bill for 3 meals and a taxi ride came to over a thousand ringgit. Well, it was a family obligation fulfilled smoothly and I hope without too much shame.
One wedding attendee, it was whispered, treated himself to a 20,000 baht massage. One has to wonder what a 20,000 baht massage even looks like. Truly those 20 year olds inhabit a different universe from mine.
It was good to be back in KL, but the Gentleman Friend has now left for Johor Bahru for work and I leave for Lahore on Thursday.