Phase 1, BKK: Waking up

I wake up to a pouring Chiang Dao, the rain water puddling through the mosquito screen, slightly. Green and dust has given away to brown and mud. The cold is bearable but the damp is surprisingly depressing. I wake with Chuan, but I go back to bed while he heads out to Tua’s place to start his rehearsal. Chuan, Pheung, and Sarut have to put together a performance by 7pm – they start as early as 9am to rehearse with their actors. The rest of us are given free time. I think, well, I can’t really do anything outdoors in this wet, so I might as well sleep. And sleep, I do till 10am.

When I wake, the wet is omnipresent.

With my black umbrella, I venture out to search for the Makhampom cafe. I run into Jae, and two of her friends, X and G. I introduce myself, and X…