donna Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 well after a month of anticipation and a week of frenzied packing and selling off my stuff, the time has come for me to put the last lid on the packing boxes and bid farewell to thailand, the country i have grown to love over the past 8+ years. as i sit and reflect on the experiences i have had since landing on August 9, 1999, i am amazed and in awe of so many people whos paths i have crossed in that time. theres Lagoh, the lovely Lisu lady i befriended in a small village outside of chiang rai. she lives in a bamboo hut with a fire inside and has about 6 kids ranging from 25 to 5 now i guess. Lagoh doesnt even know how old she is, but she is a strong woman who doesnt take shit from anyone. then theres my dear friend Nak, my friend from Udon, who took care of me during one of my malaria outbreaks. she stayed with me in the hospital and was there for me when i was going through the worst of it, bathing me, feeding me and taking me to the bathroom. shes a great friend and someone i will miss dearly. my friend, Virot and his wife Lek, who were on the beach on Ko Kho Khao when the tsunami struck. Virot is blind and they were warned just prior to the wave hitting and they were able to escape to safety. i wasnt able to contact them until about 6 weeks after the wave hit, and that was with the help of one of our board members to who i will be eternally grateful. Noi, my best male thai mate. we met the week after i moved here and have been great mates since. weve been drunk together on countless occasions, and our friday night drinks were always great fun. noi taught me how to drink lao khao and eat laab leuat in his village which was a magical time. my farang girlfriends, kris, tash, stacey and elizabeth, who worked with me as tour leaders. weve had some great times and two of them now settled down here with a child each to lovely thai men. three of them have successful businesses and are quiet achievers who have been my rock in the past couple of years when ive hit hard times. i dont know what im gonna do without them - thank god for the internet. theres the many people from this forum that i have met and become friends with. special mention to some special ladies: khall, seonai, bambina and last but certainly not least, zaza, who has become a great mate. the blokes: buckwheat - a lovely man and good friend. george, of course - hansum man. bazmlb, britmaverick, littleblackduck, god who else. i think you know who you are and sorry if ive forgotten to mention you. thailand has taught me a lot. its taught me how to be patient, how to NOT worry about when things will happen. its taught me that the difference between poor and rich is only the car they drive or the clothes they wear. its taught me to be a defensive driver (is that a good thing or not - ive not yet decided). its taught me to appreciate what i have and to not be so pressured to have 'things' (perhaps this isnt a thai thing, but ive picked it up since being here). as i say farewell to people, my eyes are constantly filled with tears. i cant stop them, and its even hard to write this message as im sobbing my eyes out. last night i went out with my old staff for dinner. they were crying, i was crying and it was very hard to even talk. in a way its really nice as i know that they really do love me and care for me. (funnily enough, they all say that the place will be a lot quieter without me, but we are gonna hook up skype so i can keep the noise up from bali). how DO you say goodbye to a country who you love? i guess its not really goodbye, its just seeyalater as i will be back. in fact my next trip back to the land of smiles is in february, but its still hard knowing that i cant just walk down to the 7-11 to see my fried chicken lady, or eat joek at 3am on a street corner with a hundred other people. so, this is it. tomorrow at 2.40pm the big purple bird takes me up to bkk where i spend the night in the radisson, and then at 8.50am on sunday, thats it. im leaving on a jet plane. what better way to say it. john denver did it and he really DID leave on a jetplane! All my bags are packed I'm ready to go I'm standin' here outside your door I hate to wake you up to say goodbye But the dawn is breakin' it's early morn The taxi's waitin' he's blowin' his horn Already I'm so lonesome I could die So kiss me and smile for me Tell me that you'll wait for me Hold me like you'll never let me go Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane Don't know when I'll be back again Oh babe, I hate to go There's so many times I've let you down So many times I've played around I tell you now, they don't mean a thing Every place I go, I'll think of you Every song I sing, I'll sing for you When I come back, I'll bring your wedding ring So kiss me and smile for me Tell me that you'll wait for me Hold me like you'll never let me go Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane Don't know when I'll be back again Oh babe, I hate to go Now the time has come to leave you One more time let me kiss you Close your eyes I'll be on my way Dream about the days to come When I won't have to leave alone About the times, I won't have to say So kiss me and smile for me Tell me that you'll wait for me Hold me like you'll never let me go Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane Don't know when I'll be back again Oh babe, I hate to go Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane Don't know when I'll be back again Oh babe, I hate to go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Not farewell, donna, but see you later Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mssabai Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 I just cried reading that. Reminded me of leaving my life in england. Good luck Donna x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Who, me ? Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Good Luck Donna Never met you, but I can understand what you feel. I don't know what I would do if I had to leave.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meme Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 That made me cry too!! Best of luck Donna!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llewynx Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Tears come to my eyes... You just put words to my feelings when I had to leave after over four years in Thailand. I thought the plane would flood from all my tears during take-off... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiang mai Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 All the very best and sorry to see you go - the worlds a small place so hey, it's not goodbye, it's see you in a while. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little_muppet Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Good luck Donna, have a safe trip back home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patsycat Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Big hugs Donna - and dont forget you are going to another bit of Paradise, and will have a great time I am sure. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britmaveric Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Donna u are going home??? Sorry I didnt get to see you last time, I'd prob made a better effort if I knew you were leaving. You are a gem among rocks darling and one thing about leaving, you can always come back. (keep that in mind) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna Posted January 4, 2008 Author Share Posted January 4, 2008 not 'home' exactly, brit, but to Bali, where i have been offered a job with a destination management company. its more along the lines of what i really want to do and after over 8 years here, i think im starting to drive like a thai. now THATS scary. time for a reality check! (somehow i think that Bali will have its own set of challenges....) i will more than likely be living in Sanur, which is close to the office, which is just 300m from the beach and is also watched over by Mt Agung, an active volcano. although it is very sad for me to leave (not sure if thats mostly due to the stress of leaving a new job, packing up house, moving to a new country with a new job or not), in a funny way i realise that my time here is up - at least for now. the head office of my new company is in bkk, so i will be passing through every now and then, im sure. not until i see that the footprints on the toilet seat are MINE will i return to the west to live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kat Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Big hug, Donna, you're going to be right. I think you are making an excellent move, and with all of the friends and beautiful experiences that you have had, you can't lose but only gain another place. Good luck to you love. Keep in touch. I'm sorry I didn't meet you when in LOS, but perhaps in Bali? I loved Sanur when I was there, and thought about moving to Bali myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
britmaveric Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Hmmm have a mate in Bali now??? Well must visit if I can drag myself away from thailand long enuf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BambinA Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 P' Donna I love you as my sister. I will try my best to see you at Bali one day. I still remember when I was at Koh Yao noi and see you eating my bread.......(crying now) I love you and I really do.. (Still remember the great time that i met you at witch tavern and hugged you many times) we will keep in touch ok?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna Posted January 4, 2008 Author Share Posted January 4, 2008 im such a cry baby! yep, we will stay in touch for sure BambinA. xoxo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BambinA Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 (edited) Flash back to 2006 I planned to have a vacation at Krabi. I had msg from Donna and Seonai. They invited me to meet them at a small island,southern of TH, Koh Yoa Noi. I did not hesitate to meet them. From my research, Koh Yoa Noi is a small island and it is not far from Krabi. I stayed at a cute resort ( Donna was a manager there) and joined a cute pub (Seonai was an ownwer) I had really great time there as Seonai's son (smart boy) was my guide and I had also celebrate Donna's birthday there..( I missed meeting Khall56au (she had left before i arrived there 1 day)) I bought Vergimite , bread and farang magazines for Seonai For my beloved donna got bread and farang magazines . I remember all of that great time. Donna is a great sister ...I wish she has the best time. She deserves it!! PS, Kris (Donna's friend) is bloody cute..tell him that I am available ..ok???????? hahahah Edited January 4, 2008 by BambinA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinkelbell Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Dearest Donna, Sorry to see you leave. Sad to feel that ThaiVisa forum is loosing one of it's own brightest stars. Wish you the best of luck and happiness in your new place. Bali is not that far, may be some day we'll meet as you still active on traveling. From Tink ( who had learned to love you through reading all your threats.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boo Posted January 4, 2008 Share Posted January 4, 2008 Donna I hope the move goes smoothly & that you get settled in quickly. You will always be part of the thaivisa family & I for one hope you stay on as a mod forever. I hope one day to meet up in person but till then we will always have facebook to keep updated Have a safe trip & update us as soon as you get online access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seonai Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Donna I know you are going on to better things. I remember the night before I was stretchered off the island when I collapsed that you got your cute driver to bring you to my bar for a drink or two, oh how we had fun... I feel your sadness but also feel how you will celebrate your new life in Bali... it will go well... talk soon xxx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheryl Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 All the best Donna, and do stay in touch... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbk Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 not until i see that the footprints on the toilet seat are MINE will i return to the west to live. HA! Hasn't happened to me yet. fingers crossed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nienke Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 Donna, wish you all the best and happiness on your new journey. Hope you will keep on posting here and let us join in on your new adventures. Nienke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracer5050 Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Good luck , remeber life is a adventure, please keep posting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaza Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 There will be no goodbyes between us dear Friend. I had promised last time I called you that I will visit you in Bali soon and bring along my (White Knight) with me . So I will just say see you soon dear" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elsie Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 All the best on the move and the new chapter of life, D. Hope to see you again soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorinda Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 not 'home' exactly, brit, but to Bali, where i have been offered a job with a destination management company. its more along the lines of what i really want to do and after over 8 years here, i think im starting to drive like a thai. now THATS scary. time for a reality check! (somehow i think that Bali will have its own set of challenges....) Donna, you're doing exactly what I'm trying to study in school, international management Good luck in Bali. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
donna Posted January 9, 2008 Author Share Posted January 9, 2008 well after a couple of days here, things are going well. i still dont have a place to live but that will come before too long. apparently i have a very good housing allowance - more than what the company pay to rent the office - so i will be sitting pretty there i think. its the rainy season here so we get a couple of heavy downpours a day but its ok as it keeps things cool. funny isnt it, how you notice the strangest things.....rice here is different to thailand! its not a bad thing, but i noticed that it is different. the grains are shorter i think. very trivial, but i guess im like that......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayo Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 All the best to you Donna! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now