Where in the World is Garry?

Paradise Lost - Koh Samui, Thailand, January 2006

Paradise Lost

So what are all these disparate people doing here? Well, apart from the fact that they clearly didn't make any lists before they left they appear to be trying to fit round pegs into square holes. Traveling in Thailand and living on Koh Samui still isn't what I would call an easy transition to make, especially if you have never 'traveled' before and when I say traveled I mean lived out of a back pack and squatted over a hole in the ground. There are mosquitoes to contend with, you cannot put toilet paper in the toilet and the pavements are 2 foot wide and 2 foot high. I am pretty sure that for these people, Koh Samui doesn't do what is says on the tin.

And so for me it is a surreal scene. It's white socks and open toed sandals for Stan with matching mosquito bites and peeling skin, families struggling to mount the curbs with their strollers, Sharon and Tracey all dolled up and no where to go and then let's not forget poor old Johnny Sex Tourist.

It must be hardest though for him, surely? We know she is too young for him and he, far, far too old for her. We know she isn't with him for his good looks, great personality and superman torso because he doesn't have any of those things. It's a perverse scene in any context but one which, once hidden in the shadows of the faint light cast by perceived peers, is now exposed in the harsh light cast by families and retired couples. Maybe, just maybe, she was one of the few little girls who when growing up drew pictures of princes, princesses, unicorns, teddy bears except in her particular case her prince bore a striking resemblance to Shrek.

Footnote: and yes, remember, this is paradise lost and little Thai girls do actually draw pictures of princes and princesses - thank you Disney.

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