NIGHT IN PAK-NAM

A night back on land... to digest it all!

The night in Pak-Nam turned out to be a very enjoyable one. Everybody was relaxed during the dinner. We had some good music and Yah had arranged for another round of awesome, mouth-watering, HOT dinner. Our group probably ate half of Thailand’s seafood during that single meal. After a heavy dinner, we all broke into groups to enjoy the company and the beachside and the moonlight.

A group left to disco. Another went back to sleep. I decided to stay back and enjoy my last night in Thailand staying awake and enjoy every moment in the island. Sam, Janice, Richard and Rachel joined me. We discussed about a lot of things and shared our thoughts. The discussion turned towards romance I was at loss. I just didn’t have anything to say. All the while, I had been so busy thinking about Career and ambition and stuff like that, that I didn’t bother to look at the other and the more important side of life. Now, I am on the lookout and any interested female within the age group of 18-28 can approach me with their resume and two photographs.

After a long discussion, we bid goodnight and went back to sleep. Richard came next morning to wake us up for the sunrise. We took some more photographs and packed our clothes and left Pak-Nam. When I checked-out of my room, I felt very sad. I had the same uncomfortable and very disturbing feeling before - when I left India for the first time and when I left Perth for good. The whole group seemed to be in some sort of remorse and had a worried look on their faces. It was very difficult for us to leave that beautiful place. The very thought of leaving this beautiful place and going back to the din of the commercial world was disgusting. Anyway, I promised myself another trip to this beautiful place. I decided to go back, work like a dog, save enough money and come back here to spend the hard-earned money. Next time, I shall bring my family and friends too.

We all took the bus back to Malaysia. On the way back, the movie “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was on video. The classic movie helped me to forget, atleast for the moment, overcome the sadness of departure. Selva informed that the bus would stop in Hat Jai for about 2 hours. Hat Jai is a popular shopping destination. Once we reached Hat Jai, I could see how humanity is liquidating nature. The place was swarming with mankind trying to make a living by raping the nature in every possible way known to them. The flesh trade, the porno CDs, cheap imitation goods, the noise, the pollution and people with all skin colors throwing money to indulge in every possible materialistic pleasure known to man. It was like stepping into hell after a lifetime in heaven. I felt very sick on seeing all these things.

We don’t seem to understand the beauty or the power of nature and continue destroying it at will. We forget the fact that we can’t even create a strand of hair but still continue savaging everything in our line of sight. We don’t realize that we don’t stand a chance if nature decides to payback. But, nature has always been good to us. I only hope we can be as good and as forgiving as Mother Nature.

Thus, my simple trip to Thailand became a great learning experience in my life. I thought I had changed but realized something else. As part of the humankind, which is ravaging the nature, I have to take responsibility, which proves

I am still a Hypocrite.