Almost Famous

"Hello, How are you?"

"Oh Hi, fine, how are you?"

"Where are you from?"

"Ireland."

"England?"

"No, Ireland."

"Ah England..."

"No,"

"Nice to meet you man,"

Clink Glasses. Smile. Go back to drinking, he's happy.

The above has happened in almost every bar we've visited and is an encounter entered into after much stolen glances from across the bar. And that's just the guys. We went to a club last Saturday and just stood watching the band, young thais, none more than 18. Perfect for the genre, which was EMO all the way: all style no substance. Anyway just there drinking stylish (read: regular) bottles of Heineken and I realise that a group of about 7 or 8 people, mostly chicks, are standing with their back to the band in front of us alternately waving and giggling.

The correct decision would be to discount it as curiosity since we were the only westerners in a club full of around 1,000 clubbers out from Bangkok...

This happens out on the street too, and in restaurants. We rented scooters yesterday and the girl filling the petrol asked if I had a girlfriend. I'm serious that was her opening line when I asked for petrol and I won't transcribe the rest of the conversation here but in this single regard Thailand is a great place for the non narcissist. It's hard not to feel like a total rockstar. But I'm being told to enjoy it while it lasts, apparently backpackers aren't royalty in every country.

We'll see about that...