It's hard to be on a holiday-like break - and it's great to be home!

I am more tired than before the Midterm Break - too much fresh air, too much sleeping in Hua Hin. Okey, that's a joke - I was just going to get bored in Hua Hin but otherwise I'm refreshed.

Now I'm back at work and it's Midsummer Eve in Finland. Here there is not a faintest idea for that kind of festivities which is only positive thing: I've never ever been a big fan of Finnish Midsummer traditions of boozing heavily somewhere in remote wilderness by a lake or at some overcrowded festival.

Hua Hin is a small tourist resort town, and after my 5 days' stay I can say: "been there, seen that" but no need to go back there. Somebody told me that Hua Hin is kind of a miniature of Pattaya. Anyway, it was an adequate choice for my relaxing and resting purposes. Night Market offered some aromatic and aesthetic experiences, more visual ones for me, though. For example these roasted bugs and worms are all too much for my not so madventurous taste. The more traditional ones instead make me enjoy Thailand by eating.

 

Hua Hin does not offer too much cultural experiences. I was lucky to stay there during the Hua Hin Jazzfestival, even though it was nothing compared to Pori Jazz (which is on the other hand too commercial and too overcrowded nowadays) by the list of performing artists - they're not worldwide famous but it did not impede the mood because jazz IS jazz.

A short visit to Chopstick Mountain and a monastery there, and approaching the hill from the beach seeing a 20 m high Buddha statue, facing seaward, standing amongst some rocks at the foot of the hill were the highlights. That was the very certain day not having the camera with me.

I decided to take a train back to Bangkok. A 2nd class AC ticket was over twice the bus fare. Hua Hin Railway Station is acclaimed as Thailand's most beautiful train station, and I had plenty of time to scrutinize it as the special express train of mine was over two hours late. The train journey took over 4 hours, and the Not So Very Special Express Train consisted of two cars and was more like a tram. I was the only Farang and people, not even the staff, did not speak English. Anyway, there was pretty cool in the car and I finally had a safe journey.

It was just wonderful to come home! And have a cold shower before hugging the pillows.