Joining the international jet set

I am now the proud owner of 2 phones. My smartphone that I use in the UK and now I have a Thai phone for here. I had to get a local number and, in spite of having months to prepare, I didn't do anything about it before I left thinking that a local phone would do the trick, so for the grand price of £14.48 I have a mobile phone and (hopefully) a month's worth of pay-as-you-go calls.

There's just one fly in the ointment - the instructions came in Thai. It actually took me close on 2 hours to work out how to get it into silent mode. There's a strict rule here of no mobile phones outside of rooms, apart from us working people who need to be contactable, but we still can't have them ringing. I was convinced mine would go off somewhere inappropriate and I'd be thrown out before I even started. Now I'm just waiting for my friend Nok to arrive. She comes from Bangkok and is due in tonight, so hopefully she'll decipher it all for me and then I'll be fine.

Getting the phone was quite funny too. I was told the best place to go was the 7 Eleven, which is across the street. Except that it's across the main road which also happens to have a concrete barrier running the length of it. My UK sensibilities told me that there must be a crossing somewhere, but much to the bemused looks when I asked the security guys outside another hotel, they politely told me to get over that barrier and stop fussing. I was wearing a dress...mmmm... not the best for crossing large concrete obstacles and still keeping my modesty!

One of the Thai words I learnt before I came over was torasap, which is mobile phone, but sadly I only remembered it after having bought the phone. Ah well.

I also managed to get lost in the bowels of the complex a couple of times, but was rescued by obliging staff who escorted me to my destination. I think I've got the hang of to-ing and fro-ing now without wandering into someone's office or the kitchens.

Today I had my orientation with HR. I'm still here, so that says all you need to know. I start in earnest tomorrow, but today I'm free to enjoy the sun and amenities. I'm beginning to wonder if I'd have done better to keep myself to guest status rather than worker, but it's done now, so no complaining.

I've also come out with a cold, which isn't so good for a place that boasts its wellness facilities. One of the other consultants told me to eat fresh ginger, which has certainly sorted my sore throat and I'm hoping it is really the cure all he tells me it is.

Well that's it for today. More in due course.