The Atlanta

14.02.2009 - 14.02.2009 36 °C
View How it all panned out - Around the world in 2009 & Round the World 2009 on echo75's travel map.

The daydreams of sparkling conversation and camaraderie with other travellers have not really penetrated into reality. People are friendly enough but generally keep to themselves, especially I suspect if they're in couple or family units like us. As the Atlanta's policy on wholesome tourism and rejection of sex tourists is particularly staunch and vehement, there seem to be many families with very young children here. Young parents (on a budget like us) and young children. Haven't bumped into any other Kiwis as of yet. We have chatted quite a bit with a lovely older gentleman from the States (very well travelled) who seemed to be permanently parked in the lobby using the wireless internet. He informed us that his wife was coming over to meet him and his perch in the lobby was vacant after her arrival.

Most afternoons, when we return from one of our excursions, we make our way down to the pool and take a dip. The pool is fringed with palm trees and bougainvillea which, in league with the smog haze, try to obscure the skyscrapers in the background. A length of backstroke yesterday made me realise that it was the first day where you could actually say the sky was blue. The sun here is always out, you just can't see it very well.

Evenings at the Atlanta centre around the coffee shop/restaurant - poring through their extensive menu and trying to keep on the right of side of the manager. The literature refers to her as being 'like a stern aunty' and so far she has refused to take my order until I read the title out in Thai, removed one of Phil's elbows from the table and dolloped fish sauce onto Phil's salad when he'd dressed it insufficiently. She's a great character and the place doesn't have quite the same life when it's her night off.