Monday 31st March - Day 57

One day of cooking won't turn me into a Chef, but let's give it a go. I take a Thai cookery course. There's only two students on it, me and a guy named Jeff from the U.S. First we're taken around a market and we buy various ingredients. The market itself was an eye opener. It's another one of those where you need to see it for yourself to appreciate it. There are fruits and vegetables, many I don't recognise; fresh fish; squid; a whole host of stuff.

We cook six courses and eat our food after having cooked it. We don't eat all of it as that would be very glutinous. Under the supervision of the Chef, the food turns out okay. I manage to offend Jeff during lunch by ridiculing George Bush. It takes a little while before we're on friendly terms again. Luckily, in the meantime, he hasn't bipassed the United Nations, labelled England a rogue state and sent the troops to flush out Alqaeda. It's been a successful course - we got to cook and eat food without messing it up. And I get to talk to someone who has travelling experience in other south east Asian countries.

In the evening I go to watch Muay Thai (Thai boxing). There are six fights fights to watch, beginning with youngsters of about ten, up to an adult ladies fight and the main event: a fight between a local Thai and a Belgian, who has flown in especially for the fight. Every week it's Thailand against another nation.

All of the fights end by stoppage. Either one person has taken too many knees to the belly and is doubled up in pain or there's a knockout. It's no pillow fight; you wouldn't catch me in there. Apparently, there's some place where they let tourists go into the ring to fight a Thai girl Muay Thai fighter. It usually results in some burly tough guy being beaten up by the girl. This I wouldn't mind seeing, maybe another time.

I sneak up to the corner of the ring. I hear the Belgian's corner man give him final instructions, "Slowly, John, start slowly !" He nods in acknowledgement. The Belgian looks good for about 45 seconds landing a few heavy punches flush on the chin of the Thai. Could this be an upset ? He's still looking good until the Thai fighter quickly spins around and catches the Belgian on the temple with the back of his fist. The Belgian does a brief impression of Bambi on ice before crashing to the canvass and being counted out. He's come along way for a one minute fight and ignominious defeat in front of his girlfriend and a few hundred fans. And his mate caught it all on his expensive video camera. That's one travel video the family and friends will not want to miss.

I have my picture taken with the champion. He's not that big and bad with his nancy boy haircut, I could take him on if I wanted.