Things To Come

Today, I have decided to blog, despite not having a real subject of discussion.


I do however, enjoy writing these from time to time, more so when I have some inspiration or something on my mind in which I can just write and write and write and feel a little better at the end of it.  So apologies early doors if today's post isn't as gossipy as it would normally be.


This is more of an update of a couple topics.  First of all is my employment situation, as I am currently unemployed and looking for work.  Yesterday was the second time I had gone to a Job Centre regarding my own employment status and if I am being honest I was surprised on a couple of levels. First of all I was actually shocked by the number of people there, the room can't have been any bigger than that of a dental surgeries waiting room with a rough guesstimate of 20-30 people waiting around to be seen.  The second thing that surprised me was age range of people out of jobs and waiting around to be seen by a bunch of people who regulate who gets paid and who doesn't. Again, I am very honest and whilst I have been away I have obviously seen the news about the recession, and unemployment numbers being at their highest peak since the 80's downfall.  My honest opinion was that a percentage of the people were happier to claim the dole aka 'rock'n'roll', which follows the basic principle of a young rock'n'roller like Keith Richards, Ringo Starr etc., living a similar life in that money goes on nights out, alcohol, drugs along with spending little to no time actually looking for work.  I guess it is a similar lifestyle, just the 'amounts' of money spent will be a little less than that of Richards, Star etc.


As I say that was essentially in the back of my mind that the recession in England is not as bad as it seems, which was almost immediately confirmed when I had gotten and interview with the first call I made and given a job straight off the back of that, baring in mind it was a menial job to sell gas and electric to people whilst they are watching Corrie or having their dinner. I was hardly thrilled at the prospect, but it was a job.  The reason I'm talking past tense is because after taking 2 days sick leave, which was reported by the way, they pulled me into the office on the next Monday morning to tell me they have reported an unauthorised absence in the first week of training in which they are un-willing to resume.  As quick as it was to start the job, it was just as quick for them to release me of my duties.  Great.


Since the recent 'sacking', I have called/emailed/asked around regarding many job opportunities, or 'lack of' job opportunities I should rephrase, all of which have availed with no leads and definitely no offers.  After seeing and speaking with some of the people at the job centre, my pre-conceived views about what people were doing with themselves has definitely changed scope as there are people from all ages, you have all ages in there, school leavers right up to old age pensioners who are doing everything for A job, never mind a job of choice.  


As a bit of self-proclaimed hippy, I have a bit of beef with most of the governments in the world and don't believe a word of their election campaigns.  You see their slogans and campaigners walking around with posters of 'Hope' and 'Vote for us, change is coming'.  However, in reality, there are ALWAYS going to be fat cats in suits running countries, and stuffing percentages of tax payers money into back pockets, so they can have a second house, or that extra week off sipping the finest of champers in St. Tropez. I remember watching on the News a while back about just one person and his bonuses,  the reason I remember the episode is because just one big wig in a suit gained more bonuses in one year which could have effectively paid off every penny of student loans in the country.  Without beginning a huge debate about the UK government, tax money and where it really goes, I'll leave that subject with a short and simple message 'Don't believe everything you hear in the media' - in the end, they are controlled by the government itself.


So after my first trip to the old Job Centre, I was told I need to 'sign-on' the next day, which was today.  I am not quite a virgin when it comes to the Job Centre but I am definitely no professional and had to ask what I am supposed to do when I 'sign on'.  The woman laughed actually and said, 'ahhh I've not heard anyone ask that for a while', it confused me, if anything I thought it would be on their list of FAQ's, they must not get a lot of newbies like me coming in.  Anyways, after a 25 minute 'interview', where I sat down next to a guy called Paul who looked like a chubby Francis Rossi (if you don't know who he is, ask your parents or do a quick Google search), which made me laugh at first.  I don't remember the name of the interview, a Habitual Residency Test or something, it wasn't important, the Rossi look-a-like wanted to know where I have been, how long I have been away, if I was involved in a volcanic eruption in 1994 and a bunch of other questions which I would have thought my British passport alone would have answered questions to.  Apparently not, they just wanted to check if I am eligible for Job Seekers Allowance as only UK residents are eligible.  Last time I checked I was still English.


Turns out, Yes, I am still a UK resident and eligible to live and reside in England.  Which was always obvious, however, I do not take this for granted at all, as I now realise after travelling some of the world that other nationalities have it so much worse than the Great British folk.  So now I am cleared and officially allowed to reside in my home country, it just really re-iterated the fact that I do not want to be here long term by any means and need to get back on the wagon and see where I end up.  The desire of travelling, meeting new people, diving in new locations, learning new languages and cultures for me, is exactly what I am looking for at the moment, maybe my time to reside and relax in England are behind me, or who knows, maybe they are yet to come.


At the moment in a bleak, bleak time of British history during the recession, I am just hoping that the little adventurous bug that I've got right now will last long enough until I have enough money to relieve myself from this place to the next.


There's a saying people say to me 'Ahh its okay. We can always dream.', but I find that term so depressing and feel sad for people that say that to me.  My dream is achievable and I'm not a million miles away from getting there, living my dream.  I just have to go out there and  make it happen, one way or the other. I believe if something is possible and it is your dream, it always will be if you think of it as a dream.  Go out and make it happen, it won't just turn up at your door.


JC

Infection

Hello again everybody.


I know its been a long, long time since I last touched the keyboard to begin a blog.  The fact I was so optimistic in even naming it JamesClark365 makes me laugh now, but I still like the idea, its a shame life gets in the way sometimes... and pure laziness other times.


There is actually a blog that I wrote just a month ago, which unfortunately never made it to this world wide web as I wrote it on the ferry from the Thai island of Koh Tao, to Chumporn, however as I reached Bangkok realised some one had 'lifted' my Blackberry.  Annoying but not the end of the world, I don't re-read these blogs when I post them anyways, I was obviously more bothered about the pictures of my trip.


A lot has happened since the last time I was here, and again is too much of a mammoth task to even think of all of the major events since then, never mind start to write them down.


If you haven't realised already (or heard), I have left Thailand and I am now back in England. 

Koh Tao - My haven

It is a very strange feeling to be back, and I'm not enjoying that feeling overall.  Don't get me wrong I love where I am from, I love the English heritage, I do not take it for granted one iota. Any time I return to the motherland, I am excited that I will see my close friends and family.  They really mean so much to me, and as much as I adore meeting new people and visiting new places, its a great feeling to know that if one day everything went tits up then there is a place and people who will take you in and help out for a wee while.  Which I guess is kind of what has happened in this situation, although its not quite the end of the world.


After 4 months in Thailand, it unfortunately had to come to an abrupt end after getting a couple of nasty mosquito bites which just so happened to spread like Lurpak around the bottom half of my legs/feet which in turn lowered immune systems and I managed to contract some kind of bug in the stomach.  Needless to say, unable to dive, unable to work.  I did really well there didn't I.  Just my luck, it really was.  It was not something that I wanted to do as I was having the time of my life (apart from not diving) and really found something that I always wanted.  The paradise place I wanted for so many years and still want for more years in places like Koh Tao.  Now I have had a piece of the good life I want to go back and make it my life.


I had subsequently come back to England in good spirits with get-well quick and big-money-no-time ideas thinking that it will just be 2 or 3 months of work before I can save enough money and get back out and into the world and really be happy and do the job I love again.  Only to come back, and really drop back down to Earth and realise that this place is expensive, jobs are hard to go by these days and I need a place to stay/work when I do finally get the flight ticket.  

มุมมองเป็นทุกอย่าง  

Just before I left Thailand, I was sent in the direction of a friend of a friend in Bangkok for a tattoo, as I wanted to mark my time there with something permanent just in case I never get the chance to return.  The tattoo is a translation of a phrase I picked up somewhere along the way.  In English, it reads, 'Perspective is Everything', in Thai it reads something a little different but similar (yes I have checked).  The reason behind it is really to remind me that everything in life, good or bad, really depends on you see the situation, if you change scope sometimes you can see life from other angles and what you may deem to be negative could actually be a positive in the long run.  Yes, if you have guessed the main reason behind this was the same reason as the early blogs, to help through the breakup, and now the tattoo you could call the plaster to cover the scar.  It is still there and hurts sometimes, but does not run the risk of infecting any other parts of my life.


So, I am in England.  Day-to-day I am happy and enjoying the time with friends and family, but in the long term still quite unsure what will happen.  At some point I need to make a plan in regards to my next adventure so I can work towards that goal, rather than needlessly spend time and money on crap.  I hate that about England, is that my attitude changes.  When I am away I am so grateful, and just generally so happy with myself to be wherever I am, learning the new cultures - doing what I love - it seems that whenever I come back I take things for granted. I see a beautiful girl in the street in Thailand and I more than likely go over and say something, the same could happen here with the exact same girl and I would hardly acknowledge her.  This place makes me feel numb, things don't mean as much to me here, and I hate that fact because when I feel numb, I also feel like I am wasting life.


Now we are in late July, just under half of the year to go, I am sticking with previous statements that this year has officially been the worst year going so far - for me.  So many things have gone wrong, or not gone to plan, and to be completely honest I am not sure of the reasons why in most cases, which leaves me to ask the same bloody question everytime, 'Why do bad things happen to good people?'.


I have always believed in Karma, and that old saying of 'What comes around goes around', which if your not familiar with means if you do something good for someone, someone will do the same for you etc. Whilst on the topic of Karma, one of the people who commented on a couple of my posts mentioned karma which I didn't really fully understand.  This ones from a person called 'Dumbass' who left the comment 'Dude, you are a whiney little bitch. No wonder she found other guys. Get over yourself and man the fuck up! Isn't karma a bitch?' I never did understand how the last part regarding karma was really a question aimed at myself, and if it was, then where the context had come from considering the situation at the time, and 'Dumbass', if you don't understand some of the long words used... Ask mummy, she should know...

Where next?

Anyways, so that's about it for now folks, the road I am on seems to fork every now and then but I know eventually I will get back on the right track, and I can look back and realise I needed to go through some life lessons before reaching my nirvana.  


I am really not sure how many times I will post a new blog before the year is through but there is a long time until then and would like to think that now I am in England and currently un-employed as it stands that I would have an hour a day to do this.

Until the next time...

JC

Catch Up

I'm not sure that I can still type at this point, I have, as I thought completely neglected my blog and Facebook accounts to a certain degree, but I'm not complaining because I have done so with the best intentions and have some of the best experiences of my life here in Thailand.  It was almost 3 weeks ago since I last blogged, when I was in Bangkok and thinking back at that point my mind was in a transitional period, and only now that I have the chance to relax, slow down, gather some thoughts is that I can start to piece the 3 week party together to complete the journey so far.


I'm going to start the blog today by tracking back to Bangkok and explaining what has happened, where me and Gaz went, who we met, what we've seen and where we are now.

Still in BKK with a friend of mine.

As far as I can remember the last blog was on one of my last nights in Bangkok, where we had managed to escape the bed in a box room that we we're staying in, and upgraded to 7 quid a night for a night which was lush!!  It had air-con (which is a big bonus for a room in Thailand), T.V and a bed big enough for me to sleep without having my knees downwards falling off the end of the bed.  I swear they make beds for midgets in this country.  So after a nice pampered night and a hot shower (again, something which is not very common in Thailand), we made our move to our next step, Phuket.  At the time, I was sad to be leaving Bangkok as I had an awesome time there but now in hindsight, I'm glad we left when we did because it was one of the places that started to bleed my wallet dry and regretting it now (well, not really, the memories are priceless, just wish had some more money).


So Bangkok was done and we had the choice to either jump on a coach, train or plane to Phuket and in true backpacker style we went for the cheapest option - the bus.  If I ever had to do that trip again, I would pay twice as much and fly.  The bus is horrible.  You jump on it at around 6pm, after carting your stuff around BKK city for an hour - which made me laugh because everyone was sweating their tits off and moaning about it, but I was just happy to be in BKK and experiencing it and laughing because no matter where you are in the world, people always moan about something!  Anyways the journey from Bangkok to Phuket is a royal pain in the ass, the companies sell it to you as a VIP coach with air con, movies, relax-a-chairs and what you really get is half the size of a coffin to sit in, warm air blowing around the coach and a movie which is 10 seats in front of you.  What we didn't anticipate is the fact that we would travel all night long from 6pm until around 7am and then have to jump on another bus which is exactly the same, pay for it again and sit on that bus from 8am until around 4pm.  It sounds much better to be there in an hour and pay twice as much to fly than do that again.

My room in Phuket

We arrived in Phuket and me and Gaz we're both tired, sweaty and frustrated by the heat and now had to bust around Patong Beach looking for a months accommodation for a cheap price - something I did NOT want to be doing after 24hours travelling.  Gaz had had an idea that we shouldnt be paying anymore than around 4000bht a month - around 80 quid - an idea which for me was proven to be completely wrong - for Phuket at least - the first place I asked wanted 18000bht a month, the second 19k etc.  After a couple of hours of nothing, Gaz had contacted his close Thai girl friend who was insistent that she herself had stayed in Patong for 4k just a couple of months prior to our visit.  What she didn't take in to account was the she is Thai national and we are 'Farang' in basic translation means foreigner and therefor the price doubles.  She did however, have a friend still in the area who linked up with us to show us about town and try to haggle and get us some Thai prices, it didnt really work, but this was the first sign of real help that we had had and it was much appreciated.  We ended finding a nice place in the main town center close to everything and managed to pick it up for a cheap price, I think it must have been my cheeky smile. 


It didn't take us long to see the real Phuket, as soon as we had had a sleep we were back out and Gaz wanted to show me around the area and introduce me to some of his 'old friends'.  My first impression was 'I dont like it', there was things happening everywhere and the bargirls (+ ladyboys) will come straight up to you in a bar and put their hands up your shorts and touch your manhood, then will be very flirtatious and tell you 'Mr handsome man' and before you've sat down will be asking you to buy them a drink - all of which I dont agree with and actually felt quite uncomfortable sometimes.  Gaz on the other hands lives for this shit, and I spent a few hours during time in Phuket wishing to leave the bars and go somewhere with western people that I can actually talk to and if anything else where to happen at least I would know that my wallet is going to be safe for the night.  After a couple of days in Phuket, I started to come round a little bit and after spending time with some of the 'working girls' that were helping us out during the day time I was really happy, they cooked a traditional Thai meal for us, made sure we were okay and generally helped us out - again something I was massively appreciative over - and not once did they try and have sex with me, well, okay one of them tried once but as a true English gentleman declined and said sorry no sex before marriage.


I think it was day 3 of Phuket that we met a lad from Leeds called Mark in one of the bars as we tried to stay dry from the torrential downpour, obviously him being from Leeds we had a lot to talk about and also got along with Gaz handsomely aswell.  We found out Mark was travelling by himself and had no major plans other than to see his pal in Pattaya close to the end of his travels so we told him he was more than welcome to link up with us whilst we are in Phuket but unfortunately we had found out you need a permit to teach diving on Patong Beach these days so our month long stay was to be cut short as it was eating into our very limited budgets quite quick.  mark stuck with us for a couple of days and showed him the main stretch of Phuket and we all had a class time.  It was only a couple of days later that we said our goodbyes and left for Koh Tao this time, again another excruciating journey and around another 14-16hour journey.


Although, this time when we arrived on Koh Tao from the night ferry which arrives roughly 5am, it was different.  The feeling when you get here is so strange, maybe it was different for me because I was expecting to call this place home very soon, but it felt that as soon as I sat down and had a drink that the world around me had almost come together above the island, tied a knot and created a bubble, which I still feel even now, around 2 or 3 weeks later.  The island is smaller than the town I grew up in, and that aint a very big town.  I kind of like the fact that its so small but also it can be quite claustrophobic in knowing that wherever you go, you will bump into someone you already know.  


My time on Koh Tao has been simply amazing, as I was growing up I always loved the movie 'The Beach' and wanted to live that type of life in a community and just chill on the beach with no  major worries and spend time with people who share the same views as me, and for someone with my views and thoughts, this place is absolute paradise.  I cannot praise this island and the people enough.  I have memories, stories and experiences in 3 weeks that some people will never have the opportunity to see in their life - and that I am grateful for.  Roughly two weeks ago, me and Gaz were eating down at Oo's bar - a place we have made our own and meeting the owner and now use his place as a chill out spot for a bite to eat - and completely out of the blue we saw Mark from Phuket bombing up and down the street on a big 250cc dirt bike, we eventually tracked him down and since that point he had been with us ever since, he is a good lad and we all get along.  I think me and Gaz appreciate his 'says whats on his mind' attitude and sometimes is bit much but at the same time he loves life and life loves him which I for one absolutely love.  A couple of days after linking up with him again we began to team-teach Mark for his Open Water course and we (me and Gaz) were both amazed at how quick he picked it up, both practical and theory applications, but with two instructors teaching one student its to be expected?

The view from our tactical vantage point

In between Marks' course, the three of us nipped over to another island called Koh Phangan which is host to probably the regions biggest party of the year - the Full Moon Party - its a party that people travel from all over the world just to see, party and experience tens of thousands of people on one beach and it is an experience I would recommend to anyone (without kids).  We managed to hook up with a German guy called Karl at the hotel we were staying at, another guy called Danny from Harrogate and a nice young girl called Penny from Kiwi land, we had formed a posse and gone to the party together.  We had a battle to plan to meet up at the bar at the end of the beach on the hour every hour to make sure we were all in tact and still alive (that plan failed after about 2 hours), the cheap drinks and buzzing atmosphere and vibe just let everyone's inhibitions disappear almost instantaneously and the party was well under way at an early hour.  We started as a group of  6 and by the end of the night ended up finding our way back to the hotel in 6 different ways.  I was adamant that my night had finished as early as 2am, although since that night have seen a picture of myself laid on the beach passed out around 5am. No idea what happened, but always the sign of a good night.  Gaz had made his way back by around 10am the next morning with stories of a Scottish girl and a couple of thousand baht in his pocket, result! Mark had an experience with some trippy mushrooms


When we got back to Koh Tao we had just a couple of days to dive and relax before the Thai new year was amongst us.  Songkram.  Songkram is a day which is literally impossible to stay dry, the Thai's celebrate their New Year by having the worlds biggest water fight, not just on Koh Tao but in every city, every town in the country.  The party here was a 24 hour party, other places like BKK are still going now, after 5 days! It's the craziest thing I have ever seen but also one of the most delightful.  Everybody is involved, old, young, disabled, pedestrians, workers, everybody, and they are all so happy - which is contagious and you cannot go through Songkram without getting involved and feeling like a local for the day.


Pretty much since Songkram, I have been bed bound with a sickness.  To me, it just feels like a common Man Flu (its a killer) but I have been told by about 10 different people that it could be Dengue fever http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dengue_fever- something I had never heard of before - so I have been warned to stay in bed and ride it out rather than go to the hospital and get charged thousands for doing the same thing.  So right now I am sitting on my balcony listening to the bars reggae and chillout tunes looking over the bay of Chaalok Baan Kao and realising that I could potentially spend the rest of my life here, if the island lets me.  


I have being missing people alot recently from back home, not just because I want to see them it just because this place is paradise and I think everyone should have a chance setting up life here.  It is perfect.


JC

One Night In Bangkok

Sawadee Cap!

It is my second night here in Bangkok and wow, what a day it has been.  It started by being awoken by a couple of Thai girls who we had met yesterday, much to our surprise and to be honest, pissed us both off a little as we had managed to end the night on Koh San Road at around 4am.  After around 24-30 hours of no to very little sleep of traveling then heavy drinking, the last thing we wanted this morning - feeling slight delicate - was to be woken up after just 5 hours pf kip.

So that was it, we were awake again and the day was to start, so we mooched downstairs walked a few paces until the next 'bar' and had some breakfast.  I didn't quite fancy the Thai 'streetfood' consisting of all the spices in the world at 10.30am.  So I opted for the very traditional scrambled egg and sausages. Sweet.  Anyways, as much I would have liked to spend the whole day feeling sorry for my self and sleeping, we headed out to a place called Pangthip Plaza AKA 'IT City'.  Whatever you need electrical wise is there, and dirt cheap, and if they don't have it in stock - it does not exist.  Its a cool place and managed to drink around 3 litres of water to make my self feel a little better. 

When we reached our hotel again, Gaz was insistent that we go for a Thai massage but unfortunately had to refuse this time as I had an appointment that was very important, with my bed.  I knew that we would be 'getting on it' again, its so hard not to do that when you are living in and around this place. It's mental.  So after waking up around 9.30 pm after finally having a couple of hours asleep, here we are now.  I am currently on a street just off Koh San Road, and its literally amazing how one road can be so 'party focused' then you walk 100m to the next street and its the most chilled out vibe you have ever seen.

As I have mentioned before I am loving it here, and cannot wait to get down to Phuket in the next couple of days and then down to The Islands. I do however have this feeling in the back of my mind that I have become somewhat of a prude, and things that I would normally embrace and laugh at are making me almost quince.  I am putting down to living in a very strict muslim country where these things you see here are a complete no-go.  That or my recent relationship with 'you know who' has deterred me away from these things.  However, this is something which is very small in the back of my mind and not so bothered about it and will be doing what I can to make sure I go back to my normal cheeky chappy Jimmy C personality rather then a cat woman who stinks off piss.

So thats it, sorry its not so long, but at least I am sober today as writing this blog.  Which is an improvement.

JC

Floppy Nipples

So..... I am finally in Bangkok.

After weeks and weeks of wondering what my new life and adventures would be like when I was in Thailand.  I guess today, is my first insight to that.  Obviously, Bangkok is just a stop gap until myself and Gaz reach 'The Islands', and my 'long term' future is going to be unlike what I am and will be experiencing in the next couple of days.

We arrived in Thailand today around 12.30pm, where we met a nice young girl ( a student from England somewhere - down south I think), who just so happened to be going to the same place we were going.  The infamous Koh San Road.  We talked and decided to join forces and split costs for a taxi, in the end it was around 3 pounds each for a 40 minute drive.  As soon as I landed in this country and saw life outside of the airport, I loved it.  everything you have seen on the TV about South East Asia is true, and it's amazing.. It really is.  I must warn you now before you start to suspect my writings are less descriptive and a little bit more wary, that's because right now, I am heavily influenced by alcohol -and only alcohol before my mother starts to panic.

It has been a crazy journey soar, after around 12 hours of travelling we found our haven, a nice little B and B on Koh San Road, in which Gaz had told me he had managed to sort out for around 350dhs per night person, BARGAIN, that's around 7 quid a night each.  After reaching the room, on the 4th floor without elevator may I add, I realized why it was the price it was.  Shithole would be a compliment.  My room literally consists of a bed, that's it, oh sorry there is a fan on the roof which does a great job of swishing the hot air around and giving you the microwave effect. I can deal with that, its not perfect but at the end of the day it is somewhere to lay your head at the end of the night, and in all honesty, we are only here for a couple of days then we are to head down to Phuket.

After completing of a couple of standard chores around the place; getting to know the area, sorting some money and bank things out we headed back to base where we were to meet a couple of Gaz's 'lady friends' who he had met from previous excursions in Thailand.  When I say they were 'ladies', I mean it, they are not the lady boys I have been hearing so much about.  We had a beer or two for Gaz and his friend to catch up in one of the local pool bars, it was cool, but by this time the two of us - or definately me - were starting to flake from the travelling and stupid sleeping hours.  We headed back to our new accommodation, where I presumed the girls were going back home... apparently not.  Anyways, without spreading the gory details of what I have seen tonight, lets just say, if the rest of my trip will be like the first 24 hours in Thailand.. God help me.

After trying to get some sleep - which is impossible when you might as well be on a bed in an oven turned to gas mark 10 - we decided to hit the town and get some more brewskies down us.  Which I guess leads us to where we are now.  It has been such a great experience so far, not only seeing a new way of life, new cultures and the rest of it, but meeting new people who seem to be so down to earth and here for the same reasons that we are, to have a good time.  It is evident that Thailand is the hub of all cultures and the only way I could describe what you see in the streets would be to call it a 'mashup'.  It is amazing, it really is and I cannot wait to see what tomorrow has to offer, and in the same breath, the rest of this evening.

JC

Today's The Day

So today is the day.


All of the feelings, worries, sadness, happiness I have felt over the past few weeks and months comes to today, and in the end means nothing right now.  I am glad I have gone through what I have had to endure recently,  I feel stronger in myself, and stronger as a person to know a little more about love and life for my next 'real' relationship.  These things are sent to test us, and just as Kelly Clarkson says - what doesn't kill us, makes us stronger.  Have a ganders at the video. G'wan Clarkson!

This feeling seems to happen to me all time when I make a big decision or I am about to start a new part of my life, I know about what will happen, what to expect and feel like I am ready.  Then the day of departure comes and you realise the exact scale of things.  This morning, my Mom and I said our goodbyes and up until that point I was thinking to myself, oh its okay I will see you very soon its not the end of the world.  Then she told me, well actually James don't say that, I don't know when I will next see you.  She then left and I began to read her blog (http://mandysmidlifemayhem.blogspot.com/) which is when it hit me and realised that I won't be an hour and a half down the road anymore.  This is not the first time I have had this feeling, but it just shows that you still surprise yourself, and it's not like this feeling is going to kill me but I love my family and will be sad to say goodbye again until the next time, but more than anything, I am excited for whats about to happen in my life!!


With Gaz, just finishing off with a student of his and certifying all of the courses he has completed, its time for us both to tie up loose ends, and get ready for the big change.  For me, its easy, I had an unsuccessful bout with the Dubai Police which is something I said I would do for someone before I left, but unfortunately was unsuccessful.  I had a couple of visa challenges late on, a few different communications with all things scuba including a change of region with PADI and then the final almighty task of packing.  Wow.  

With 250 people aboard, the last thing I need
is a suitcase the size of 5 small Thai men.

If you have ever emigrated, or moved house then you will understand the difficult challenge and thought behind what and how to pack your case.  I recently went out to by a more 'travel-friendly' bag, and ended up with what looks like a huge Nike gym bag.  I'm pretty happy with it and saves me carting a heavy duty suitcase around the knackered streets of Bangkok and struggling fitting it in 'Tuk-Tuk's' as we move around.  The past few days have included trying to get every document that I need or potentially need whilst I am there and convert or find a substitute to a digital version, not easy, but I seem to have done it quite easily - until I arrive in Thailand and realise I have forgotten something. 


I have very little scuba equipment with me right now, and I will be looking to buy almost all of the standard kit whilst I am there, however the things I do have are big.. and heavy.  Having only 30kg baggage allowance is not much when you consider a complete life swap is happening. So after deciding that I need all of my shorts and t-shirts and saying goodbye to hoodies, jeans and my beloved leather jacket, I finally finished packing. I find it quite funny that although I complain about not having much weight allowance to relocate everything I own, I think its a case of 'having eyes bigger than your belly'.  My whole life and all of my possessions fit into my bag with space left, and weighs roughly 20kg.  Quite sad really.  


One thing that I am grateful for and very happy with is the fact that I have managed to get hold of a camera for my travels.  It just so happened to be, that Paul, my step-dad, had decided to go out and by a new camera - after my Mom decided to go swimming with his old one.  After looking over it and seeing that it comes with a top-notch underwater camera housing (needed for underwater photography), I decided to buy it off him before I go, instead of buying electronics when I get to Bangkok.  I think the fact that it was a top deal, and the fact I didn't want to buy faulty goods in Thailand swung it for me. 


So now, I am set.  Bags packed and sorted, passports and visa sorted, documentation sorted, camera sorted.  I have that obligatory feeling that I have forgotten something important, but that is normal and I am sure that I have everything I need for the trip.  I have thought about letting people know that I am leaving today but decided against it.  I will keep in touch with any person that wants to keep in contact with me, but to save myself the conversations about 'where I'm going, how long, what I'm doing' etc. Its easier to get up and go.  In the same breathe, I thought during the past days whether to contact my ex and let her know what I am doing etc.  I decided to do it.  People might moan at me and say 'what are you doing James, why are you doing this to yourself', but I am confident that my mindset is over her, despite the fact my heart is still slightly attached, I am happiest whilst knowing that I can contact her letting her know, after all I had the time of my life with that girl.  I do not expect a reply, do not want a reply and now I am happy in myself that every loose end possible has been tied up.  


Now, its a waiting game, until 11.30pm tonight until we head for Bahrain, then a 7 hour flight to Bangkok, for James Clark's new exciting life.  Good times.


JC

Time Waster

It is currently 6.04am and my mind is just as confused as my body is right now in know what day it is, when the  last time I woke up was and when I should next go to sleep.  I know this is the 9th post that I shall be publishing, but not so sure which day it is, not so sure if I've managed to miss blogging on one day or two.


I hate being in this type of state, it gets you down.  There's nothing which is really 'bad' per se, just annoying that you seem to sleep throughout the day, waste the daylight hours and then during the hours you are awake, everyone one else is sleeping and you waste more and more hours.  in the end, the 24 hours of your day are a complete waste, time which could be used for something else, something good.  You sit there, wondering, thinking about what you can do that is productive and thoughts run through your mind like 'learn a new language', 'go for a jog' and 'go to sleep'.  All these things are much better to do and would make me feel better about myself (and probably, take my mind off other things too).  


Although you sit there and think about doing 'something productive', there are just as many reasons to back out of it, whether its because Ghost Hunters is coming on the telly in 15 minutes (and lets be honest, who can go to sleep when Derek Acorah, is coming on, the cheeky ghost-hunting scouse geezer!), or you are 'too tired' to go for a run or you you tell yourself you will sleep soon, and then realise you have only just woken up. I think the most productive thing I have done today is probably catch up on what's happening in Emmerdale, sent a couple of emails about what's happening in Thailand and fought off a couple of ex-girlfriend memories which have tried to crawl through in my moments of weakness.  It seems that everywhere I look recently, things are determined to get my thoughts back on to what I do not need to think about. That, or my mind is connecting things to those memories I have with her.  Not sure, probably the latter, but for my own self-esteem and confidence, we will go for the 'coincidence' option.  


On another subject, i have some good news! 


Flights to Bangkok are booked, confirmed and paid for. Sweet. I have being waiting for this moment for well over a month now, and it seems like a huge weight has been taken off my shoulders.  Despite knowing the plans were going to come to fruition in my head, actually seeing the tickets in black and white, with names, times and destination is like an 'hallelujah' moment.  Now all of the talk about Bangkok, Phuket, the parties, Koh Tao and the other islands, thinking about the diving and everything else the place has to offer - all of this seems to finally be real and its starting to hit me that in, hmmmm less than 48 hours, I will be there.


I'm also thinking that my commitment of one blog per day, was probably a high task and awkward task to maintain.  I have struggled to find influence, topics and whatnot whilst I am jobless and duty-less in Dubai.  So when I am busy busy, laying drunk of some poor Thai girls bathroom floor or I am underwater swimming with the worlds largest fish, the whale shark, I think the blog might start to slip down my priorities, and although the blog has undoubtedly become something I did not expect - I find my self actively checking the comments and seeing how many 'new hits' I have had that day - in the end, this thing is for myself and I need to continue for myself really.  


That exact statement above 'I need to continue for myself really', makes me laugh and cringe but I also know that its true.  As much as I am loving and enjoying writing the blogs, listening to people's feedback - I have not once read one the posts I have published.  I write it, post it and then wait until the next day and do the same.  I tried 2 or 3 days ago to read my first couple of posts, and I felt the feelings of past times start to come back, I felt embarrassment and thought I write like a 5 year old.  So for now, I have decided its best not to read them.  I realised that when I started to feel the old feelings come back from how I was feeling last week that the pain, anger and love is still inside me, its like I have dug a hole, put all of my feelings in a wooden box and then buried it in the hole and whenever I get close that box, the feelings start to freshen up.  It may take some years for that box to disintegrate in to the ground and just become 'a part of me'.  

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11672/7605478/Muamba-critically-ill-

Right now - for the second time in this blog - it is 7.02am, almost one hour of writing and watching 'How It Is Made', where I found out how they make the traditional English red post-box.  Fascinating.  It is early, and people in the household are now beginning to wake up and get themselves ready for work, I will find my self in 4 or 5 hours looking for my bed to once again say good night at the complete wrong time.  Today, I'm not too bothered as I just need to be awake by 8pm local time to catch the footy match.  On the note of football I would to express my prayers are with Fabrice Muamba of Bolton F.C who unfortunately dropped to the floor during the Bolton vs Spurs match last night and is now in a London Heart Specialist Hospital clinically ill and is in intensive care.  Whether you are a fan of Bolton, Spurs, any other team or you are not a fan at all, these stories go above football and the results, and should bring everybody together in wishing the best for Muamba.  He is 23 and according to reports, fighting for his life! 


JC

Ping-pong

I must start by mentioning that I did not blog yesterday for a mixture of reasons.

I have being finding it somewhat difficult to remain positive and believe that I am 'the stronger person' in the past couple of days, my sleep pattern has alternated and now I sleep through the day, stay awake through the night.  As I mentioned, it has been a struggle to remain positive and stop my self of thinking about her, the time we had, how I miss her and how bad she made me feel, a real mixture of feelings, but the past days everything I see reminds me of her.  Which is hard,

I now have around 48 hours left in the U.A.E and I have gone through the rigmoral of packing, sorting visas out, finding places to stay and now just ready to jump on the plane and go, and the sooner.. the better.  I am sure I will still think about her when I am out there in Thailand, but it will be much MUCH easier to forget about her, and I need to.. quick.  Knowing that I still love her so much after everything she has put me through is eating away at me inside, making me think 'what a fool you are', and then I think of the good times we had and just wish the next person to call is her.  Although, I dont really want her to call - I realise it is the weakness inside of me trying to jump out.

I've found it difficult to blog over the past couple of days - a mixture of not knowing what to say and because I do not want to keep droning on about my ex, after publicly stating that I have started to feel better.  The reason I have decided to blog to day is because I cannot lie, I cannot tell people I am completely fine, when I am not.  This doesn't mean that I am back in the place I was before when I was depressed and thought the world was a pile of horse muck, but I am very much still in the transition period of 'rain-cloud' about to leave, in my mind.  Some days I am my normal Jimmy C cheeky chappy personality, and sometimes, more reserved because everything around me is still revolving around her.  I'm not happy with this situation, my head has accepted and moved on, but my heart is still pining for her somewhat and holding me back.  Which is why I am hopeful Thailand will release me of that.  That thought pleases me, finally over!

Myself and Gaz will board the plane to Bangkok very soon where we will spend a few days to find our feet before heading through the main cities of Thailand, travel, see the place before we settle down and find some permanent work as scuba diving instructors. There will be no time for thinking about the past - only the present and the future.  There are too many opportunities to be had and I cannot bloody wait.

Some of the reviews for Thailand on the internet have made me laugh recently, and as much I am aware everywhere has their good and bad spots, I find it difficult to believe that people can actually have a 'real' life and bring up kids there etc.  The place looks nuts.  From having girls shooting ping-pong balls out of their, erm.. lady gardens, to seeing men with breast implants trying to drug you to sleep with you, to hearing stories about 24/7 parties which have the craziest stories.  It all seems great! As mentioned in previous posts I will not be partaking in 'all' activities Thailand has to offer, but as a person with the motto 'try everything once, if you dont like it, dont try it again', I will go with an open mind to try as much as I can - my morals will still remain the same.

If you cannot lose yourself, relax, let loose and get your head together in Thailand then where the hell can you go?  

JC

The Sky is the Limit

Day 7, Week 1.  That's commitment.

I would like to apologize to everyone for probably making you want to slit your wrists over the last week.  I promise from now, it will change... until the next time my heart is broken.  Its funny, I know I am such a positive, smiley happy go-lucky guy, although from the sounds of my blogs and reading back over them, I could not come across any different.  You know what they say, love makes us do funny things.  Oh so true.

I am happy, optimistic and so pleased that my mindset has changed, and although I still feel like there is a slight rain cloud of misery of my head, I can see the rainbow, though more importantly than that I can feel the heat of the sun bearing down on me again.  I am happy that in the time of true heartbreak and misery that I now have the confidence that I am a stronger person than that, with a little help from my friends.

How can someone stay upset and down with friends like this? It is this type of thing which has made me feel like the rain cloud is on its way out of town and I feel like even if it came back, I would know how to react to this, and get my umbrella out.

I now have the best opportunity of my life in front of me, I have already studied and gone through the hardship of becoming an scuba diving instructor and now, I can really enjoy my self, enjoy teaching people how to do what I love and to see the look of excitement and transformation on peoples face when they see the underwater world for the first time.

Only a couple of days are left until the flight to South East Asia and I see my new home for the foreseeable future for the first time.  I have obviously heard about the place from so many people and so many different things, most commonly about the ping-pong girls, and the 'chicks-with dicks'.  I have an open mind and people will do what they want to do, and I am thinking that right now I will be fine with all these new experiences, however, I am sure when I finally do arrive , at times I will be s******g my self and wondering what I have gotten myself into.  At the same time, there will be experiences that I am not so fond of, along with another thousand moments which I absolutely love.  Swings and roundabouts, but hey, that's life isn't it.  

Despite loving Dubai when I very first arrived, I am leaving the country with a completely different view.  I think my views of the place are slightly marred and biased by the experiences I have had here in recent times.  I'm sure that everyone you speak to in Dubai will tell you it is like living in a bubble, you don't realise what is happening outside of your world and realise that alot of the people 'inside' the bubble are not necessarily the people you would associate your self with in your natural habitat.  

I think that if you can realise and understand that Dubai is built on false pretenses, for the people who like to live the high life, its a place in which people who have money like to show people that they have money.  If you can understand these points of views and can be happy with it, then you can live quite happily.  Whilst there are a large number of people in this country who are materialistic, lie and back stab you - that's just the Arab way.  However, like I always say, you cannot tar everything with the same brush, obviously not everybody in the UAE is like this and there are some real natural, down to earth people living here, and its nice when you find them.  

As much as I dislike the place now and most of the people in it these days, there is one thing you cannot take away from Dubai and that is the fact that is the WOW factor.  Everything here is the biggest, the tallest, the smallest, the most expensive etc.  The Arabs have found their money in their oil, realised it will not last for ever, and decided to out their country on the map for other reasons and that's exactly what they have done. The reason I mention this is because I know and I understand Thailand is going to be the complete opposite.  I am going from living in one of the most up-and-coming developing countries in the world, to a place where people are still living in wooden huts and buildings on stilts. I am excited.

I am excited because I think I will feel much more 'at home' in that type of environment.  There are no egos, no body thinks they are better than anyone else and every one on the islands are looking to party and have a good time.  Betters times are coming folks I can feel it in my bones.

Lithium

So we are on Day 6 of blogging now.

I find it quite strange that the moment I start to blog, that same moment my life has taken a course on the worlds largest emotional roller coaster.  Coincidence or has it happened for a reason? Either way I am happy to have the stress release through blogging and speaking to friends and family.  It has helped.

Last night when I had blogged and I had spoken to a few friends about things, I realized that I might live to regret asking people questions, after wondering if I could really handle the truth and what it would mean to me.  I had reached a certain peace with myself and the situation, but yet again, emotion fueled decisions had let to more heartache today, in hindsight, my own fault for being so persistent about knowing every detail.

I had reached out to a person I thought could help me with some answers, and I was right, this person did give me answers and confirmed to me that yes, my ex had being cheating on me, for just under one month.  Up until I had made my peace yesterday, I had thought that by knowing this it would help me through what has happened.  It didn't.  I awoke this morning to find the news, and almost immediately was hit by an emotional rush of adrenaline, and rather than feel like a pressure had been lifted, I started to feel angry, disappointed and emotionally unstable once again.  My first reaction was to contact her and let her know I now have the power to make her life as shit as mine has been this last week with the evidence I now had in my possession.  I knew that as much as emotions were high that this behavior is not me, so I decided to go outside and have a cigarette and calm down.  One cigarette turned into about 5, I could not change my mind or calm down and was still demanding to know why she had treated me this way.  Once again, regrettably now, I dug out her number and text her telling her I knew and I could not promise not telling her family.

After debating whether or not I would really make my revenge, I managed to have a 2 hour long discussion with my good friend Colin and his fiance Hayley.  It was so nice to Skype with them, talk some nonsense, about some old times and of course what has being going on with me and my ex.  It was nice to really talk, waste some time and to get a fresh point of view on things.  After the call, I started listening to Nirvana, a band I have always love, and listened to the song 'I hate myself and want to die',  it is definitely not one of my favorite songs but it definitely inspired me and made me feel happier about myself.  I know that as much as life gets you down, it chews you up and spits you out again - like it has done to me recently- then I will never hate life enough to want to finish it, I am a strong person and as much as I sometimes I sound pessimistic, do stupid emotionally fueled things every now, I know that I am a strong man and you need to get back on your horse and try again.

The emotions, thoughts and other things I cannot put a name to over the last week have been crazy.  I have learnt a few things about life, other people and most importantly about myself.  I have learnt that when you truly know a person, they can still change, and just because you know a person until the point where you feel 100% comfortable and trustworthy - that person can still change.  I have learnt that life will put us through the highest highs and the lowest lows, and in the end it means nothing, what matters is how you overcome lives problems and move on.  We have a short amount of time on this planet and there is no point wasting one second over a person who does not deserve you for whatever reason.  This is a not a statement expressing that I am better than anybody else, but one that states everybody is equal and nobody, NOBODY should think they can treat other people like I have been treat and get away with it.  Karma's a bitch.  The thing I have learnt about myself is that I am much, much stronger than I ever thought and that I am happy with who I am.  Although, it will be tough in the near future to remind my self of this, I know that deep down, I will be okay and I am sure I will love again should I be lucky enough.


This is the third I have tried to write this blog today, it has been way too difficult for me to write down my thoughts, and actually get them out there in to the public.  I have however, since come to terms with whats happened, I have deleted the people from my life who I believe will help me, I have a flight to book, a case to pack and my future to plan which I am so excited about and now need to have some faith that I can keep this positive mental attitude going on, and my blogs from now will actually be positive and exciting, rather than carry a sense of a negativity and hopefully this big miserable rain cloud which is hanging around me at the moment.. can kindly bugger off.


JC

Hocus Pocus

G'day dudes and dudettes!


Unlike many other bloggers, I don't really tell my readers what I'm doing in my day-to-day life; what I'm wearing, what I have for breakfast etc. Its generally quite deep. However, to set up today's post, however, you are going to learn what last 48 (ish) hours in the life of me has been like.


I'll start off on Saturday, which is the day after the birthday drinks celebration we had for my mother - and when we all met Malcolm X, the lizard.  It was, as I'm sure you can imagine after drinking heavily - although on the night not feeling the effects, the hangover was bang on form - it was a very lazy, quiet and grouchy day in the household.  Most of the population waking up around lunchtime then reaching for the sofa for some much needed extra chill-out time.  We did however manage to muster up some strength to get some clothes on, wallets out and into a car around 3pm or 4pm.  Destination? Beach bar.  For some food, and obviously, a couple more cheeky celebratory drinks for my mothers birthday.  It was really nice, I'm sure this is the first time in quite a few years that my immediate family have all been together for someones birthday.  

We had managed to find a table and order some grub. We found my step-brother on the beach in some bright pink shorts - who had been in the country about 2 or 3 hours, before dropping his clothes in his bedroom and heading back out to the beach bar for some drinks. Screw loose. My parents decided to leave after an hour or two, the boys and I decided to stay to carry on my mothers birthday celebration. Honest. We ended up staying at the bar as I knew the football would be on later, so in the meantime I had decided if I was going to get drunk that night I would need a bit more ammo than just a pint of watered down Carlsberg, or a single JD and coke.  So we ordered bullfrogs.  Found out it was happy hour from 4pm till 7pm, I don't remember the number, but if I said I had had around 10 of them, I don't think I'd be too far off being right.  Later we had decided to move on to a different bar after a disappointing loss in the football, only to be reminded by my younger brother that whilst wearing shorts, we are not going to get in many places.  A quick hop home, jeans on, back in taxi, sorted.


We get to our destination, which I have been to once before and had an experience to remember.. or not as the case goes.  Basically a hooker joint.  For me its quite a good place to go, its just like been in a gay bar, I'm not interested whatsoever what is going on around me, what people do at the end of the night but in the mean time I can have a good time, forget about real life and maybe even have a dance.  Granted, its not somewhere I would go for a couple of quiet drinks and rewind, but every now and then, in this capacity its quite nice to let loose.  My younger brother then decided that after a couple of hours, this place wasn't for him, came to tell me he was leaving so after making sure he had enough money in his pocket to get home and a phone with him, I saw him off.  Myself and Gaz decided to stay for an hour or two before heading home ourselves, it was a good night, ticked all the boxes.  Drink enough alcohol to kill a small family of horses. Check. Deep conversation. Check. Things you don't do when sober. Check. Almost, fight. Check.  And of course the obvious haggling of some girl trying to pose her self upon us for which started off as 1000dhs and eventually told us just give her 200dhs, obviously seeing her chances of getting any money all night slimming by the minute, I gave her 50dhs, said go home, your worth more than selling yourself like this, and so am I, which is when we left.  


It had been full circle, woke up feeling like my arse was in my mouth, got back on it, had some crazy times, slept and woke up feeling like my arse was in my mouth. Sunday was a horrible day for me, but at least I had gotten through the night without waking up sweating thinking about things I don't want to be thinking about right now.  Sunday consisted of waking up around 2pm, blogging, drinking more than I weigh in water and generally feeling sorry for myself now that the thoughts of the previous night and 'the one whose name we do not mention' started to creep their way back in.  Again, when everyone had gotten home from work - which is something I was so grateful for not having to do - it was a case of getting some food, chilling out with Independence Day on the telly and one-by-one heading upstairs to bed.  I retired around 9pm, reasonable time. Only to find myself at 1.30am wake up sweating, tears in my eyes, shaking and my heart pounding from dreaming about and missing 'the one whose name we do not mention'. :(


So, there I am, 1.30am, still feeling hungover, tears in my eyes and shaking like a leaf in the wind.  I was a mess, a complete and utter state. Men are supposed to be strong, protectors and not be like I was last night, I felt ashamed to be reduced to this.. by her.  I have been coping quite well I think, but then again I have had a tirade of help support from friends and family, and almost letting their thoughts and feelings over power my own so I can stop hurting so bad.  Although, when your asleep you cannot fool your self anymore.  Its horrible. So now, its early hours of the morning, most of the people in UAE are asleep, Facebook is dead with life and most of my UK friends are in bed as its late-ish and Monday morning when they next wake up.  Nightmare.


I manage to speak to one of my good friends, Ruth - she has been a rock for me this past week and always gives a fresh honest opinion as well as a supportive blanket for me to cover myself with when I need it.  I talked to Ruth and told her I had done something stupid,  I told her I had found the guy my ex was talking to dirtily to and told her I had messaged him very politely and asked him what had gone on.  To this point still no reply.  Even after doing this I felt like shit,  I was feeling naive, vulnerable and feel like even now I am still being taken for a mug.  Messaging him, wasn't enough though.  I wanted to talk to my ex and speak to her directly, find out some answers.  Ruth had asked me 'What do you want to hear?',  I told her I wanted to hear the truth and find some answers as to why she had done what she has done,  Ruth replied and told me until 'if that's what you want then you should do it because until you find out those answers, you cannot have closure.'.  Very true words.  I managed to find her CV through my emails, pick out her number and message her.  It was long.


At around 4.30am, a couple of hours of sending the message I decided to head back to bed, something I wasn't particularly looking forward to as I knew as soon as I lay down and my head hits that pillow, my thoughts are not my own and I cannot control what i think about.  I was right, it  was carnage.  I decided to entertain my self with apps on my phone in hope I would just naturally fall asleep. Didn't work.  I tried to recap the adventures of the night before. Didn't work.  I even tried to do the A-Z of french footballers that had ever played in the English Premier League. Again, didn't work.  

Whilst looking through my apps on my phone, I came across my horoscope which mentioned 'you are going ahead with a project and not sure how successful it will be' and 'one thing you haven't considered is that a benevolent force is watching over you and helping you out.  If you can manage a little faith, then you will be able to tap into its positive force'.  Its all very Hocus Pocus and I normally disregard this stuff as exactly that.  However, recently I am clutching at straws to find anything positive in order to feel positive.  I took what the horoscope had said and I did what I thought was 'praying to god'.  I'm not a religious person by any means, but will try anything in this situation for positive help.  I spoke to 'god' and asked for two things, and in a round about way, what I asked for, had been given to me in some way or another.


The first thing I asked for was that my ex reply to my text message and explain thoroughly why she did what she did, so I can move on.  The other was to provide me with all of the PMA in the world, so I can feel like myself again. 


I woke up this morning and instead of feeling a bird that has just hit the window of a fast moving, heavy lorry.  I felt like my questions had been answered, I woke up from a dream in which I had had a friendly, long healthy chat with my ex about exactly what I wanted to know, the venue was the house I spent most of my childhood - probably where I feel the most comfortable - and although it was a dream, it was so vivid and has made me feel so much better about everything.  I haven't received a text message back off her, so I tried to call her today, told her it was me and she hung up the phone before I could say another word.  After trying for about an hour, 3 or 4 calls, I sent her an email - about the size of this blog - so she knows I don't want to fight with her, just looking for answers.  I'm not expecting a reply.  In some ways, I would now be happier to believe what I felt in my dream.  It was perfect, she told me what I wanted to hear, I got things off my chest and it ended like I want it to end.  Whether it is real or not, whether it is God's way of helping me or not, who cares.  I feel better about things and to me, right now I'll take that.  I feel like I have made my peace with the situation and now have to have a little faith that things will pick up, and I am sure, in time, when I arrive in Thailand.  They will.


JC