Smoking Poppy

Went out for a second movie this afternoon, this time, with the befrienders and children from my Club Rainbow group. We went to VivoCity at around noon and watched "Happily N'ever After". A light-hearted animation about happy endings and the lack of them, but not exactly my cup of tea. But some of the kids enjoyed it, so that made it a worthwhile film. Spent a good afternoon afterwards with the children at the Pet Shop and the Comic Shop, and took some lovely pictures under the sun on Level 3 of the building.

As I was processing the photos at home, I couldn't help noticing how gaunt I've become though. :( I hope my injury is not permanent. I hope I find a happy ending to my story.

Finished reading Smoking Poppy. It's a fantastic read. Its British author, Graham Joyce, does magic with his enchanting and colourful narration. It's the story about an Englishman Daniel Innes who dropped all that he was doing to set off for Chiangmai after he had received news that his daughter Charlotte had been arrested and put in prison for smuggling drugs in Thailand. Accompanied by his son Phil and a loud and blumbering side-kick of a friend Mick, Daniel flies to Chiangmai. But instead of finding closure at the prison, the three men become drawn into a long, torturous trek through the thick forests of northern Thailand towards Myanmar, where isolated villages are engaged in the illegal and dangerous cultivation of poppy. And as the trails of opium smoke rise from these tribal huts, so also descends upon Daniel and his companions the heavy oppression that comes from shamanic evil spirits and greedy men who readily kill to keep their opium business alive. I rate this book 8.5/10.