THAILAND WINTER ESCAPE We are Catalin, Adina and Vladimir: a family with a small child, on a tight budget, looking for a tropical destination that's cheaper than back home. We live in Romania but we like spending our winters in Thailand. WE'RE IN LOVE WITH THIS COUNTRY Not so much with its perfect beaches, its tropical jungle, or the warm breath of the Indian Ocean, but with the humanity awoken in us by its relaxed, Buddhist, modest, smiling inhabitants. Because the gods cannot bless everyone with all of their gifts, Thai people themselves are also blinded by Westerners, venerate fair skin...

Am inotat spre larg cu mintea goala, atent doar la ritm. Cand eram gata sa fac cale-ntoarsa, m-am trezit intr-o intersectie de valuri inspumate, aruncat de colo-colo ca o ganganie. Cu cateva minute inainte totul parea roz: descoperisem o plaja superba la Marea Egee si m-am aruncat in apa razand... Ultimul val m-a lovit ca un ciocan si am simtit apa sarata in gura. Oare chiar ma inec aici? Stop-cadru Sa lipim langa scena asta o partida de inot in piscina. De ani buni inot cu regularitate intr-un bazin din Bucuresti: cuminte, linistit, safe, pe partea dreapta a culoarului. In bazin si-n afara...