Mold.

Is the bain of my Mae Sot existence. I guess I didn't put enough thought, before arriving here, into the reality that the constant moisture present in the air during the rainy season might have untoward effects. The moist conditions mean that anything not receiving constant air flow quickly becomes a habitat for gray, stinky mold. I started discovering this a couple of weeks ago. First, I noticed that my UVA ballcap seemed dusty, but when I went to clean it, quickly saw not dust at all. Next, my embroidered bag from India, a bit harder to clean. Soon after, Jade's shrieks of dismay upone discovering molded clothese stored in a suitcase led me to pursue a more thorough exploration of my own belongings. It took little time to discover that several items had visible growth, and about half of my clothes bore the distinctive odor. Jade and I decided that there was no time to waste, and sprung into action. We purchased bleach and scrub brushes, and scrubbed down everything that bleach would'nt ruin (and then took risks with the rest). I went to buy a clothes rack, and now have everything I own hanging in the open air (as opposed to folded in the plastic chest of drawers, as before), with the fan blowing on them when I'm away. And we are hearing the stories trickling in from other fronts as well... Folks who come back from a weekend away to discover a closet full of rancorous odor and gray fuzz.... Prized belongings tucked on high shelves, and discovered to have succombed. Books, desks, blankets, shoes, almost anything is susceptable. We are staging a conscious war on the mold now, taking proactive steps to keep it at bay, and yet it still pops up here and there... Oy. This is an ongoing battle.....