Thai Ties and Bought Bahts in Bangkok
Hi! We're in Bangkok at an internet cafe on Kao Sahn Road--the famous backpacker hangout I'm currently at computer #5 in between a german guy and a french guy. OR maybe they're both swiss. who knows... A lot has happened since the last post, and I'll try and give you the highlights! Let me make a disclaimer now, this keyboard is weird, so I apologize for typos up front..
funny moments:
1. carrying our bags (roller bags, not backpacks like EVERYONE else has) over the water to the boat because we're leaving the resort at low tide.
2 . waiting for the bus (which was not a private van as promised) at the wrong pier, wrong thatched hut.
3. laughing because though we are in our 20s and caucasian like everyone else at the bus transfer, we 1) don't smoke, 2) don't have tattoos 3) aren't in our swimsuits 4) have washed our in the bas 24 hours, and 5) aren't wandering aimlessly through Thailand. We totally stuck out among the backpackers and there was NO way we were blending in.
4. when we were on the 3rd bus ride (the reason they allocated 6 hours to make a 2 hour trip) to Surrat Thani, the power blew out during the rainstorm . There's a little thai man yelling "train to bangkok" or "bus to bangkok" all in the pouring rain in a pitch black hut.
5. thinking we had booked a private sleeeper car, it was quite a shock to board the train and see our beds there in the middle of the car. It's the middle of the night, the hole in the groud (i.e. toilet in this case) empties straight onto the track, and I'm brushing my teeth next to a nice Thai man with senstive skin. what's not normal about that?
6. arriving in BKK amid the chaos and confusion after our 14-hour train ride (this, instead of payig an extra $75 to fly non-stop from Krabi) Y'all buy stock in Thai airways, they provide a MUCH needed service!
7. crazy bird women on the street. These ladies poured pigeon food on kendra the asked her to pay for it all while the birds are swarming! We're trying to avoid the avain flu here people!
8. Emily and I got fussed at big time for having our cameras out in the room with the emerald budda. uh oh.
9. These crazy thai massages. We've had 4 in 5 days, and we're going to do our best to have one tonight. I'm going to apply for a job with Cirque do Soleil after all this flexibility!
10. ahh, the food--we've stayed pretty basic (shrimp with basil, cashew chicken, fried rice, pad thai) and Pizza! The thai food is definitely better than the western food, but it's great!
11. I love shopping at markets. Last night we tore it up at the night market which was surprisingly large, well-lit, and commercialized! They like to bargain, and I brought my ow calculator, so that made for some good buying. Plus, we've got economies of scale on our side. The more you buy, the better the price!
12. we wanted to get some curtains made, and found ourselves in a maze of stalls at the india market today. After showing picture after picture to the vendors, we finally found the right place. They couldn't make the curtains in time, but I bought the silk, and they will look AWESOME when they're finished! I may have gone overboard today with the shopping, but man I could really outfit a whole store with the goods that I've bought!
13. I'm a little drugged up right now-It better be allergies, and not the bird flu, but I've got to get rid of this congestion before we begin our 4-flight 37-hour journey home.
I think we're trying for a saturday afternoon flight, so y'all pray that there are four seats (business class would be great) for us. The planes are looking full! Oh, and the german guy next to me just told the swiss guy that rocky 6 comes out in 2007. Who knew?
See you back in the states!
funny moments:
1. carrying our bags (roller bags, not backpacks like EVERYONE else has) over the water to the boat because we're leaving the resort at low tide.
2 . waiting for the bus (which was not a private van as promised) at the wrong pier, wrong thatched hut.
3. laughing because though we are in our 20s and caucasian like everyone else at the bus transfer, we 1) don't smoke, 2) don't have tattoos 3) aren't in our swimsuits 4) have washed our in the bas 24 hours, and 5) aren't wandering aimlessly through Thailand. We totally stuck out among the backpackers and there was NO way we were blending in.
4. when we were on the 3rd bus ride (the reason they allocated 6 hours to make a 2 hour trip) to Surrat Thani, the power blew out during the rainstorm . There's a little thai man yelling "train to bangkok" or "bus to bangkok" all in the pouring rain in a pitch black hut.
5. thinking we had booked a private sleeeper car, it was quite a shock to board the train and see our beds there in the middle of the car. It's the middle of the night, the hole in the groud (i.e. toilet in this case) empties straight onto the track, and I'm brushing my teeth next to a nice Thai man with senstive skin. what's not normal about that?
6. arriving in BKK amid the chaos and confusion after our 14-hour train ride (this, instead of payig an extra $75 to fly non-stop from Krabi) Y'all buy stock in Thai airways, they provide a MUCH needed service!
7. crazy bird women on the street. These ladies poured pigeon food on kendra the asked her to pay for it all while the birds are swarming! We're trying to avoid the avain flu here people!
8. Emily and I got fussed at big time for having our cameras out in the room with the emerald budda. uh oh.
9. These crazy thai massages. We've had 4 in 5 days, and we're going to do our best to have one tonight. I'm going to apply for a job with Cirque do Soleil after all this flexibility!
10. ahh, the food--we've stayed pretty basic (shrimp with basil, cashew chicken, fried rice, pad thai) and Pizza! The thai food is definitely better than the western food, but it's great!
11. I love shopping at markets. Last night we tore it up at the night market which was surprisingly large, well-lit, and commercialized! They like to bargain, and I brought my ow calculator, so that made for some good buying. Plus, we've got economies of scale on our side. The more you buy, the better the price!
12. we wanted to get some curtains made, and found ourselves in a maze of stalls at the india market today. After showing picture after picture to the vendors, we finally found the right place. They couldn't make the curtains in time, but I bought the silk, and they will look AWESOME when they're finished! I may have gone overboard today with the shopping, but man I could really outfit a whole store with the goods that I've bought!
13. I'm a little drugged up right now-It better be allergies, and not the bird flu, but I've got to get rid of this congestion before we begin our 4-flight 37-hour journey home.
I think we're trying for a saturday afternoon flight, so y'all pray that there are four seats (business class would be great) for us. The planes are looking full! Oh, and the german guy next to me just told the swiss guy that rocky 6 comes out in 2007. Who knew?
See you back in the states!
posted by Katie at 5:25 AM
3 Comments:
I believe you got the adventure you were seeking!! Thankfully you made the "private van" and "private sleeper" trips safely. Now if your cold will go away and no one gets the bird flu from exposure to the pigeons, the trip will be terrific. No, actually, I think it is already awesome. Praying that you get the flights you need. Love you!
question on #5: how did you know the Thai man had sensitive skin? just curious.
glad your having such a wonderful adventure!
Oh Katie-
You have greatly irritated my traveling itch. I continue to be jealous of you. Thailand is a great place for unique and "exotic" experiences. Nikki and I would have been one of those stinky backpackers wearing our board shorts if you had run into us. Sometimes you have to wear whatever's clean. (we always wear deodorant though, unlike the Europeans.) Be nice to those guys!
By the way thanks for putting a dot on my Sitmeter map from Thailand. Definitely the coolest mark on the map yet!
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