No, I'm not speaking Thai-lish these days, I'm just not proofreading. Forgive the mistakes.
More posts to come, but my 30 minutes is up.
TTFN.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Ten Baht Tuk Tuk
As much as I'd like to start this off with a pop culture reference to the song, "One Night in Bangkok", I just can't--mostly because I spent three nights in Bangkok, and it just wouldn't make sense. So, here goes my next tale of tuk-tuks.
On our second full day in Bangkok, my traveling companion (who will, from this point forward, be referred to as Diane) attempted to explore the city by foot. We managed to walk a good five blocks before a local stopped us to chat. He suggested a couple good places to go and warned us not to accept a tuk-tuk fare of more than 10 baht. The reason being that the tuk-tuk drivers can drive us, the dumb tourists, to the jewelry emporium and the suit tailors in exchange for gas coupons. As we he was explaining this to us (which is something that the guide books also discuss and make a point to warn you about), a young tuk-tuk driver approached us offering us a 10 baht ride. Being that he was somewhat more honest than say, the tuk-tuk driver we'd had the day before who told us the whole ride would be 200 baht, then tried to raise the price four times throughout the trip, informed us that to get the price we had to go to these tourist traps. At first we were a bit skeptical, but once we confirmed that there was no requirement that we had to buy anything at the shops, we agreed to go for it. After all, he did agree to take us to two temples on different sides of town for a quarter.
As we motored in and out of traffic, we talked tour driver, whose name learned was PK at the end of our journey. He was a mere 17 years-old, having come from Phuket to Bangkok two years prior to make money for himself. He was a student and didn't have many friends because the other kids at school looked down on him for his profession, of which he apologized for the reputation of tuk-tuk drivers who scam tourists. He also told us that Thai girls didn't like him because he didn't make enough money. It was admittedly a little sad, but the kid seemed to be doing okay in life.
He drove us to the temples, then once we saw our sights, he said, "Okay, now you help me out. You don't have to buy, just stay long enough and oooh and ahh over the necklaces." We walked into the diamond exchange or whatever the place was, talked gemstones...and ended up with some silver jewelry because, well, we're both jewelry girls. The next stop was the tailor shop where the man tried to convince us that we needed suits and party dresses. Sadly, he couldn't persuade a couple of tour guides that we needed to dress up for work (especially since Diane leads camping tours), so he was out of luck until we spotted the scarves. Luckily for PK, we appeared interested enough that he got his gas cards.
As the 3-hour tuk-tuk tour came to an end, PK informed us that he thought we were very beautiful and wanted to know our ages, but we wouldn't tell. We all bid adieu, then went to get $4 pedicures.
And that was our second day in Bangkok.
Later that night we met our tour group, and I kept my lips zipped as one person in particular ranted over paying 400 baht to get from the airport to the hotel (I paid 13) and the 250 baht she paid to get four blocks (we paid 10 for 3 hours of good time).
I guess we're not so dumb after all.
On our second full day in Bangkok, my traveling companion (who will, from this point forward, be referred to as Diane) attempted to explore the city by foot. We managed to walk a good five blocks before a local stopped us to chat. He suggested a couple good places to go and warned us not to accept a tuk-tuk fare of more than 10 baht. The reason being that the tuk-tuk drivers can drive us, the dumb tourists, to the jewelry emporium and the suit tailors in exchange for gas coupons. As we he was explaining this to us (which is something that the guide books also discuss and make a point to warn you about), a young tuk-tuk driver approached us offering us a 10 baht ride. Being that he was somewhat more honest than say, the tuk-tuk driver we'd had the day before who told us the whole ride would be 200 baht, then tried to raise the price four times throughout the trip, informed us that to get the price we had to go to these tourist traps. At first we were a bit skeptical, but once we confirmed that there was no requirement that we had to buy anything at the shops, we agreed to go for it. After all, he did agree to take us to two temples on different sides of town for a quarter.
As we motored in and out of traffic, we talked tour driver, whose name learned was PK at the end of our journey. He was a mere 17 years-old, having come from Phuket to Bangkok two years prior to make money for himself. He was a student and didn't have many friends because the other kids at school looked down on him for his profession, of which he apologized for the reputation of tuk-tuk drivers who scam tourists. He also told us that Thai girls didn't like him because he didn't make enough money. It was admittedly a little sad, but the kid seemed to be doing okay in life.
He drove us to the temples, then once we saw our sights, he said, "Okay, now you help me out. You don't have to buy, just stay long enough and oooh and ahh over the necklaces." We walked into the diamond exchange or whatever the place was, talked gemstones...and ended up with some silver jewelry because, well, we're both jewelry girls. The next stop was the tailor shop where the man tried to convince us that we needed suits and party dresses. Sadly, he couldn't persuade a couple of tour guides that we needed to dress up for work (especially since Diane leads camping tours), so he was out of luck until we spotted the scarves. Luckily for PK, we appeared interested enough that he got his gas cards.
As the 3-hour tuk-tuk tour came to an end, PK informed us that he thought we were very beautiful and wanted to know our ages, but we wouldn't tell. We all bid adieu, then went to get $4 pedicures.
And that was our second day in Bangkok.
Later that night we met our tour group, and I kept my lips zipped as one person in particular ranted over paying 400 baht to get from the airport to the hotel (I paid 13) and the 250 baht she paid to get four blocks (we paid 10 for 3 hours of good time).
I guess we're not so dumb after all.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Zen Master
Yesterday was my first day in Thailand, and I discovered something about myself. I have grown as a person. Oh yes, The ants are no longer in my pants. That's right people, I didn't get all agitated when I boarded a random bus headed for who knows where. I just went with it.
And that's so not me.
In my former life, I would have chosen NOT to get on any bus. And if I had gotten on the bus, I would have outwardly panicked throughout the entire drive, flipping through my book, frantically searching for a map to somehow make things better. But not this time.
I left my hotel and got into the hotel's car. He asked me which terminal I was going to (since he was taking me back to the airport). I told him I wasn't sure and explained that I was taking the bus to the city.
"Then why are you going to the airport? You should go to the bus terminal."
I shrugged. "Okay. That works too."
So he drove me past the airport to the bus terminal, the whole time inquiring as to why I would choose to take the bus instead of the cab. My answer (which I realize may have befuddled him considering the income disparity between our two nations) was simply that it was cheaper...and because it would be an adventure.
He dropped me at the bus terminal and directed me to the back. I was looking for bus # AE2. I didn't find AE2, rather, I was directed to bus #556. I boarded the bus that was filled with Thai people and a Norwegian couple. The bus pulled out of the space, and the attendant came through collecting our money. I handed him 150 baht (the equivalent of about $5), and he gave me a puzzled look. He motioned to the Norwegian couple and asked, "For everyone?"
"No, just me." I replied.
He then handed me back all but 13 Baht (the equivalent of a quarter). It was then that I first suspected I might be on the wrong bus. According to my guidebook, the bus cost 150 baht, so had I found myself on public transit? And, even though it said Khao San Road, where exactly was it taking me? I considered these questions and looked down at my bag wondering if it might be wise to take out my book. After a good 15 seconds of semi-serious thought, I opted to look out the window and check out the Thai landscape.
As we hurdled down the highway into Bangkok, I looked over at the traffic. We came to a crawl, when I noticed the bus next to us--the airport bus...bus # AE2. It was filled with white folk. I laughed a little in my head. That was my bus. But my bus appeared to be going in the same general direction, so I decided to let the gods of travel take it from there. We drove into the city, and I made note of passing the Democracy Monument (which I knew was relatively close to the part of town in which I was to stay). The bus made its first stop (which lasted a total of 5 seconds, making me realize you have to know when to get off and make a break for it).
After a few stops, we came to yet another and the attendant walked over to me, saying, "This is you. Khao San Road." I thanked him and exited the bus. Still having no clue where I was, but not wanting to stop in the middle of the crowd to figure it out, I walked down the street for a few blocks until I found a clearing where I pulled out my book. After a quick survey of the map and my current position, I saw that I stopped at the exact spot where I needed to cross the street. As I made this glorious realization, a friendly Thai man asked if I needed assistance and directed me to my street.
It took one block before I knew I was going the right way. How did I know? White people. Hundreds of them. I wandered down Khao San Road which is a spectacle at all times of day, though especially at night (think Mardi Gras or what Halloween in the Castro used to be like--minus the stabbings). As I wandered, I came across a large, angry American who had just been swindled out of 500 baht when he followed a man into a back alley hoping to have his fortune told. The man made a spectacle of himself, yelling about his lost money, pounding his chest, and posturing as a gorilla might.
I quickly did the math in my head and felt little sympathy for the galump. It was just 20 bucks, and while it is a damn shame that he was bamboozled, it was his own fault. And besides, I was cheated out of 400 bucks in China, so I really have no sympathy.
I finally passed them and made it to my hotel, and once I did, I felt nothing but pride. I never lost my temper (which has happened in the past), and I just trusted that I would find my way. And I did.
Zen found.
And that's so not me.
In my former life, I would have chosen NOT to get on any bus. And if I had gotten on the bus, I would have outwardly panicked throughout the entire drive, flipping through my book, frantically searching for a map to somehow make things better. But not this time.
I left my hotel and got into the hotel's car. He asked me which terminal I was going to (since he was taking me back to the airport). I told him I wasn't sure and explained that I was taking the bus to the city.
"Then why are you going to the airport? You should go to the bus terminal."
I shrugged. "Okay. That works too."
So he drove me past the airport to the bus terminal, the whole time inquiring as to why I would choose to take the bus instead of the cab. My answer (which I realize may have befuddled him considering the income disparity between our two nations) was simply that it was cheaper...and because it would be an adventure.
He dropped me at the bus terminal and directed me to the back. I was looking for bus # AE2. I didn't find AE2, rather, I was directed to bus #556. I boarded the bus that was filled with Thai people and a Norwegian couple. The bus pulled out of the space, and the attendant came through collecting our money. I handed him 150 baht (the equivalent of about $5), and he gave me a puzzled look. He motioned to the Norwegian couple and asked, "For everyone?"
"No, just me." I replied.
He then handed me back all but 13 Baht (the equivalent of a quarter). It was then that I first suspected I might be on the wrong bus. According to my guidebook, the bus cost 150 baht, so had I found myself on public transit? And, even though it said Khao San Road, where exactly was it taking me? I considered these questions and looked down at my bag wondering if it might be wise to take out my book. After a good 15 seconds of semi-serious thought, I opted to look out the window and check out the Thai landscape.
As we hurdled down the highway into Bangkok, I looked over at the traffic. We came to a crawl, when I noticed the bus next to us--the airport bus...bus # AE2. It was filled with white folk. I laughed a little in my head. That was my bus. But my bus appeared to be going in the same general direction, so I decided to let the gods of travel take it from there. We drove into the city, and I made note of passing the Democracy Monument (which I knew was relatively close to the part of town in which I was to stay). The bus made its first stop (which lasted a total of 5 seconds, making me realize you have to know when to get off and make a break for it).
After a few stops, we came to yet another and the attendant walked over to me, saying, "This is you. Khao San Road." I thanked him and exited the bus. Still having no clue where I was, but not wanting to stop in the middle of the crowd to figure it out, I walked down the street for a few blocks until I found a clearing where I pulled out my book. After a quick survey of the map and my current position, I saw that I stopped at the exact spot where I needed to cross the street. As I made this glorious realization, a friendly Thai man asked if I needed assistance and directed me to my street.
It took one block before I knew I was going the right way. How did I know? White people. Hundreds of them. I wandered down Khao San Road which is a spectacle at all times of day, though especially at night (think Mardi Gras or what Halloween in the Castro used to be like--minus the stabbings). As I wandered, I came across a large, angry American who had just been swindled out of 500 baht when he followed a man into a back alley hoping to have his fortune told. The man made a spectacle of himself, yelling about his lost money, pounding his chest, and posturing as a gorilla might.
I quickly did the math in my head and felt little sympathy for the galump. It was just 20 bucks, and while it is a damn shame that he was bamboozled, it was his own fault. And besides, I was cheated out of 400 bucks in China, so I really have no sympathy.
I finally passed them and made it to my hotel, and once I did, I felt nothing but pride. I never lost my temper (which has happened in the past), and I just trusted that I would find my way. And I did.
Zen found.
The Crocs That Saved Me
....a true story by all of the toes on my right foot...
Say what you will about Crocs (my traveling companion already did by merely saying, "Nice Crocs", which may seem like a benign comment, but really...admiration was not in her voice because....Crocs are sooooo dorky), but these babies saved my toes AND toenails yesterday.
Had I been wearing flip flops (like I've chosen today), then I'm sure i would have lost my toes. I kicked at least 3 curbs, and my feet were stepped on at least 5 times. Did it hurt? No. Because I had Crocs. The downside was that i did manage to get a couple blisters, so I had to administer some surgery in the middle of the night. But that's it!
And speaking of people stepping on me. I'm no tall gorilla, so it shocked me when I almost walked into a full-grown adult because I didn't see them--they were a whole head shorter than me.
I'm a giant at 5'4.
Say what you will about Crocs (my traveling companion already did by merely saying, "Nice Crocs", which may seem like a benign comment, but really...admiration was not in her voice because....Crocs are sooooo dorky), but these babies saved my toes AND toenails yesterday.
Had I been wearing flip flops (like I've chosen today), then I'm sure i would have lost my toes. I kicked at least 3 curbs, and my feet were stepped on at least 5 times. Did it hurt? No. Because I had Crocs. The downside was that i did manage to get a couple blisters, so I had to administer some surgery in the middle of the night. But that's it!
And speaking of people stepping on me. I'm no tall gorilla, so it shocked me when I almost walked into a full-grown adult because I didn't see them--they were a whole head shorter than me.
I'm a giant at 5'4.
Friday, January 8, 2010
Farewell Cankles!
The nice thing about travel-induced cankles is that it doesn't take much for them to go away. Last night, I got to my hotel around 2:00 AM, then had a panic not knowing if tipping was something that you do in Thailand. At first I didn't (and according to my book, it isn't expected), but then I felt a wave of guilt (mostly because I was concerned with tipping karma), so I ran outside to find the guys that drove me and carried my luggage. They seemed very pleased that I gave them the equivalent of 60 cents.
After cleansing my karma, I went to bed and had to do everything I could to NOT think about the fact that I lost my water bottle on the plane. Now, I know you're probably thinking, "Water bottle? Who cares!" But it wasn't any water bottle. It was a gift from my mom, and it had a filtration system...and apparently it was very expensive. I tried to retrieve it, but it wasn't to be. Someone on Korean Air is now the happy owner of my water bottle. Seat 48E was the luck winner!
Once that was cleared from my head, I went to sleep, and I did okay. I only woke up 4 times (which was better than the night before when I had dreams that I had to drop my friends off at 2 different airports before catching my flight--and I didn't wake up shrieking (like I did on the plane) because I thought I'd left my rings on the plane (because I left them in a safe deposit box)), so it was a good night.
The best part about it was that when I woke up, I peaked under the sheets to check out my cankles, and they had almost disappeared. They're still there, but getting smaller! I'll have normal feet tomorrow. Goodbye Fred Flintstone!
And now, it's time I started my journey into the Bangkok. Until then, fair readers. (You are coming back, right?)
Oh wait, but before I go...is it weird that the place where I had breakfast is playing country music almost exclusively. I kind of want to wait around and see if they play that Tim McGraw fan with the line, "Jesus is My Friend, America is my Home." I like to imagine that he had more lines like, "I like Ice Cream. Bubblegum tastes good."
Now it's off to town.
After cleansing my karma, I went to bed and had to do everything I could to NOT think about the fact that I lost my water bottle on the plane. Now, I know you're probably thinking, "Water bottle? Who cares!" But it wasn't any water bottle. It was a gift from my mom, and it had a filtration system...and apparently it was very expensive. I tried to retrieve it, but it wasn't to be. Someone on Korean Air is now the happy owner of my water bottle. Seat 48E was the luck winner!
Once that was cleared from my head, I went to sleep, and I did okay. I only woke up 4 times (which was better than the night before when I had dreams that I had to drop my friends off at 2 different airports before catching my flight--and I didn't wake up shrieking (like I did on the plane) because I thought I'd left my rings on the plane (because I left them in a safe deposit box)), so it was a good night.
The best part about it was that when I woke up, I peaked under the sheets to check out my cankles, and they had almost disappeared. They're still there, but getting smaller! I'll have normal feet tomorrow. Goodbye Fred Flintstone!
And now, it's time I started my journey into the Bangkok. Until then, fair readers. (You are coming back, right?)
Oh wait, but before I go...is it weird that the place where I had breakfast is playing country music almost exclusively. I kind of want to wait around and see if they play that Tim McGraw fan with the line, "Jesus is My Friend, America is my Home." I like to imagine that he had more lines like, "I like Ice Cream. Bubblegum tastes good."
Now it's off to town.
Old Habits Die Hard
On my last day in San Francisco, I decided that I needed to eat something very American for lunch. What did I do? I had a burger at Red Robin. Then, as I was driving back to the city, what did I do? I stopped at the mall with the sole purpose of going to Mrs. Fields to buy a cookie cup (because I LOVE to eat sugar covered in artificial colors that do NOT occur in nature--there are photos to prove this). If I had gone to Chevy's for dinner, my guilty pleasure dining day would have been complete.
Since I didn't do that, I did something else. I paid WAY too much for a bag of goldfish crackers...that I consumed on the plane while watching 6 movies. What will I do on my next flight without kid snacks?
Since I didn't do that, I did something else. I paid WAY too much for a bag of goldfish crackers...that I consumed on the plane while watching 6 movies. What will I do on my next flight without kid snacks?
Tourist Fashion
Ah, travel. It brings out the worst in people's fashion choices. In the short time I've been leading tours, I've witnessed these bad choices. For whatever reason, people choose to wear clothes on vacation that they would never (and should never) wear in public when they are close to home. I'm talking people wearing ripped up jeans and nasty, falling-apart t-shirts. Shirts with ridiculous slogans on them that they got for free at a fast food restaurant opening. It's appalling. They're still IN public. Just because they don't know anyone in the place they are doesn't mean they're suddenly invisible.
Often I find myself making fun of these people in my head. And now...I'm one of them. What is my faux pas? Crocs. I bought a pair of crocs specifically for my trip to China a couple years ago. I only wore them in China, and they've been in my closet ever since. Now that I'm en route to Thailand, what am I wearing? Crocs.
So it seems that I'm no better than anyone else. Though, the nice thing (or interesting thing) about wearing Crocs on a long plane ride is that you get to see how much your feet swell. I'm already through the 12 hour plane ride to Korea, and I'm about to board my 6 hour flight to Bangkok. I would put money down that my Crocs will be very snug by the time I land, and as I walk into my hotel, it will be like I'm walking on pillows.
Ah, travel fashion!
Often I find myself making fun of these people in my head. And now...I'm one of them. What is my faux pas? Crocs. I bought a pair of crocs specifically for my trip to China a couple years ago. I only wore them in China, and they've been in my closet ever since. Now that I'm en route to Thailand, what am I wearing? Crocs.
So it seems that I'm no better than anyone else. Though, the nice thing (or interesting thing) about wearing Crocs on a long plane ride is that you get to see how much your feet swell. I'm already through the 12 hour plane ride to Korea, and I'm about to board my 6 hour flight to Bangkok. I would put money down that my Crocs will be very snug by the time I land, and as I walk into my hotel, it will be like I'm walking on pillows.
Ah, travel fashion!
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