I have no idea whats going on
Towelie said it best…
Hello from Bangkok. I made it.
My plane got in around 11:30 pm, which made finding accommodation an interesting prospect. I was thinking about hanging out in the airport until morning, but i desperately needed a shower. A gentleman found me near the exit who said he would take me to a cheap hotel. This defiantly sketched me out, but other foreigners were doing the same, so I agreed. We hopped in his early 80s Volvo sedan and headed towards the city. He took me to a hotel called “Nice Place” which kind of sketched me out, but it was too late to be choosy. I paid for the hotel, showered and passed out.
Whenever I walked past a taxi, tuk tuk, or motorcycle taxi it is the same routine:
“tuk tuk/taxi?”
“No”
“Where are you going”
“(I usually lie and say just up the street)”
“Where are you from”
“America”
“oh… taxi?”
For some reason the taxi/tuk tuk drivers cannot believe that I would want to walk somewhere. When I have taken a tuk tuk, they drive as fast as they can, weaving in and out of oncoming traffic. I don’t really mind the hazardous driving, I figure that the drivers are fairly experienced and seem to know what they are doing. Plus I have yet to have seen any sort of accident. Tuk Tuk drivers always seem to want to take you to “boom boom” (a go go girl) or else a hotel that they think is good. As Hunter S. would say, “don’t take any guff from those swine.” So far I haven’t.
I relocated to a guesthouse in a more central location that is 10 times better than the hotel I stayed at, plus about 60% cheaper. I have a single room at the Shanti Lodge with a fan for 300 Baht/night (approx $7). The lack of A/C means that I lie in bed with no blankets and a fan to keep me cool. It is hot here. I’m not sure the exact temperature but I do know that there hasn’t been a time when I haven’t been sweating outside of a place with A/C.
Today I explored the Grand Palace, where the king lives. The highlight of the place is the Emerald Buddha, a 2 foot tall statue supposedly carved from a single piece of stone. The entire complex is gorgeous, especially the temple which houses the Emerald Buddha. I also saw the Temple of the Reclining Buddha. This Buddha is about 75 feet long and covered in gold leaf.
I have so far been eating extremely well and cheap. Street vendors sell pretty much anything you want for much less than a restaurant. Here is the rundown of the meals I ate yesterday:
Breakfast: 2 sticks of delicious unknown meat 8 baht
Lunch: Pat See Ew 20 baht
Watermelon after lunch 10 baht
Dinner: Best Pat Thai I have ever had 60 baht
Sing Ha beer: 60 baht
3 waters throughout day 15 baht
total: 173 baht (approx $5) Not bad huh?
Overall this city is fairly polluted and crowded, but not as bad as I expected. I can see why people call this the land of smiles – it seems that everyone is always in a good mood and willing to help. I have been harassed countless times from people trying to get me to buy something, but I can’t really blame them. They know that if they can get me to buy something, it will usually be at a higher rate than a local.
On the plane ride over I was getting a bit nervous and having a few second thoughts. “Do I know what I am getting into?” ran through my mind more than a few times. But since I have been here, getting around is no more difficult than any other foreign city.
I plan on hanging out here in Bangkok for a few more days. I then need to decide whether to head north to Chiang Mai (then into Laos) or head south to some islands (scuba diving). Suggestions always welcome.
Loving life,
Neil
Tags: Thailand
Neil