South! No wait, north!
I knew I was starting to get comfortable in Bangkok when I interrupted a foreigner rifling through the pathetic stationery collection at 7-11 to ask if he was looking for a notebook, which he was. “Ah then,” I said, “go down the street to the right, around the curve and on the north side of the street next to the bus stop there’s a great little stationery store.”
And what was I doing in 7-11, you ask? Aside from the fact that there are three of them on every block and it’s practically impossible not to trip and fall into one, I thought for sure they’d have peanut butter. But after visiting progressively larger outlets, I was still empty-handed. Apparently 7-11 is enforcing some obscure international embargo on peanut butter, damn them. The happy ending to this story is that I was eventually pointed to a department store where, after a slightly desperate search, I grabbed a mini-jar of Skippy off the shelf like a diabetic grabs for the last vial of insulin.
And why was I desperately searching for peanut butter? Simply put, because I’m feeling a teensy bit out of sorts today. I’ll spare you the intricate details but suffice to say I’m struggling against turning an emotional corner that I’ve been trying to avoid for four months but is suddenly feeling imminent and inevitable. And what does a good little farang do when she’s feeling out of sorts? She sits in her hotel room watching satellite TV and eating peanut butter on Ritz crackers, of course.
Speaking of getting comfortable here… It’s been three days and I’m already a bit sick of Thailand. Fancy that, huh? Don’t get me wrong – the Thai people are marvelous (except for the woman at a guesthouse down the street who, when I asked her for one of the miniature plastic spoons they give away free with cinnamon rolls, practically made me swear on my grandmother’s grave that I would not return to ask for any more – “Just this. Not next time! Just this. Not next time!” – as though she’d created a plastic spoon junkie who would be turning up on an hourly basis begging disposable flatware off her). Aside from that one little incident, from what I’ve seen so far Thai people pretty much rule. Totally friendly and good humored, helpful, engaged. I’m a fan.
It’s not the residents that are the problem, it’s the tourists. I sort of guessed this would be an issue. Thailand has been majorly stereotyped as a theme park version of The Groovy Tropical Escape. Silly me didn’t realize the full impact of the fact that, like most stereotypes, this one would have its fair share of truth. I’m not sure if it’s just Bangkok (or even just this area of Bangkok) but most of the tourists appear to be parodies of themselves. And while this would definitely be entertaining at some other time, for right now I’m simply too vulnerable to endure chilllled out scruffy barefoot white guys wearing skirts. Sarongs, whatever.
The general idea was to go down to Koh Tao or some other smaller island right off before the peak season hits but now I am forced to concede that the Thailand beach scene is more likely to cause me to burst into tears of annoyance than anything else. And anyway, I feel most comfortable in cities, so I think for now I should stick to that. So I’m going north. I bought a plane ticket to Chiang Mai online from Asia Air for about half the price as it’s going for in travel agencies around here. Score one for the savvy traveller. Yes, so tomorrow morning I fly to Chiang Mai. And tonight I watch hour upon hour of BBC World and eat peanut butter. I’m feeling better already.
Tags: Bangkok Sept 06, Thailand
sandra_101
Peanut butter on Ritz crackers…yum…
Hey Sandra, told you I’d be reading. Great stuff, it’s almost like I’m there with you…except I’m 10,000 miles away and not at all with you.
Have a great trip, keep writing, and don’t come back until you finish that damn novel…or until Thai immigration kicks your skinny ass out of the country…whichever.
Hugs (and stay safe).
Seth