Maureen and I left Bangkok last Friday, March 18th in the late morning. We were headed to Koh Phangan for some relaxing living, and though we thought we were just a short 1-hour flight away, the experience turned into a 12-hour trip, which we are quickly learning is often the way when going anywhere in Thailand. This is changing our missions and ambitions in terms of travel and exploration in Thailand, realizing that after such long stints of travel, we will be covering less than we had hoped and planned. This is actually quite good news, as it keeps us staying in each place longer, and thus getting to see and experience more of each place, as well as moving at a slower pace overall.
We took a 1-hour taxi ride from Bangkok to the airport, then an hour later took our 1-hour flight. Upon arrival in Surathani, we shared a 1-hour taxi with two British girls who work on a cruise ship in Florida. Next, we got on a 3 hour boat ride, and enjoyed getting splashed sitting at the front of the boat in the gorgeous night air. Upon our landing in Koh Phangan, we were picked up by some sort of truck-taxi that takes gangs of tourists to various hotels and lodging, and once we got as far as we could get, they told us that the waters were too rough to take a taxi-boat to our lodgings, and that instead we needed to rent a 4-wheel-drive truck driver to take us the rest of the way unless we wanted to spend the night where we were. It was a seriously touristy and loud and partying atmosphere, and we decided to drop the $25 bucks each to take the truck to get to our much-longed-for 'Sanctuary' hotel that promised peace, quiet, meditation, yoga, fasting if you so desired.
We got taken for a SERIOUS jungle ride that night at about 10 or 11pm- a good half an hour in what turned out to be a VERY necessary truck-rental. The hills we climbed and descended were CRAZY and STEEP and we were seated just us two in the back of the open air truck, holding on for dear life and laughing at each rise and fall. We began wondering what types of animals lived in these jungle parts, and also enjoyed the view that the nearly-full-moon was providing. When we finally arrived at The Sanctuary, we hoped that there was indeed a room available. (they don't take reservations so you just have to cross your fingers).
They indeed had a dorm room, and while checking us in, they informed us that an all-night party was about to begin- 11pm until lunchtime the next day. It was like being at Burning Man, with unbelievably loud techno/trance music playing all night and all morning long, except for the fact that we were on a tropical island in the middle of nowhere, thinking we were coming to a meditative resort. We both lost our minds a little bit that night and the next morning, but quickly found ourselves adapting to our otherwise-paradise atmosphere, (especially once the music stopped around 2pm the next day).
We wound up staying there for the next 5 days together, and we got our own sweet bungalow after our first night in the dorms for $9 each. The food at the Sanctuary was great, and there were 3 daily yoga classes (of which I attended one the whole time, believe it or not!). I got busy relaxing, sunbathing on the beach, eating and drinking smoothies all day, and we quickly discovered a massage-hut called 'Ping' just a 5-minute walk down the beach that we visited each day of our stay. There were 5 or 6 Thai ladies working there, some of their nicknames being 'Mama, Big Mama, and Pepsi', as well as Dang, and Wee (not sure of the correct spelling).
We fell in love with these ladies, and I think it was a reciprocal love. Wee, the lady who worked on me each day, even went out to pick some Aloe for me and apply it to all of my sunburned skin. There were also some great local restaurants locally run - 'Beam', and 'Spice'. Beam was a more traditional and family run restaurant, and Spice was a new-age fusion type restaurant run by a local young Thai guy who looked like an American Hipster. The food was great everywhere.
I was sad to leave Maureen, our dear Thai Massage ladies, and the relaxing atmosphere of the Sanctuary yesterday, but I am determined to do some diving while in the South, and left yesterday to make my way to Koh Tao. Hoping to reconnect with Maureen in one of these island parts soon, though she was talking about a longer-term stay at the Sanctuary by the time I was on my way. . . :)
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Southern Thailand- Koh Tao
Welcome to the land where being barefoot is a requirement. Welcome to a culture where massage is as common as buying water at the 7-11 (yes, they are everywhere), and where I seem to lose things more often than ever before in this lifetime thus far.
Items lost:
-1 black dress (bought for this trip, but soon to be recovered from hotel in Bangkok)
-1 lipgloss (why did I bring only one? It has become like breathing air for me, the application of this particular brand and color)
-1 of 2 pairs of shoes that I brought- stolen by a human or maybe a local dog (The latter would make me feel less bitter about the loss of my only non-flip-flop type shoes, very light keens that I bought for this trip as a better pair for walking.)at the Big Blue Dive resort where I stayed last night, gone within 12 hours of arrival.
-ALMOST sunglasses under bungalow at 'the Sanctuary' in Koh Phangan (crawled underneath to retrieve)
-ALMOST toothbrush under bungalow at 'the Sanctuary' in Koh Phangan (see above)
The bad news about these items is that I only brought about 3 outfits so the one dress represented one third of my wardrobe. :) The good news is, it is EASY and CHEAP to buy anything you need here, and any loss of clothing or other objects is just a good excuse to buy something new from Thailand (not to mention I will be getting that dress back).
Anyway, I am writing to you from Koh Tao, an island in the South of Thailand. I arrived yesterday afternoon, after leaving my lodging and my friend Maureen in Koh Phangan at 'The Sanctuary'. The way to get Koh Tao from Koh Phangan is to take a 15 minute boat ride from the local boatmen that hung out at our resort, and you basically let them know you want to leave sometime in the morning, and they tell you they will go once they have at least 3 people who want to go. 200 baht each (about $6) or, if you really need to go urgently, you can pay 600 baht to make the minimum payment for 3 (which is really only $18, but, these things become quite relative once you have been here more than a few days). Paying for three wasn't necessary, as both mornings that I used this boat service, there were at least 3 people within half an hour of my asking the boat drivers. After the 15 minute boat ride (in my case, accompanied by local dog from the island), walk to the other side of the island (10 mins), take a taxi for about half an hour to the main pier, and then take a 2 hour ferry to Koh Tao surrounded by hundreds of college students.
Upon arrival, I was picked up by the resort I had booked myself at Big Blue Dive Resort, (which I now recommend AGAINST) a 10 minute ride away. I suddenly found myself at a very young college-y feeling resort in a dormitory with three early-20-somethings, with music booming all night, and the room smelling like mildew. I suddenly realized that at 32, I am no longer interested in dorm living, even if it is only $6 a night (200 baht). Also, there was an overly-cheerful American type of atmosphere at this place, and, I am looking for more local culture than a return to America!
The moment I woke up this morning, and after dreaming all night about bungalows by the beach, I hit the pavement looking for the perfect place. Every month at Koh Phangan, there are Full Moon Parties, which flood the island itself with thousands of people (especially the college-age crowd), who drink, take hallucinogenics, party all night long- it is a big draw here- and as a result, lodging on all other surrounding islands also get booked which makes finding a place a bit difficult.
Nonetheless, I lucked out this morning, and found a sweet Bungalow for my very own at Sairee Hut Diving Resort where a mainland Thai guy named 'Fix' who has a Cockney accent (spent some time in London apparently) set me up. It is a rustic/basic little bungalow with its own bathroom (bucket flush), and I love it. My next mission was food (I missed breakfast for the first time in probably two years, that is how determined I was to get out of the dorms and into a solo-space). I got some traditional Laab Pork, sticky rice, and Grilled chicken- DELICIOUS! Then made my way for mission #3 of the day- find the perfect motorbike!
I have been warned by many against the renting of these motorbikes due to the dangers it presents, as well as the high costs if any damage occurs to the motorbikes. That said, I have felt a longing and yearning from deep within my heart since my arrival in Thailand to rent one of these famous mopeds, not to mention the streets here are covered by locals and tourists alike on these scooters, and I feel I would be missing out on the local culture if I did not jump in. (Not to mention, I have been riding my own scooter for 2 or 3 years now, and feel quite comfortable.) That said, please forgive me for saying so, but there are, indeed, a large number of douche-bags riding around town which does make the local and also experienced rider shake their head with disdain.
I walked around for what seemed like an excessively long time in search of the perfect bike - the 'excess' being my own pickiness- and just when I thought I was being a bit too particular, I saw it- a gorgeous and super stylish bike, and much rarer find on this island. I rented it inside 5 minutes, and took it for a 1-hour spin around the island. My heart surged with joy as I rode around taking in the local sites and culture, and after getting my fill of the sights, I found myself needing to fill my belly once again, and stopped at a sweet local woman's cart on the side of the road, and got myself some BBQ Pork for 20 baht, and sat down at one of her tables to enjoy this sumptuous snack.
Tomorrow I start diving here through the Sairee Hut Resort that I am staying at, and I couldn't be happier!
Items lost:
-1 black dress (bought for this trip, but soon to be recovered from hotel in Bangkok)
-1 lipgloss (why did I bring only one? It has become like breathing air for me, the application of this particular brand and color)
-1 of 2 pairs of shoes that I brought- stolen by a human or maybe a local dog (The latter would make me feel less bitter about the loss of my only non-flip-flop type shoes, very light keens that I bought for this trip as a better pair for walking.)at the Big Blue Dive resort where I stayed last night, gone within 12 hours of arrival.
-ALMOST sunglasses under bungalow at 'the Sanctuary' in Koh Phangan (crawled underneath to retrieve)
-ALMOST toothbrush under bungalow at 'the Sanctuary' in Koh Phangan (see above)
The bad news about these items is that I only brought about 3 outfits so the one dress represented one third of my wardrobe. :) The good news is, it is EASY and CHEAP to buy anything you need here, and any loss of clothing or other objects is just a good excuse to buy something new from Thailand (not to mention I will be getting that dress back).
Anyway, I am writing to you from Koh Tao, an island in the South of Thailand. I arrived yesterday afternoon, after leaving my lodging and my friend Maureen in Koh Phangan at 'The Sanctuary'. The way to get Koh Tao from Koh Phangan is to take a 15 minute boat ride from the local boatmen that hung out at our resort, and you basically let them know you want to leave sometime in the morning, and they tell you they will go once they have at least 3 people who want to go. 200 baht each (about $6) or, if you really need to go urgently, you can pay 600 baht to make the minimum payment for 3 (which is really only $18, but, these things become quite relative once you have been here more than a few days). Paying for three wasn't necessary, as both mornings that I used this boat service, there were at least 3 people within half an hour of my asking the boat drivers. After the 15 minute boat ride (in my case, accompanied by local dog from the island), walk to the other side of the island (10 mins), take a taxi for about half an hour to the main pier, and then take a 2 hour ferry to Koh Tao surrounded by hundreds of college students.
Upon arrival, I was picked up by the resort I had booked myself at Big Blue Dive Resort, (which I now recommend AGAINST) a 10 minute ride away. I suddenly found myself at a very young college-y feeling resort in a dormitory with three early-20-somethings, with music booming all night, and the room smelling like mildew. I suddenly realized that at 32, I am no longer interested in dorm living, even if it is only $6 a night (200 baht). Also, there was an overly-cheerful American type of atmosphere at this place, and, I am looking for more local culture than a return to America!
The moment I woke up this morning, and after dreaming all night about bungalows by the beach, I hit the pavement looking for the perfect place. Every month at Koh Phangan, there are Full Moon Parties, which flood the island itself with thousands of people (especially the college-age crowd), who drink, take hallucinogenics, party all night long- it is a big draw here- and as a result, lodging on all other surrounding islands also get booked which makes finding a place a bit difficult.
Nonetheless, I lucked out this morning, and found a sweet Bungalow for my very own at Sairee Hut Diving Resort where a mainland Thai guy named 'Fix' who has a Cockney accent (spent some time in London apparently) set me up. It is a rustic/basic little bungalow with its own bathroom (bucket flush), and I love it. My next mission was food (I missed breakfast for the first time in probably two years, that is how determined I was to get out of the dorms and into a solo-space). I got some traditional Laab Pork, sticky rice, and Grilled chicken- DELICIOUS! Then made my way for mission #3 of the day- find the perfect motorbike!
I have been warned by many against the renting of these motorbikes due to the dangers it presents, as well as the high costs if any damage occurs to the motorbikes. That said, I have felt a longing and yearning from deep within my heart since my arrival in Thailand to rent one of these famous mopeds, not to mention the streets here are covered by locals and tourists alike on these scooters, and I feel I would be missing out on the local culture if I did not jump in. (Not to mention, I have been riding my own scooter for 2 or 3 years now, and feel quite comfortable.) That said, please forgive me for saying so, but there are, indeed, a large number of douche-bags riding around town which does make the local and also experienced rider shake their head with disdain.
I walked around for what seemed like an excessively long time in search of the perfect bike - the 'excess' being my own pickiness- and just when I thought I was being a bit too particular, I saw it- a gorgeous and super stylish bike, and much rarer find on this island. I rented it inside 5 minutes, and took it for a 1-hour spin around the island. My heart surged with joy as I rode around taking in the local sites and culture, and after getting my fill of the sights, I found myself needing to fill my belly once again, and stopped at a sweet local woman's cart on the side of the road, and got myself some BBQ Pork for 20 baht, and sat down at one of her tables to enjoy this sumptuous snack.
Tomorrow I start diving here through the Sairee Hut Resort that I am staying at, and I couldn't be happier!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
First few days in Bangkok before heading South
It has been a rich trip so far, and it is only just getting started! I knew that I needed a few days to land on the other side of the world, and had booked myself and my friend Maureen (hereonin dubbed 'Mo') a room not far from the famous Khoa San road in Bangkok at the Shanti lodge, as mentioned in my first blog. Mo wound up being about 2 days late so I spent my first two days with the aforementioned Julia from LA, which was a great unexpected surprise.
On day two, Julia and I visited the Wat Po (Po Temple) where a Traditional Thai Massage school resides, and we got the most amazing Thai Massages there in a large room with about 30 beds, recipients, and Thai practitioners. This was a very healing atmosphere and experience. Before our massages, we explored the Wat itself, and saw the Reclining Buddha, which is a MASSIVE Golden Buddha that reclines on its side, and the bottoms of its feet are a beautiful and intricate mother of pearl inlay. We found ourselves on the canal boats about 4 or 5 times that day, back and forth seeing many sights. That afternoon I was on the fence about going back to the hotel or to continue sightseeing with Julia, and since I didn't have the energy (or knowhow) to navigate my way back 'home', I rode the wave of Julia's energy to THE MALL, which, was not on my list of sights to see, but I am glad I experienced it just to see how similar Thai culture can be to America.
I have never been in such a large and crazy mall in all of my life, and I can not begin to describe the overstimulation that I was feeling while there. I was also feeling my jetlag catch up with me, as well as it being an incredibly sticky hot and humid day. But, we made it, and rode Bangkok's brand new 'SkyTrain' which is new public transportation in the city. When we arrived to the hotel, I found Mo, and we were excited to catch up and reunite. Early to bed again.
I have never been in such a large and crazy mall in all of my life, and I can not begin to describe the overstimulation that I was feeling while there. I was also feeling my jetlag catch up with me, as well as it being an incredibly sticky hot and humid day. But, we made it, and rode Bangkok's brand new 'SkyTrain' which is new public transportation in the city. When we arrived to the hotel, I found Mo, and we were excited to catch up and reunite. Early to bed again.
The next morning, I woke up at 5:30am and visited the fish market down the street from our hotel, and I am so glad that I went when I did. I had been there already, but apparently 6 in the morning is the rockin busy time, and there were Monks leading prayers to the day and to the food, mopeds driving through the not-so-wide aisles, and local Thais galore buying and selling their fish goods. It was the first time I had wandered alone in Bangkok in my first 48 hours, and the first time I felt the reality of my location in a foreign land. It was quite beautiful.
When I returned to the hotel, I joined Mo, Julia, and David (an American from Cape Cod who spends 5 months a year in SE Asia) for a second breakfast, and after connecting with Manuel, a German-Colombian, we set off again to Wat Po for yet another gorgeous massage, and more exploration. Mo and I parted ways with Manuel and Julia as they had other destinations to head off to, Mo and I visited Wat Arun and scared ourselves silly trying to come down from the high and steep climb up many steps. (Photos soon to come). We made our way to near Khoa San Road to buy tickets for the Floating Market for the following morning, and came back to our hotel for another mellow night (still jetlagged despite getting on the schedule quickly).
The next morning, we left our hotel at 6:30am to go to our pickup for the Floating Market. We spent an hour and a half in a minibus getting to a market that exists entirely in small boats and on floats! Food was handed up to us from the first dock, that you could negotiate the purchase of by a person set to that task. There was thai coffee, soup, coconut ice cream, pad thai- you name it. We then rented a small boat with a driver for 150 baht (about 5 dollars) to go shopping.
This was quite exciting and fun at first, especially when we bought some tasty treats of unknown origin- it seemed like some sort of rice-coconut cake, about one-inch circles grilled in little divots by an older Thai lady from her boat. Mostly we were taken at a leisurely pace around the canals by our driver (who Mo bought a beer for at one of the stops) to see all of the different wares being sold by the local people- photo albums, statues, trinkets, purses- anything you can imagine, really. This experience quickly took its toll as the people urged us to 'buy buy buy!' and we said 'no thank you' to vendor after vendor (with the exception of lots of food vendors).
We did make one deliberate stop as I wanted to inquire after a small Buddha statue to buy for my parents, and got into a high-pressure (or so it felt) bargaining stint with the seller- I bid low, and he bid high, and I wasn't even sure if I wanted the statue but just wanted to know what we were talking about if I was interested. He took any sign of positive interest as a sure thing and kept almost selling it to me but I needed more time to think. I felt actually quite uncomfortable as he seemed to think I was backing out of an arrangement, but I was glad to have waited as I was just starting to browse!
By the time we were boarding our minibus, Mo and I were both ready to go back to Bangkok and find respite in our peaceful hotel. We stopped through Sri Ayutti Rd (I think that is the name) near Khoa San Road where we booked a flight for the next day to Kho Phangan an Island (we leave this afternoon) where we plan to experience all that the beach has to offer in Southern Thailand. We had both overdone it a bit on the food, and are both quite sensitive to caffeine and sugar, which, left us feeling quite delirious and a bit ill, and far more prone to overstimulation and overwhelm. I learned that lesson quick- that even though I am in Thailand and want to experience all that it has to offer, I still need to honor my body and its health and balance. In fact, I ESPECIALLY need to do this while on my travels! I knew this already, but, sometimes I need to test the waters to get the same feedback. :)
This was quite exciting and fun at first, especially when we bought some tasty treats of unknown origin- it seemed like some sort of rice-coconut cake, about one-inch circles grilled in little divots by an older Thai lady from her boat. Mostly we were taken at a leisurely pace around the canals by our driver (who Mo bought a beer for at one of the stops) to see all of the different wares being sold by the local people- photo albums, statues, trinkets, purses- anything you can imagine, really. This experience quickly took its toll as the people urged us to 'buy buy buy!' and we said 'no thank you' to vendor after vendor (with the exception of lots of food vendors).
We did make one deliberate stop as I wanted to inquire after a small Buddha statue to buy for my parents, and got into a high-pressure (or so it felt) bargaining stint with the seller- I bid low, and he bid high, and I wasn't even sure if I wanted the statue but just wanted to know what we were talking about if I was interested. He took any sign of positive interest as a sure thing and kept almost selling it to me but I needed more time to think. I felt actually quite uncomfortable as he seemed to think I was backing out of an arrangement, but I was glad to have waited as I was just starting to browse!
By the time we were boarding our minibus, Mo and I were both ready to go back to Bangkok and find respite in our peaceful hotel. We stopped through Sri Ayutti Rd (I think that is the name) near Khoa San Road where we booked a flight for the next day to Kho Phangan an Island (we leave this afternoon) where we plan to experience all that the beach has to offer in Southern Thailand. We had both overdone it a bit on the food, and are both quite sensitive to caffeine and sugar, which, left us feeling quite delirious and a bit ill, and far more prone to overstimulation and overwhelm. I learned that lesson quick- that even though I am in Thailand and want to experience all that it has to offer, I still need to honor my body and its health and balance. In fact, I ESPECIALLY need to do this while on my travels! I knew this already, but, sometimes I need to test the waters to get the same feedback. :)
First 24 hours in Bangkok
*Photos soon to come, and I will likely cover more time in my travels in each blog, but wanted to share the details of my initial introduction to Thailand.* :)
I arrived in Bangkok at 11pm Thailand time on Sunday night, March 13th. (14 hours ahead of Boulder Colorado!) I did myself a great favor by not sleeping the night before I left, and quickly found myself sleeping at Thailand night hours on the plane and upon my arrival into the city. I caught myself up on sleep and all the latest New Releases on the plane, on my 26 hour trip from Boulder Colorado on Korean Air all the way to Bangkok.
I took a taxi from the Bangkok airport to my lodging 'The Shanti Lodge' as recommended by a rock-climbing yoga friend, and shortly after arriving promptly passed out. After waking up early the next morning, and having a breakfast of a chicken-omelet and sauteed spinach, a Los Angeles woman traveler named Julia approached me, asking if I was also traveling alone, and if I wanted to explore the city with her. I accepted, and we promptly left the hotel and hit the streets.
I was ever so pleased to discover that there is meat being grilled on the streets on every street corner, for 5 baht a piece (about 15 cents) and my carnivorous appetite is conveniently and cheaply satisfied at my whim. We stopped at carts like these about 3 or 4 times throughout our day at the least, and thoroughly enjoyed our tasty chicken, beef, and pork skewers.
Julia turned out to be a great travel partner- together we were a satisfying mixture of laid-backness and motivation and hunger to take in the sights. We left the hotel at 8:30am and didn't return until about 5 or 6 in the evening. We walked a few short blocks from our hotel through a fish market, quite live full of hundreds of fish vendors, with buckets and small pools filled with living creatures- eels, catfish, frogs, turtles- and some unidentifiables! This was actually one of my favorite parts of the day, as it involved interacting with the local people and culture of Bangkok, something that goes on with or without tourists. People were very responsive anytime I smiled and nodded, which is also my favorite part of Thailand so far- connecting with the people!
We took the canal boats for 14baht per trip (less than 50 cents) from there, which can be ridden for one stop, or along the entire canal in Bangkok (15 stops) which is a great way to see the city (and also a welcome respite from the sun and heat, with a nice breeze and some shade). It is also a fun way to experience the crowds of locals and tourists alike, all packed in with the sounds of the ticket/fare collector shaking her can full of coins, seeking all unpaid riders.
We visited a large number of Wats (temples) in the city, as well as a visit to the Grand Palace, the old home of the King and Queen of Thailand. All of the buildings are beautiful and incredibly ornate. There are golden Buddha statues inside these temples, varying in size and intricacy. The places we visited were swarming with tourists, but I enjoyed this experience as the tourists are from all over the world, including heavily from other parts of Asia and anywhere you can think of. We also experienced our first Tuk-Tuk ride- Tuk-Tuks are 3 wheeled motorized vehicles that have an open-air seated cart in the back, intended for two passengers, but I saw carts with 5 or 6 passengers crammed in, sitting on each other's laps.
We were taken to many sights via this Tuk-tuk, by the same driver who offered a price of 40baht (just over a dollar) to take us on a multi-destination route. We were impressed and excited by this offer, and it was quite the bargain. That said, we also had our first experience in being a tourist that is 'taken for a ride' in another sense. Apparently, Tuk-tuk drivers have a deal/commission/sponsorship with different businesses and the gas companies. If they take tourists to one particular store, they get a gas coupon. If they take us to 3 particular businesses, they get a BIG coupon. If we actually BUY something from one of these said locations, it is even better. Our guy told us this, but, we didn't quite understand that we would be taken to businesses that we were not interested in, and that were quite aggressive in their attempts to sell us products we did not really want- a tailor, a jewelry factory, and 'TAT', a very overcharged travel agency that will charge at least 3 or 4 times the fair price for different trips in, around, and out of Bangkok.
So, we paid our dues by going to 3 of these places, and quickly made our way out of each. After taking us to multiple appealing destinations including the Bodhi Tree (the tree under which Buddha was enlightened) and some other Wats, then our requisite 3 contracted businesses, he took us to the location of the Standing Buddha, a Golden Buddha so tall that one can barely see the top of it from ones own standing vantage point. Here we made offerings of flower wreaths and were offered birds in a cage to release to the Buddha. Our driver directed us towards a hidden alley full of excellent food vendors, where we got some cheap and delicious stir fry, as well as our first hand-made Thai Iced Tea (delicious!) When we came back to find our driver, he was gone, but, we also realized that we hadn't paid him the 40 baht he had first told us. We realized that he was probably more interested in the free gas coupons which he had now earned, and had found another fare. We were quite near our hotel, and also felt that in addition to some unwanted stops, we had gotten quite the deal, and exciting view of the city, and a lesson in Tuk-tuk rides as well. We quite enjoyed our first day!
That night, I got my first experience of a one-hour Traditional Thai Massage in a shop across the street from our hotel for the american equivalent of about $9, and immediately after went to my room and fell asleep. I slept for a good 9 or 10 hours, and woke up the next morning a little bit out of it, but ready for day two in Thailand. :)
I arrived in Bangkok at 11pm Thailand time on Sunday night, March 13th. (14 hours ahead of Boulder Colorado!) I did myself a great favor by not sleeping the night before I left, and quickly found myself sleeping at Thailand night hours on the plane and upon my arrival into the city. I caught myself up on sleep and all the latest New Releases on the plane, on my 26 hour trip from Boulder Colorado on Korean Air all the way to Bangkok.
I took a taxi from the Bangkok airport to my lodging 'The Shanti Lodge' as recommended by a rock-climbing yoga friend, and shortly after arriving promptly passed out. After waking up early the next morning, and having a breakfast of a chicken-omelet and sauteed spinach, a Los Angeles woman traveler named Julia approached me, asking if I was also traveling alone, and if I wanted to explore the city with her. I accepted, and we promptly left the hotel and hit the streets.
I was ever so pleased to discover that there is meat being grilled on the streets on every street corner, for 5 baht a piece (about 15 cents) and my carnivorous appetite is conveniently and cheaply satisfied at my whim. We stopped at carts like these about 3 or 4 times throughout our day at the least, and thoroughly enjoyed our tasty chicken, beef, and pork skewers.
Julia turned out to be a great travel partner- together we were a satisfying mixture of laid-backness and motivation and hunger to take in the sights. We left the hotel at 8:30am and didn't return until about 5 or 6 in the evening. We walked a few short blocks from our hotel through a fish market, quite live full of hundreds of fish vendors, with buckets and small pools filled with living creatures- eels, catfish, frogs, turtles- and some unidentifiables! This was actually one of my favorite parts of the day, as it involved interacting with the local people and culture of Bangkok, something that goes on with or without tourists. People were very responsive anytime I smiled and nodded, which is also my favorite part of Thailand so far- connecting with the people!
We took the canal boats for 14baht per trip (less than 50 cents) from there, which can be ridden for one stop, or along the entire canal in Bangkok (15 stops) which is a great way to see the city (and also a welcome respite from the sun and heat, with a nice breeze and some shade). It is also a fun way to experience the crowds of locals and tourists alike, all packed in with the sounds of the ticket/fare collector shaking her can full of coins, seeking all unpaid riders.
We visited a large number of Wats (temples) in the city, as well as a visit to the Grand Palace, the old home of the King and Queen of Thailand. All of the buildings are beautiful and incredibly ornate. There are golden Buddha statues inside these temples, varying in size and intricacy. The places we visited were swarming with tourists, but I enjoyed this experience as the tourists are from all over the world, including heavily from other parts of Asia and anywhere you can think of. We also experienced our first Tuk-Tuk ride- Tuk-Tuks are 3 wheeled motorized vehicles that have an open-air seated cart in the back, intended for two passengers, but I saw carts with 5 or 6 passengers crammed in, sitting on each other's laps.
We were taken to many sights via this Tuk-tuk, by the same driver who offered a price of 40baht (just over a dollar) to take us on a multi-destination route. We were impressed and excited by this offer, and it was quite the bargain. That said, we also had our first experience in being a tourist that is 'taken for a ride' in another sense. Apparently, Tuk-tuk drivers have a deal/commission/sponsorship with different businesses and the gas companies. If they take tourists to one particular store, they get a gas coupon. If they take us to 3 particular businesses, they get a BIG coupon. If we actually BUY something from one of these said locations, it is even better. Our guy told us this, but, we didn't quite understand that we would be taken to businesses that we were not interested in, and that were quite aggressive in their attempts to sell us products we did not really want- a tailor, a jewelry factory, and 'TAT', a very overcharged travel agency that will charge at least 3 or 4 times the fair price for different trips in, around, and out of Bangkok.
So, we paid our dues by going to 3 of these places, and quickly made our way out of each. After taking us to multiple appealing destinations including the Bodhi Tree (the tree under which Buddha was enlightened) and some other Wats, then our requisite 3 contracted businesses, he took us to the location of the Standing Buddha, a Golden Buddha so tall that one can barely see the top of it from ones own standing vantage point. Here we made offerings of flower wreaths and were offered birds in a cage to release to the Buddha. Our driver directed us towards a hidden alley full of excellent food vendors, where we got some cheap and delicious stir fry, as well as our first hand-made Thai Iced Tea (delicious!) When we came back to find our driver, he was gone, but, we also realized that we hadn't paid him the 40 baht he had first told us. We realized that he was probably more interested in the free gas coupons which he had now earned, and had found another fare. We were quite near our hotel, and also felt that in addition to some unwanted stops, we had gotten quite the deal, and exciting view of the city, and a lesson in Tuk-tuk rides as well. We quite enjoyed our first day!
That night, I got my first experience of a one-hour Traditional Thai Massage in a shop across the street from our hotel for the american equivalent of about $9, and immediately after went to my room and fell asleep. I slept for a good 9 or 10 hours, and woke up the next morning a little bit out of it, but ready for day two in Thailand. :)
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