Binky and I were on our way back to our hotel when we chanced upon Coco Walk. Since we were both wanting to have a little alcohol in our system that night, we went to check it out. Granted, the place doesn't look nowhere near elegant, but the big menu board that said "BUFFET 89Baht (US$3)" was enough to merit our approval. Besides, if there's a lot of people eating then it must be good. We sat down, ordered a couple of beers (60Baht each) and gave the buffet a try. The buffet table offers a wide variety of vegetables, seafood, meat and noodles to choose from. The idea here is to grill the meat over charcoal allowing its juices to gather on the sides where your vegetables, fish/meat balls, and noodles are being boiled. You can mix both grill and soup with spicy sauces to make for one very delicious dinner! Anyone who happens to find themselves here should give it a try. The exterior may not be impressive, but the food is really good and cheap. A couple of cons though: the staff don't speak english well, so make some extra effort to get your message across; and the area can be a noisy since there are other bars within and surrounding it, competing for their music to be heard.

After a missed flight in Amsterdam, a huge struggle to get on another airplane, a little waste of money, i finally arrived in Bangkok. (yeah)
Although tired from the long flight, after checking into the Rambuttri Village Inn in the Soi Rambuttri, I had to check out the famous backpacker mecca of BKK. There i was in the middle of the Kaoh Sarn Rd.
Quicked from the smell of freedom (not of the smell of the traffic), the feeling that i'm going to start up into a 2 month adventure through regions i'd never been before, don't know what to expect, the thought that i have enough money in my wallet and a nice girl by my side i bumped in to the Kaoh Sarn Road. After forming a new identidy by adding dreadlock extensions to my hair and changing my name for this journey officially to Wesley, the start in a new life abroad from the daily life was completed :)
I got annoyed where quickly from the thousends of kids and people how try to sell you useless stuff, i got wasted in on the crowded bars in the Kaoh Sarn Rd. and watched the happenings around me.

This hotel was great! We stayed here for 3 nights total and had them hold some of our luggage while we went to another part of Thailand. The rooms are really spacious and the bathrooms have a modern design. The views from the higher floor rooms are awesome. The pool is beautiful. The breakfast buffet was huge and quite tasty. They had multiple kinds of fresh fruits, cereals, pastries, breads for toast, bottled water and several varieties of fruit juices, an egg station, hash browns, waffles and pancakes, and other meat/lunch type of dishes like fried rice, chana masala, smoked meats, etc. The breakfast was really the best part of our stay. There are also some local authentic thai places to eat just around the corner (out on the street) from the hotel. The hotel staff was nice, friendly, and always attentive to our needs. Taxi to/from hotel: Btw, it cost us about 500 baht (fixed rate) for a taxi to this hotel. If you do a metered taxi, the price may vary as we found that some taxi drivers are not always honest. One trip from the airport cost us 350 baht on the meter + 50 baht because it was from the airport + about another 65 baht for the tolls on the expressway. But...the next trip that we took from the airport a few days later (same location) cost us 560 baht on the meter + 50 baht because it was from the airport + the tolls on the expressway. (In general, be wary of scam taxi drivers and people trying to rip you off in Thailand.)

The culture of Thailand and most South East Asia is a mix of  Indian and Chinese influence that started with past empires such as the Khmer, Siam (Thai), and Vietnamese.  Let us go back to those wonderful students for examples.  In my first year teaching I had a Vietnamese student named Thai Tran.  He did not know English very well, so I sat him next to another Vietnamese kid.  Later the other kid told me that Thai did not speak Vietnamese, but he spoke Chinese.  I ask Thai what is going on, so he tells me that he is from Vietnam but he grew up in the chinatown section of Ho Chi Minh city.  He does not know Vietnamese, only Chinese.  So I get a Chinese teacher to help him out.  She comes in to help and says "oh shit, he speaks Mandarin and I speak Cantonese.  So the Vietnamese/Chinese kid named Thai got fucked.  It is very common in SE Asia to have Chinese heritage.  Aside from the Buddhist influence from India, they are also very ancestral.  I have seen many shrines with incense for dead relatives (also a Chinese Confucian ideal).  They are also part animist, or polytheistic in believing in all kinds of spirits, gods (Hindu idea from India), and ghosts that is still dominant in the mountain/hill tribe regions.  So the area is Buddhist, but they incorporate a lot of the animism and ancestral material from both their Indian and Chinese influenced past.  China continues to influence the area (more on that in later emails).  By the way, Thai Tran did eventually wrestle for me, and he did not like it, but we forced him to stay on the team for half of the year.  He provided my team with one of our two loan victories in my first home meet ever.  He faced a few strong brothers from the south side of Chicago.  They slapped him in the face in the match and he got mad, and came back and pinned one of his opponents.  During the match ref would get mad at Thai for not following directions.  I told to tell Thai to do this or that.    I believe it might have been the lone match we won that evening. I remember him looking around all confused as the ref raised his hand.  So despite his language difficulties, he wasn't bad.  He quit a few days later once he realized that it really wasn't a mandatory thing to stay on the team.  Still, I always look back at that whole story and laugh.  Little Thai Thai, the one victor of the evening, the one that would let me know that South East Asia is far more than what meets the eye.

Made in Thailand you see that tag everywhere, on your shirt, shoes, pants, whatever.  You name it, and it is made  in South East Asia.  With Thailand being the economic power of the region, and it is very easy to see the Thai as a consumerist mall culture.  There are many malls (and even more markets that sell the bootlegged version....yeah!) and many Thais just shopping and shopping.  Malls are always interesting to see in developing countries because they can be a way for the upper middle to high class to flaunt a western style.   With the air conditioning and the cleanliness, it beats the heat, the sweat, the smells, the rats, the cockroaches, but maybe not the prices of the markets.  I asked around, and a few Bangkokians told me to make sure that I do not miss the weekend Chatuchak market, as it is a sight to see.  You name it, they sell it.  As a metro-sexual extraordinaire, I couldn't wait to get my hands on the newest Versace clothes, sunglasses, shoes, striped shirts, hair gel, gold chains, earrings, belt buckles in order to cheese myself out for my return to the states.  I was motivated and ready.  I rolled up my sleeves, and like a I drooled like a British chick on some fish and chips, as there was an endless maze of bootlegged stalls that went as far as the eye can see.   All in all, the Chatuchak weekend market claimed another victim. It got me for - 2 pairs of jeans, a belt, a wallet, 2 pairs of khaki pants, a few T-shirts, a pair of shoes, a suit, and a nice shirt.  This was probably my biggest clothes expenditure in the last six years, since I originally purchased my first set of teaching clothes (a polo shirt and some pants) which I still wear.

The Dutch are my new favorite people to travel with.  I have always met a good number whenever I travel and appreciate the cultures humility, intelligence, outwardness, and the ability to throw a few cold ones back over a few laughs.  Plus they have Amsterdam (just kidding).

Before you read this next part, understand that this is Bangkok, and this is what Farangs and regulars go and see.The whole place can be viewed as a circus.

I got to know the city of Bangkok quite well,as I spent too much time there.  I was able to get a semi-insiders guide from the guys in Jiu-Jitsu class.  They gave me a few lines of advice and places to see.  They think that too many people believe that Thailand is Patpong (you will hear about it later), Phucket (to which I said fuck it, I ain't going there), and Pattaya (the place where farangs take there mail order wives).  I took their advice and explored the city through its ferries, sky train, tuk tuks, and taxis.  I went to markets and malls, ate Pad Thai, and soups and bugs.  So through everything, when my friend Reid Bitzer arrived, I felt like I could give him a good tour in the 24 hours he had in Bangkok.  We rev-ed up the Batmobile, and off we were on a wild tour of a wild city.  We watched some muy Thai boxing at the Ratchdam stadium (I lost $6 on bets with in the crowd).  The heaviest weight class that I saw fight was about 130 pounds.  I really am a big dude in these parts.  We next went to the neighborhood of Patpong.  The most famous red light district in Bangkok.  It has a circus atmosphere, with a giant market outside.  That is where the hustlers approach advertising the "ping pong shows."  They have a list of about 40 things that girls do with their baby making material.  It is a crazy city, and this is part of it.  We pay our fee, and enter to watch girls blow out candles, dance with sparklers, unwrap ticker tape, and hopefully shoot ping pongs out of their you know what.  We were flabbergasted and entertained.  There were many other farang in the room with their jaws dropped in amazement.  And then it happened.  We were not tipping enough.  The girl on the stage was upset, she moved over towards us, and started to aim her cannon.  I attempted to hide underneath the table, Reid grabbed a prostitute (she was not a "ladyboy") and used her as a shield.  Now remember, this is a professional, little did I know that I was dealing with the John Elway of the Patpong area.  The cannon fired, my life flashed before my eyes, a banana was launched with such velocity and force that as it twisted and spiraled it made that noise  "fith...fith...fith."  I let out a screech of "nnnnnnnnooooooooooo," and then it hit me, in my lower right rib.  I was just happy that it was not a squishy banana that could of shot shrapnel and caused collateral damage.  We gave a decent tip and left.  We jumped on the skytrain, passed the Siam super mall, and it was now on to Soi Cowboy.  A guy in my Jiu Jitsu said that was the neighborhood that he goes out in.  I thought he was fucking with me.  I asked others in the class about it, and they said that that is Bangkok, it is a crazy city.  This is the place where all of the off duty soldiers in the Vietnam War would go to.  Nothing to eventful, I ate some bugs from street vendor.  We jumped back on the skytrain, and  headed to the Victory Monument stop, supposedly close to a university for a different atmosphere.  We entered a jazz bar, and met some tall ass white dude that was in the NBA.  We head back to the other circus, Khao San Road.  Known as the backpackers ghetto, I prefer to call it Disney World for 19 year olds.  Think Cancun, Mexico.  There are many Euros getting ready for the "full moon party" in southern Thailand.  It sounds like a European version of  wet T-Shirt contest.  Aside from the Cobra show, I gave Reid a good tour. 

Stay tuned, upcoming in the next episode....Laos for trekking, bike riding, kayaking, and such.  Hanging with a chief of the Akhas, and a much more tranquil/relaxed pace.  Now in Cambodia and about to see another wonder of the world, Angkor Wat.

Peace and Hairgrease, hopefully I did not offend any of you,

tony

As cheesy as it sounds, one of my favorite parts of the trip was the "Cobra show" outside of Bangkok.  Three Thai maniacs toyed with poisonous snakes and other vipers on a tiny man made island  area surrounded by a little moat.  They danced, slapped, taunted, cartwheeled, and egged on these cobras enough to put Steve "the crocodile hunter" Irwin to shame.  In the ultimate testosterone act, one snake handler even caught a pit viper with his teeth!

I am a "Farang," or foreigner.  I can not speak any of the languages.  I do not even know how to say "thank you," "please," "yes," or "no."  In order to pay for something I have to have them show me numbers on a calculator, because neither of us know the other languages words for numbers.  I can not read their alphabet.  I am taller, I am fatter, I am whiter.  Tuk Tuk drivers can spot me from a mile away and ask me if I want to see this Buddha, buy that suit, need hotel, see this show, want that girl. I am truly am a "Farang" and I do not like it.  I am completely dependent on them for everything, and I can not blend in.  At least I have black hair :)

Dear members of the Pathet Lao and viewers of the Patpong pingpong ball extravaganza,

So alas I bring myself to another continent!  After talking to many backpackers on my past journeys, I decided to expand outside the box of Latin America, and Asia it is.  Why you ask?  Part of it is to check another continent off of the list, another is to appease my students.  For when I tell them in World Studies class the I have traveled the globe, there are always a few hands raised that ask if I have been to Asia.  I blush and reply "no," to which they reply, "well then you haven't really traveled the globe Mr. G."  So take that students, now I will be able to check it off the list, and rub it in their face and act as one of their immature fellow peers, rather than the teacher.  Now only the Africans, Antarticans, and Australians hold the upper hand.  On a side note, Australia is fatter than the USA per capita, so their opinions do not really count anyway (god bless McDonald's!).

So was, I prepared for Asia......No!  Aside from a class on the Vietnam War in college, some knowledge of Muy Thai boxing, a little Buddhism, Hinduism, a strange infatuation with Communism, some war flicks, and of course some Kung Fu movies, I was semi clueless when compared to my past few excursions.  However, I had an "Ace" card up my sleeve:  the students.  Those same little bastards that used to rip on me for not going to Asia were going to provide me with the inside information so the I could attempt to "fit in."  I had visions that they would give me tips to help me with the languages, the alphabets, the dress, the food, shit...perhaps they even had some sort of a magic potion from the Mekong River that would help me shrink a few inches and darken my skin a tad.  So before I came, I turned to these students for advice - Here is how they prepared me for the new continent -

A Thai student that is on my wrestling team advised:  "Coach, just because she looks like a girl, does not really mean that she is a girl."

A Vietnamese student that is also on my team advised:  "Coach, I talked to my family and they said something about a place Hoochi city or something."

Too which I replied, "Do you mean Ho Chi Minh City?"

"Yeah, maybe something like that, but they said it is good."

"That's it?  Did you live there when you were younger?"

"I don't know, I dint know much, I was very sheltered as a child."

A Vietnamese student in girl in my Psychology class advised:  "It is hot"

A Laotian/Hmong student in my class told me "My cousins wont kill you or anything for bombing their country, I promise."

Will Vo also advised me that there are a lot of prostitutes in South East Asia.

And with this encyclopedia of knowledge, I packed my bag, and was ready as I'd ever be to take on the Mekong river delta, an industrialized country (Thailand), two other nations that we (the USA) dropped more bombs on than the entirety of WWI and WWII COMBINED (Laos and Cambodia)!  And the country that we fought a war against to stop the dreaded evil of "communism," despite the fact that 11 years after we left, their government declared "communism a failed experiment," and started to move towards market socialism in 1986 (Vietnam).  South East Asia, here I come!

 So it all started in Bangkok, as I met up with my mentor/coach Tony Evensen in order to understand the historical base of the region.  In an obvious sign of East meets West, I quickly realized that Buddhism is the powerful cultural force in the region.  It is similar to going to Europe and checking out all of the grand churches and Cathedrals.  We went to many Wats (Wat = Buddhist temple).  Then they had these "stuppa" things, which is kind of like a pillar/pyramid rising up to the heavens.  Stuppas can be for a relic (a rib bone, an eyelash) of the Buddha or a grave for a king or something like that.   All puns aside, I became Buddha'd/Wat'd/Stuppa'd out out as I saw...an Emerald Buddha, the lying Buddha, the National Wat, the Buddha surrounded by roots in Ayutthaya, another wat, a few hundred "stuppas," a few hundred Buddhas without their heads, the Phousi Wat, a few fat Buddhas, and another Wat.  All in all, sarcasm aside, the Buddhas, wats, and stuppas were elegant and beautiful.  It obviously made my head click in that Buddhism has been, and will be the the dominant cultural force in the region, as Christianity is to Europe.

So far the trip has included Japan Airlines...nice, the Japanese do it right, the Thai National Museum, the Ferries of Bangkok, some jet lag, the grand palace of Thailand, the backpacker ghetto/epcott center - Khao San Road, the pollution of Bangkok, a Thai Massage (save the jokes), Muy Thai Boxing, pad Thai, the Wat Pho, Jiu Jitsu in Bangkok, a tuk tuk ride, some rats, a Museum on the old ancient capital - Ayuthaya, a train delay, a bike rental, a tomb of an emperor - they actually let me go inside the tomb itself , a boat tour, some cool Dutch girls, Indian food, a water monitor, a bunch of rain, an industrial hostel, a cool Thai bartender, Thai iced coffee, the "sky train" of Bangkok,  the mega mall culture of Thailand, a museum about the houses of Northern Thai/hillside people,another ferry ride, more Jiu Jitsu, a haircut, a few episodes of a bootlegged version of season 5 of "the wire," Durian fruit, the Damnoen Saduak floating market/tourist trap, the crazy neighborhood of Patpong, more tuk tuks, the crazier neighborhood of Soi Cowboy, a cool Irish guy,a national park called Khao Yai,

another Thai massage (again, hold the jokes), a suit fitting, some more rats, a debate to stay in Bangkok (Bangkok lost), a jungle hike with leeches - eeewwww!, some monkeys called "gibbons," an elephant hunt, Jack fruit, more cool Dutch girls and guys, the big name game,  a weird Thai karaoke bar, an impromptu performance of Kool and the Gang hit song: "celebration" with the Dutch, Thai iced tea, a return to Bangkok, more weird fruit, the Chatuchak weekend market, a nice suit, a great bike tour of Chinatown :), a return to Khao San Road :( , a super tour of Bangkok, more pad Thai, and on to Luang Prabang, Laos.

The Thai Grand Palace was a site to see.  Beautiful stuppas and wats all over the place.  It reminded me of St. Basil's church in Red Square, Moscow, Russia.  Ivan the terrible gouged out the eyes of the architects of St. Basil's so that they could never build anything as beautiful again.  I put the Thai Grand Palace on that level, a wonder of the world. Luckily with the new way I am doing this you can actually see the pictures.

สถาบันพิพิธภัณฑ์การเรียนรู้แห่งชาติ (สพร.) เป็นสถาบันที่ดูแลการจัดตั้งพิพิธภัณฑ์การเรียนรู้แห่งชาติขนาดใหญ่ (Museum Complex) ให้เป็นแหล่งเรียนรู้เทียบได้กับพิพิธภัณฑ์ชั้นนำของโลก ทั้งให้การสนับสนุนและร่วมมือกับพิพิธภัณฑ์อื่นๆ เพื่อสร้างเครือข่ายในการจัดระบบพิพิธภัณฑ์ทั่วประเทศให้ได้มาตรฐานในการจัดการรียนรู้ และการบริหารจัดการที่มีคุณภาพและประสิทธิภาพทั้งระบบ พิพิธภัณฑ์การเรียนรู้แห่งชาติ หมายถึง แหล่งเรียนรู้ที่ให้ความรู้สู่สาธารณชนอย่างรื่นรมย์ เพื่อก่อให้เกิดความงอกงามของสติปัญญา การริเริ่มสร้างสรรค์ การสร้างสำนึกรักและเข้าใจผู้คน บ้านเมืองและท้องถิ่นของตน ตลอดจนเชื่อมโยงความสัมพันธ์ในลักษณะเครือญาติกับประเทศเพื่อนบ้าน อันจะนำไปสู่ความมั่นคงและสันติภาพในภูมิภาค การจัดแสดงจึงมุ่งเน้นความเป็นมาของผู้คนและวัฒนธรรมในดินแดนประเทศไทยและอุษาคเนย์ซึ่งประกอบด้วยเนื้อหา ๔ เรื่อง คือ ๑. พิพิธภัณฑ์ประวัติธรรมชาติของอุษาคเนย์ ๒. พิพิธภัณฑ์ผู้คนและวัฒนธรรมในอุษาคเนย์ ๓. พิพิธภัณฑ์ประวัติศาสตร์ประเทศไทย ๔. พิพิธภัณฑ์ภูมิปัญญาไทยกับการพัฒนาสังคม และความเปลี่ยนแปลง

****Fullmoon Party @ Koh PhaNgan****

The Fullmoon Party @ Koh Pha-Ngan is my dream placethat i should go before i am 30 year old!

hahaha because of what!?

 Because i do worry if i am over 30 years old, i will tooo old and it 's hard me to enjoy the crowd...hahaha.... (@     @)

Hahaaa..how old i am now!!???

Ooopp..Dont asking about that!! Pleasssseee hehehe...15!? no! 20! no!...nonono..

How's crazy of this my trip!? I can definition it as " Sleepless trip"

Look at my schedule

Friday July 18, 2008..No time to sleep!!

10.00 AM : Call to book the ticket to Suratthani : They ignore!

12.00 PM: Go to buy a ticket by myself

17.00 PM: Finish my work...How 's sticky! if i do not take a show until tomorrow afternoon!! Almost 24 hrs!

-I need a shower!! but i have not enough time to go back home...where where is the place i take a shower!!!?? think think!! Aha...@ Fitness Center, California WoW!! Yeah Heah 

18.20 PM: Departure time of my train from BKK to Surathani....take about 11 hrs in the train!! GRRRR

Saturday July 19, 2008

6.00 AM.: Arrive Surathani Station --> port (By bus 1.45 hrs)---> Samui (By ferry 1.5 Hrs)

10.00 AM: I expect to arrive Samui !!!

-I will not lonely from nowon!!!I will hv my friend who head to Samui 3 days ago...and let's leave my small stuff at my friend 's hotel!!!! 

- I do hope there are some miss schedule!! God BLess me!

17.00 PM: I suppose to Luunnn laaaa with my friend @ Pha-Ngan Island and ...enjoy!!

--- Sleepless

---Sleepless

Sunday July 20, 2008

7.00-8.00 AM:Koh Pha-Ngan-----> Koh Samui ( 1hr)

-take a shower and have some foooddddddd....and chilout! Haha..i dont think i will hv enough time to survey any place!!

11.00 AM: Leave from Samui --> Surathani Airport! (2.30 hrs)

15.20 PM: My FLight to BKK

16.20 PM: Arrive BKK!!!

I am no image with my sleepless trip, i am no image about fullmoon party! 

What the party look likes!? I do try to have not a high expectation of the party..

only Have a Music, have some Drink, and have alot Dance  and crazy  ....Lunnn laaaa with friend..is enough!!

Haha..and i do hope i will not find some of used condom on  the beach as my Koh Pha-Ngan trip 4 years ago !!

What's they do on the beach during fullmoon Party!? It's my wonder!!!????when i arrived Pha-Ngan island the day after fullmoon party!

Haha..it's time me to find out the true..hehehe

Aow...before i leave and solo this sleepless fullmoon Party in 10 minute later, someone have remind me to do(should do) as follow!

1.No drugs
2 Don't drink/eat nothing that an strange or a friend (someone could offer) Repeat to say: "NO, Thanx"
3.If you're tired, don't sleep! I could miss the ferry from Pha-Ngan--> Samui--> and th plane Back Bangkok (my home)!
4. Wear shoes, no FLIP-FLOPs coz at morning the beach is full of broken bottles

Woaa...i do thx the person who give me a remind note!!! (^___^)It's seem i am a children but i do love to get this note. it's very important that i should not forget because

-I tell a lie to my mum that i have to work @ Suratthani (The true is , i hang out @ fullmoon Party), so it's not quite good if i look like hang out when i arrive BKK!!  Mum might ask me what is my Job!!!!!

-I should not absence on Monday anymore because i will have a  trip to Cambodia on August!!

I cannot wait to meet "Fullmoon Party!!!"... see u all guy! and i will let u know what is the fullmoon PArty is!

Is it make me disappoint or not!!?... See u soon!!

Founded in the 18th century, Wat Mahathat is one of Bangkok's most important temples. It houses the Mahanikai monastic sect and the Vipassana Meditation centre. The temple grounds is large and full of schools and you have to make your way through some buildings and parked vehicles before you reach the inner courtyard. You'll know you're in the inner courtyard when you see buddha images lined up. This wat is in a way different from other temples because people come here for the interaction and participation rather than any special architectural feature. The first time I went to this temple, I encountered some friendly monks who are so eager to practice their English. My second visit was a different experience altogether, (see my blog entry "Hey Lady... Shady Lady"). Be careful of people approaching you, they might try to scam you. If you sense any situation leading to this, just say "NO" politely and walk away... far ... far... away. Next to the wat is the city's largest amulet market, where you can buy traditional medicine, charms and talisman for various purposes. The amulets are spread on the ground so buyers can inspect them. Although there are always hawkers lined-up, the best time to visit the market is on Sundays. There are also palm-readers and astrologers in the area. Across Wat Mahathat is Sanam Luang Park. This is where thais go for picnics and some kite flying. There's pretty much nothing to do here, unless you want to feed and chase pigeons.

Today we arrived in Bangkok at 6am. The train was actually on time. I was surprised as my previous involvement in travel through the country had always been delayed before. I had hardly slept at all on the train and so was particularly grumpy and tired! When arriving at Khao San I just wanted to get a hotel room and sleep! We found a place with a pool and left our bags as we were unable to check in until after 10am. So we had a few hours and decided to get some breakfast while we waited. When we got back and could get into the room everyone arranged to meet at 12pm by the pool before we would do anything else.

It was at 3pm when I was awoken by the phone!!! The guys hadn't been able to find my hotel room as they didn't know which number I was in and so I had been able to sleep in until then! I was secretly extremely pleased as I felt so much better. Lol.

We then went to the market to look for souvenirs for 2 of the group who were leaving the next day and then got some dinner, some original Pad Thai, noodles and vegetables mixed with egg, before heading to a Ping Pong show!

Yeah you read right! A ping pong show!

My thoughts on this are soooooo confused. I was told to go just to experience it, as plays a big part of the culture in Bangkok and is like going to Florida but not going to Disney World! (this is what I was told.) Anyway it consisted of Thai Ladies (who weren't particularly attractive, and who also looked quite unhappy) doing various tricks for the entertainment of others. Now in any job most experience some unhappiness, thats what makes it work, but if something is upsetting you so much you would normally leave and find a new job. I do wonder though if things are that easy in Thailand though. I'm not sure of how the educational system works in Thailand, if women have the same job opportunities as men or if many settle for anything they can to support families they care about. Which I think may be the case here.

Women being asked to pull things from their intimate parts, such as flowers on strings, razors blades, ping pong balls and to fire darts at balloons for the entertainment of others is not something that appeals to me. And seeing a man and women put on a soft porn show in such a way that is robotic I find hard to believe anyone can find as a turn on let alone attractive.

So now I am worried that I have contributed to the trade of sex tourism. If you don't enjoy it is it not that. Or if you just watch and stand by is that just as bad. I think I might put this on for a debate, because in my mind, I am defiantly not a sex tourist and feel sorry for these ladies who are doing this. But at the same time, I have paid them to help them raise their families and hope in some way that makes up for it.

I went to bed that night confused and insignificant. What I think is never going to help these ladies and even if I wanted to there is not a lot I can do to stop this sort of thing, so am now trying to forget it. As I know it's something I'll never see again.

Why I tryed this hotel? Coz was my first night at BKK and a friend told me: "Go there, the location is perfect, the room and the price is ok" Location: On the rear side of the Hotel you can find the river Chao-Pha-Ya, in 3 minutes walking you arrive at Kao San, and in 20 to Grand Palace, Wat Poo... Rooms: Really good, big bed, TV, AC, safety box Ammenities: Swimming pool (Perfect after a long day walking ;) ) and a bar looking at the river Price: 1350 Baht Double room Advice: Street rooms are so noisy, River room bit more expensive, try to get an "Inside" room is really quiet ;) But (always there's a BUT): You have to pay in advance (500Bath fee) They seems to look for money always. When I came with a friend (Girl) all of the people (Doorman, receptionist) look see really bad, this annoys me!

Wow. One word doesn’t really sum up the energy of this place, but its the best I can do at this point in time. Im still reeling from our taxi ride back from the Jatuchak Markets... I don’t think there are speed limits in Bangkok, and if there are, the taxis drivers dont seem to know about them! What a city!
We barely got to scratch the surface but so far, this stinky, dirty, crazy home to 16 million people has made a very distinct impression. I think it is safe to say I am experiencing some serious culture shock, but in a good way (I think). The streets of Bangkok are filled with life and vibrant energy, and although it is humble, everything seems to be so much more intense here. The colours that paint this city are of an electric rainbow pallette, covering everything from the taxis to the houses and the billboards. Colour is a big part of the Thai culture, and everyday of the week it is used to honour something different, for example, today is tuesday and many thai people will wear pink to represent respect for the King. (Apparently pink was chosen as a colour as the King fell very ill in January this year and when he came out of hospital, he was wearing a pink shirt).
Only our first day and I am already exhausted! I think it is going to be quite some time before we get used to this fastpace, in-your-face city....

After the most vomit inducing turbulence Ive ever experienced, I was exceptionally glad to have my feet back on terra firma. Jet lagged and slightly emotionally numb, we dropped our backpacks off and headed straight down pitt street to check out the harbour and the The Rocks. A nice little ferry ride over to Manly woke proved to be a good energy boost, even if it was just for a short while. (I must make mention of the most deliciously good hot chocolate store that we stumbled upon at the ferry terminal... Max Brenner i think its called.... I had the coconut hot chocolate. Absolute heaven.!) We were so exhausted after being up for 30-odd hours we were walking around all zombified, so we didnt waste our time getting back to the hotel to catch up on some sleep... The coming days were undoubtedly going to be action packed so we planned on getting as much sleep as possible! In fact we ended up sleeping nearly 15 hours all up. Well rested, we got up early the next day and headed back down to The Rocks for the saturday morning markets and breakfast. (Where I was so involved in my camera and checking my photos that I walked straight into a pole! Luckily unnoticed..). To be honest, Sydney is not my favorite city. In all honesty, Sydney was boring us. Tara and I just wanted to escape Australia and start our real adventure, with foreign cultures and new smells and tastes. We arrived at the airport a bundle of nerves (well I was at least, this being the first time I had travelled internationally) only to find that our flight had been cancelled until 9am the next day!! What a perfect start to our big adventure... Fortunately they managed to put us on another flight that night, but Ill admit I was slightly disappointed when we were told we had almost been compensated with a night at the Hilton in the City with dinner and phone calls paid for! Straight on to the Duty Free, where I finally took the plunge and bought an SLR. A Nikon D40.. simple and amatuer, exactly what I was after. Then the flight.... 7 hours, I was not going to make that sober. And I can never sleep on planes, so I took good advantage of the free Scotch and coke that dear old British Airways were so kind to be offering. Halfway through the flight, and by this stage rather tipsy, the air hostess handed me a letter from an anonymous sender.. “Coffee, Bangkok?”. Sinking back the last of my scotch I gathered enough confidence to glance behind me, to see an older man (think early 60’s, grey, bearded, kinda weedy) leering at me with a salicious smile. I couldn’t believe this guys bravado! I kindly refused the offer, mentioning I was taken and snuck it back on his tray as he pretended to sleep. Half an hour later, he taps me on the shoulder and hands me back the note, this time saying “sorry, coffee was not my offer! Im ditto, but good luck in thailand, have fun!” in very different handwriting. How. Freaking. Embarrassment. It was the wrong guy. Very awkward moment I can tell you! But funny nonetheless. I never found out who the real sender was. Shame. One crazy taxi ride later and we had arrived at our (very westernised) Hotel in Banglamphoo at a little bit past 12am. Yay! We actually made it! After all the months of planning and sweating it out in the field, we are finally here. Bangkok.... I can hardly wait to see this city in the daylight.

Did you know, Bangkok or Krung Thep isn't the ceremonial full name of the city? ... because Krung Thep is actually an abbreviated version which mean "the City of Angels" which the real ceremonialfull full name of Bangkok is....

Krung Thep Mahanakhon
Amon Rattanakosin
Mahinthara
Ayuthaya Mahadilok
Phop Noppharat
Ratchathani
Burirom
Udomratchaniwet
Mahasathan
Amon Piman
Awatan Sathit
Sakkathattiya
Witsanukam Prasit

::: which translates into english as ::
The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (of Ayutthaya) of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated God, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn...(information from : www.guidetothailand.com)

::: Note :::
The full name of Thailand capital Bangkok is in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest named city in the world ... If you'd like to see the full name of Bangkok and history about this name ... you can see as the display outside Bangkok's City Hall.