Two Beers and a Pretzel

If you’re a fan of ’80′s pop music, you’ll know from the title that I’m in Bangkok, Thailand.  Oddly, after some wikipedia research, it turns out that the music was written by members of ABBA – I never knew that.

Anyway, after a number of recent nights of revelry, I’ve been taking it easy.  The Woolshed bar in Cairns runs a brilliant promotion where they give you a full dinner including drink and desert for $10AUD ($8US).  Backpackers flood in, and my crew was no exception.  It was not easy meeting up because my SIM card ran out of credit while I was texting Corinna the details of when and where.   Aaron, Roberta, Jenny, Jimmy, Corinna, Henry, Chris, Matt, and a few others met up to see me off.  Then I went back to the hostel and to bed because I had to catch a flight to Sydney the next day.

In Sydney I had a 5 hour layover before the flight to Bangkok… There was a bit of a hassle since I did not have a printed copy of my onward ticket…  In the end, having that page saved in my laptop was enough.  Then 10 hours of the excellent entertainment system on the Emirates Airways Boeing 777.  I watched episodes of Cheers and Slumdog Millionaire – what a movie!

I got my luggage and made it to the street at 2AM.  No one was offering a reasonable fare into town, so I went with a not quite a rip-off hotel near the airport that was offering free transfers and free breakfast for 1500 BHAT ($44… $1.00 = 34 BHAT).  The taxis wanted 1000 BHAT just to get to town, and this hotel took me into town for free the next day.

Once in town, I got a room at Lamphu house in the Bangalamphu neighborhood.  Decent place, and recommended by Lonely Planet.  The best part is that unlike other guesthouses and hotels around here, they do NOT allow unregistered “guests” beyond the lobby.  I’d imagine it reduces complaints and theft.

I’m paying $10 a night for a 2 bed room with a fan (no AC).  Tomorrow I upgrade to the room with AC for an extra $5, although the nights are not as sweltering hot as the days, so sleep is decently comfortable.  Wifi internet is 85 cents an hour – A nice change from $5/hour in Australia and New Zealand.

I bought some new travel pants in Oz, but as always, they’re way too long, so since there are a ton of Tailors around here, I’m having 3 pair of travel pants fitted for cheap.

Bangkok kind of reminds me of an Asian version of Buenos Aires without trash blowing down every street.  It’s actually relatively clean (from a litter standpoint).

Against the better advice of most guidebooks, I hired a Tuk-Tuk to drive me around town.

The reason this is ill advised (other than weaving thru heavy traffic on a 3 wheel moped) is that these guys operate on commission, so they try to push you into every suit shop, restaurant, fake gem store, and tourist trap that pays them.  I told the guy I’ll I go to all of his commission places if he shows me the town for free.  It was fun to start, but after the 4th suit shop offering me “just like Tommy Bahama, but not that pictured pattern”, it started getting annoying.  And the jem shop was a total ripoff.  I did however, get a decent overview of the town, see a few sights, and have an experience far more involving than a simple cab ride.

A guy in this Buddhist temple told me that this is known as the “Lucky” Buddha because when the Japanese bombed Bangkok in WWII, 2 bombs fell just outside, but did not go off.

The same guy recommended that I try the T.A.T. (government travel office). I also had the driver take me to a number of travel agents. All were a ripoff – trying to get me to spend $2000 for 3 weeks in Thailand, and claiming $150 per flight, and $150 per night at fancy hotels.

I left there and ate some great Panang Chicken at a fancy establishment for roughly $10 (not a deal).

Those little round things are a type of eggplant…  interesting texture.

I’ve also had some phenomenal Tom Yum soup and a 7up for $2 at a small dive along the street where I’m staying.  That was really good, and a great deal!

Yesterday I was caught in a monsoon, so I had to buy an umbrella.  Whatever happened to plain black?  The least effeminate choices were between Care Bears, My Little Pony, and a red one with a dog and the word “Happy”.  I snagged it just in time, as the next guy in line got stuck with the Care Bears.

I’m currently planning my side trip to Angkor Wat, Cambodia.  Looking at international airfares on Expedia, I may need to take the bus (6 hours).  However, flying within Thailand is super cheap on Thai Airways…  basically $30 each way.  I’ll check on the discount prices to Siam Reap tomorrow morning thru the travel desk at my guesthouse.  I’m guessing I can get a round trip for under $100.

So the plan is (in no particular order):

Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand for cooking lessons, elephant treks, the Golden Triangle (Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar) and see the long neck women.

Ko Pha-Ngan for the full moon party on the 7th and some beachside relaxing for a few days there and at Krabi / Koh Phi Phi on the Andaman Sea

See Angkor Wat in Cambodia,

Back to Bangkok and on to Bangalore, India on the 16th.

Somewhere in there I need to get my visa to India – they say it takes 6 days, but I just read that if you submit your pasport on the 5th working day of the month between noon and 1, you can pick it up between 3 and 4:30 that same day.  We’ll see…