12 hours of insanity

August 17, 2005
Bangkok City


So we arrived in Thailand at midnight and by this point all I can say is that we were cranky and tired. That is to be expected...so we end up in this hotel by the airport. There were only 2 highlights of this place the free airport shuttle and the buffet breakfast. It was to put it succently GROSS. But lets move on.

We spent 12 hours in Bangkok city and lets just say it was an experience. This is probably one of the busiest cities I have ever encountered (and i've lived in Hong Kong...so this says something). You have a strange collection billboards, highways and temples that gleam in the setting sun that can be found throughout the city. It really is beautiful but it is one of the most dirty places I have ever been. By the end of the day I could feel the grime of city clinging to my skin. But actually I didn't mind it as much as my travel companions. [oh well]

I do love how everone seems to drive in Thailand....street lines appear to be suggestions. We all are used to how motorcycles dart in and out of traffic but it appears that cars/trucks and busses get to do that too. It really is amusing to watch.

Anyways, we ended up seeing some amazing temples and monuments. Such as the standing buddha, the Sitting Buddha, and the Golden Mountain. [we went to the Grand Palace but really it was way to expensive to get in as a Farang].

So here are the not so pleasant aspects of Bangkok.....

1) Tuk Tuk drivers - really i know that i'm walking around with 2 girls that look like walking ATMs really enough is enough. Our experience with Tuk Tuk drivers was extremely disheartening. The first driver we encountered quoted us a price and proceeded to ask us to do him a favour and go into a store for10 mins so that the store can give him a free gas coupon. Now let me clearly state that he called this place a mall and we said "ok one stop". But as we arrived we discovered that the mall was really a tailor and the only possible way that we could stay 10 mins is that if we were having something made. So needless to say we didn't end up there for needed time. Our driver then proceeded to tell us that we needed to go to another stop and that we really needed to stay 10 mins. So screw this. Basically we got out and hailed a cab. [this experience was made much worse when our second driver pulled the same stunt.]

2) The shear number of drunken farang boys that have come here to shag there way accross Thailand. [yeah sweety just cause i look thai doesn't mean i don't understand the rude commen ts....it was funny watching one fall off his motorcycle when i replied to him in english].

3) The pollution and smog. (this should be self explanatory).