Welcome to Bangkok! Our first stop in the adventure of a lifetime. With just under 24 hours in the capitol of Thailand, we walked out of the airport determined to make the most of every minute. Sweat pants became sweaty pants, though coming from a bitter cold, we welcomed the sizzling Thai heat. We doused ourselves in bug spray, pushed through our jet lag, and headed into the hustle and bustle of Bangkok.
Traveling to the other side of the world it begins to dawn on you that language barriers can be made out of titanium. Hand motions are different, expressions aren't universal, and gestures take on whole new meanings. Our confidence in our communication skills quickly dwindled as we were met with blank stares, dumbfounded looks, and a consistent reply of "same, same....but...different." Luckily, though, we found a saving grace in the form of a young woman named Pim. Referred to us by my colleague from work, we made the strategic move to hire a tour guide to maximize our time. We left the heavy lifting to her as she guided us through the check in, currency exchange, and transportation process. Once settled, we set out with Pim to eat our first meal of the trip. Warning: if you're a vegetarian traveling to Thailand, B.Y.O.S (bring your own snacks). Flabbergasted by the concept of an American Vegetarian, Pim needed us to confirm with her no less than four times that Corey and I actually refrained from eating meat and weren't playing some foreign joke on her. In a country where seafood is a staple,street vendors sell meat on every corner, and insects are considered delicacies - it should come as no surprise that vegetarian is a word that hardly exists. Luckily, we found a hole in the wall place that was able to accommodate us with a savory bowl of noodles and soup. Stomachs full, we set out to explore the city.
We traveled mostly by boat, which Thais use as the primary form of public transit throughout the city. We visited temples, market places, and the streets of Bangkok - gaining a glimpse of the Thai lifestyle and culture. In between our haggling with Tuk Tuk drivers and selfies with Buddha statues, we found an appreciation for the simplicity of Thai life. Their carefree and positive attitude became contagious as we continued to venture through the city. The pictures below document some highlights of our sight seeing.
Pim our tour guide throwing up the deuces.
After our long day of sight seeing - we headed back to the hotel for a much needed shower. After, Pim drove us to what she believed to be a vegetarian friendly restaurant (possibly the only one in Bangkok). Seeing a plethora of meat options on the menu - duck, chicken, fish, pork - Joel and Mike were happy. It wasn't until Pim clarified all the meat was fake, and literally the entire menu was vegetarian, where the joy of Corey and I rivaled the disappointment of Joel and Mike. We all found something we liked however, and enjoyed our conversation with Pim. She taught us some Thai customs, and in exchange, we explained the concept of heaters, the lyrics of Ridin Dirty by chamillionaire, and the hand-in-your-face motion. We finished dinner, said our goodbyes to Pim, and headed out to experience Bangkok nightlife.
Important to note was our infatuation with the exchange rate. 33 bahts = 1 dollar, 500 baht = 15 dollars. When an entire day of sight seeing, food, and transportation cost less than 5 dollars - it becomes easy to live like kings . It can be a dangerous mentality to have. Our first stop of the night was Antique, a harbor-esque area on the waterfront of Bangkok. Full of shops and restaurants, the last clear memory was finding a good deal for a beer tower (10 beers) for 500 Baht.
The rest of the night can best be imagined as the part of Hangover II you don't see from sunset to dawn. Flashbacks of jammed Tuk Tuk rides, singing on the streets, and making friends with the locals are what fill my mind as we fly to Chiang Mai. If our time in Bangkok is any indication for the rest of our trip, we are in for a hell of a ride
- jay
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