... Sawasdi klap, Thailand!
Within a few minutes getting out of the taxi in Khao San Road, Bangkok, I realised that without wanting to sound arrogant, India really was in at the deep end for a first time traveller. My week here in Thailand has been wonderful, and very very easy. There were highs and lows in India but I realise now that all the time was emotional and difficult. The thing that has struck me the most about Thailand when compared to India is the young people, I hadn't seen jeans and loose clothing in three months, and seeing couples kissing in public seemed very strange too. There's a lot of happiness here, and no social taboos apart from drugs it seems, which is pretty refreshing too. To be honest, I got slightly too excited by all the sexiness to begin with, the idea of girls running around and laughing out loud really did seem alien. I still love India and will go back all the time, but as far as being a hedonistic tourist goes, Thailand is fantastic.
Spent two days in Bangkok, and kept comparing everything with India, even the dodgy touts and taxi drivers are very honest, and can't imagine having any stress while I'm here. I visited a few temples and saw a very very big Buddha, then went to the Government tourist office and told them my budget and amount of time here and they sorted everything out for me. After thinking I wouldn't able to afford any fun, I was really happy when I discovered that I actually will be able to do a beginners Scuba Diver course, for only fifty quid!
The other activity I signed up for was a two day Jungle Trek, which I finished yesterday. That was brilliant, the group I went with were all very cool and most of us will be meeting up next week for a full moon party. On the first day we walked through lots of jungle, stopping off to meet tribal villages (generally the tribes that we were able to visit have become very modern and sadly the only conversations the locals would have were about us buying their craftwork). I found it hard work at times and have realised that I really want to get into good shape when I settle in New Zealand. I enjoyed the trekking but struggled more than I thought I would due to my unhealty lifestyle.
The next day we visited a waterfall which was a lot of fun and then went on an elephant ride. That was fine, but the lasting memory for most of us was the eldest of the handlers smashing his elephants skull with his driving hammer thingy. The other handlers were using their own hands or the wooden end of the hammer very gently to control the elephant, but this guy would raise his hand high in the air and the impact of the metal on the Elephant's head caused a loud crack and a bit of blood each time. I feel ashamed now that I only glared, I doubt my protests would have made a difference but I really should have said something. After that we went Bamboo rafting, which was fantastic. I was expecting it to be fun, but also very serious and traditional. Instead the guides made sure we all declared war on each other, trying to tip rival rafts and having splashing battles with local students. Once we made it back to civilisation I hooked up with some fellow nerds and closed a major chapter of my childhood by watching Star Wars: Episode III. It was surreal starting my day in a tribal village in the Jungle and ending it in a multiplex cinema. The film was fantastic in my opinion, and seriously dark. Don't let any kids watch it.
Like Anakin Skywalker I too have turned my back on my former mentor, deciding not to use any more Lonely Planet books. It served me well in India, but by the end of my time there I found that I always had a better time by gettig advice from other travellers and locals. Here in Thailand I'm being looked after by organised tour groups so have little need for a guide book anyway, but from now on no matter where I go I'm going to wing it. The worse that could happen is spontaneous combustion, I guess.
Anyway, I'm heading back to Bangkok this afternoon for a few days of chilling before the Diving course. I haven't visited Patpong (Red Light District) yet, will do that on the Weekend so next week I should definitely have some stories. If there are no Patpong stories assume that Ladyboys were involved, they seem to be the unofficial National symbol here.
Spent two days in Bangkok, and kept comparing everything with India, even the dodgy touts and taxi drivers are very honest, and can't imagine having any stress while I'm here. I visited a few temples and saw a very very big Buddha, then went to the Government tourist office and told them my budget and amount of time here and they sorted everything out for me. After thinking I wouldn't able to afford any fun, I was really happy when I discovered that I actually will be able to do a beginners Scuba Diver course, for only fifty quid!
The other activity I signed up for was a two day Jungle Trek, which I finished yesterday. That was brilliant, the group I went with were all very cool and most of us will be meeting up next week for a full moon party. On the first day we walked through lots of jungle, stopping off to meet tribal villages (generally the tribes that we were able to visit have become very modern and sadly the only conversations the locals would have were about us buying their craftwork). I found it hard work at times and have realised that I really want to get into good shape when I settle in New Zealand. I enjoyed the trekking but struggled more than I thought I would due to my unhealty lifestyle.
The next day we visited a waterfall which was a lot of fun and then went on an elephant ride. That was fine, but the lasting memory for most of us was the eldest of the handlers smashing his elephants skull with his driving hammer thingy. The other handlers were using their own hands or the wooden end of the hammer very gently to control the elephant, but this guy would raise his hand high in the air and the impact of the metal on the Elephant's head caused a loud crack and a bit of blood each time. I feel ashamed now that I only glared, I doubt my protests would have made a difference but I really should have said something. After that we went Bamboo rafting, which was fantastic. I was expecting it to be fun, but also very serious and traditional. Instead the guides made sure we all declared war on each other, trying to tip rival rafts and having splashing battles with local students. Once we made it back to civilisation I hooked up with some fellow nerds and closed a major chapter of my childhood by watching Star Wars: Episode III. It was surreal starting my day in a tribal village in the Jungle and ending it in a multiplex cinema. The film was fantastic in my opinion, and seriously dark. Don't let any kids watch it.
Like Anakin Skywalker I too have turned my back on my former mentor, deciding not to use any more Lonely Planet books. It served me well in India, but by the end of my time there I found that I always had a better time by gettig advice from other travellers and locals. Here in Thailand I'm being looked after by organised tour groups so have little need for a guide book anyway, but from now on no matter where I go I'm going to wing it. The worse that could happen is spontaneous combustion, I guess.
Anyway, I'm heading back to Bangkok this afternoon for a few days of chilling before the Diving course. I haven't visited Patpong (Red Light District) yet, will do that on the Weekend so next week I should definitely have some stories. If there are no Patpong stories assume that Ladyboys were involved, they seem to be the unofficial National symbol here.
posted by Martin O'Neill at 12:20 AM
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