bangkok

i arrived in bangkok at 1 in the morning. i was told that a good, cheap place to stay is khosan road so i jumped in a cab and arrived around 2am. khosan road apparently is a huge backpacker area and when i arrived the main street was open to pedestrian traffic only so i walked up and down looking for a place to crash. people were super drunk on the street at this point and navigating drunk backpackers and scamming tuk-tuk drivers was a bit harsh - after 17 hours on a plane i just wanted to get horizontal.

i took the first thing i found which ended up being an expensive (i.e., $15) room with its own shower and toilet. the next day i found a cheaper place (i.e. $2) that was pretty much just a bed in a room with the toilets down the hall.

i met my uncle's friend joe for lunch and he taught me the ropes a bit. how to say thank you correctly, and how to navigate the city the cheapest easiest way.

bangkok traffic is insane. it is literally gridlock all the time. using a combination of tuk-tuks (little 3 wheel carts), the sky train, and water taxis (not to mention good ol foot power) its not hard to get around.

i picked up scott from the airport and we hung out in bangkok for a few days, visiting wats and buddhas. the climactic point came on my birthday in bangkok. scott and i met some english folks that were really a great time. they were hammered and so were we. one had a little girl who was 8. she was really into eating the bugs that they sell on the street. they're typically a collection of larvae, grasshoppers, locusts, grubs, and frogs all friend up and salted with sauce. she and i would dare each other to eat one until the whole bag was gone.



that said, the food here is really really good, although it hasn't been as hot as i'd like it. i think they mellow it out cause i'm white. i'll have to learn how to say "gimme your best shot" in thai.

scott and i are headed east next. the beaches and water of koh chang are calling.