Warning- First Time Traveler

I was in Bangkok for only two nights and wasn't able to do much sightseeing because (1) it was the start of Thai New Year and many temples were closed; and (2) I had to run some errands and prepare for the next month, since I didn't do anything while back in Seoul, except book a flight to Bangkok and buy a copy of Lonely Planet's Southeast Asia on a Shoestring . I was not entirely impressed with the city, but I don't think that had to do with the actual city... I was overwhelmed, tired, scared and confused as it was the first time I had ever traveled alone and the first time I was in an "unwesternized" place.

At the airport, a guy happened to see me confusedly reading my LP guide, so he came over to offer words of wisdom. He suggested I go to Khao San Road, which has the most backpackers per square meter (possibly in the world!). It was gross, scary, intimidating and a huge culture shock to a self-proclaimed high-maintenance person like me. It seemed like everyone was out to be the grungiest of the bunch, and I couldn't get myself to talk to anyone, even though I made two attempts to do so.

On my third day at Bangkok, I got on a bus to Sihanoukville, a small beach port in southwest Cambodia, but plans changed when I met Earth, a Thai local who works for a travel agency. He was on vacation, and as we started chatting on the bus ride, he sold me on the idea of detouring to Ko Chang, a beautiful local Thai island. So last minute, plans changed and I ended up getting off with Earth, with my fate in his hands. I stayed in a cool little bungalow next to the beach, safe guarded under my mosquito net. Since Earth knew the ins and outs of the area, we rented a motorcycle and he took me to Fisherman's Village, where crab sautéed with coconut milk and fresh fish grilled with lime/cilantro were $2 each! Where else in the world can I get that? I'm getting food-horny just reminiscing about it. I was fortunate in meeting Earth as he took me around and we just chilled and hit up some bars.

When I was at Ko Chang, the locals were celebrating Thai New Year and it was a mix of fun and annoyance. The tradition they have with New Years is to throw a bucket full of (dirty ass) water on you, as you're walking around, riding a moto (motorcycle), or on a truck taxi. On top of that, they throw baby powder on you, specifically targeting travelers. When Earth and I rode around town on our rented motorcycle, we were prime targets, which were all in good humor. It's fun when you're hanging out, but not fun when you're on your way (in nice, clean, dry clothes with non-waterproof luggage) to the ferry, to start your boat ride plus a 5 hour drive to the Thai/Cambodia border. This H2O fiasco continued as Cambodia began their New Year celebration once I crossed the border. But, they were a lot nicer, as they opted to throwing just powder, rather than powder mixed in brown water.

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