First morning in Koh Samui last impressions of Bangkok

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Thailand………..amazing cool. I was a tad bit worried about coming over. I was warned by so many people who had never been here to be careful of the coup, of the crime, of disease etcetra. Well I have learned that most of the warnings were unnecessary.

My first stop in Thailand was kosan road. We all sat at a table to have a beer and people watch. I felt as if I was just plopped into the opening of a movie, a variety of people from all over the world seem to congregrate here. The atmosphere is very much like a carnival. People everywhere. Cars everywhere. Food, well everywhere. Smiles, tattoos, backpackers, and more smiles. An unspoken openness that demands unknown people to introduce themselves. Vendors (the hill tribe people) would come to the table, actually only one of them came to the table but after Kelli showed some interest in buying something about 5 of them swarmed us. Oh and if they are walking buy and you don’t want to buy something don’t make eye contact. They are very friendly and sweet but also very persistent. Anything you could possibly want to buy is here and for much cheaper than in the states. Yet, I find myself gasping in astonishment when a vendor says they want 400 baht for a beautiful piece of jewelry. I am thinking you want 400 Baht! It sounds like soooo much money. I then counter offer 300 baht. They usually say okay but then I remind myself that they were only really asking for ten dollars usd and then sold me the jewelry for seven dollars and fifty cents. SEVEN DOLLARS! Only in Thailand.

So far it has been a whirl wind of activities. Though out of everyone in our present group I have probably had the most sedate experience. I missed most of the bar fight and the bar girl threatening Susan and Kelli with a good whooping. But I have enjoyed the gentle breeze, the sound of the lapping waves and the first rays of the morning sun on the soul grabbing beach of Koh samui. I just may never leave.

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