Sawadee

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August 10

We woke up bright and early to hail a cab to Swayamblunath: the Monkey Temple. After walking up the steep stairs for a half hour side by side with the monkeys making their own morning pilgrimage, we were greeted by the sound of morning prayers, incense and monkey mischief.

Trying to imagine the Thailand segment of our trip made us nervous so we decided to switch our flight a day early and that night we landed in Bangkok! We listened to Christian rock on the taxi ride from the airport. People say you can tell a lot about a country from the dash board of its taxi drivers: on the dash board of this taxi was a portrait of the king of Thailand, a Buddha, and a disco ball. Around the drivers neck were a few medallions with Christian saints painted on them. We were discharged onto Koa San road at 8pm. Walking down the dark streets, music blaring, and backpacks draped on us like a coat hanger, we realized we weren’t in Kansas anymore. While trying to find a hotel with a private bathroom, fan and a window that wasn’t too loud, we stood shell shocked by the “spring break” scene that is a far cry from the villages of Tibet that we were in just a few days ago. CULTURE SHOCK! It is hard to imagine a place rocking with Y generation international travelers partying all night long on the streets. We’re writing this a week in retrospect, and are still blown away by the energy.
We got our room and booked a ticket out to Chaing Mai on the overnight bus for the following night.

August 11

During breakfast we listened to the announcements of the Queens Birthday the next day and decided we had to change our ticket out and stay to celebrate.
As soon as we left Koh San road we found a Wat (temple) waiting for us with gongs and bells and chanting. One of Bangkok’s “must sees” is the Grand Palace and the emerald Buddha (which is in fact made of Jade). We had to wait 45 minutes on line for mom to borrow a skirt to enter the compound because of course the country with Lady-boys doesn’t allow the woman to wear men’s trousers at the Grand Palace… It was definitely worth the wait though as the grounds were shimmering and sparkling with golden statues and ornate architecture. The Emerald Buddha gets dressed by the King 3 times a year according to the season. Just before entering we were approached by a well dressed gentleman who helpfully informed up that the Grand Palace was closed and we should take a tuk tuk to these other places. We later found out this was a big scam and we were glad we followed the crowd and were not fooled. Like when we visited the Taj Majal, the weather was overwhelmingly hot so when mom wanted to spend 5 minutes looking at a few extra temples I said that I would wait for her under the shade by the exit. 45 minutes later, when I was glooming about all that I must have missed out on what I thought was a 5 minute detour, Mom comes rushing up furious and yelling at me that I am never allowed to catch my breath again and we storm out the compound, me utterly confused. As it turns out, after her 5 minute detour Mom forgot where she had left me and for the first time in 17 years, lost her baby girl. Apparently all of the tourists wandering around the compound now know what I look like and are probably looking for a 5 year-old Sasha.

Next we walked to Wat Pho, famous for being the largest reclining Buddha, 46 meters long, 15 meters high posing as the Buddha passing on its way to Nirvana. We also did our fortune telling sticks. Mom kept doing hers and kept receiving “patient’s condition is worsening” MAJOR BUMMER. Mine were all good…

From there we went on to Wat Arun (the God of the dawn). They were made of mosaic ceramics and you had to climb them like pyramids - we got half way. By now it was almost sunset and we took the river ferry down to catch the new Sky train where we got a birds eye view of the city; floating over the parks and parking lots and city center.
Exhausted we crawled into bed and watched Seven Pounds on my iPod.

August 12

The Queen’s 77th birthday! Which is also Mother’s Day. The woman (who don’t oppose the Queen’s yellow shirt political backing) celebrate by wearing blue. We also walked through a festival where we saw massive group hair cut sessions, some traditional Thai lady-boy dancing and lots of free food. During the day it basically was a non event and we felt a little odd not to have much to do. We walked around the university and crashed into a few hotel’s swimming pools. It was so hot! I complained about wasting time in Bangkok (I should have know better than to say such a thing to mom…) While carrying all of our baggage we got a walking tour of the hidden ally-ways of Bangkok on our way to the overnight bus. The double-decker bus was quite fancy with neon lights and a wide tv screen. Furthermore we each got the front row seats and were treated to an incredible view of the city at night as we left.

August 13

We arrived at dawn in Chang Mai, a bustling, suburban city dropped our bags and were on our way trekking (not that we had a nights sleep mind you). We drove an hour or so into the country and landed at an elephant camp. It was obviously lunch time for the elephants as they kept nuzzling and vacuuming my thigh in a loving gesture requesting bananas and sugar cane sticks constantly. The road was short, but arduous up and down hills. Then it was our lunch time and we set off for our trek. Our guide Rambo (yes, his name was Rambo) was quite the boy scout. We each got a palm frond hat that we decorated like a birthday crown as we walked adding details. The cicadas accompanied our steps as he taught us to pop leaves, blow bubbles with leaf sap, make sling shots and arrows out of fruit and leaves, and cups out of bamboo. At on point he had us quite scared as we found his hands covered in blood which he proceeded to adorn us with like war-paint. Mom of course went into a panic about blood infections but we were relieved to know that it was only dye from berries. We ended up at a waterfall, drenched before we even stepped in from sweat. Mom even went in the water stripping down even to her hair! We spent the night at Rambo’s home on mats with holey mosquito nets. His family is of the Karen tribe and we all cooked dinner together. There was great excitement when we found a baby scorpion in the bathroom and even more when we found a tarantula on the path the next day.

August 14

Although the dog fighting kept us up most of the night, we somehow found the energy to keep walking. Over the 2 days we walked for over 5 hours, all climbing uphill and over numerous make-shift bridges, with our packs, soaked either in sweat or rain in the jungle. It was muddy and slippery and hot and humid but worth every minute of it. The closest we came to a shower was the bamboo raft trip down a river at the end of the trek. I am happy to say that out quick-dry wardrobe really worked. The raft trip to the circuitous path over rocks and through rapids and I was glad that the rubber tire ties held. Everyone looked as if they had swam in the river when we finished (though I actually slipped in by accident to the river when mom pushed me ahead for the photo op at the start).

Not to “waste” anymore time, we hopped on the overnight bus back to Bangkok.

August 15

Arrived at 5:30 am before dawn. This overnight bus wasn’t as nice as the first one, (the bathroom door didn’t close, it was pitch dark, and one had to hover over the toilet seat - while the bus swerved…). The first overnight bus showed The Brother’s Grimm and then tried to get away with blasting Sin City (but I took one for the team and went down to ask them to just turn it off, thanks).

Not to “waste” any time, Mom got us tickets on the 6am bus to Kanchiburi. I was so tired I slept the whole time on mom’s stinking shoes (minus 20 minutes where I managed to spill out a conversation in Spanish with an Argentinean couple - I am very proud!).

We went to the JEATH museum (not misspelled ‘death’ but Japan England Australia Thailand and Holland). 15,000 POWS and 100,000 Asian civilians died created the railroad between Burma and Thailand during World War II. 1 in 4 people died during its construction. We also went to Hellfire Pass, so-called because of the eerie glow of the torch lights reflecting on the cadaverous bodies of the workers looked like Hell. They were forced to work 16-18 hour days to finish a project that should have taken 6 years 22 months. In the JEATH museum there was also the Miss Siam beauty contest data and the national stamp collection…huh…

We also visited a beautiful waterfall where we were able to spend 2 hours climbing and then relaxing…a novelty. We spent the evening on a house boat, rushing water echoing under the bamboo floors and bells ringing in the wind - a gorgeous sunset and a huge storm to follow.

August 16

Bright and early (surprise surprise) we went to give some elephants a bath. This involved swimming out to meet them in the water (a little creepy knowing how big they are) and then climbing onto their backs and finding our way straddling their necks. Actually mom was on the shore taking pictures, she did it in Nepal 5 years ago. Once I was seated the trainer gave his command and the elephant ducked himself into the water, which meant that like a cowboy at a rodeo I had to squeeze my thighs and hold on (you can hear mom yelling “squeeze” on the videos). Another favorite was when the elephants swooshed their trunks back and left me sprayed and sputtering.

By this time we’d earned breakfast (and when you’re traveling with mom, you do need to earn every meal). Then we actually rode the elephants (again) and since by now I’m a pro I was able to sit on the neck with the mahout (trainer). Our elephant must have had an identity crisis as his name was Moo which means Pig, although it sounds like a Cow when you call it…

After lunch we went to a tiger temple where monks had adopted and trained tigers to be stress less and therefore tame and people friendly - we have the pictures to prove it . All in all it was like being at day camp, with all of the activities programmed and coordinated neatly.

Thailand, the Land of Smiles, The King and I, Siam, Number 1 world rice exporter (god am I sick of it!), Farange means foreigner, and to criticize the king gets one 7 years in prison. Bangkok is the city of angles and you see spirit houses in front of every building and these days for the Queen’s birthday you see her face ten feet tall on every stoop corner. You are not allowed to lick stamps with the King’s image on it and at 8am and 6pm (apparently) the royal anthem is played on a loud speaker and one is expected to stop and stand in respect. Every boy is expected to be a monk for at least 3 months and Sanuk which mean fun is the Thai motto.

It is impressive how quickly the next moment eclipses the last from the Taj Majal to the Great Wall, to Mount Everest up until this week on our own in Thailand. Activity-wise it hasn’t seemed as exciting as previous trips but the sheer length of time, 6 weeks, with the highs and lows and without a break, is an event in itself.

Tomorrow we are off to Koh Samet, a beach on an island and a well deserved 2 days of rest before we go home to summer hw and college essays.

Sawadee is Hello, Sabadee is Thanks fine, and Kab Koom Ka/crub means thank you. with that you can flourish in Thailand!

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Comments

[lyn Familant]

not as exciting?
sasha, you are an incredible writer. the reader gets to feel as if they are on your trip too. i get my daily exercise just reading what you've been doing. loved the phrasing, "it is impressive how quickly the next moment eclipses the last"....but if it's not quite as exciting as previous trips, then my goodness, what incredible experiences you must have. i can already envision your college essay!