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Published: February 19th 2007
It's been 5 days now in Bangkok, but it feels like it's been weeks. Never a dull moment in the City of Angels. The day I returned I came down to Khao San road and made the mistake I make every time I arrive in this area. I don't look to check into the guesthouse that I always end up staying in, instead I go and look at every other one in the area. So, as always, the ones I look at are either too expensive or full and I end up at the same place I always am at. Not great, not bad, but relatively nice for the price.
That evening I met up with my friend Deerli and went out to the opening of a new club, called Santika. Since Deerli and her friends work in public relations for their newspaper, we partied in the VIP section, overlooking the rest of the club, for the whole night and for $10 we had unlimited alcohol and personal waiters who never let our glasses run dry. It's not that these girls party too hard, but they love to party late, staying up talking and whatnot. I didn't get to bed until the sun was coming up. Needless to say I slept in the next day.
The next day Deerli and I went out to the weekend market. We spent a few hours there, but you would have to spend a few weekends there to truely see the whole place. It's massive, I've heard over 1500 stalls. We looked around at some clothing stalls and had dinner there before she had to take off for work. Just when she was leaving, an Israili girl sat next to us and her and I ended up checking out the animal section of the market for an hour or two. This was fairly amazing. There were so many extremely young and cute animals, like little kitties and doggies, and you could pick them up and pet them and name them and awwww. Right, and so many other creatures I have never seen. Turtles with spiked backs, furry creatures with long tails, stuff I've never even seen before and are possibly the only ones of their kind left. They're selling pure bread dogs for nickels and pennies. What a crazy place. That night the Israili girl and myself came back to Khao Sarn and used the internet. It was then that I found out my friend Cho from Ko Lanta was back in Bangkok for a day or two. I sent her an email and within a few hours we had met up.
It really was great to see Cho again. We met at an outdoors club near Khao San road where she used to frequent. We sat and chatted, I spotted some random travellers that I had met in Cambodia, Cho introduced me to a few of her friends, things like that. It was nice to catch up and hang out outside of Ko Lanta. After chatting for a bit over some drinks, Cho stepped up to the mic and sang a few songs. I knew the words to most because she used to sing a lot in Ko Lanta. She actually dedicated a song "to a friend of mine who is somewhere around here." Which was nice. I'm not too sure I've ever had a song dedicated to me. Afterwards we parted ways with plans to meet up the next day.
We did end up meeting and we went to MBK together. MBK is a massive 8 story shopping mall with a theatre on the top floor. Plus it has air-con throughout, which I really enjoy. So, we decided we'd go see a movie. First though, we got some dairy queen, for a fraction of the price you'd pay back home. Mmmm, DQ. So, together we decided we'd go see "Tenacious D and the Pick of Destiny". We both thought it was absolutely hysterical and were laughing throughout the whole movie. Afterwards we came back to Khao San were he walked around until she had to take her bus back to Ko Lanta. That evening I was taking it easy, just walking around, when I met a german guy, who, I think, was named Chris.
Well, Chris and I had a beer and made plans to meet up the next day. I saw him the morning after and we decided we'd go see some sights, Wat Pho and the Grand Palace. On our way we saw a girl, and I random said to her "Hey, you're Canadian aren't you?". She was wearing an Asolo backpack, the same kind as I use, and I've seen only other Canadians using that brand. Two days before at the market I actually pulled the same stunt with the Israili girl. She was like "I know someone from Victoria Canada." and instantly and fluidly I said, "Yeah, I know her, Jessica right?" Haha. The look on her face was priceless and that of pure astonishment. She says to me, "....what's her last name?" My response. "I'm not good with last names, sorry." She sussed my game out eventually, but now I just guess shit and hope for the best. Anyway, the German guy wants to go to MBK and so does the Canadian girl, so we agree to meet after he and I go to some temples. So, on our was to the Grand Palace were were hit by several touts feeding us B.S. about temples being closed, etc. We saw through it and ended up making it to Wat Pho (We decided against the Grand Palace because it's actually quite expensive, but it was also the middle of the day, hot, and a lot of people would probably be there right then.) Wat Pho wasn't so crowded and has an amazing statue. It has the reclining buddha. It's absolutely MASSIVE. Like 40 feet high and god knows how long. I'm glad I ended up seeing it, considering it's only a few blocks away from Khao San and I've been in Bangkok almost half a dozen times now. Afterwards, we met up with the Canadian girl and went to MBK. Apparently these two really wanted to shop. It got a little tiresome, but I endured it. When we got back to Khao San, we agree to meet up later for a few drinks. Germany kept on talkin about getting pretty drunk that evening, but I think he was starting to like Canada girl and decided against it. Well, i was already drinking some Sang Som when I saw them and continued to do so for while. A long while and after a pretty random drinking I went to sleep quite late. The next afternoon when I awoke, I think the combination of drinking, lack of sleep, and poor eating the night before, left me with the runs and a progressively worse fever. It was Valentines day and I decided to call Deerli and meet her at MBK. When I got to MBK I was not feeling so swell, but she was estatic to see that I got her a teddy bear. (haha, it's cute cause she calls me Bear in Thai...I wonder why.) However, we didn't hang out for too long. I was getting really sick. She advised me to go home and sleep, cause she was partying on Khao San that evneing and really wanted me to come. And sleep I did. But the fever got worse and worse. At some point I came out of my room at about 10 PM and went for some water from accross the road. I was honestly a fever zombie. I stepped out of the soi (alley) I was staying at, and right there was Deerli and her friend Toey. I just looked at them as they said stuff to me. Eventually Deerli gave me some pills for fevers that she had on her and told me to get some rest. I think I slept for mor than 24 hours between that day and the next. For the next couple days all I could bring myself to eat was McDonalads. When I finally woke up from my fever induced coma I....
I'm not too sure what I did actually. What day is it? How long have I been in Bangkok for? Seriously though. I'm not too sure what the answer to these questions are, but at some point I went out clubbing with some randoms to a late night club nearby Khao San. A few international students who are living her and some Thai's accommpanied me. The next night I met back up with Deerli for her going away party (she's moving to America in a few weeks.) A lot of her staff showed up and we went to a super posh outdoors restraunt, probably the nicest place I've ever been to. Everything was paid for, food, drinks, etc. and we had a total blast. I mingled with all of her co-workers for most of the night (I arrived at like 7, she didn't get there till half past 10). It was cool though, I already knew a few of them before. They all do public interest stuff and huminty stories so they have a lot of viewpoints about political issues, world issues, and enjoy comparing western ideas with those of Thailand. Of course since it's Deerli we were out until the wee hours of the morning, and I was exhausted, but it was a really good night.
Then I woke up the next day. Which was yesterday. I think. I relaxed for the most part. At one point I was on the internet and a friend from Canada, Jesse, who I hung out with in Bangkok during first week I was travelling, told me to meet up with a friend of his. His buddy Jun and I met up that evening and he suggested we go down to China town to see if there were any festivities considering it was the Chinese new years. We took a tuk tuk down and when we arrived the place was absolutely crowded. Jun, being a Canadian Asian told me about the Chinese New Years customs from when he was back home. These included drinking and eating until you were absolutely stuff. So, we did just that. There was a tonne of people around, and finding eating to eat and manuerverability was difficult at times. So, the street are cleared and EVERYONE is lined up along the side of the road, eagerly awaiting some sort of parade. So, finally some music kicks up and movement is happening down the road. About 150 armed guards start walking by, telling everyone to put their Cameras away (although most had already been told.) Then, for about 30 seconds, 50 people dressed in red and some older lady (I think I saw an older lady) was by. And then....that was it. Everyone starts leaving. Me and Jun look at each other with confusion and I ask some Thai's what the deal was. Apparently that was the princess of Thailand. Apparently it's big deal to see her walk down the road. No dragons, no tigers, no dancing. Just some armed guards and the queen. I'm sorry to anyone who may be Thai and reading this. There is no disrespect for the royal family going on here, but I would have appreciated a dragon.
We walked back to Khao San road where I bumped into a friend of mine, Kreston, from Tofino BC who I had met earlier in Saigon (and maybe once since). Well, he was absolutely pumped to see me (You should see this guy, I think he's somewhere around 6'10). He was also a little too drunk for me, so we moved on, well, we moved about 4 feet. Then we saw my Thai friend JJ. She actually knows my buddy Jesse from Canada really well (Jun's friend), so I introduced the two and we agreed to meet later. Then we walked down to Gullivers, a nearby bar on the street. As we did a few police cars drove by and parked out front. Apparently someone had passed out and fell down the stairs. Guy was hurt very badly unfortunately. (We also saw a guy strewn on the road moments from a car crash who didn't appear to be moving). After the police cars cleared, I spotted a few of the exchange students I had met from a few days before. We hung out for a while, I more or less just said random things to people I met, then Jun and I went and met our friend JJ (and Kreston happend to be nearby as well). We all just sat around and chatted and my night ended with a Cheeseburger and a McPepper Chicken burger.
Then I woke up. Now I'm here in this internet cafe, popping baht after baht into the machine, evening though Jun already told me about a place where you can use the internet unlimited for 20 baht. idiot, but it's close to my place and I thought I'd only be on for a short time. He's also paying the lowest price I've ever heard of for a room. I'll have to try to get into the same place next time.
I'm not sure. I think it's been just over a week since I arrived in Bangkok. That means I have just under 3 weeks left to be here. I should probably move on. I think I'll go north to Ayutthaya or north east, but yeah, probably go north to Chiang Mai, but go really slowly, maybe get there in a week or so. Who knows, but I'll admit one thing, I absolutely love Bangkok. This place is truely amazing and I could see myself living here (I wish I could live here, if someone wants to start a "It'd be cool if Brodie lived in Bangkok fund" I'd be all for it.)
Well, that's all I got. See, I told you I'd keep things updated. See. Alright, I hope everyone is doing okay and that you're all missing me. Cause I'm missing you.
Take Care
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anonymous
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No... look Brodie... no. Take a bus to Vientiane. Then take a bus to Vang Vieng. And then one to Luang Prabang. And then take the boat from Luang Prabang to Chiang Mai. And then go wherever.