BKK1

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30 March

Arrived at some horribly early hour to the Bangkok airport. I couldn't actually say what time it was since I slept through the local time announcements on the plane. After getting a fancy new stamp in my passport and picking up my very chubby backpack, I hopped in a bright pink taxi headed for the city center. Bangkok's taxis are like Skittles - one company has bright pink taxis, another orange, others green, bright blue and the most boring are the dark green and yellow. They're very easy to spot AND they have meters - a pretty big novelty after India. After drooling most of the way in the backseat, I pooped out of the cab and headed into the hotel. Priority #1 was a nap. Then some horrible movies on the Star Movies channel which airs all over Asia and has the rights to about 12 standard movies you've heard of (played often), 50 you've never heard of but which have famous actors in them (cycled through over time) and about 5 new ones which will play every night at the same time for at least a week. And then a quick visit to UPS to send all things Indian and Nepali home.

At dinner I made a horrifying discovery: Vegetarian food is not something the SE Asians do. Fish sauce, oyster sauce and meaty broths are important ingredients in everything. So I had Pad Thai. For the first of many many many times. And then a safe meat-free beer on Khao San Road, the touristyist spot I've been yet.

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