Motorcycles and The Grand Palace

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3rd April 2005
Bangkok, Thailand.

Well, I've mentioned before that the motorcyclists here are crazy, and there's so very many of them! Soooo having tried my hand at the tuk-tuk experience and enjoying it, I decided to risk life and limb on the back of a bike. And as with the tuk-tuks, I loved it! I ended up on one of the slimmer bikes, unfortunately, and there were a few moments going over bumps and such that I was convinced I was about to go flying off the back of it, but nup! My bikey-dude (much more exotic than 'driver') was a very good driver, as many of these Thais seem to be, and we ducked and weaved through traffic at terrifying speeds, and on the main motorways I'd glance over his shoulder and we'd be doing something like 85k's, but I never really had cause for alarm that we might crash. And apart from a sore bum (took about 45mins) at the end, I arrived at my destination safe, sound, and exhilarated. It also seems more worth the money than a boring taxi ride does. But I don't think I'll be hiring my own bike when I hit Italy and such places; I'll have to find a cute bikey boyfriend who's willing to ride me everywhere.

So I spent today mucking about and checking out the Grand Palace and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, though I never saw any Emerald Buddha. It was all nice enough, lots of pretty buildings, lots of marvelling at the gold everywhere, but I should have hired a guide at the front gates. It was really quite boring (strike me dead) and I didn't stay long. Took a lot of pictures and marvelled at the gold and the exotic images and fanciful creatures and such. But was basically very bored (heathen!).

When I got back to Khao San Rd there were some interesting cultural displays going on. I don't know if it's a weekend thing (I spent first weekend here in Koh Chang) or due to the Thai holiday coming up in a couple of weeks or what, but they've been setting up these metal stages and structures and such the last couple of days, and during the afternoons they have seemingly impromptu dances or plays or traditional-sarong tying instructions or learn-how-to-speak-Thai instructions. I should mention, as I don't think I have (I don't mention a lot of things, deal with it), that I learnt some rudimentary Thai in the first few days of arriving. It's something all visitors should do; they've learnt English and they're not even in a colonised country, the least we can do is learn a few basic manners, such as:
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(I don't know most of the correct spellings, so have spelt pheonetically)

Hello/Good day, etc = "Sawad-dee ka / kra" (female speakers say "ka" at the end of most sentences, males "kra")

Thank you = "Kop Kun Ka/Kra"

No = "Mai ka"

Yes = "ka"

Please = "ga-runa"

Sorry = "kor toht"
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Well I think that's it......not so impressive after all. But I feel it's very important that visitors should learn some basic Thai. We should remember that we're not the only ones forming opinions of another's country. Some of the Westerners I've noticed have been shamefully rude and direspectful. One American woman in (Tantamar club) Koh Chang was so loud and condescending and rude to her waiter - she even bowled over one of the staff on her way to the bathroom without an apology. Just rammed right into him, and he went flying back into the pole behind (pint-sized hippie guy but cute). We (Rosie, Kate and I) were all quite shocked and embarrassed. It's like, yep, a fine example of Westerners, thank you so much. So please, fellow travellers, let's be civilised.

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