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Published: March 4th 2007
Sawasdee kaaaa!!
I have arrived in Thailand!! It was a long trip... I left my house at 5am on Thursday and was traveling until 10am on Friday... but I slept on the airplaneS quite well, so I don't really have any jetlag at all!
The trip went well, no complaints except for the amount of hours on the plane. I flew from Vancouver to San Fran (2.5hrs), had barely any time there, and actually spent the time walking across the airport with the pilot of my next flight! I coincidentally sat next to him on the airport terminal shuttle!! no luck in being bumped to first class though...
the next flight was long (12 hours i think?!), but i was ok with it because i discovered that Narita Airport was actually Tokyo's airport!! I was excited to go there!! (even if its just the airport!) Unfortunately it was pretty uneventful since I didn't see a single highrise even! just farmland!! who would've thought that Tokyo was surrounded by farms? anyway, it was fun to walk around the airport and check out all Japanese souvenirs. Everything is so cute! even their candy has cute little faces!!
Three hours later I jumped onto the next flight... to BANGKOK! It was quite delayed, and someone was sitting in my seat when i got on the plane, but it all worked out and i sat next to a smelly backpacker... it was ok when he didn't move...
Finally landed in Bangkok, and it is the type of airport where you have to walk outside from the plane to a shuttle bus to get to the airport. I love landing in hot places like that! You get hit by the heat and realize right away that you have arrived. Another thing that hit me, but i had never realized before, was the Thailand smell! There is a smell! I guess i didn't notice it the first time I was here, but this time i remembered it. It doesn't smell bad... and i can't even describe it... but there is definitely a distinct smell.
I went through customs and got my bags... then walked out through the gates into "arrivals" - surrounded by Thai people on both sides... but my friend Eve saw me right away and ran up to give me a huge hug! it is nice to be welcomed after such a long trip!! Her husband Derrick and her little cousin April were there as well. April had made a "JESSICA" sign, just in case, but it wasn't needed!
We drove across Bangkok to their place in the Sukhumvit area. They live on the 45th floor, on top of the penthouse suite, with a spectacular 180' view of the city!
The next morning we woke up and got ready for a fun day of shopping! First we went to Emporium, which is fancier than Robson street shopping - just designers and $$$... so we parked the car there and took the skytrain/subway to more affordable shopping at the MBK mall. Its really overwhelming how much shopping there is here and how cheap!! Luckily, Eve is a professional shopper, so she knows that mall really well and if i said, i want to look at purses, she knew where to go!
After MBK we went to Chatuchak weekend market! This is a crazy market!! first of all, it is EXTRA hot there... even Eve and April were dying of the heat there! Then there are a million people, a million stalls selling everything you can imagine (from clothes, to furniture, tourist stuff, to adorable puppies and poisonous snakes!!). Then with that comes a million smells... and it is so lively! I saw a ladyboy geisha impersonator singing something funny in Thai...
Thai people eat all the time... so several times throughout the day, we stopped for a snack or drink. I'm up for eating anything (almost) so its great to be with locals that show you what's good! Pickled/spicy grapes were interesting... but i think the best thing yesterday were spicy meat on a skewer that we bought on the street from a bike vendor (bikes with a full kitchen attached).
By the way, Eve has an adorable little chihuahua called Minnie... she just stopped by to visit me now. She's been scared of me until now, bearing her teeth at me (oooh sooo scared!), but now that April is vacuuming, it is safer on my lap i guess!
After the market we were exhausted and hot, so went for a dip in their pool! Great way to get refreshed!! This is really the Thai luxury life here... building with marble floors, elephant statues, pool and gym included... I'm really roughing it huh?
Dinner was thai food prepared by Eve - soo good!! a coconut milk soup with chicken and various veggies...
after dinner, Eve took me to a street market where there was not a single tourist. Those are always the best... great prices! I got a nice purse for $3... almost got some shoes for $2, but I've run into a problem - asian people have smaller feet than me. I'm noticing that it is going to be a bit of a challenge to find shoes for me...
We ended the evening in real Thailand style... a Thai massage together... (1 hour = $6). Thai massages are always a bit painful... for anyone who's never had it - it works like this: the masseuse uses her body to stretch your body. So... you occasionally get a kick in the leg or a punch in the back. but the end result is a refreshed body. Although, i could have easily napped there in the massage room afterwards! oh and you have to wear these really nice pj looking clothes whenever you do massage.
I ALMOST forgot to tell you about what I saw next!!! A bike vendor... pushing a cart full of toasted bugs! large grasshoppers, small larvae things (he put them on a spoon for me to take one... hmm... i had a mint in my mouth at the time - tough call... larvae... mint... hmmm.... mint?) i got a picture anyway!
We were supposed to have gone out to party... saturday night after all... but... it was a Buddha holiday so everything was closed (welcome to Thailand!). Therefore, i'm staying one extra day in BKK and we're heading out tonight instead! (sunday). need to find shoes asap, otherwise i'm going out in flip flops!
Tomorrow I'm heading off to Khorat for a few days to meet up with my friend Kai and her new baby Tammyka. I met her last time I was in Thailand, on my first night in the country! At a Muay Thai show on the street in Ko Samui. It'll be really nice to see her...
By the way, Eve might be lending me a cell phone... i'll send you the number later. I don't expect you to call, but maybe we'll be able to text??
I hope you enjoy to read about my experiences... and I hope that one day you'll be able to enjoy this too! It is really an amazing country!!!
Jessica
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Johan
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Harligt!
Jattekul att lasa om din resa! Det later helt underbart!! Lite avis maste jag saga... :) Ha det kanon!