Political Unrest in Thailand

Once again crisis has followed me. This time to Thailand where there have been massive protests in Bangkok against the current government's policies. The prime minister has declared a state of emergency and several of the airports and train stations have been shut down.

So instead of joining the riots, protests and possible life threatening violence I have spent the last 4 days on a stretch of beach in southern Thailand without electricity for most of the day. The only way in is by boat and the only fighting being heard is between Westerners to play Jack Johnson or Bob Marley and which one of the 5 restaurants with the exact same menu they should eat at that night. Not to be naive...But I've lived in places with political unrest, riots, demonstrations and (knock on wood) as long as you steer clear of the few areas where the protests are happening things are ok.

Right now we are near Krabi in Southern Thailand and staying for a night or two then making our way slowly up to Bangkok to hopefully meet up with a couple friends...Linke? and Dorner?

Thai Tour Guide

Walking around Phukett, Thailand you cannot help but notice how many older western guys are walking around with young fit good looking Thai girls. Now maybe these guys picked up the girls becasue they had great personalities or were charming but that is a big maybe. More than likley the western guys paid for the girls and they are everywhere in the town. At the movies, on the beach, in restaurants and the odd looking couples seem to get along just fine.

Since Thailand is not our native country and having a guide show you around is always the best way. In the past, when I have gotten these guides they have been more or less boring. Jamie and I thought...Why not higer a Thai hooker as a tour guide for the day. Minus the sex I'm sure that she would be a great tour guide. I mean, she knows the good local spots to eat and to see the sights as she's lived and worked in the area and speaks fluent Thai.

We are on a small Island Ko Phi Phi, staying in a little hut 50 feet from the beach. Last night it rained thru the roof.

Massage, T-Shirt, DVD Movie

After 24 hours of travel from Bangkok to Phuket we arrived exausted, dirty and ready to sit on the beach. In 2004 Phuket was destroyed along with a bunch of the other islands by a tsunami. From what I can tell they have rebuilt with the most amount of massage, suit and t-shirt stores I have ever seen. You can't walk more than 2 stores without being accosted by 8-15 thai girls (and the occasional Ladyboy) asking you if you want "Thai Maaaaasage".

The shopping down here was great, if I had any extra money I'd be brining back home tons and tons of clothes, electronics, and a little of everything else. Come to think of it, Thailand would be a great place for kids and their parents to do the annual back to school shopping. Everything is 50-70 percent cheaper here and it's all the same crap so why not just fly over to Thailand instead of going to Target. The beaches are much better here and parking isn't an issue.

Headed to Ko Phi Phi tomorrow.

One stop Bangkok

Bangkok is a wonderfully amusing, vibrant, clean, huge city. To get from one place to the other it you really aren't able to walk. So, the tuk tuk (3 wheeled moto-taxi's) drivers ask you how much you are willing to pay to go from point A to B. When you give them a figure say 50 Baht (about $2) they say how bout 10 Baht which seems great. But things here are sometimes to good to be true. Once you take off they tell you that you are going to be making a couple stops at some travel agency and a suit shop where upon you try to convince them "NO STOP NO STOP". Well...once you say those words they STOP...the engine and tell you to get out. This has happened already 5 times.

We are on our way out of Bangkok tomorrow to take the overnight train down to Phukett and go Island hopping and sunning.

Delhi Belly and Thailand?

After 2900 Kilometers in a tiny car with a strange India man posing as a guide and driver. We were, to say the least over travelling around in India and the hassle, bad weather, non paved roads and not being able to walk anywhere. It just wasn't the right season to travel in India. The Taj was beautiful and very Taj-esque. The cost for Indian people to enter the Taj is about 50 US cents. For foreigners it's about $20 US.

Whatever the reason for jumping ship on India we got airline tickets and off to the "Land of Smiles", Thailand.

As soon as we started our Thailand version of the trip I got a case of Delhi Belly and was running, galloping and trotting to the bathroom. My stomach was burbbling and upset, and still is for the last couple days.

Arriving in Thailand we took the city bus into downtown Bangkok we were greeted with an western guy, Joe Schmo negociating with a Thai hooker. Mind you, this was at 7am.

We are staying in the "flash-packer" district of Koa San road and it's a constant party with street pad thai, fake purses, clothes and fresh fruit vendors all hustling to get your money for "cheap cheap".

It's much more developed in Thailand. A little more expensive but first day there was blue skies and we sat by the pool.

India, wow. It's so much. Everywhere you look there is something going on. You can point a camera in any direction and get a picture that looks like some exotic postcard. People, animals, markets, roads, automobiles. It's all amazing and intimidating.

We've had some good days and some bad days here so far. It's not an easy country to travel in. It is definitely not a tourist resort where you can go and everything is friendly, simple and easy to use. Imagine the US with 4 times as many people and 8 times as many problems.

Today, as we were at yet another fort, this time in Jaipur, the capital of Rajastan with 12 million people I was thinking... What if the US had 1 billion people (like India) instead of 250 million. If i had to share everything I had with 11 other brothers and sisters!?! or my nice and what i consider small apartment with 7 other people instead of 1. It's that crowded here. The streets clogged, potholed and in need of constant repair and attention.

However, if i was a cow...

India would be the first place on my agenda. The cow's get to roam free. Today in a traffic jam the only ones getting through and making any forward progress where the cows and they looked content to battle traffic and eat along the way.

Also, at the fort there were Elephants, huge and small. In all I saw about 15 of them and none of them looked too happy. One of these elephants received an unwelcome surprise when 3 overweight westerners got on top of them for a ride. In protest the elephant started to get up with one of the heavy ones hanging off the back. The young boy driving the elephant proceeded to beat the huge beast over the head with his stick which got it to sit back down. I don't know but if i were that elephant i would buck those plumpers right off and head for the peanuts and if i had to overturn a couple cars in the process.

Rajastan Road kill

2 dogs
1 cow (white)
1 Camel (The Indian camel's are much healthier looking than the camel's in the middle east).

So, yesterday I'm walking around the streets of beautiful Udaipur and have just drank a tasty and refreshing mango juice box, 20 US cents. All finished I carry the box around, down the street, up the street looking for a trash can. Since I've been a little kid and was a boy scout I was always taught to leave places cleaner than when you first got there...i.e pick up trash and throw yours away. However in India there are no trash cans, you ask people where a trash can is and hold up the juice box and they take it from you and throw it on the ground.

I'll report back when I find a city trash can. There have been many nice pails in our hotel rooms.