Thailand bound
- Thread starter warpus
- Start date
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
I'm in Tokyo right now, waiting for my connecting flight to Chicago! Which isn't really that exciting, and I'm incredibly tired, but the exclamation mark seems fitting.
Bangkok wasn't so bad, I was able to stay away from the mobs.. I asked around and was basically just told to avoid wearing red, blue, and yellow coloured clothing while wandering nearby government buildings.. So I did that and have had 0 problems.
I spent the last 2 weeks of my trip in the south of Thailand on amazing tropical islands and beaches.. also went to a rave type thing in the jungle which was kind of crazy but kind of awesome. I danced my butt off.
I am all travelled out and looking forward to sleeping in my bed again.. mind you that won't happen for another 28 hours or so, but hopefully I'll manage to get some sleep on the flight to Chicago. The sun is just going down here and it's actually kind of pretty - the sunset is visible through the window... so hopefully I'll manage to catch some zzzs on the 11+ hour flight that's due to depart in about 2 hours now.. The flight to Tokyo was sucky - left Bangkok at 7am.. I spent the evening before that watching English Premier League football in a bar, sharing drinks with what I think was pretty much a prostitute (she was a good conversationalist!), and enjoying a bit of the nightlife. Then I was at the airport at 2am. I feel like a zombie and if this post doesn't flow very coherently, that's why. When I arrive in Canada I fully expect to eat somebody's brains. I also hear there's lots of snow on the ground - which I'm totally not ready for.
I also look quite rugged and bearded and stuff - it seems to be attracting lots of positive attention from the ladies.. which is weird, because when I look at myself in the mirror I look like someone who hasn't slept in 2 weeks and who just got rescued from a deserted island. Maybe I will have to adopt this as my new look, but then again I desperately require a shave and haircut.
Bangkok wasn't so bad, I was able to stay away from the mobs.. I asked around and was basically just told to avoid wearing red, blue, and yellow coloured clothing while wandering nearby government buildings.. So I did that and have had 0 problems.
I spent the last 2 weeks of my trip in the south of Thailand on amazing tropical islands and beaches.. also went to a rave type thing in the jungle which was kind of crazy but kind of awesome. I danced my butt off.
I am all travelled out and looking forward to sleeping in my bed again.. mind you that won't happen for another 28 hours or so, but hopefully I'll manage to get some sleep on the flight to Chicago. The sun is just going down here and it's actually kind of pretty - the sunset is visible through the window... so hopefully I'll manage to catch some zzzs on the 11+ hour flight that's due to depart in about 2 hours now.. The flight to Tokyo was sucky - left Bangkok at 7am.. I spent the evening before that watching English Premier League football in a bar, sharing drinks with what I think was pretty much a prostitute (she was a good conversationalist!), and enjoying a bit of the nightlife. Then I was at the airport at 2am. I feel like a zombie and if this post doesn't flow very coherently, that's why. When I arrive in Canada I fully expect to eat somebody's brains. I also hear there's lots of snow on the ground - which I'm totally not ready for.
I also look quite rugged and bearded and stuff - it seems to be attracting lots of positive attention from the ladies.. which is weird, because when I look at myself in the mirror I look like someone who hasn't slept in 2 weeks and who just got rescued from a deserted island. Maybe I will have to adopt this as my new look, but then again I desperately require a shave and haircut.
warpus said:
You would have been fine even if you got caught up unless the police started firing.* I've chatted to red and yellow shirts. They were friendly and happy that I hadn't fled the country. The yellow shirts in particular were grateful because a lot of them were shopkeepers who catered to the tourist trade. I was more comfortable there than I was chatting to protesters in Merdeka Square which had nothing to do with protesters but rather more with the pickpockets. The Thai dudes had designated security who were looking out for agent provocateurs but also other opportunists.
* A friend of mine was interviewing protesters and got dragged out of the crowd by red shirt security in the lead-up to a big confrontation. It was for his own safety and for the reputation of the protesters who were already catching flak for hurting tourism.
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
Yeah, as a tourist I probably had nothing to worry about, but people have died in some of the confrontations, so it was probably safer to just stay the hell away. You never know
classical_hero
In whom I trust
One interesting thing is that the police joined the protesters rather than oppose them.
http://www.independent.ie/world-news/asia-pacific/thai-police-down-arms-to-join-protesters-on-streets-29807320.html
Confession: I rarely bother with seatbelts while in Thailand.
The traffic though. They should really hurry up and finish the rail lines, particularly that one that passes by my parents' house.
crabapple
I am watching
What island did you go to for that rave thingy?
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
The state of the traffic had me a bit worried at first, especially when I realized that motorcycles will go wherever they can and want and that as a pedestrian you are on the bottom of the chain as far as having to yield to everything else, no matter where you are. The driving itself is a lot more chaotic than here, but the drivers don't seem to get mad at eachother.. There's less rules, but better drivers, I found..
I think I had seatbelts in all the taxis I was in.. definitely not on the buses or tuk tuks.. or elephants.
Ko Pha Ngan Island
I slept for over 12 hours and in about 4 I will be going back to bed. It's good to be home!.. but I will miss Thailand
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
There are over 3,500 photos total, I haven't gone through them all yet.. Not by a long shot, but here's some initial favourites:
The largest standing Buddha statue in Bangkok
Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok
Ayutthaya, ancient Thai capital
Angkor Wat, not in Thailand at all
Mandatory Angkor Wat sunrise shot
Ao Nang Beach, where the Indian food can be really good and the monkeys can bite
Riding an Elephant in Krabi
Thai kickboxer getting ready for battle
Railay Beach
Maya Bay, where "The Beach" was filmed
The largest standing Buddha statue in Bangkok
Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok
Ayutthaya, ancient Thai capital
Angkor Wat, not in Thailand at all
Mandatory Angkor Wat sunrise shot
Ao Nang Beach, where the Indian food can be really good and the monkeys can bite
Riding an Elephant in Krabi
Thai kickboxer getting ready for battle
Railay Beach
Maya Bay, where "The Beach" was filmed
AdamCrock
Polish Pirate
Yaay more pics ^^ wow ! Simply amazing ! - it has to be one of the most coolest places You've been Warp ^^ "Riding an elephant pic" makes me wonder where did they have a place to mount that balista to an elephant. Was it a young elephant ? I was expecting them bigger 
I've also noticed no tusks :O
I've also noticed no tusks :O
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
I guess it's mostly the motorcycles everywhere I wasn't really ready for.. I made a point to not drive or steer anything while in Thailand or Cambodia anyway, figured it would just lead to unnecessary stress..
Yaay more pics ^^ wow ! Simply amazing ! - it has to be one of the most coolest places You've been Warp ^^ "Riding an elephant pic" makes me wonder where did they have a place to mount that balista to an elephant. Was it a young elephant ? I was expecting them bigger
They could have been all female, but I'm not really sure..
I rate Thailand pretty high on my "best travel experience" ladder, but admit that I could be a bit biased since the trip is still fresh in my mind.. It was also much different than my other trips, so they're not that easy to really compare.. But the Thai people are great, their culture is interesting and at times intriguing, the food is amazing, and the scenery can be breathtaking... And there's a lot of 7-11s and massages and an open and tolerant society that also happens to be relatively safe place for visitors. Things are cheap, the people who rely on your tourist $ aren't too pushy, there are many interesting and memorable activities.. it's almost a perfect place in terms of being a travel destination! For me one of the main negatives about the place is how far it is - took me 38 hours to get there and about that much to get back home, including all the flights, layovers, bus rides to and from airports, and so on..
And now for something completely different - a video I took right after crossing the border from Thailand into Cambodia and getting into a taxi. It was truly a different place than Thailand.. even the architecture seemed to change right away after we crossed the border.. It was a bit mesmerizing
Link to video.
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
AdamCrock
Polish Pirate
So ... what this leaf is all about ?
AdamCrock
Polish Pirate
It sure was funny how that droplet was idk. "dancing" on the leaf xD "You sure ? You sure ? You sure ? x 15" hehe 
AdamCrock
Polish Pirate
that is some cool asianman rap there You have there ! ^^ Also the girl on the bike is wearing no pants .... which is cool ^^
warpus
Sommerswerd asked me to change this
This was on a hike through some jungly mountains, where a lot of people live in remote villages, one of which we slept in for a night.. So our guide was pointing out how these people make use of the local plants and animals to survive, including this leaf, which they use as a bowl and/or liquid container to drink water out of.. or whatever. There are many uses for it, if you think about it.
Another example: a species of ant that he pointed out to us was used as a spice and/or snack. He squished one of these ants onto a leaf and let us smell it - smelled like citrus! He asked me if I want to try one.. and I just couldn't refuse, based on how amazing that citrusy smell was. I put one in my mouth, bit down on it before it could bite my tongue, heard a crunch, and then an amazing citrusy soury flavour filled my mouth. It was basically crunchy sour candy. Seems kind of gross, but it was tasty
