Final Hours in Thailand

After about three weeks in Thailand, we are officially moving on tomorrow. Our bus leaves at 9:00 am for the Cambodian border at which point we will hire a taxi to take us to Siem Reap: the home of Angkor Wat. I have had yet another great time here in Thailand from the tropical paradise of Koh Phangan in the south to meeting and temporarily living with an extraordinary family in Bangkok.

There is, however, very little to tell. The island was beautiful and full of such activities as hammock Olympics (e.g. book reading and snoozing), cruising around on a scooter, cooling off in crystal clear water, hiking through the jungle, and eating as much as possible. Bangkok has been about the polar opposite (save the eating as much as possible): full of traffic, con-artists, touts, temples (check my pictures!), taxis, buses, boats, video games, thunder and lightning...very, very frightening!

Basically, if you have been to Thailand, then you can obviously relate. If you have never been here, it is well worth the trip. As for advice, spend two or three days in Bangkok, perhaps a week in the south on an island, and as much time as possible in the north. We did not make it north during this trip, but for you travelers out there, it is cheaper and more traditional insofar as everything concerning Thailand. Overall, it is really hard to go wrong here unless you are smuggling narcotics in or out of the country, talking shit about the king, trying to stop the people from protesting, or as I mentioned in my last post, trying to relax during your Thai massage. Thailand is beautiful - rich in culture, chilies, and smiles.

On a final note, don't be afraid of eating food made on the street: it will cost you about $1.00 for an entire meal and it will be spicy enough to kill anything that might make you sick. Don't be afraid to use the buses: you will save heaps of cash. Don't be afraid to bargain for anything you want except food...and be strong! Don't forget to wear pants and a shirt with sleeves to every temple. Don't forget to never put anything down the toliet that didn't naturally come out of your body: the plumbing is terrible. Don't forget to smile. And don't forget to relax. Come, see and enjoy for yourself...