Update (rest of the day)
Well it's now 10:22 and I'm stuffed and tired. After a well needed shower (it's been three days now without one) I head to the front desk to figure out where to get money and to get train tickets. A man working there says he will get my ticket and will also show me around town explaining things and all that touristy stuff free of charge. Well nothing is free and I don't like guides so I opted out. He still helped me exchange some money but before the he brought me to the Muslim part of Varanasi to take a free tour of the business that goes on there... It seemed a bit skethy but during it I had a good time, walked with the cutiest kids ever and learned how those one I a kind um what are they called... Duveys?? (spelling?) and those plankets you frame and put on walls and those sheets with the silver and gold threads that no one ever sees but are given to royality anyways I got to see how those are made in these little family homes. Then in the end I meet the man in charge and, this is where it gets sketchy, then he's showing me all these expensive decorative spreads and cloth pieces, then asks if I'm interested in buying one... Yup always money involved. After a half hour of him saying there is no obligation but still stacking on the discounts, mind you these things are ati in the couple hundreds range I finally get out without buying even the cheapest piece he has, and 900 rupees. I'm now back at the hotel and giving money out I'd my train ticket to Agra. I then venture out to find the river where I see the second white guy since being in india. I ended up stopping to talk and fund out he's lookin for the river too, I continue on down this road and he meets up with me and we find the ganges river. We're chillin out just enjoying the view and watched a ceramony performance then we went to get some food and we parts ways. Were both gonna head to the river tomorrow morning at 5am to catch a boat ride up river at dawn. And then to take a dive in the holy water. Well now I'm back in my room, it's 10:37pm and I'm waiting for my train ticket still...
K byee.

written by  Kennyboy12 on June 24, 2009 from Varanasi, India
from the travel blog: 2009 - Kenny Baldridge - "No Reservations"
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Tomorrow I head to the bus station and head two hours South West of Bangkok to the huge floating market in Damnoen Saduak, Google it to see pictures. I'll be posting my pictures when I get back to the States.

byee

written by  Kennyboy12 on June 20, 2009 from Bangkok, Thailand
from the travel blog: 2009 - Kenny Baldridge - "No Reservations"
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ps: whenever you see a map hanging from a post either walk faster or turn around. Those maps act as spider webs, once you stop to look or even walk by it, someone will jump out try to help you then like 50 (ok more like 2 or 3) tuk-tuk drivers pop out of no where, It's almost like being "blitzkrieged" by German forces.
Pss: only ask poeple who dont look at you or the police for directions or help. anyone who walks up to you or seems too friendly will just end up annoying the hell out of you I finally figured this out.

Anyways, I left my hotel this morning around 8 and finally found my way home around noon, after hitting every corner of bangkok. I found out that Thai tuk-tuk drivers favorite question to ask is "where you from?" before they try to get you to pay cheap prices only to drive you not where you want to go but where they get commision.
So far I have been from Argentina and Mexico. The mexican situation was funny, a tuk-tuk driver tried to get me to use him, I pretended I didnt know what he was saying, then he asked if i speak english, so i blerted some random words i remembered from Spanish 101 and said hablo espanol poor chap still tried to get me in his "taxi" as i walked off. I saw several temples and buddahs during these four hours which was amazing. I got home showered then researched and headed back out to see the Grand Palace which is the coolest place ever and I'm totally modeling my future home after it. When i got back to my hotel after that i got an official 1 hour Thai message which ended with tea and dried fruit on the roof of the hotel where i ended up talking with this dude from Australia for an hour. now im going to my room to eat some soup.
Tomorrow I head to the weekend Market
Sunday I do whatever i haven't done yet along with laundry haha.
byee.

written by  Kennyboy12 on June 19, 2009 from Bangkok, Thailand
from the travel blog: 2009 - Kenny Baldridge - "No Reservations"
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Flight from Seattle To LA I got my very first headache.... I slept wrong on the plane and woke up in pain.
While in LA, I had lunch with auntie Dory at Pacos wich was really cool considering I haven't seen her in three years.
She dropped me off back at the airport around 8 and I checked in for my flight to Bangkok. I had to wait at the ticket counter outside of security to see if I made the flight but luckily I got a seat, 30 min before the plane was taking off.
17 hours is sooo flickin long. anyways, I finally landed in Bankok!
This is where it gets fun.
After security and customs, I got a taxi outside the airport, very simple. The ride into town with tolls was 500 Bahts (1usd = 34bahts). I showed the driver the address and name of where I was trying to get too but he kept getting lost and asking other tuk-tuk drivers and taxi drivers. Finally after an hour of driving around Bangkok he stopped and said my hotel is down "this street". He was off by one I soon realized after walking the hot and crowded market street. It's now 8:40 ish and my shirt and jacket are drenched in sweat. The girl at the reception desk asked if I could come back at 1:00pm to make my reservation and get my key I was litterally dieing from the heat so I said sure and left. After walking for about 10 more minutes with my bags, I ran in the next guesthouse I came across, The Sweet Guesthouse. I asked for a room to drop my bags in and the guy gave me one for 140B. the room was the size of my bathroom, it was pretty cool I must admit. I quickly dropped off my bags, changed my clothes and set out to find a bank to get some Thai Currency to pay for the room. I luckily had this private driver during the next 2 hours driving me around town helping me get the things I needed only costed me 5 dollars. I Finally found an internet cafe, found a hotel, made reservations and headed out. I'm now at the Thai Cozy House and so far it's been pretty bad ass (My whole bathroom is the shower haha). I paid for four nights and leave for Delhi at 4:00am Monday morning. I spent most of the day in my room but I did get my first Thai massage which was really cool, I also did some exploring to learn the streets and my location and fought off a tout haha.