Adventures in Motion

Ok so I have a lot to talk about since my last post so prepare yourself. As promised I drank a Redbull and stayed up late to go out to a club.

The gay club I was looking for was around others located near the Patpong Night Market, which is also incidentally a big sex district. It was interesting to see vendor's selling clothes and DVD's right next dildos.

I also cannot tell you how many times I had to tell people I didn't want to see a 'ping pong' show, even if it was only 100 baht. I had to keep telling the same people this too, because I couldn't for the life of me find this club or any of the other ones that were supposed to be around it. I must have walked up and down the street 5 times tell finally I gave up. As I was

in the sky train terminal above the street walking back to get on the sky train I finally saw the club. If you look at the picture on the left, that is the alley it was in, and then then the non lit up sign which I'm sure you can't see that's posted above the lighted ceiling, completely invisible from the ground is the sign that says 'DJ Station'. That was the club. So I went back down to the street and went down the alley and low and behold there were all the clubs and bars I had been looking for, unfortunately midnight wasn't late enough, because they were all empty, and I was drained, but I'm still happy I found it.

The next day I woke up and went to the Jim Thompson Museum. Jim Thompson was the American who moved to Thailand and made Thai silk famous. His silk's were used in the movie The King and I and he got designers associated with Vogue magazine interested in the fabric.

Jim Thompson became rich and famous and then at the age of 61 disappeared while visiting the Malaysian jungle. According to our tour guide there were many reasons this possibly happened. One he had no kids. Two he wasn't married. Three he collected artifacts and ancient Buddha statues that were broken, this meant your home would be broken. Four he was a horse sign, and the age 61 is the age horse's need to be careful. Aw superstition.

One thing that was cool at the house was the spirit house, which as you can see I'm scared of. The spirit house is built before you build your house, and then when you build your house you must build it so that the shadow of your main house doesn't touch the spirit house otherwise it brings you bad luck.

I ended up meeting some people who were from other countries, but now lived in Bangkok. I ended up going to lunch with them that day. It was nice to talk and socialize with others. We ended up eating at the hospital cafeteria near where I was staying, but unlike our hospitals there food was amazing. I got a Thai meal with two different entree items and a bottled water for 45 baht, about $1.60. Amazing!!

It was interesting at lunch they talked about many things. About how there was a noodle soup census done and the price of noodle soup in the last 7 years has gone from 20 baht to 35 baht. Now for Americans this isn't really a big deal, because that's still about $1, but if you live here that can be a very big deal if it's reflective of the inflation in the entire economy. That's a 75% increase, and when you only live on 10,000 baht a month, roughly $200, you are probably accounting for each baht you have. It made me appreciate what I have more.

From lunch my new friends suggested I should go to the Wat Arun

Temple, also called The Temple of The Dawn. It was really cool. I took a water taxi, and ferry over there and back. The total trip with admission was about 130 baht, about $4.

The temple is very old and beautiful. You can climb up it to get a look of the whole city, and of course in the prayer building next

to it are rooms lined with Buddha's.

After a long day I went back to the hostil, and got some dinner on the way at a hole in the wall Thai restaurant.

I got gaeng gai, read curry. Probably some of the best I've ever had. One of the guys I had had lunch with said that the Thai food in America can't touch the flavor of the food out here, and I'm inclined to agree. Maybe it's that I'm here that it makes it tastes better, but I think the spice and taste was just great.

I went to bed early, because i had to get up and travel to the Don Muaeng Airport to go to Surat Thani.

So when I woke up today to travel to the airport I had to take the sky train, subway and regular train, about 45 baht, less than $2.

After many transfers I made it to my plane :D

Once getting to Surat Thani I needed to get to Ko Samui tonight. To do this I took a bus and ferry to the island.

This cost about 721 baht, about $21. Arriving in Ko Samui was a little scary, because I didn't know where I was staying at yet, but that problem got quickly solved. There was a ticket stand at the ferry station where some ladies where selling tickets to the other islands. I have to get to Ko Tao tomorrow because I'm starting my scuba diving course in the afternoon. I booked a ticket with them and they told me right across the street was a cheap place to stay, and they were right. Only 300 baht for my own room, about $10, which also had

a great street food area across the street where I had dinner, some pad thai and a mango shake. Which cost about 70 baht, $2.

So it's definitely been a full couple days. I feel much more at ease with my traveling than I did at first. I realize that Bangkok is not Thailand. Just as New York City is not America. They are their own entities which you can't compare the rest of the country to. While initially in Bangkok I felt overwhelmed and a little scared at times I left feeling at ease and really finding a love for the city I didn't know I would have, but now being in the gulf and on the islands I feel I'm stepping into more of what I was looking for on this trip. While I love the temples, and movement of Bangkok I think I will enjoy the slowness and warmth of the islands. More to come stay tuned!!

written by

Kirk on August 28, 2012 from Ko Samui, Thailand

from the travel blog: Kirk's South East Asia Adventure

Send a Compliment

Dude, your trip was amazing ... Love IT

written by Mike Zgred on August 29, 2012

Thanks Mike :)

written by

Kirk on August 30, 2012

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