Bangkok! Civilization!

Wow, Bangkok is cool. From the airport I shared a cab ride into town with a Welsh guy I met on the plane. He grabbed the first room he found and I continued on to another. I shouldn’t really say “into town” when speaking about Bangkok because this city is huge!!! I saw the biggest billboards I’ve ever seen in my life on the ride in; they dwarf anything I’ve seen anywhere in the U.S. The part of the city I am staying in is near Khao San Road, which the Lonely Planet describes as a backpacker haven. It’s nuts - this place is like a non-stop party. There are a ton of bars here, many with scantily clad women standing out front advertising two-for-one specials. Not my scene really, at all, but this seemed like a reliable place to start, especially since I arrived late at night. I have a room with a TV and air conditioning, which is nice because it’s pretty warm here.

After I checked into my room, or before that even, I started to sample the local cuisine. OK, truth be told I went a little crazy. There are food stalls everywhere here with just about anything you could want. In the span of about an hour and a half I consumed the following: fresh watermelon, mango sticky rice, roasted corn on the cob, coconut water in the shell, and a Nutella banana crêpe. No, I did not explode, but I was quite full. I had heard about the fruit here and I for one am pretty excited about it. I would eat fruit over vegetables any day. I plan to get my fill while I’m here, of that and mango sticky rice, something my sister and I share a passion for.

So far my initial impression of Thai people is just like I had read about - incredibly warm and friendly. The man at the 7-Eleven went way beyond the call of duty in helping me set up my phone with a new Thai SIM card. I tried to tip him, but he wouldn’t take it. 7-Elevens seem to be the Starbucks of Thailand; there’s one on every corner. I love the idea that you can get just about anything you need 24 hours a day. Not that anyone needs a Slurpee and a corn dog at 3 in the morning, but just the idea that you CAN is what’s cool.


My crêpe in the making.


My first Thai iced tea at breakfast, served with an orchid flower. :)


Aw yeah, baby, those are insects. Fried crickets, scorpions, and grubs maybe? I don't think I will be sampling these.