Thailand is great.

Let’s see … I got here yesterday early in the morning, and have the greatest hotel room … 2 rooms (a bedroom and a living room) and it’s huge. Especially for the money I paid, which I recall being “not much”.

Thai Airways is my new favourite airline. Even if you put aside the hot Thai stewardesses, the roomy cabin, the comfortable flight and the great food. I was travelling in business class, so can only compare international business class with QANTAS and Alaskan, but Thai is immeasurably better.

Shall I break down what I’ve been up to? Ok.

When I arrived Wednesday it was quite early, and I decided to get a Thai sim card for my mobile, which I got from 7-11. There are a lot of 7-11s around here. I then pushed on to a very gucci shopping centre (obviously aimed at us rich farangs) which featured Gucci, Armani and the like. Genuine, too, from the look of the price tags. Had a green curry for lunch that day, and instantly I knew it was true: Thai food in Thailand is better than any of the crap we get served at Thai restaurants at home. Buh-lee dat.

Oh, it’s a Thai public holiday block from Tuesday to Thursday 13-15th, called Songkran. It’s the celebration of traditional Thai new year and also the water festival. They celebrate by basically having big water fights on the streets all day. I’ve come back to the hotel absolutely soaked about 3 times now.

Anyway, then I decided to get a haircut, and had heard of a place on Soi 11 called Hair Design. It was really hot, but I got a great haircut, shampoo and shave for a couple of dollars. The girl didn’t speak much English so I heard how “hansum man” I was quite a bit, but when you consider the annoying crap you have to normally talk about with hair stylists, it was a turn for the better. If it wasn’t so hot, I would’ve also taken a foot massage, which by that stage I really would’ve liked. :tongue:

As I was paying another girl was grabbing my ass and asking if I want massage. Truth be told, I did, but not the kind of massage she was probably offering. I politely declined and headed to a proper “traditional” Thai massage place after a nap back at the hotel.

Walking home after the massage (feeling pretty happy, despite declining the “happy ending” for the massage) and stopped in for dinner at the Seafood Palace. Interesting place … it’s like a little market, that you shop for what you want, and then pay a little extra for them to cook it the way you want it. I had stir-fried scallops with brocolli, carrot and garlic (which was a meal by itself, actually) and three enormous prawns served with clarified garlic butter, and half a small watermelon. I didn’t make it through the watermelon. While dining, there was an authentic Thai dance thing with the girls dressed up to the ying yang and a plastic smile on their face, then men dressed with a green gremlin mask on, and doing that type of dancing that involes a lot of moving about without moving your legs … the feet were working like nobody’s business.

Had a yarn with Eddy on the way home (he’s worked out how to call my Thai mobile, so I know it definately receives calls … email me if you want the number) and before you know it, I was back at my local 7-11 buying water for the night. 3L, $3.

Which brings us to today. I had breakfast at the hotel - it turns out that this was included with the stay - before going back to bed for a lie-in. I had booked a tour today at a crocodile/elephant park.

We left the hotel at 12pm, and hit the zoo at 1:15pm. There was a magic show which was quite good actually, then an elephant show which blew my mind … I got to feed the elephants, and then a crocodile show which I couldn’t watch. Nothing like the Crocodile Hunter’s “easy big fella, easy …” … these guys were doing stupid stuff like putting their head in the croc’s mouth, putting their arms down its throat up to their shoulder … that kinda thing. Nuts … I couldn’t watch it, so I went and rode an elephant. THAT’S FRICKING RIGHT … I rode an elephant. It was really uncomfrotable, but undeniably awesome. I’ll put the photos on chuckler.org when I get the chance.

More of less time to head back, but I wanted to pose with the tigers in their cage. THAT’S FRICKING RIGHT … in their cage. It was a rush, even though they were pretty tightly chained down. The photos? On chuckler.org soon. :bigthumb:

Came home, and planned an early night … tomorrow I was going for a day trip to the bridge over the river Kwai. Got a call just as I was dozing off saying that the Friday tour was cancelled, and would I like to do it on Saturday?

I wouldn’t have even considered planned tours unless dad had made me go on the Grand Canyon one in the States last month. It proved that there were benifits to be had in organized tours, a view that I had not previously held. Today’s tour was brilliant, for example, and I was looking forward to tomorrow’s. I might see if I can get in on an afternoon “Temple Crawl” tour tomorrow instead. It’s especially great to do here, because the two tours I’d already booked cost less than the dinner at the Seafood Palace.

Still haven’t made it to Khao San road, or the infamous Patpong/Nana areas, or a katooey cabaret … I’ve still got some work to do, huh?

Miss you all … Chux.

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