Despite the creepy, large, pedophile looking Ronald Mcdonald I quite enjoy watching the McDonald's employees at the Bangkok Airport. I understand why they call it the land of smiles, because that is literally the only facial expression that I have seen the Thai people make so far! I'm not even that far away from Chengdu yet but I feel worlds away from China. It's almost a little like being in Japan as the Thai people do this bowing thing when they greet you and when they say goodbye. I can already tell that this will be a deeply religious country, which will be nice since China is completely lacking in that department.
My voyage from Wenjiang to Bangkok was eventful to say the least. I was incredibly sad this morning when everyone in the group left at 5 AM for Shanghai/Hong Kong. I cannot get over how fast the past week went, and in general that the trip is over! I miss my classmates already. We definitely became a sort of family over the past eight weeks and I am really sad that I am not ending the trip with Dan, Brett, Craig, and Shoji. It seems like just yesterday we were checking into our Tokyo Hostel! Honestly, I really don't know how my life hasn't completely fallen apart without Shoji in it! I miss that little ninja! Like I said I almost wish I was in Shanghai with them - but the excitement of being solo for the next two weeks is a bit more alluring. I have the whole summer to see the rest of China so I am glad I am seeing other parts of the world! But this morning was miserable watching everyone leave. I got about three minutes of sleep because me, Ana, Emon and Colette decided it was absolutely necessary to go out clubbing last night so we got in about 4 AM. The Chinese students saw them off since they won't be seeing them again and it was a pretty sad scene. I am thankful that this trip is WSU students so I don't have to say goodbye permanently! My leaving of SWUFE was pretty anticlimatic since I will be back in two weeks with my mom (so she can see the living conditions I endured) but what I have learned in being in Beijing and Hainan is that Chengdu it home, so I felt a little sad leaving it for the while!
I hopped in the taxi and enjoyed the crazy tumultuous ride. I took in all the sights of Wenjiang and played some John Mayer. I started to get this awesome feeling that I like to describe as travellers high. It's like you get super elated and excited because you have no idea what could possibly come next, but you know it's going to be good. Besides, what could possibly go wrong in a land full of beaches? I soon found out: disgustingly, creepy guys. There I was in the Chengdu airport minding my own business when some Indian guy decides I look like I want to talk with him. I didn't, I wanted to eat my sandwich and think about how tired I was from lack of sleep. I was nice at first and he yammered on about how he was a pro golfer. I told him I hated golf. He laughed. I glared. Then he started talking about his money or something and how it was nice everything went on his tab. Then he told me I should think about being in golf management. I once again repeated that I hated golf. So I got up to grab the plane. He followed me and asked where I was sitting so I showed him my ticket. He said he would try and upgrade me to first class. WTF?! Fortunately it didn't work so I had a nice three hour flight where I passed out. When I got off the plane he was waiting for me. I had told him I was going to Phuket and he was trying to convince me that Bangkok was way better. He carried my bags for me and told me to accompany him to Bangkok. I said that I couldn't because I made plans. He told me he would pay for everything all week, and we could even sleep in different rooms. Ew, ew, ew, ew. I grabbed my bags and excused myself to the bathroom and waited till he left. Unfortunately this was only the first of many creepy older men encounters in Thailand. I mean, just because I am 20 does not mean I am interested in older men and their money. I mean I am financially dependent on my parents...I always travel all expenses paid! And they aren't creepy. And I get my own room.
I got picked up from the airport from a nice Thai lady and the owner of my hostel. We travelled across some bumpy backroads and I was shocked at how uneventful the ride was. As in, there was no u-turns in the middle of the streets or driving up on the sidewalks. Niiiiiiice. The only thing was that there were animals. Everywhere. We constantly had to stop because there would be a pack of stray dogs roaming around. We finally got to the hostel and was a little apprehensive, since i didn't quite know what to expect. When I got to the lobby there was a group of people. One said "Ey, you miss? You alone?" I replied yes and they all replied with a smile and they told me to hurry up and come and enjoy the hedonistic pleasures of patong beach with them. That's the thing with travelling: you're never really alone even if you think you start out that way! Other backpackers/travellers seems to be the friendliest and most open-minded out there. They also never seem to be American, as the crew I met were all kiwis, aussies, canucks, or brits.
Patong was nuts. I couldn't help but notice that there were gorgeous Thai girls walking around everywhere...then I noticed again most of them weren't girls but ladyboys! I took a picture of one and she got pissed and said "100 baht!!" I said no snapped another pic and she chased me down the walk a ways. There were people every two feet that wanted you to buy something, purse, watch, tuk-tuk, massage, prostitute, drinks, etc. There were also beggars, lots and lots of beggars. In China this is an incredibly rare site so I was kind of taken aback. It was worse than Mexico. That night I took shots of snake blood with my new friends and watched a ping pong show. I won't go into detail, but if you are curious google it. Everyone else seemed entertained but it made me feel really sad. But I drowned that out with boozing until 5 am.
The next few days were awesome! I think I gained ten pounds eating Thai food this past week. So delicious! Actually I know I gained ten pounds this past week. I couldn't help it! Not only is Thai food delicious but there was such a variety everywhere else! And everyone speaks English. Being in Thailand was such a luxury. Sitting on the beach, munching on phad thai and french fries and being surrounded by cats. Lots and lots of cats. Heaven. Unfortunately I didn't get to know any real Thai culture this past week, so I know I need to go back. I was too busy not doing anything but being a tourist. One thing that really stuck out to me was what this woman (named Porn) said to me as she was giving me a manicure. The conversation started off as all conversations started off in Thailand. "You come here alone!??! Why you travel alone!? Where you boyfrined? What?! You no have boyfriend? American girls always have boyfriend! You too pretty to no have boyfriend you find nice boyfriend here!" and then I told her I enjoyed the country, but a lot of it had made me sad. Like the children attacking me for money and the sex trade. She looked at me for a couple of seconds and said "Don't think about it too much honey. You just have fun, okay?". Hmmm.
After two days in Phuket (which is an Island by the way..did anyone else not know that cause I felt like an idiot when I found out) me, and four other people decided to venture on to Koh Phi Phi. A canuck couple, Em and Craig, and two Aussies, Wyatt and Jared. I miss my companions quite a bit and though I had just met them two days before I thought I had known them for much longer!
We had a couple crazy nights. The most memorable was watching the wedding with a pub full of Britts. We had taken turns painting the Union Jack over each other and were belting English songs at the top of our lungs. There were still cats everywhere. There were so many fun people to meet, and I enjoyed the whole trip! This is where I am going to stop writing about Thailand...for multiple reasons but the main ones being the week I believe was a bit too insane to publicly blog about. And I don't want to give my parents heart attacks. But I did wake up with a few more piercings, lots of body paint, and cats. Yes. This being said I will tell anyone who will listen (and that don't want to listen) about my adventures of this past week. Trust me though, you will want to hear them.
The interesting thing about Koh Phi Phi was there were so many foreigners working there. Many had been backpacking with friends and just decided they loved it so much that they would stay there. They are club promoters, and essentially get paid 10 bucks a day and free alcohol. They get no days off and make just enough to live....but they love it! I almost wanted to stay there and join them! And I almost got my wish as I accidentally missed my first flight to Hong Kong...oops!
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