Thailand

Amy Says:

Sawat dee ka everyone! Yesterday was our first full day in Bangkok and while exciting and fun, after sweating and being somewhat short on temper - I went to bed exhausted at about 10pm. It's now 4:30 in the morning I snuck out to find the one computer in the hotel being used by an employee. Luckily, he caught on that I was waiting and left. Some of the white letters have been rubbed off of the black keys on this keyboard so forgive me if I miss a letter or two. I was never a very good typist. So, I going to make these blogs hurmorous and I'll still try - but hey now, it is 4:30 in the morning. Not sure about this one.

I should be doing some research so I'll have to keep it short. We leave tomorrow from here and at this point have no idea where we are going. The Thai New Year is this weekend and we had no idea it would be an issue for us finding a place to stay. Because of timing, we may be forgoing Chnag Mai and Ko Samui all together. There is an island called Ko Chang we ay try and get to if we can. It has elephants, monkeys, waterfalls AND beaches.

Briefly, our first full day here was fascinating. We found our way around quite nicely though it being Sunday, found many places like the Grand Palace close early. We left the hotel about 11 am and made our way by Skytrain (very clean and easy) straight to Shangri La hotel for a cocktail. I know you've all been chomping at the bit to find out about this, so I must say, the locals do NOT wear tank tops - at all. Sleeves are the way to go. Which is too bad, since at the last minute, I packed about five.

Anyway, we walked around a bit in a no so nice area before we made it it to the Shangri-La. So we got the culture shock part of i t over (or so we thought. ) Crossing the street is no problem. Yeah - you just go for it. Sometimes there might be some one crossing with you (like a monk) and its no problem. After our way too expensive cocktails, we took a 65 cent river boat up the Chao Phraya River to the see the Largest Reclining Buddha, I'd always seen pictures of it and actually have a foot long reclining buddha somewhere in my things. After that, we just walked, and walked and walked. Evnetually making it to a food market and past what looked like but was probably not, an impromptu flea market.

Found Khao San rd which was awful. and the our first Taxi home (30 cents). You get used to feeling sweat slide down your skin here and you have to not pee as much (a blessing really). The food so far has been top notch. It all reminds me so far of Chinatowns - New York, San Fran, Hawai'i. Loud, dirty, fascinating, old, beautiful. Chris has been fearless with her camera and has got some excellent shots. Me - more timid. I need to get over that.

Well, the line for the computer has started !!! so off I'll go. Here's hoping today will be calm and easy. We try for our Vietnam Visas today. Miss you all. Love love...A

We totally made it. This morning we had some pad thai & bacon, sunny-side-up eggs, fresh OJ and the richest, most delicious coffee ever for breakfast. Chris has already made the mistake of drinking water with ice in it. Yikes, maybe.

The weather here is pretty warm to say the least. 110 degrees heat index. Amy has seen many people wearing tank tops so far, but we have yet to leave the hotel. Last night a nice little man who stood out amongst a crowd of 100 taxi drivers who held a big sign with "Amy Antonio" on it. He took us outside to wait for his disco van - and while he retrieved it from the parking garage, we were exposed our first olfactory impression of Bangkok - a smell that resembled hot muggy fritos and fried rice.

Our hotel is awesomely great. Seriously. Check it out at www.reflections-thai.com. We are in room 210. You can look at each room. Kitch is the name of the game here. And we are happy as can be. Our room came with robes and slippers and thai TV that we watched into the wee hours of the morning.

We are off to explore wherever we are now. Going to try to take the skytrain somewhere and maybe a boat to the Grand Palace.

More soon - love to all...

Chris & Amy

In complete contrast to Amy's 2-week-long fully-packed status, I have packed only one thing - a miniature roll of toilet paper. My suitcase sits open, as if craving sustenance that I can't seem to provide. I've got piles of things strewn about haphazardly - some on my dresser, some on the dining room table, some in various bags hither and yon. I just can't seem to get any of those items compiled, sorted, nor packed. What is wrong with me?

I am thankful for Amy's new pharmaceutical degree. I was planning on bringing some ibuprofin and some Immodium AD (haha!). And maybe some sunscreen. I hadn't yet explored all of the impending illnesses! I feel pretty safe, though, now that I know about our arsenal of pills. (Here's hoping you'll share, Amy!) Oh, and I do have a slightly unhelpful phrasebook, so if we must "get me to the hospital" we might be able to utter something that somewhat resembles that meaning. Getting it packed, however, may prove difficult!

There is a quote (yes, I looked it up - anything to get out of packing) that I think will prove quite true in the next day or two:
"There is a time when the word 'eventually' has the soothing effect of a promise, and a time when the word evokes in us bitterness and scorn." I must arrive at the airport at 6am Friday morning. I'm confident that I will be feeling that bitterness and scorn on Thursday evening as I maniacally review my belongings and lists for things I may have forgotten (like tank tops).

Says Amy:
We have not left yet so I'll test this travel blog out by thrilling you with talk about PACKING. Wohoo!

"Simplify, Simplify, Simplify" said transcendentalist Henry David Thoreau.

It's been a very helpful mantra in the past for Momi and I who are notorious pack rats. I'm really trying to incorporate it once again, but when you have to plan weeks ahead, you're going to a place where a toilet seat is a luxury item, and you are a die-hard Capricorn who has a slight case of hypochondria, it's a tough one to live by. How do you say, "Take me to the nearest hospital, I need shampoo" in Thai?

To be honest, I've packed and unpacked for about two weeks now. Very excited? Let me tell you! Chris and I are bringing only carry-on luggage which makes the whole 3 ounce thing a pain in the butt. TSA says we can only have one quart size baggie of liquids per person. And to add insult to injury, they try to make it FUN by giving the whole process a cute rule to follow called the 3-1-1. "Get the 3-1-1 and Play Your Part" the poster says. 3...ounces. 1...baggie. 1...person. Brilliant.

Oh, Thoreau - I don't know if this is possible. Thank goodness most of what I'm bringing is in pill form. I'll be a walking pharmaceutical. So far, my carry on will supply me with malaria pills, Cipro (Thank you Lauren), antihistamines, acidopholus, aleve, ibuprofen, dramamine, my inhaler, band aids, gauze, purel, hydrocortizone, handiwipes, face wipes, tide pen, vitamins, lotion, emergen-c...um, anything else? Oh yes, and shampoo.

Numerous travel blogs have reported back one of the biggest faux pas for women is to be disrespectful and wear "skimpy" clothes such as a tank top. Only the prostitutes wear shorts and tanks they all say. Now, I don't plan on digging out my Duran Duran half shirt anytime soon, but sweet mother it IS 96 degrees in the shade in Thailand right now. But I don't want to kick off the trip insulting anyone. Then to confuse the situation, various people I know who've just returned from there swear that you'd be a moron not to wear a tank top since even the locals do. Somehow we've chosen the hottest month of the year to test this dilemma. Yay! I'm playing it safe and bringing both with cheap yet stylish thrift store clothes. If I am wrong, I'll have some lovely Thai lady fashion me sleeves out of the finest silks.