Just trying to be funny quoting the song...however, I kind of wish I was
just one night in Bangkok. Unfortunately, Bangkok is the only city I will
be seeing in Thailand....so I cannot make a fair statement about the
country...that would be like visiting New York and basing your whole opinion
of the US on that city. People rave of Bangkok...and I am just struggling
with this city...perhaps it is after visiting the more tranquil laid back
Cambodia with friendly people that this is more shocking. But the city is
huge, sprawls out forever, traffic is horrific even by Tuk Tuk or Cab, the
pollution is appalling...I actually wore a bandana around my face today
while on the Tuk Tuk, and everyone here has a scam...you must be
hypervigiliant or you will be taken advantage of. Everyone warned me about
Tuk Tuk drivers...in Vietnam and Cambodia...I loved them...but here I see
why it gets a bad wrap. You ask them to take somewhere, negotiate a price,
and then they start taking you to gift shops, silk shops etc. where they
get a commission or coupon for gas..but you have to stay in the store for 15
minutes. One Tuk Tuk drive pulled this crap with me and I said...NO...I
want to go directly to the palace. When he dropped me off he was so
mad...he just left me there...but then I didn't pay...so I guess we both
won.

At any rate, I'll recap a bit because when I wrote last night I was tired,
pissy and grouchy. Leaving Cambodia was very sad....when I have such a
positive experience...it makes leaving more difficult as well as raise the
question "will I ever return?" There is always the chance I may not since
there is so much to see and visit in the world. The only thing I was upset
about was that $25 departure tax...I hate it when they spring that on to you
at the last moment.

After my hellish adventures on the back of the motorcycle and then getting
downtown and emailing you all. I got some help from the guy that runs this
internet place. He pointed me to a cheap single apartment a few blocks
away. I walked over there and asked about spending my next few nights there
and they said yes..they had room and I could come back tomorrow at 8 am.

I was relieved as it is in a nice location, off the main road in the Silom
Area and a few blocks from Pat pong. I then negotiated a taxi back to that
distant hell hole. I didn't even want to sleep there....but I had paid for
it..so I slept and woke up at 5 am, packed, and left at 7 am!!! I got to the
my place Phi Phat this morning at 8 am, checked in, and then hunted down a
tuk tuk to get to the center of the city. I'm used to walking everywhere
on my trips...but Bangkok spreads out so much it is impossible. The other
thing I struggle with is I cannot figure out locations here. I am usually
pretty good at being plopped in the middle of a new city and intuitively
figure out where I am and how to navigate around town...but I just can't do
that here. I got a tuk tuk..negotiated a price and got to WAt Po...with the
huge reclining Buddha...it was phenomenal. I then went to the City
Pillar Shrine and over to the Royal Palace....every day I have been wearing
my zipper pant leg pants until today..and of course you have to wear pants
there. The only place you do. So I will have to go back tomorrow for that.
I was pretty hot and tired and went to sit in the Royal Park for a Diet
Coke and then a student of the university came up to me and saw me looking
at my map.

He was very helpful and told me some other must see sites...he even
negotiated a killer tuk tuk price. So I then went to Wat Monkut the
standing Buddha, then WatThowarat Kunchon and the Phukhao Tong Wat Saket the
Golden Mount which was a hard climb up but a breath taking view of the city.
It was hear that my Tuk Tuk Driver left me...so I found another
one....who I again negotiated the price before I got in. On the way
back..the heat began to really take its toll on me..so I stopped for water
and some food which helped tremendously. I may do a little shopping now and
then go back to the room and rest, shower, maybe even take a long needed
nap.

Tonight I plan to wander around Pat pong which is the Red Light District...I
heard it is more touristy than it used to be....but I'm sure it will be a
startling stroll. And then I may check out a club or two...we shall see how
the evening goes.

Tomorrow I will go back to the Royal Palace and Emerald Buddha with pants
on! Also finish up any shopping and sort of take it easy. I fly out of
Bangkok for Penang, Malaysia at 7 am on Sunday..so I need to relax a bit. I
only have one more week of traveling left :( However, it will be nice to
get home...this was a sample tour of South East Asia....but it is a lot of
territory for 3 weeks....once I get acclimated to the currency, the food,
the lay of the land...ooops..time to go!

Well, that is the status and state of affairs here. Oh, by the way they
drive on the opposite side of the road...which adds to my nerves especially
stepping off a curb..I inevitably look the wrong way. In spite of some of
the drawbacks of this city..the food is excellent and Yummo!

Well, I guess that is it for now. Take care...until tomorrow.....