1. After I left the internet cafe yesterday, I stood unsure at a cross section trying to decide whether turning left or continuing straight was the way to go. A Thai woman asked me, "Where are you going? Khao San Road?"
"No, the democracy monument? I guess -???"
"Why would you want to go there? Don't go there!" We talked about something or other for a couple of minutes (She has a friend who lives in St. Louis) and then she asked me how long I am on holiday for. I told her 2 months and proceeded to tell her of my dream (yes, dream!) of going to Chiang Mai [by train].
"By train?! Haven't you heard? It's flooded! You can't take the train!"
This woman then told me exactly what I needed to do and where I needed to go in order to establish my travel plans: Thailand Authority of Travel (or in reverse? TAT.) because they wouldn't swindle me. She then asked if I had a map and circled a bunch of things for me to see that day, some of which were not even on the map. She then told me to get a tuk tuk. I was so amazed by her kindness that I completely missed the moment in which she hailed me a tuk tuk, told me to always take the green government one because for 20 baht the dude will take me everywhere for however long, told the tuk tuk driver (Kang, I later learned) everywhere he must take me, and waved goodbye.
2. My 2nd stop with Kang was to the Standing Buddha where 3 little young'ns yelled "hi" to me and proceeded to pose for photos and make me laugh.
3. My 3rd stop with Kang was to the Lucky Buddha. A talked to a Thai man there about how important parents are. "Mother is number 1!" He asked if I do anything for my parents on my birthday, I said yes (but I'm not sure I have in recent times). He asked about my holiday, I told him I was volunteering in a couple of weeks and he was almost down on his knees thanking me for being a volunteer and a VOLUNTEER TEACHER! He said I was a good girl. I said I knew that *wink*.
4. Today, after visiting the overcrowded but wonderful Grand Palace, I searched for food and Wat Pho. For 12 baht (~.50), I got a Thai icea tea and for 30 baht (~$1), I got a bowl of I-have-no-idea-what. There were a bunch of students sitting on a mat of sorts next to the stand, so I took a cue for them and sat on the sidewalk, my feet dangling onto the street, inches from buses and taxis. The girls yelled me to come and sit next to them, and the moment I did, all the cameras came out. I've got a good shot of myself and a group of 10 or so Thai girls flippin' the peace sign. We talked a little since we were both stunted when it came to the other's language. They asked if the food was delicious and I said yes, then read "aroy mahk" and we all laughed! Then I said something like, "Oh, I also know 'korp kun ka'!" We laughed more! I was floored to learn they were between 20 and 21. They must have been floored when I told them I was 24 since they said, "Oh, you look so young." I thought these girls were 16!!! One of them offered me a pink icey and then we parted ways waving and smiling.
5. I bought some random meat on a stick from a street vendor and a crepe filled with, what I later found out was, coconut and sugar from another on what I thought was going to be my walk to the ferry to this internet cafe. The ferry post had flooded so I and 2 Dutch girls started walking elsewhere. I recommended Wat Pho because I thought/think/will forever know it is a magical place, plus there's a massage school there which I visited. One girl asked, "What are you eating?"
"I have no idea. Maybe duck?"
"Yeah, it's a sweet meat."
"Huh, well, this is a sweet meat, but does duck have so much bone in it?"
6. The tuk tuk driver, who almost got me to this internet cafe, blasted "YMCA" as the first song on our drive.
"No, the democracy monument? I guess -???"
"Why would you want to go there? Don't go there!" We talked about something or other for a couple of minutes (She has a friend who lives in St. Louis) and then she asked me how long I am on holiday for. I told her 2 months and proceeded to tell her of my dream (yes, dream!) of going to Chiang Mai [by train].
"By train?! Haven't you heard? It's flooded! You can't take the train!"
This woman then told me exactly what I needed to do and where I needed to go in order to establish my travel plans: Thailand Authority of Travel (or in reverse? TAT.) because they wouldn't swindle me. She then asked if I had a map and circled a bunch of things for me to see that day, some of which were not even on the map. She then told me to get a tuk tuk. I was so amazed by her kindness that I completely missed the moment in which she hailed me a tuk tuk, told me to always take the green government one because for 20 baht the dude will take me everywhere for however long, told the tuk tuk driver (Kang, I later learned) everywhere he must take me, and waved goodbye.
2. My 2nd stop with Kang was to the Standing Buddha where 3 little young'ns yelled "hi" to me and proceeded to pose for photos and make me laugh.
3. My 3rd stop with Kang was to the Lucky Buddha. A talked to a Thai man there about how important parents are. "Mother is number 1!" He asked if I do anything for my parents on my birthday, I said yes (but I'm not sure I have in recent times). He asked about my holiday, I told him I was volunteering in a couple of weeks and he was almost down on his knees thanking me for being a volunteer and a VOLUNTEER TEACHER! He said I was a good girl. I said I knew that *wink*.
4. Today, after visiting the overcrowded but wonderful Grand Palace, I searched for food and Wat Pho. For 12 baht (~.50), I got a Thai icea tea and for 30 baht (~$1), I got a bowl of I-have-no-idea-what. There were a bunch of students sitting on a mat of sorts next to the stand, so I took a cue for them and sat on the sidewalk, my feet dangling onto the street, inches from buses and taxis. The girls yelled me to come and sit next to them, and the moment I did, all the cameras came out. I've got a good shot of myself and a group of 10 or so Thai girls flippin' the peace sign. We talked a little since we were both stunted when it came to the other's language. They asked if the food was delicious and I said yes, then read "aroy mahk" and we all laughed! Then I said something like, "Oh, I also know 'korp kun ka'!" We laughed more! I was floored to learn they were between 20 and 21. They must have been floored when I told them I was 24 since they said, "Oh, you look so young." I thought these girls were 16!!! One of them offered me a pink icey and then we parted ways waving and smiling.
5. I bought some random meat on a stick from a street vendor and a crepe filled with, what I later found out was, coconut and sugar from another on what I thought was going to be my walk to the ferry to this internet cafe. The ferry post had flooded so I and 2 Dutch girls started walking elsewhere. I recommended Wat Pho because I thought/think/will forever know it is a magical place, plus there's a massage school there which I visited. One girl asked, "What are you eating?"
"I have no idea. Maybe duck?"
"Yeah, it's a sweet meat."
"Huh, well, this is a sweet meat, but does duck have so much bone in it?"
6. The tuk tuk driver, who almost got me to this internet cafe, blasted "YMCA" as the first song on our drive.
Hahaha!! Oh my goodness, I love it! Dasha, it sounds like you're having such a good time already! I wish I could be there with you and seeing all these places and eating all that food and meeting all those people!! Jeez!! I can't wait to hear more!! Love you boo! hahah back at your nelly post! haha = )
ReplyDelete-Sevanna
Sorry to chime in so late. Duck is a sweet meat and it does have a lot of bones in it.
ReplyDeleteExcellent! Good to know =)
ReplyDelete