other
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Thailand/Hong Kong 1998
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Oct 22 04:01 UTC 2003 |
[The strange formatting is an attempt to duplicate as rigorously as
possible the actual formatting of the handwritten notes in the little
pocket notebook I carried during this trip.]
--
Wed. 7-22 3:05pm EDT
Just settled into my seat, 24E,
on the first flight. (A 747) Stowed my
pack, after removing reading mate-
rials and edibles. I'm on the left
end seat if the front row of the
center section. I can reach out and
touch the in-flight movie screen.
People flowing down the aisle keep
bumping my shoulder, interfering with
my writing. Ken is perusing a magazine.
I chew the already chewed end of
my pen in order to be able to get
the cap on the back of it. I feel
a bit of pre-flight anxiety.
3:13pm Attendant makes welcome
announcement, that means boarding is complete.
Message is repeated in Japanese.
3:23pm Captain's welcome.
Flight length: 12:07:00
Radar repairs underway, short delay.
4:20 Still waiting. It's cold in
here. My neck and shoulders are a bit
sore. They gave us cookies & water.
Ken says Tokyo is 13 hours later, so now
it's 8:30 there (tomorrow morning). If we
leave now, we'll arrive there @ 8:30pm
tomorrow, local time. Captain says we're
now awaiting a decision on what to do.
My toes are cold. Ken is antsy, but the
passengers seem to be handling it well. :)
For some reason, using the lav on the plane
makes it feel as though the plane is moving... I
listen to the canned music on the phones
and watch the afternoon sky slowly darken.
7:46pm They just brought out small
sandwiches w/ cheese and cracker. It doesn't
last.
8:26pm Captain: BOTH ENTIRE radar systems
have been replaced, and we are good to go as
soon as maintenance cleans up, and the paperwork
goes through.
8:50pm First motion! 5 hours
and 25 minutes late. As we await
clearance I look left out the window and see
clouds burning orange at the horizon, lit by the
setting sun.
9:09pm Airborne at last.
9:05am - 10:05pm local time
Smooth touchdown. We're being lodged at
the radisson in narita. Flight to Bangkok is
JAL 717 @ 11am Fri. Today is now Thursday.
7:40am Narita, Japan, Fri 24 July
On the bus en route back to the airport for
the connecting flight to Bangkok. It looks a lot more
like Japan in daylight. There are 7-Elevens and
Mobil service stations, but land usage is very
tight. Buildings are closely packed and close
to the narrow streets. Last night, Ken got
us an earlier flight. 10 instead of 11. We dined at
the hotel, and fleshed out the itinerary. Looking
around, the overwhelming aesthetic seems to be
clutter. Outside, everything just looks cluttered.
Last night we walked in the rain to a local bar.
There were seven patrons & the proprietor, 3 TVs
and a karaoke rig. $1 = 138 Yen $4.03 Yen = THB 1
(At Narita) $1 = THB 34.24
10:09am Settled into our seats on a 767
bound for Delhi by way of Bangkok.
10:17am On the move. The view from the front
of the plane is being shown on the movie screen.
Neato!
10:31am Airborne! At takeoff, the forward
camera shifts to a downward view. Ken has
a window seat and I have the adjoining aisle seat,
on the right side, just behind the wing.
[PICTURE] 1:22pm (Japan time) I can now
see out the window the coastal mtns
of southeastern Taiwan. In a couple
minutes we will fly over the southern tip
of the island. Fluffy white clouds are
nestled in among the peaks of the mtns northwest
of the coast. I took a few pics. We'll see if they
come out.
2:14pm Touchdown Bangkok!
1:38am At last, a moment to rest. Just
been going all day. We're at Thai Hotel on
Prachatipatai Rd. A little run-down, but seems
comfortable. THB2772 remains of my original
4150. I spent THB1378 = $34.89.
Getting up at 5:30 to see a floating market.
Today we wnadered Khao San Rd. markets
and street vendors, ate at Cabbages And
Condoms, and wandered around looking at go-go
clubs. I let Ken drag me around. I do NOT
like Bangkok so far. It is smelly (polluted) and
decrepit. I am anxious to get out into the
country. I am also anxious to get to sleep.
8:00am Just got back from an unsuccessful
attempt to locate a boat to one of the
floating markets. On the way back, we stopped
and looked at some food being cooked. A nicely
dressed woman said something we didn't understand.
I produced a THB5 coin, but it wasn't enough. We
chose to walk away. After a little bit, the lady
drove up, got out, and GAVE us some food. It was
very tasty. We got back to the hotel just to hear
about the gunfire in the U.S. Capitol building.
Midnight. Sitting in a strip club, naked & half-
naked women all around, I'm thinking of Amanda, and
being amused by the aesthetic of painted bodies
glowing with butterflies, scorpions, and other
images under blacklight. As the women
contort their bodies, the images contract,
twist, and stretch, the flesh that bears them
nearly invisible. I am also amused that I
find myself artistically, but not at all
sexually, aroused.
Germany is 5 hours behind, or 19 ahead.
Now they're doing a spiritless lesbian sex and
water show under glass at the opposite end of
the room. At least the music is tolerable, if loud.
I don't like feeling like I am seen as
nothing more than a walking wallet. What
I really hate is the reality of a world
which creates this kind of place and the stunted
human interaction that happens here.
9:00am 7/27 On the train to Kanchanaburi.
After the club last night, Ken went drinking w/ a
couple of the girls from the club. I was going
to go to an internet cafe, but went to sleep
instead. Probably a good thing. I offered some
dried fruit snack to the lady across from us. She
later gave us some fruit which had a thick black
skin, but which peeled away very easily to reveal
a white, pulpy, sectioned fruit which was mildly sweet,
and not at all tart. The center was a bit
firmer. The whole fruit is about the size of a
racquetball. The guidebook calls this Mangosteen.
6:15pm Tuesday 28 july 1998, Akha Hill Tribe
Village, 25km NW of Chiang Rai. There are
about 100 people living in this mountain village. We will
be staying here tonight as guests of the village.
Near the village is a picturesque waterfall, so
we took some pictures. Last night, I finally made it
to an internet place, and logged on for a while.
We spent the day getting from Bangkok to Chiang
Mai in the morning, then ate, wandered around the
city, and then arranged a tour to several craft
factories and a hot sulphur spring where we
swam while monsoon rains fell around the shelter
over the pool.
8:15pm 7/28, Akha Village
Ken just went to bed after we shared
some fun solving matchstick puzzles set
by our host after dinner. I solved most
of them, Ken solved the first one, and I
was stumped by one. A group of small boys
looked on as we played by the light of two
candles. Earlier today, I had doubts
about what we were doing, but this is
truly wonderful. Writer's cramp is
setting in, so I will wash and go to bed.
I keep thinking how much Amanda would love
this.
6:40am 7/29 There is NO electricity
here. The water is gravity fed from a
cistern up the hill. At 4:30 this morning the
cocks began crowing. They're still doing it.
Last night was permeated with voices. The
voices of children crying in the dark, the voices
of the women singing to an acoustic guitar, the voices
of the cicadas, and the stream burbling over the
rocks. In the light, the children play games like
rolling a tire with a stick, something which
resembles hopscotch, and a game in which
two people each try to throw the other off
balance while standing on opposite edges
of a small pit. Both dinner and breakfast
have been accompanied by some very sweet
pineapple. Breakfast was one egg over easy
with toast, jam and tea. From our breakfast
table, I can see to my left our elephant,
saddled up and ready to go. I took a picture. :)
2:46pm 7/29 Chiang Rai. I want to go to
bed now please... After the elephant ride
from the Akha village to the Lahu village, we
hiked a couple hours through the mountains to the
Karen village, where we got on a longtail boat
down the Mae Kok river to Chiang Rai. We've
been walking around for nearly 3 hours waiting
for our scheduled ride back to Chiang Mai. My
shoulders are sore from my pack. Mosquitoes
were not a problem. Our guide, Neekhon, is 24.
He's friendly, very easygoing, and highly knowledgeable.
I am wondering if my lack of appetite is related to
the fact that I couldn't keep my typhoid vaccine
refrigerated, or if it is just the time zone
change and lots of activity stresses... There are
small lizards, about 4.5 inches, which can be seen
on walls and ceilings if you look for them. Not many,
but some. They move VERY quickly. Neekhon says they
are Gekkos. I also saw a larger one of a different
type. Gekkos have skin which looks like frog or toad,
the other looked like snake, but with legs. Ken is entertaining
the locals with his progress at learning Thai.
3:14pm Chiang Mai, 7/30. Yesterday
we got back to CHX, found a place to stay, got
a shower, went for a swim, then went to eat. I
wasn;t hungry, so I just had tea. The place was
very nice, and owned by the Thai wife of
a Brit ex-pat. We were the only ones there, so
we chatted with the Brit. Went to night bazaar.
I found some shorts, then went to bed. I awoke
to Ken banging on my door at 11:45. Checkout was 12.
I dropped some laundry to be done
by 4pm (our flight is 6p) for THB61 or about
$1.50. Then went to an email/internet place
for a little over an hour. It was a really
slow connection. Went for breakfast. Had
a seafood dish. Then wandered across the
city center. CHX is an old walled city with
a moat. It has grown much beyond the original
square center area. I went to see a couple
temples and then circumambulated the
southern half of the walled city area. I am
meeting Ken at the guest house where we stayed last
night, at four. We took a sanity break from
each other for the day. He said he was going
for a massage. Thai culture suffers from
the double standard expectation of women. If
they are not pure and virginal, they are fair
game for anyone, and many go to cities and become
bar girls or whores. Ken is thrilled by
the experience of several women trying to
drag him into each bar he walks past. I am
saddened. My leg is asleep. I hate that.
1:00pm 7/30 Chiang Mai. Just took our
seats on the flight to Bangkok. After
last entry, I played pool
at a bar with a couple guys
from Holland. Then picked
up laundry and met Kenny.
We walked west through
city center. I wanted to catch
a ride to be at the airport by
5. Ken wanted to walk more. I
acceded. We ended up getting to
the airport at 5:25. Checkout
closes 30min before flight but
we made it. Before we knew we
would, we had a little argument.
It was about our decision making
process.
6:16 Moving.
6:25 Airborne.
7:10pm Touchdown Bangkok.
9:23pm 7/30 Airport. We changed our return
flight from Samui so we fly direct from the
island. This helps assure we actually
get where we want to go. Then
we arranged a Kaiseki meal for
$50/person in bangkok on the day
we fly to Hong Kong. In the
same interval, we will try to
get a refund for the original
return ticket from Surat. The
manager of the Japanese restaurant
in International Terminal I has
been very helpful.
11:15pm 7/30 Bangkok. After a
nice meal in the Japanese restaurant
in the airport we went to find
accomodation for the night. While look-
ing through the guidebook we
struck up a conversation with a
man nearby who was American. He
turned out to be the president of
Coca-Cola's Thailand operation. He
had his assistant arrange a very
reduced rate at a very
nice hotel near the airport.
After getting into the room, I
called Amanda. We watched a movie
and I took a shower. Bedtime now 2am.
8:05am 7/31 Bangkok. Just took my
window seat seat for the flight to Surat Thani.
64K, aft, very near the tail.
8:22 Moving out of the gate.
8:37 Airborne.
9:26am Touchdown Surat.
11:30am 8/1 Koh Samui. We took a bus
direct from the airport to the ferry
landing at Don Sak, about 100km east,
but it took about 1 1/2 hours. Then
we and the bus -- separately -- got on the
ferry to Koh Samui (Samui Island).
Upon arriving at the island, we
changed some money and caught a
ride to Chaweng Beach, on
the east side of the island. The
ferry landing is at Na Thon, to the
northwest. Once at Chaweng, we
wandered, first down the road, then
down the beach, trying to find
lodging in a reasonable price range.
4:30pm 8/2 Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui.
Ken is swimming while I sit on
a shaded section of beach, writing.
We just walked thru "town" and
got some fluid refreshment.
Earlier, I rented a jet ski for
20 minutes. It was the most
exciting 20 minutes of the trip so
far. Yesterday I got in on some
beach volleyball. Our team was
six people from 5 countries and
the other was 6 Thais. We
had 2 Americans (the other was from
CA. Ken just watched), 1 German,
1 French, 1 Hungarian and 1 Israeli.
English was the only common language
but many spoke only a little. We
had a great time. Ken seems to
be enjoying the numerous topless
female beachgoers. There is
a breakwater by our motel,
so we went south along the
beach to swim where there
are some waves. There are
numerous peddlers wandering the
beach selling cold drinks, sarongs,
grilled corn or meat on a stick,
melon slices and other things. The
hot and cold foods are carried in
twin baskets suspended
from long poles carried over
the shoulder. The cold drinks
are in coolers, while the hot food is
actually grilled on demand on
small fires carried smoldering
in metal tins in the bamboo
baskets. The beach is lined
with bars and restaurants open
to the air but under a thatch
roof. These are surrounded by
palm trees. The sand is a light
tan, not quite white, and is a little
gritty. This beach is a horseshoe
shape, maybe a couple miles long,
with mountains to the south and a
couple of hilly islands off a point
to the north. I've got a really
good burn going now...
8:09pm 8/2 Samui. The Ark Bar
[Richard Hanney
Ark Bar & Restaurant
Coconut Grove Bungalow
Chaweng Beach
Koh Samui, Thailand]
The place is run by a Brit, very
nice guy, gave us great recommendations
for food places nearby. We
had a nice rapport. Has
a bartender named Tony,
makes a good Pina Colada.
9:22pm 8/2 Korean BBQ... to a
soundtrack of Clapton.
Tang (name of the girl at Ark)
7:30am 8/3 Samui Airport. I'm amused
by the juxtaposition of computer
terminals at the check-in
counter in an airport at
which all the buildings are
wooden huts with thatched roofs,
and are open-sided.
1:34pm 8/3 Bangkok Airport. Lunch
was awesome. The flight from
Samui was smoother than I
expected for that small a plane.
(Maybe 50 seats? Turboprop)
The service charge for the Hong
Kong flight was THB500. WE had
to go to the ATM to get extra
cash.
3pm 8/3 China Airlines flight 642.
Awaiting clearance to leave Bangkok.
Got bumped up to business class. Nice!
3:03pm Airborne.
6:26pm Touchdown Hong Kong.
8:46am 8/4 Hong Kong. Just
settled into our seats for
the first leg of the
flight home. After
arriving in Hong Kong, took
the bus into Kowloon Peninsula,
just north of Hong Kong island.
Hotel was well booked, so we
were bumped up to a suite. Ok!
Hong Kong was essentially a
shopping trip for Ken with
a LITTLE sightseeing. We rode
a tram up Mt. Victoria, overlooking
the city. Didn't have any really
memorable food. Went out to
a couple bars. Met an
American, a Jewish kid
just out of school, touring
Asia before starting work
stock trading in NY. Could
well have spent six hours here
and not missed anything we didn't
miss in 2 days...
9:28am Hong Kong 8/4.
First movement out of gate
(flight scheduled 9:15am)
9:53am Airborne.
2:56pm 8/4 Touchdown Narita.
4:03 hours elapsed
3:34pm 8/4 Tokyo/Narita. After a
short wait at the gate, we
boarded the connecting
flight for this, the last
leg of the flight home. I'm
ready.
4:22pm 8/4 Tokyo/Narita. Airborne.
(3:22am 8/4 Detroit time)
2:33pm 8/4 Touchdown Detroit,
11:11 elapsed.
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