My 2nd flight went very smoothly...great food, tons of movies to choose from (even if I couldn't figure out how to change the language from Turkish to English), more leg room, and best yet, there were only two of us and three seats so we spread out and got to enjoy some legitimate sleep! Yahoo!
Getting off the plane, I smelled the curry literally within my first two steps. Bangkok's airport is so beautiful... by far one of the biggest and best organized I have had to experience. I had a little bit of anxiety getting through the passport check--no address to give them, so I was told to give the hotel name I was staying at. That information was conveniently stored in my email, which was inaccessible on my phone. So I said Hotel Bangkok and I got in just fine. Found the gentlemen holding the sign with my name on it which was such a fun rush. Shared my ride back with Liz, we arrived at the hotel about half way through our group's orientation, so we were able to join the 2nd group. I took the world's most enjoyable shower ever in under 5 minutes, rushed back down for the orientation, and then a few of us decided to take a walk and find some dinner.
We stopped a young dude on the street and said "food, cheap" while making eating motions, and he directed us around the corner to a place filled with locals. You had to step down into this pit, walking past smoked? whole fish on the way, homeless cats were hanging out on the tarp roofs of the pit... The tables were all metal tables you find in most prep kitchens and the chairs were just plastic lawn chairs. Dinner and beer for 5 of us was 660 Thai Baht, something around $18-20??? The beers come in large 32? oz glass bottles and cost around $1.60 each. And they are higher proof. And you can drink in the street. Need I say more????
After dinner we stopped at a convenience store to buy more of said beer, and continued on to the hotel. Sat around in the lobby for about an hour chatting it up with various other group members until finally we decided that this was our one and only night and we needed to go out. Liz and I had both heard of Soi Cowboy, or Cowboy road...and we had to check it out. Its like Bangkok's version of the red light district, with a few non-strip joints that housed karaoke bands playing everything from Katy Perry to Pink Floyd, and a few Thai pop hits in the mix. People were playing pool, but getting in on a game looked very complicated and involved writing one's name on a chalkboard, and of course the use of coins which non of us had handy... so we passed on that but enjoyed some good (okay, really terrible) tunes and another drink before heading back.
I conveniently skipped over the details of the club we did go into, hehehe.... It was rather epic. The girls just line up outside the club and flirt with you to come in. If they are lucky enough to get your business, they take you and your group by the hand and guide you to a booth, where they dance for you. They have clothes on and they are not dancing ON you, so calm down everyone... You buy them a drink rather than tip them, which just didn't seem like enough. One of our girls really loved her job and the other looked like she could cry at any moment. The girls on stage included some lady boys with really good tape jobs. Nothing was hidden... it was ridiculous. We stayed for one drink and then wandered.
Getting a cab outside of there, the drivers all assume you know nothing. So they offer you a price and you say no, meter, to which they walk away knowing they can't scam you. Our ten minute ride was 67 baht each way, so what... $2?!?!?!
That's all for now, I will update more about today later! Time to get back to the peoples!!
Sounds like you are adjusting already. :)
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