Thailand, Day 1: Friday & the Arrival So, lessons learned? Many. The Tourist Association of Thailand, a government entity, is as corrupt as anyone out there in Thailand. On the trip that I went on, the prices paid by various people was staggering. 900 - 4000 for the same trip. It depends on who you talk to. One fellow was ripped off by the TAT for a total of about $2500Cdn, with no recourse. The Thai guy actually laughed at him and said, try! The people of Thailand are here to get your money! If someone is talking to you, they want your wallet. Normal people in Thailand don't talk to strangers. Easy test there. A shower with no hot water is only moderately cold. Lakes in Alberta are colder than this. A lot colder. Even in August. Thai people are cute! I wouldn't want to take one home with me, but they're cute! I had a supper with a full fish on my plate, head to fin. And I survived! Service is not really a functional term here. I was giving my order to the waiter and his phone went off, and he walked away from me to answer the phone. A waitress was getting my bill ready at the end of the meal, she never came back. Someone else had to finish it off. Sometimes they will just ignore you. Temple guides are not really there to help you. They are there to direct you to a túk-túk driver to start 'the game' or the racket, depending on how you approach it. Thailand is beautiful! I went and saw 3 Buddhist temples, rented a cabbie for 6 hours for $3, had an excellent meal at a Thai restaurant a good shower to boot. Not bad for 8.5 hours, eh? You don't want to come to Thailand uninformed, such as I am doing. Tough way to learn money lessons. Not that I am hurting because of it, the prices I paid are still about half of what I would have paid in Canada for the same thing, but the price should have been probably half or less of even that. My bartering skills are improving, now that I know what the expected price is, and the fact that I am not really that worried about buying most of the things I am haggling over. Seriously, if I don't get it, Kim's without a bracelet. And she's a big girl now, so she won't cry about spilled milk. Right, Kim? I know Brett will be quiet about this because he's getting a mod chip for his xbox that he didn't have to buy, but should have. Daddy loves his little boy. Right, Brett? There, I have now alienated both of my kids in a somewhat public forum. Will they forgive me? I don't know, depends on whether they want gifts. Good gifts. Daddy plays the system also. I also had a Thai massage. Most people think about the Swedish massage when they think of a massage, I know I did. That's the relaxing one that can feel good at the end. Thai massage isn't. They bend you funny ways, and it is more about pressure points and hurting you, it seems. So I may not get anymore of those. I think I found a place that does the Swedish kind, I may go there tomorrow. That's about it for today, nice and short, for all you attention deficit people. I have to admit though I had ..... aouuuuuugh, look at that pretty bracelet, now where was I? Tomorrow I am off to Kanchanaburi, home of the Bridge over the River Kwai
Well, I made it! At great personal peril to my wallet, but other than that, all was good. I can't believe what a lying, cheating group of people the Thai are. Is this because they are so poor? I don't know. Phillipines are apparently in a similar predicament, probably worse from what I have been told of Phillipinos I have met here.
One of many shops I saw, this one is a auto battery seller
Fish for supper? This is the soup stock
Siesta time, slow day I imagine
Not that much different than say Brazil or Malaysia, really
