Tuesday, August 30, 2005

 

Going north

Going to Thailand tonight on the train; heading to a place called Krabi first. I may have even spelled that wrong. I've been happily occupied in KL the last few days so I will catch up on my Thailand reading on the train tonight.

Went out for some nightlife this weekend. Me, a Brit named Gabby, a 20-year-old Irishman and a 6' Swedish girl. We were very tall. The Irish guy kept tellng me I was a genuine American. Not sure what he meant? We found a bar that offered nonstop free cocktails to women, so that was our club of choice for the evening. Nothing that interesting happened but is was fun to be out at night for once. Then last night, a couple of other guys joined our group and we went to a hookah bar near our hostel. No hookah for us, just Tiger Beer.

I read in one of my guidebooks that at night when the malls close, the teens come out and have breakdance comps on the sidewalks. I was dying to find one to watch, but no luck.

Tried to go back up in the Petronas Towers this afternoon, no tickets left.

I have been walking miles and miles everyday which is a great balance to the yummy food I keep finding. But sometimes a steaming plate of noodles doesn't sound good when you're steaming yourself. So, lots of water. I'm talking about water now, so I'll say goodbye till something more interesting happens.

Comments:
Coming from an Irishman, I'd say the term "genuine American" is (mostly) a compliment. You're around a bunch of Europeans who have a lot more free time and are much more accustomed to doing this sort of backpacking jaunt. As a people, we are seen as insular and largely ignorant of the rest of the world, even if Europeans think themselves more cosmopolitan just for going to different beachfront bars to drink Carlsberg and watch football. As you listen to your fellow travelers' stories, take note of how few of them: a) speak any of the languages of the place where they visit, b) stray from accepted backpacker haunts or c) actually have conversations with local people and have a sense of what's going on in the countries they visit. The sneers about being American won't carry as much weight...

Enjoy Krabi, skip Phuket, and if you get a chance to go to Koh Samui (on the east coast) and head on from there to Kon Tao, that's one of my favorite places in the universe. (Don't know how cheap you can stay for there, but it can't be too crazy.)
 
Are you by any chance traveling to Laos? A few years back, Miller, Crouteau, Norberg, and I hung out in Bankok, Chang Mai (Thailand), and Luang Prabang (Laos). It was great fun, however, the Immodium AD just didn't have the power it does in the US. Thank God for those little sink sprayers most of the public toilets had. Lets just say I was clean as a whistle. Keep up the reporting! I've been enjoying your blog.
 
Amy..i wish i was there again..im headed to turkey and egypt maybe you wanna hook up

carmell
 
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