I'm not being fair
Ok, things have gotten better since I wrote that last blog. (This is my second one today. Scroll down for the earlier one.)
I walked along the road outside the hotel which is pretty much cafe, internet cafe, tourist activity agent (books hill tribe treks, massage, cooking, meditation classes , pharmacy, cafe, internet cafe, travel agent, pharmacy.
I walked by a bunch and then decided to stop for some food. I got vegetarian fried noodles which came with egg and tofu. I actually liked it. I didn't just eat it. I also got a good sized pinapple shake. It was good. The pineapple of Thailand is talked about a lot. Lonely Planet says something like, "once you've had the pineapple from the street vendors in Thailand, you'll never be able to eat the canned stuff again." One of Danny's friends in Hong Kong said, "Yeah, they're totally right. The pineapple is AMAZING. I don't even think I can eat pineapple in the States anymore." See, this is a concern of mine. Not the pineapple eating, per se, but the whole backpacker complex thing. I don't want it.
If I come back and I start talking about the pineapple in Thailand please tell me to shut up.
So that meal was $1 and I think I went to one of the more expensive places. This money thing is very strange. After eating, I went to the market that was happening right outside my hotel. There is so much stuff and it's all really cheap. Anything in Hong Kong is a third of the price it was in Japan and anything in Chiang Mai is a quarter of the price in Hong Kong, with very minimal effort.
There was a purse that I saw in Japan that I liked. It was $30 there. Then it was in Hong Kong for $10 and then here it didn't have a price. I started looking at it and she said "120 baht! ($3)" I said I wasn't interested which was true because the reason I hadn't bought it in either of the other two places was more because of space than price. She said "what you pay!" I tried again saying I wasn't interested but she didn't like that answer and I also hadn't actually walked away yet (my fault). So after a couple more, "what you pay!"s I said, "80?" and then she funny made a face and said "100!" and I said "um, sure".
I'm sure I could have gotten it for 90 or started lower and gotten it for 60 or 80. And I'm sure she was totally laughing at me for paying so much. But I decided if I'm getting ripped off and that means I'm paying $2 more than someone cooler than me would, I think I'm ok with that. Also, it turns out it folds up really easily.
On the topic of "bargaining"...
Friday night in Hong Kong we went to a market and Danny and his friends tried to get a bunch of t-shirts. They found a place that had the right colors and the right sizes and between 3 or 4 of them they had 12 shirts. The price said 29 HKD and, in a fun, friendly way, they got them down to 20HKD. But they thought they could get them for 18HKD and kept at it and eventually left the store without buying any of the shirts, thinking there would be another stall with the same shirts. There wasn't, and then when they tried to go back the people running it wouldn't let them in.
I'm going back to the hotel room and try to sleep. I only slept for 30 minute intervals last night and didn't actual feel comfortable turning the light off until 6am. Also, it's 90 degrees outside ("feels like 96" according to weather.com) and my room has AC.
I walked along the road outside the hotel which is pretty much cafe, internet cafe, tourist activity agent (books hill tribe treks, massage, cooking, meditation classes , pharmacy, cafe, internet cafe, travel agent, pharmacy.
I walked by a bunch and then decided to stop for some food. I got vegetarian fried noodles which came with egg and tofu. I actually liked it. I didn't just eat it. I also got a good sized pinapple shake. It was good. The pineapple of Thailand is talked about a lot. Lonely Planet says something like, "once you've had the pineapple from the street vendors in Thailand, you'll never be able to eat the canned stuff again." One of Danny's friends in Hong Kong said, "Yeah, they're totally right. The pineapple is AMAZING. I don't even think I can eat pineapple in the States anymore." See, this is a concern of mine. Not the pineapple eating, per se, but the whole backpacker complex thing. I don't want it.
If I come back and I start talking about the pineapple in Thailand please tell me to shut up.
So that meal was $1 and I think I went to one of the more expensive places. This money thing is very strange. After eating, I went to the market that was happening right outside my hotel. There is so much stuff and it's all really cheap. Anything in Hong Kong is a third of the price it was in Japan and anything in Chiang Mai is a quarter of the price in Hong Kong, with very minimal effort.
There was a purse that I saw in Japan that I liked. It was $30 there. Then it was in Hong Kong for $10 and then here it didn't have a price. I started looking at it and she said "120 baht! ($3)" I said I wasn't interested which was true because the reason I hadn't bought it in either of the other two places was more because of space than price. She said "what you pay!" I tried again saying I wasn't interested but she didn't like that answer and I also hadn't actually walked away yet (my fault). So after a couple more, "what you pay!"s I said, "80?" and then she funny made a face and said "100!" and I said "um, sure".
I'm sure I could have gotten it for 90 or started lower and gotten it for 60 or 80. And I'm sure she was totally laughing at me for paying so much. But I decided if I'm getting ripped off and that means I'm paying $2 more than someone cooler than me would, I think I'm ok with that. Also, it turns out it folds up really easily.
On the topic of "bargaining"...
Friday night in Hong Kong we went to a market and Danny and his friends tried to get a bunch of t-shirts. They found a place that had the right colors and the right sizes and between 3 or 4 of them they had 12 shirts. The price said 29 HKD and, in a fun, friendly way, they got them down to 20HKD. But they thought they could get them for 18HKD and kept at it and eventually left the store without buying any of the shirts, thinking there would be another stall with the same shirts. There wasn't, and then when they tried to go back the people running it wouldn't let them in.
I'm going back to the hotel room and try to sleep. I only slept for 30 minute intervals last night and didn't actual feel comfortable turning the light off until 6am. Also, it's 90 degrees outside ("feels like 96" according to weather.com) and my room has AC.
Last things to note:
- I sat between two Korean guys on the plane ride from Hong Kong and Bangkok and realized that no one understands anyone in Asia. And the secondary language in most Asian countries is much more likely going to be English than Korean. Therefore, I have to stop complaining about a language barrier. In Thailand it's more of an accent barrier anyway. Most people speak English.
- "Homeward Bound" by Simon and Garfunkle is playing right now. Not fair.
- I might try the early hours of the night market and see if I can find some clothing. My most appropriate piece of clothing right now are my pajama pants.
- On the way from the airport I passed at least 4 billboards telling people that having sex with children under the age of 18 is illegal. They were in English.
- I have to stop thinking that every 20 something Western guy is a drug smuggler.
- One the street right now are a hippie couple both with dreads down to their waist, two awkward blond girls with a Lonely Planet Chiang Mai, a huge Western guy with a tiny Thai girl, a group of monks and a tuk tuk driver trying to get people to take a ride with him. This is Thailand.
posted by beth at 4:19 PM
4 Comments:
Hi Beth,
I read both of your recent blogs and am in awe of how quickly you adjust to changes in countries and cultures.
I can't wait to hear about your sanctuary adventures!
Missed you on Sunday. Your mom and Jaime planned a very happy, low key, fun event.( I think Erica and Mike were very happy).Plenty of pictures were taken-so you can catch up . I'm glad you'll be there for the " main event".
Lots of love,
Barbara- and from Randy in Councel Bluff, Iowa.
P.s. we has out first snow here- have you been in any since you've been to Asia?
aaaaaaaaaaah. second post sounds good. look forward to hearing about the elephant people. you are a trouper - no wimp element involved.
Hi Beth - I just caught up with the last 2 weeks of blogs and am in awe of what you're doing. Also checked the elephant park site - they are not shy about selling t-shirts at very un-Thailand prices. Do what you think makes sense. Like if you love them (the park),pay it, but don't feel you need to for me, esp. if the place is not a good experience.
Are you going to all those (scary sounding) places you mentioned? Laos, etc.? Yeah, you're a wimp, alright. Anyone can see that.
Madison's low today was 4F. Miss it?
We're saving a piece of cake from Saturday's Baby Shower for you. You will like it.
Have fun. Love you.
DAD
Heya Beth,
Harden up a little, the Thai people are lovely and once you are used to the fact that EVERYBODY is trying to rip you off and that you have to bargain a bit for information even then everything will be bonza mate!
My mate Sam is in LP Laos right now, do you want a family to stay with there?
If i tell you how great the Caiprinhas and coconuts with fresh milk and flesh inside were in Brazil and you slap me I'll know it was because you are a tourist not a traveller :-p
On that "backpacker complex" point; it is the tastes, smells, sounds textures, light and laughter that can instantly transport you back to a place in time that you should hang onto for me the banana shakes were the gear.
I know you are a little homesick, but sooner that you think you will be missing all of these cool places that you have been blessed to visit, so suck it up woman and get amongst it!
You can have a taste of home when you come to visit here and I'll look after you and make you cheesey fries - with american cheese even and whatever else your lil heart desires.
If you are on Samui and considering getting a moto, don't. It's the most dangerous place to have one. Something silly like 300 people a year die on that little island. Take the songtails (utes with seats in the back) for 20 Baht for most trips. The Khow Man Gai is excellent food from the street vendours with soups and chicken. I'm sure you will like it.
If you see some a mai chi, or nun, give them a wai and sawadee kha and you will probably get a blessing to keep you safe.
Take care and scractch an elephants head for me.
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