David's Gatlog

Today was a rough day.
(a forewarning, I’m currently getting an hour long foot massage for less than 5 dollars while I write this. Please excuse any excessive flowery writing. I’m sure you understand)

Waking before the sun, and the blistering Thai heat, Clayton and I took a quick dip in the Lamphu Tree Houses teal blue pool. There’s something about a 75 degree pool that suits humidity so amazingly well.

After a few laps, the girls joined us downstairs for a wonderful breakfast under the orchid laced palm trees. Our biggest problem during breakfast was deciding weather or not to make our way to a floating market or a giant block long golden buddah; a good problem to have.

We decided to let the curry flavored winds guide us to our destination and headed out. We meandered the early morning streets and watched as the city slowly awoke along side us. Everywhere we walked street vendors were selling everything from song birds to chargrilled mystery meats. It was incredible.
On our way, we came across the infamous khao san road. Imagine if a walmart, bourbon St., and the gaslamp had a baby… Presto changeo Khao San Rd. Then mix that with some leathery skinned international backpackers and some less savory locals. I’m not sure why, maybe it was the tropical heat, or perhaps the unrelenting stream of scooters and tuk tuks, but exploring Bangkok demands a leisurely pace; and we didn’t disagree.

At the end of the road, we hopped into a neon pink taxi and asked to go to Wat Pho. Ignorantly, I pronounced that phonetically… Stupifying the driver so much he had to call in some back up. After a little song and dance, some charades, some pointing some yelling some tears, we finally realized Pho is really “poe” and all was remedied. Ironically after this epic battle of miscommunication was righted, we discovered much to the drivers dismay, wat pho was only 2 blocks away. Excellent!

Anyhow. Wat Pho is what you would expect a ginormous 500 ft long 50 ft tall, reclining buddah would be. However, if you were named Melinda, you probably would not have expected your Jean shorts to deam you nothing short of trampy mctramperstein. To the point of being handed a sweater to wrap around her scandalous dislay of skin. If you happen to have the amazing pleasure of knowing Melinda, you will further appreciate the comedy in this.

By know lunch was in order, as well as another orchid laced dip in the pool.
However, it’s worth noting my brush with death, literally.
On our walk out of the temple, crossing the road ( which is really a scene straight out of frogger) I, being the ignorant American I am, was looking the wrong way while checking for traffic. Thais drive opposite Americans. Only I found this out whilst in the middle of a four lane, freeway speed, road. Only the faint sound of an oncoming horn perked my attention just enough to whip my head around and find a bus. A full sized bus, 5 ft from me going 45+ mph. I stopped myself with whatever cat like reflexes I had and found myself face to side of speeding bus. We’re talking inches here, so close that my momentum from stopping so quick carried me to the point where I flicked my fingers out from my waist and grazed the bus as it screamed by. I like to think I looked like Kelly slater digging his fingers into the wave face as he surfs pipe line inches from death, but I’m afraid I looked more like an idiotic tourist lucky he didn’t just get pancaked by a giant pink bus with a mural of Hello kitty plastered on the side… Jeesh.
Moving on…
We ate back at the hotel, alongside the monitor lizard filled canal. Clayton and I ordered some green curry. The girls, some grass noodles and some rum inspired concoctions. I would go into detail about how rediculiusly amazing green curry is when ordered in Thailand, but i suppose that’s like saying how wonderful chocolate is in Switzerland. Cliches aside, best freaking curry of my life.

Alright my massage is almost up and now I have to find 5 dollars worth of baht…. Hahaha suckers.

Tomorrow, the adventure of crossing the Thai – Cambodia border …

P.S. Our hotel comes with free geckos on the ceiling. So awesome!