And so it begins – a run down on my trip to Thailand. I did and saw so much every day I could probably bore everyone for the next year or so with my 1000+ photos, but I promise to try and be concise.
I admit it: I was pretty nervous when I left home. I started to wonder why I was doing the trip at all – what if I hated the other people in the group? It would be so much easier to stay at home! But my flights all went smoothly and without delay or aggravation and I was able to get from the Bangkok airport to my hotel without difficulty and that went a long way toward soothing most of my doubts.
I met my roommate from the tour a few hours after my arrival. Truly, I could not have been luckier in who they paired me with. She and I had so much in common it was as if we had been matched up by a dating service! She is a script writer from Germany, incredibly sweet but with a sharp sense of humor, and we hit it off immediately. I not only had a friend for the trip, but I hope for life. When I left, we were already discussing my coming to visit her in Germany and sampling white gluewein at the Christmas fairs there.
We met with our tour leader in the evening and after the initial introductions, he took us to a nearby area with one of the many night markets in Bangkok for dinner. What a wild place! My roommate and I walked around a bit on our own after dinner. She was shopping, I was just gawking.
(Click image to enlarge)
My roommate bought a $8 “Casio” digital watch from this lady. It was still working when we parted ways so I suppose it was worth at least that much!
They call this “fish massage” – the theory is that the fish are nibbling away all the dead skin on your feet. Nice, huh? Apparently there are also tanks where you can submerge yourself up to your chin, and some tanks have even larger fish in them, though I was told that while the larger fish are more efficient it is also a bit scarier! I am content to stick to traditional pedicures!
Anyone who has read this blog for long knows I am not a fan of McDonald’s, but how could I resist taking a picture with this guy – especially when he was being so respectful? 
Note the orchids growing around the tree trunk. Wish they were so easy to grow everywhere!
These are only a few pictures from my first evening in Bangkok. Tomorrow: Wat Pho, a canal boat tour, the flower market, and the night train.
Such cool pictures! I am particularly freaked out by the idea of the fish massage…
by shelliecat January 19th, 2010 at 9:16 pm