Most of you know I’m more comfortable traveling in European cultures (I count New Zealand as such) and I haven’t traveled outside that comfort zone as much, particularly for business. But I am writing this from Bangkok, Thailand where I will be working – and for the most part living – for the next three months. It will take some getting used to, but I haven’t had a challenge to stretch the cultural boundaries in a while so this may be good for me.
The distance and time difference will be one big pain in the patoot. For example, it’s 326,000 miles from San Diego and the time is – well, add two hours and replace the PM with an AM and vice versa. It’s also half again as warm as San Diego and with air conditioning units dominating the billboard space, I think I have an idea what’s in store for me. As an added bonus, monsoon season is quickly approaching so maybe less needs for showers in the morning.
To put your mind in the proper perspective as to my level of nearly alive, think of Bill Murray at the beginning of the movie Lost In Translation when he is arriving in Tokyo half asleep, half dead. Put it to the music of Death In Vegas’ Girls, Girls, Girls for more enjoyment. His constant complaints of not being able to fall asleep seem oddly familiar. My body tells me to wake up and get on with it, but the local hour recommends sleep. This is a short trip so I have no real expectation of making any adjustment. My unmade bed looks mighty inviting at the moment.
So far I like it, but I haven’t really ventured into the maze of the city much. I’m in Sumkavit, which is the financial district where I am surrounded by modern high-rise buildings, flashing lights, motor cycles, Tuk Tuks (have to dodge them), colorful pink and yellow taxis with plenty of dents so I know I need to be prepared for action at all times. There are also plenty of people with identical t-shirts advertising something with bullhorns. They may just like bullhorns here. When I was picking up my bags at the airport, there was a solitary bullhorn in a gray bin circling the baggage belt with a recorded message likely announcing something about the bags; probably that they all look alike and be sure not to grab the ones with bio-hazard signs on them. Maybe it said there is no parking in the White Zone.
Among the first thing you’ll notice is the Thai people are quite small. Bill was here years ago and took an elephant ride. When the handlers helped him off his private elephant, one said, “Thank you, giant.” Bill was a big guy, but hardly a giant. Still, I look big to them, although I wouldn’t want to have to wrestle these wiry little bastards. As one of my usual asides, Bill was having his very own Lost In Translation seven years ago today as he was in Japan for his final days. I know he was immensely happy at that time, so it makes it a bit easier to think about.
Thai people are very polite and the little thing they do with the partial bow with their hands together in a praying position is a nice touch. I don’t know if it’s kosher to pray or bow back to them and just continue past them with an air of superiority. For now, I’m bowing. I’m told they do this instead of shaking hands as we do. No touching, just bowing with hands pressed together. A woman working at the hotel said they appreciate when a foreigner does it back. I like to be popular, so I do it…
My first stop on this epic voyage to Thailand was Korea. There’s not too much of a connection between the two countries other than they so badly mangle English terms to make whatever product they’re selling sound, well, American. Their descriptor of anything is happy, such as Happy Food, or Happy Foot Massage. I think it’s meant to suggest use of their products will make you happy. When I arrived in Thailand, I saw a coffee shop called Hey! Coffee. I imagined the franchise possibilities such as Hey! Pizza, Hey! Can Of Tuna, Hey! Dogmeat. Well, it got my attention if that was the goal.
Today I went around Bangkok looking for a long-term place to stay. I had a nice driver in a 1922 bright pink Toyota. Seatbelts had to be a suggestion because the latches for the seatbelts were stuffed so far down the back seat they were probably in the trunk. I’m not sure it mattered since traffic doesn’t allow speeds in excess of 3 mph. I was capably driven by Bob, or Mr. Bob when there was a need for more formality. Bob’s English is quite good and he told me a great deal about the country from his perspective. He’s older and still a very devout follower of the King, but it’s the younger generation who aren’t as enamored and can’t find much in the way of suitable employment.
It’s a country in transition in a section of the world undergoing strains in its old social fabric. For example, my hotel uses a metal detector for any car dropping off guests; something that was also done four years ago when my family traveled to Phuket. I asked Bob how often bombs were under taxis to necessitate such an additional security measure. Bob just said, “Often.” Next on my to do list is to find a metal detector of my own, which will give me the added benefit of using it on the beach back home. I’ll bet I can find many interesting items while wearing shorts and black socks and a funny hat.
I’m sure there’s more to tell and bore you all with. I’ll write more when the mood strikes. I didn’t zero in on a longer-term place to stay, but I ruled out some places. They may be only a few miles from my client, but Bob estimates the drive time to be about an hour in the morning and the same for rush hour in the early evening. Plus there’s no Pizza Hut nearby!
