Around the World #16 (07/03/03-07/10/03, Saigon, Bangkok, Ayutthaya)

Hi, all.

I'm back in Bangkok, getting ready to explore Thailand. Man, I love this city.

When we last left our story, I was still in Saigon...

Thursday, 7/3/03

My last night in Vietnam. Went out and played pool.

Friday, 7/4/03

I flew to Bangkok and found a hotel in the heart of town for $10 a night. Quiet, close to everything, nothing fancy, but plenty for me. Once again, getting to Bangkok feels like going home. I met Dew for dinner and was going to meet some other friends for dancing later, but I needed a nap and couldn't wake up afterwards. Seems like a waste of my first night back in Bangkok.

Saturday, 7/5/03

I decided to get a GSM mobile phone so I could have a phone wherever I go. For those who aren't familiar, you can buy a phone that takes SIM cards. When you go to a new country, you buy a new SIM card which has a phone number and some minutes, which can be increased as needed. So, with one phone, you have as many phone numbers in as many countries as you need. And its cheaper than renting a phone. (My tri-band phone [covers pretty much everywhere] cost about US$90 including the $12 for SIM card and talk time.)

Krit and I went phone shopping at the mall across from my hotel. There is an entire floor that is pretty much just mobile phones. I am basically staying in a block of malls. They are pretty amazing. They are like a cross between an Asian market and a regular mall on steroids. I couldn't decide on a phone and decided to research the topic some more.

After a brief nap before dinner, Komsan called and said he was at the mall next door, so I briefly had coffee with him before heading to dinner with Siam and his friend. We went to a restaurant by the river before heading to a sidewalk cafe for drinks where I met Beer and his friends, whom I went dancing with after Siam went home. As you can see, I developed quite a circle of friends in my one week in Bangkok last time. :)

Sunday, 7/6/03

Spent the day meeting people for coffee, dinner, and dancing.

Monday, 7/7/03

I got sick today. The usual--diarrhea, stomach upset, tiredness. At least I didn't puke. I took cipro and things subsided by the end of the day. I went shopping and bought my cell phone.

Tuesday, 7/8/03

I still wasn't feeling well enough to be making day trips out of Bangkok, so I walked around Bangkok instead. I found the train station and went through the market streets of Chinatown. I finally found a pharmacy that carried my malaria drug, which I had run out of a week earlier.

Wednesday, 7/9/03

Today I took the train from Bangkok to Ayutthaya, which is an hour and a half away by train. The city used to be the capital of Thailand centuries ago and has an incredible assortment of temple ruins of various styles. There are at least a dozen ruins all within walking distance. Pretty amazing stuff.

Thursday, 7/10/03

I ran errands today--had my laundry done and got a haircut. I talked to Komsan-- who is from Ayutthaya--and he told me that he had sent me an SMS message that he had yesterday off. He could have gone with me to Ayutthaya if I had received the message. Doh!

I had intended to do a bunch of day trips from Bangkok this week, but my plans got screwed up by my illness. I want to hang around with friends in Bangkok this weekend, which is a 3 day weekend for them. (Although no one has been able to tell me just what the occasion is.)

So far, Thailand is great. We'll see how I fare outside of the Bangkok area.

Later,

Sid