One night in Bangkok...

Chang!
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Was actually a few nights. I had two reasons I wanted to go to Thailand:  go on a mountain trek through the rainforest, and kayaking, snorkeling, diving around the islands.  So I end up in the infamous city of Bangkok.  Bangkok is city that is really hard for me to describe.  There is just so much here that is different from everywhere else, you almost have to come here in order to understand.

Alright let me try.  Bangkok = sex, drugs, nightlife, tuk-tuks, backpackers, transvestites (from here on I call them "Ladyboys"), ping-pong shows (no table), Patpong, traffic, pollution, and temples.  So where should we begin?

Alright let me try. Bangkok = sex, drugs, nightlife, tuk-tuks, backpackers, transvestites

Khao San Road
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Ladyboy's are almost a third sex here in Thailand.  These are men who do every surgical operation imaginable in order to become females.  I will be the first to say, some of these dudes are very convincing, and borderline beautiful.  Actually some you could never tell unless they told you.  Needless to say the female:male ratio in every bar I walked in was through the roof, good or bad I'm not sure.

"Ping Pong shows" - encompasses the use of ping pong balls and body parts, use your imagination..

Khao San Road
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So, I decide to meet up with my trekking group to do a bit of a meet and greet before our journey together roughing it out in the rainforest.  I really did not know what to expect in meeting them, but I knew there were a few types of people that would have made the trek a bad experience.  In order of severity.

1. Overweight People - I don't understand why a person that is obese would ever consider hiking 5 hours a day uphill and not consider the fact that they would slow down the group.  Physics > Willpower.  Lose some weight then climb a mountain, don't climb the mountain to lose some weight.

Chris and I at the Grand Palace
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2. The Princess - This is the person who complains about being dirty.  WHY on EARTH would you trek through a rainforest?!

3. Closed minded people on a 'cultural experience' - These are people who come only so they can tell their friends they went.  They come not only with the wrong attitude, but they don't ever get the 'cultural experience' due to the very fact they are closed minded to begin with!  They shoo off locals instead of talking to them.  They get agitated because they perceive people as rude based on western standards.  You're here to learn about a different culture, not impose your fucking culture on them! Stay the fuck home (or go to America for your holiday), jesus.

Bangkok Skyline
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Well I got really lucky.  Out of six other people, not one was like this.  Let me go ahead and introduce them while I'm here.

Hugo and Abi - Hugo, an accountant, and Abigale, a science teacher, from London on their holiday.

Adam - A recent graduate from a top university in England.  Who has decided to move to Shanghai, China to learn Manderin.  He finds himself in Thailand while he is awaiting his Visa.

Hugo, Chris, and Abi
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Chris - Chris is a mechanic from Scotland.  He recently decided to move to Australia and is using Thailand as a middlepoint for a small holiday.

Ruth - Ruth goes with the flow.  She is from Brisbane, Australia and is moving to London to figure out the meaning of life.

Kath - Kath is an accountant from Australia.  She is on a one month holiday backpacking through Thailand and Europe.

Dream Bangkok : standard room
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I'm not sure if I could have asked for a more well-rounded group.  They were all good people, with big hearts and open minds.  All non-religious, liberals at that! We talked as a group a little bit about this after our trek and came to the conclusion that people who decide to come to Thailand, especially alone, are free spirits who are non-judgmental. I was the only American, actually I succeeded in not meeting another American my whole trip here.  I would bet that an American would have a greater chance in meeting my criteria for jackass, and they obviously agreed.

The largest mall I've ever seen
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Anyways, we saw the Grand Palace, went out to Khao San road, "backpacker ghetto", for drinks, and the infamous Patpong red light district to see what all the fuss was about.. I didn't take many pictures though, don't need those floating around!