Bangkok

One Night in Bangkok, and 3 days in a stove!

I was very excited to go to Bangkok for all the same reasons that you might be excited, but mines were a bit more unromantic than what one might expect. I was excited to go to Bangkok for a song. Plus, I always thought that Bangkok was close to the sea and even inclusive to a bay in which junks would go from one side to another. Well let me tell you the only sea you can see is a sea of people night and day. Although you do have a river crossing the city, it doesn’t help you to cool off. You better look for a piece of shadow if you do not want to die alive melting on the asphalt. It was a long weekend of constant shadow fight and melting standing with a low ATTITUDE from me. I melted in 3 days and only recovered last night. But let me tell you what happen.

Khao San Road, or the famous backpacker street

The first day was very hot (40º), and we wandered in the world famous backpacker street, located in the Banglampoo area of Bangkok not far away from the Grand Palace and the Democracy Monument. The famous KSR, Khao San Road, is certainly the place in Asia were you find more tee-shirts and shorts to the square-meter than rice per kilo-meter in a taxi trunk. Am I clear? Not really, Ok just pretend that It’s a busy place where you find everything you need to bring back home for your friends and family at a bargain. On one side you can buy the tee-shirt that you always wanted to make but never had the chance to ask, and on the other side you can buy the International Press-Pass you always wanted to have to enter all the cocktail-shrimp party back home. A Pad Thai and 2 beers later, we were ready to tackle the first temples [WAT in Thai].

I am guessing, it's at at Khao San Road where
Leonardo D. start his trip in the movie The Beach ,

We left the bigger one for later (Grand Palace), and join the force of the second zone backpacker to visit the left over domes. Every Wat or temple is cover with gold. Some are pure and fat gold and some are fakes and just cover in gold. But all of them are shinny and hot when it’s 41 º C. under the sun. Water bottles were drunk to balance out the sweet we were poring on each other. Fun day under the sun!

Grand Palace

We took the river boat along the river and been dropped at the final stop of the line. We finally at night, enjoyed our first relaxing AC break. We had cocktails at Bamboo, in the Oriental Hotel. That place was a compilation of exotic exoticism on the menu in a very western temple of luxury. The jazz singer that was next to us was almost ready to sing the blues, but we only saw her ASSISTUDE leaving the bar in her red dress. Sometime I wish I could be a small tiny microphone to amplify the sound of red dresses.

Grand Palace Guard

We wanted to prolong the night to visit the world famous lipstick on the floor (Bed Supperclub) but ended instead in a nearby Pad Thai place preceding the not so far away Zanzibar bar where 2 (s)expats were fighting each other to who was the worse singer ever. J. and I fall asleep on our chairs and decided it was time to do it properly in bed instead.

Another Guard at the Grand Palace

On our way back and after a false alarm cab drive (the driver ask us to leave the taxi after he found out it was not the hotel he though it was), we saw a baby elephant crossing the street of Bangkok at 2 in the morning and by 47 º C. Life is strange even for the one who sleep standing still.

The Subway at the MBK station

The next day we woke up early to run all over the place and do as many places as possible. But imagine having at 9 in the morning already a 56 º C. in your face. You walk slow and make sure that each movement you are doing has a purpose for your safety. We were going to the Grand Palace and we arrived a bit early on the schedule, so we were convinced by 2 locals to take their Tuk-Tuk and go around a pre-determined route and see the 5 things you need to see.

Madame Universe 1867

We were asked to stop at one particular place (a tailor) and spend 10 minutes, pretend to shop and in return the Tuk-Tuk driver would receive a coupon of free gas and he would charge us a very moderate amount. The deal was on and we were almost happy. That was the beginning of the scam. They took us not only to the tailor, but also to another one and we were yield at when we only spend 10 minutes in the shop. A very brief yet intense discuss resulted in all of us left in the near by temple with no Tuk-Tuk to pick us up. They left us alone! It was 76 ºC. and we were almost boiled from inside. Their NASTITUDE was way more insupportable than the heat stoke.

Her Husband

Along the way we meet few intersting people who told us a bit a history around the Wats. Along the way we meet few interesting people who told us a bit a history around the Wat. Here it was the oldest Buddha, there it was the heaviest one (5 tons of pure gold), and there it was the emerald one. All of these did not help us in our fight against the heat. It was 145 ºC and I was close to etherize my soul. The cooling at the lunch time at the Desk did help us to save only few minutes from my life.

Their son

BUT everything changed after that.

Emerald Buddha

There is not better than a local to show you the best places in town. Or, there is better than a local in fact. There is this special hybrid called expat-migrant, the one that you met few years back home and who decided for whatever reason to move somewhere else in a very remote place, at the very end of the road.

And you remember saying to yourself … “But, why is he or she going so far away?”

Now you know WHY … it’s to welcome you and show you the best spots in town. Well he or she did not move for you, but it happens that you still have an email and just before the beginning of your trip, you contacted her or him and she or he said "Sure come along here is my phone number and called me when you are in town." Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

So we went to at Taling Pling and had dinner with the friends of friends of my friend based on their recommendation. And guess what ! It was a superb dinner with things on the table that I could not have chosen because I did not know how to pronounce them. There is not worse than having a waiter coming to your table telling you that he has a “Bargy-Tuian Kyo Jauin With the Green-Butter Sauce” and nobody ask for it, and since everyone has already a plate in front of them it must be yours. Embarasing ! That's why I like so much Chinese restaurants, because they all give number to each dish. I usually take the 42, easy to remember, and rather than changing menu, I change restaurant but keep ordering the same number 42. You would be surprise how the 42 could be different from one restaurant to another.

Anyway, the friends of friends of my friend did a wonderful job in ordering and explaining how everything was made and how to eat it as well. We hate like crazy and I finished almost all the plates. My favorite ones were the Chicken in Pan Dan Leaf, Tom Wum soup with Prawns (Spicy), and finally a Water Chesnutt desert in some plain liquid yogurt. We then finished the night in the redish Red-Light district, in the not so famous gay-land in Bangkok, but very alive and full of SASSYTUDE. Ex-lady-boys dressed up in drag keens serving 3 liters pitcher in a dark and very narrow street close to the busiest night life area in Bangkok make you feel good about having a friend who knows friends of friends in Bangkok. The night was hot (temperature wise) yet refreshing (drinks wise), and was prolonged by a late last beer at the hotel, before the last crashing bed.


Chiness gift at the Grand Palace

The last day, we finally spend it at the Grand Palace under 14324242ºC, took some shots but we all became liquid and disappeared in the air. Sole pictures taken at the time could prove we were human at some points. Tons of water and baths did finally help all of us reshaping in human body only few days later for the best of our memories.

Bangkok is a great city only at night, during 3 days you are cooked alive. Heard about the famous Thai cuisine, well the secret is a slow cooking during the day.

Bangkok address

Hotel

• Hotel De'Moc (formely Thai Hotel Bangkok)
  78 Prajatipatai Rd. Pra-Nakorn, Bangkok 10200, Thailand
  Hotel De' Moc is conveniently located in the heart of the city, surrounded by many major government offices. This is a clean and correct place to sleep over with a descent breakfats and a tiny swimming pool for refreshment only.
  Around $40 per night.
  
  Be aware that there is another hotel called De' Ma which on the other side of the city and could be a problem for taxi driver ....
  

Restaurant

• The Deck
  Arun Residence. 36-38 Soi Pratoo Nok Yoong, Bangkok -Thailand
  At the end of a tiny street close to the Palace Wat, on a peer on the river, this quiet place offer delicious and spectacular fresh meal for a out of the wild activity you have in Bangkok.
  
• Taling Pling
  60 Pun Road, Soi Wat Kaek, Bangkok 10500
  Contemporary smart Thai interior with red and orange coloured walls, modern Thai furniture, silk-covered sofas and colourful cushions. There is also a leafy outdoor seating area for drinks before dinner. This is the best restaurant I have been to in Bangkok. It was with locals friends who could recommend what to take and waht to not take.
  Best dish: Chicken in Pan Dan leaf, Tom Wum soup with prawns, and finally a waterchesnut desert !
  
• MBK mall (6th floor)
  Where you can have street vendor on the top floor of a gigantic mall.
  All you can eat for 100 bath, the principal is as simple as you choose what you see, and go back to your place to eat with a new friend you just made.
  

Drinks / Clubs

• Bamboo Bar at The Oriental Hotel
  48 Oriental Avenue,
  This Bar is a Bangkok legend. It’s renowned for its live jazz, and features internationally acclaimed singers in its programme. The atmosphere is wild yet sophisticated, set against an appropriate backdrop of jungle décor. Cigare bar close to the river in the best hotel in Bangkok, what else to say. Be aware of red dress attitude.
  
• Sky Bar
  (Sirocco) and Distil, Lebua at State Tower
  Suppose to be good place to have a drink, next time.
  
• Bed Supperclub
  Sukhumvit Soi 11; Phone: (02) 651 3537; Directions: Nana Skytrain station.
  This is suppose to be the coolest place in Bangkok. Go for a drink in the bar, at least, and stick around for when the place busts open into a full-on club. Never made it for dinner neither for club. The netrance door seems very nice with very helpfull lady girl
  
• Gay Land
  Famous gay sois in Bangkok include Silom soi 2 and soi 4.
  The crowd is interesting, and if you don't like it go back to the ping pong show 2 streets before, or do some more night shopping along the main street.

Guide to France

I know it's a classic, but I still like it very much (Thanks to O.)



The following advice for American travelers going to France wascompiled from information provided by the U.S. State Department, theCIA, the U.S . Chamber of Commerce, the Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and some really, really expensive spysatellites that the French don't know about. It is intended as aguide for American travelers only.

** General Overview
France is a medium-sized foreign country situated in the continent ofEurope. It is an important member of the world community, though notnearly as important as it thinks. It is bounded by Germany, Spain, Switzerland and some smaller nations of no particular importance andwith no decent shops. France is a very old country with manytreasures, such as the Louvre and Euro Disney. Among itscontributions to western civilization are champagne, Camembert cheese and the guillotine. Although France likes to think of itself as amodern nation, air conditioning is little used and it is next toimpossible for Americans to get decent Mexican food. One continuing exasperation for American visitors is that local people insist onspeaking in French, though many WILL speak English, if shouted at.

** People
France has a population of 56 million people. 52 million of these drink and smoke (the other 4 million are small children). All Frenchpeople drive like lunatics, are dangerously oversexed, and have noconcept of standing patiently in a queue, or line. The French people are in general, gloomy, temperamental, proud, arrogant, aloof andundisciplined; and those are their good points. Most French citizensare Roman Catholic, though you would hardly guess it from their behavior. Many people are communists. Men sometimes have girls' nameslike Marie or Michel, and they kiss each other when they meet.American travelers are advised to travel in groups and wear baseball caps and colorful trousers for easier recognition.

** Safety
In general, France is a safe destination, although travelers must beaware that from time to time it is invaded by Germany. Traditionally, the French surrender immediately and, apart from a temporary shortageof Scotch whisky and the increased difficulty in getting baseballscores and stock market prices, life for the American visitor generally goes on much as before. A tunnel connecting France toBritain beneath the English channel has been opened in recent yearsto make it easier for the French government to flee to London during future German invasions.

** History
France's historical figures are Louis XIV, the Huguenots, Joan ofArc, Jacques Cousteau and Charles de Gaulle, who was President for many years and is now an airport.

** Government
The French form of government is democratic but noisy. Elections areheld more or less continuously and always result in a draw. The French love administration so for governmental purposes, the countryis divided into regions, departments, districts, municipalities,towns, communes, villages, cafes, and telephone kiosks. Each of these has its own government and elections. Parliament consists of twochambers, the Upper and Lower (though confusingly they are both onthe ground floor), and whose members are either Gaullists orCommunists, neither of whom should be trusted by the traveler.Parliament's principal occupation is setting off atomic bombs in theSouth Pacific and acting indignant and surprised when other countries complain. According to the most current American State Departmentintelligence, the President is now someone named Jacques. Furtherinformation is not available at this time.

** Culture
The French pride themselves on their culture, though it is not easyto see why. All their music sounds the same and they have never madea movie that you would want to watch for anything but the nude scenes.

** Cuisine
Let's face it, no matter how much garlic you put on it, a snail isjust a slug with a shell on its back. Croissants on the other hand,are excellent, although it is impossible for most Americans to pronounce this.

** Economy
France has a large and diversified economy, second only to Germany'sin Europe, which is surprising because the French hardly work at all.If they are not spending four hours dawdling over lunch, they are onstrike and blocking the roads with their trucks and tractors.France's principal exports, in order of importance to the economy, are wine, nuclear weapons, perfume, guided missiles, champagne, guns,grenade launchers, land mines, tanks, attack aircraft, miscellaneousarmaments and cheese.

** Public Holidays
France has more holidays than any other nation in the world. Amongits 361 national holidays are: 197 Saints' days, 37 NationalLiberation Days, 16 Declaration of Republic Days, 54 Return of Charles de Gaulle in triumph as if he won the war single-handedDays,18 Napoleon sent into Exile Days, 17 Napoleon Called Back from ExileDays, and 2 France is Great and the Rest of the World is Rubbish Days.

** Conclusion
France enjoys a rich history, a picturesque and varied landscape, anda temperate climate. In short, it would be a very nice country if French people did not inhabit it. The best thing that can be said for France is that it is not Germany.

Angkor Wat

Stories will come later of course, when time.
In the meantime here are the pictures of Cambodia

Angkor Wat address

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Chiang Mai

I finally did it !

It was the last night at the minute but I finally manage to do it… after so many unlucky attempts. But first thing first I have to tell you everything in the order it happen. So I took off for a 5 days trip in North of Thailand in Chiang Mai, because I wanted to see some inland in Thailand and be away for sometime from sun, sea and … sunlight. I stuffed my small backpack and, like I used to do, I trip over my journey by myself, alone.

Dog in the Buddhist Temple

Chiang Mai is the second largest city in Thailand and has more than 300 temples. I did not count all of them, but you do have a temple at each block corner and after a while your reaction is much more like “Ah, Here is a temple, again!” Not that when you see one, you see them all, but when you see too much you are in Temple OD.
The first day, early in the morning, I went around by myself in the city center (which not a dot but square), loosing myself easily in the square town, yet discovering new places, faces and classes. I went all over the places that my feet wanted to go to, and when I came back I was full of contentment and had shoot more pictures than I have done in the last 4 weeks.

Buddhist Temple where the Dog slept

Buddhist temples are a rare place in the city where order cleanest and neat is constantly present contrasting with the outdoor. As soon as you penetrate inside the 4 walls of a Temple, you see lines, alignments, and golden surface all around you. It is not the same peace as in the one that exists in Shinto Temples’ in which it comes to your senses first and then penetrates in your soul, in Buddhist Temples’ it’s probably the opposite, it goes to your heart and then goes to your senses later on if you wait long enough.

Autel from the Buddhist Temple where the Dog slept

Golden monks and apprentices are everywhere in Temples, they have the latest cellphones, play Thai Chess all day long and pray when have time in between. But except that I have barely saw them doing some heavy lifting or other human task that us, human being are supposed to do to survive.

Cambodian Flat Sculture from the Ban Phor Liang Meun's
Terracotta Arts mention in the previous post

After my long walking trip over the city, I stop over at the nearby Temple and spent the late afternoon try to speak with 2 apprentices on what life is about in their world and how to play Thai chess. I played 10 minutes and 2 monks kicked my ass so fast. I don’t thing it was very Christian from their part to not help me the first game. I learned my lesson and left them alone in the almost dark at their duty.

Apprentice Monks

The following day I booked a 2 days / 1 night trek to see the country side. I started the day with an American breakfast and ½ hour before schedule. A group of 12 squeezed in a collective Tuk-Tuk to the final destination. The 90 minutes gave a chance to everyone to introduce themselves and explain where you were from, where they want to go, and how long they plan to stay in Asia. My turn generated some confusion in people mind due to my age, my profession and my short stay. I learnt that the average age of the South East Asian traveler is 23, Female and coming most of the time from Europe-Land. My personal condition has a different meaning in Thailand and refers to the type of traveler that I don’t want to associate myself with. I had to explain in many different words that I did not belong to the white-socks-and-blue-short-looking-after-easy-prey-for-the-night bucket. But I gave up and face some people look for the rest of the journey.

Tuk-Tuk Picture from a Tuk-Tuk

Luckily the group split and a group of 3 Irish girls, 1 Mexican-German and me emerged from the bus. We had all booked the intense version if the tour: 2 days and one night in the country side. The first day we went trekking up and down hills and the multiple bush fires that happen during the hot season. The surreal vision of walking through buses in fire made me realized that we could have been in trouble if anything happen to us. After some 10 K or so, we arrived at the waterfall village where we were supposed to spend the night. The shower was believe it or not at the waterfall, and the must have been as quick as I could have done trying to breath trough the iceberg coming down on me.

Tuk-Tuk Girl

One of the Irish girl’s was peanut allergic and she was not sure if she could eat the supper, so I asked the cook-guide (true, to his defense it was the second time I asked in 10 minutes), and he answered me with a clear and loud “Funk You”. That was the first time that a guide told me to Funk Myself in public. I must have disturbed him during his Dr Feelgood prescription (Pavo pipe ceremony). Next time I will check the color of the smoke before asking any question, even if somebody’s life depends on it.

Bushfire Trails

Rice, Tofu and local beer helped us to reach the night. We concluded the evening with some campfire songs and stick games that our guide told us. The night was short cold and rough on the quasi open air and bamboo beds, but we did not care that much because that was the day we were going to ride elephants and we all came for that exercise. I was already fantasized on playing soccer with a troupe of the giant mammal, but was only going to step on her neck and be balanced from right to left during a small hour over a calm and shadowed trail. That was the highlight of the day and the way back home was speechless because of tiresome and golden memories.

Elephant riding

What was not my surprise when I cam back to the hostel, when I found out that my bag that I left over there for my trip was gone. I had few things in it like a sleeping bag, and a guide book and other small stuff that did not matter to me. The hostel manager did not know what to say and started by doubting my saying, ignoring my comments. After some confirmation and some confrontation we came to the agreement that he was going to provide me with a replacement of my missing two important items: the sleeping bag and the guide book. That was at that time when I lost my temper; it was later on, when the 12 years old kid refused to let me use the Internet connection pretending that it was his right to block me the access. Still don’t know why he did not want me to use it. So I went out and used somebody else connection to check my emails.

Village's laught

The evening was much more sympathetic with K the Mexican-German. We talk about everything in general and anything in particular. Traveling is great only if you meet people that you want to see again. Hope that we could see each other again speak the common languages we know. We went to the Night Market which is the local attraction in town. It is only a bunch of booth aligns to sell tourist outfit to the white-socks-and-blue-short-looking-after-easy-prey-for-the-night bucket and other ones. A lot of lights but many crappy things around you anyway. Good to see something else that the regular bar for the white-socks-and-blue-short-looking-after-easy-prey-for-the-night bucket.

Food is one of the delicacies of the Thai country, so the last night before finally Doing It, I went for the Green Chicken Curry. Spicy food is not really my thing but there I had to finish my plate. Not because I liked it (I barely taste anything) but more because stopping made my mouth and my tongue in pain. I keep eating just to avoid the pain of the spice. That was a bad move when you think about it. If it’s spicy, don’t eat more spicy. That was the only thing I had around me, and the beer was long time gone before I could used it against my local anesthesia. I hoped at the time that eating even more could make my mouth used to the spicy. In vain. I stopped when my tears started dropping on the plastic table, alerting the Ladyboy-waiter that I was in trouble. He offered me some more rice and laugh at me. After some ½ hour of stiff contemplation of the design of the plastic table with some random tears dropping, I finally managed to stand up and took controlled of my body (mouth and tongue not included). The mistake I made was the started I ordered. I had some garlic prawns. During the rest of the night I burped not only the garlic prawns (OK with that), but the Spicy Chicken as well (not OK with that). It burnt more each time I regurgitated my evening meal. Thai food killed me that night, and when you think that Green is the medium one, you have the Red Curry!

Chiang Mai Motorcycle

On my way back to the hostel, I was dizzy enough to jump on the first Tuk-Tuk I saw but on the driver seat. To my surprise, the owner sat in the back and guided me to manoeuvre the best. My dream was coming true. I was able to drive a local taxi finally after so many attempts over the different month and countries. Unfortunately the police stopped us and asked for my paper. My fair complexion did not make the deal for the well educated officer. We switched seat, after the police warning, but I did not care I drove a local taxi, and I did not negotiate for it … Life is sometime too simple.

The story
The amazing thing in travels is that your learn stories. Travelling with 1 Mexican and 3 Irish you would not imagine that you could have a story that could relate the 2 countries together. You are wrong. When Mexico was fighting for it freedom againts the Texas Rangers at the time, there were helped by the Irish. As soon as the Texas Rangers saw the Irish, the keep yelling "Green Go". Mexicans did not really understand the meaning of it, and change it to later on to "Gringo". That's why now that for all Latinos call the American "Gringos" just because of the Irish during the Mexican Independance War. Go figure Bob ...

Magic Moment
Listening to Ella & Louis, Cheeck to Cheek in a Cafe drinking my Fresh Passion Fruit Shake, watching 2 students in architecture playing Go.

Chaing Mai address

Hostel

• S.K. House (Don't need the address ...)
  Don't go there !!!
  Over price (Twice), not clean. Stole my bag, Service is close to null.
  Each time you ask a question you disturb people in their games or sleep.
  Not to mention that during the tour, the guide insult me ... Please Don't go there !!!
  
• Libra Guesthouse (28 Moon Muang Rd. Soi 9 Chiang Mai - Phone 0 5321 0687)
  Next door to SK House
  Half price, better room size and good location
  
• Hair World & First Spa Boutique Hotel (85/5 Sriphoom Rd. Chiang Mai)
  High End but well situated, not had a chance to check it you but deserve a close pick
  
• Rachamankha (6 Rachamankha 9, T.Phra Singh. Chiang Mai - Phone:0 5390 4111)
  Very high end, close to luxury but what a building (Click on the link just for the beauty of the journey). 2 square buildings join together by a sort of bridge surrended by japanese garden, with beautiful room and quiet place near by a temple in a remote yet central place. Luxury is there.

Restaurants

• Night Market (Chiang Mai).
  All the different sea food restaurant in the nigt market are interesting, not exceptional
  
• Char-Coa (Sripoom Soi 1, Chiang Mai)
  Real expresso, and wonderful breakfast in a wooden garden close to the street.

Other places

• Ban Phor Liang Meun's Terracotta Arts (36 Phrapokklao Rd.Soi 2 , A. Muang, Chiang Mai Tel. (053)278187).
  Discovering the way Angor Bhat was born from the hand of artists. Dive yourself in their backyard where they age their master piece is a just as crazy as been in an ice cream shop by 35 degres. I would have spend more time if the water pomp did not kick me out. Even the New York Times knows the place, better go there before everyone on the planet knows the address.
  
• Ginger & Cafe (ถนนมูลเมือง)
  (199 Moonmuang Road, T. Sriphum, A. Muang, Chiang Mai, 50220Tel: (053) 419014)
  Nice and hype place to shop Jewellery and other Clothes in Chiang Mai.
  

Phuket

How do you negociate when people walk away from you as soon as you say your price?

It happen not once, not twice but all the time. I came to the point that I start doubting about my own breath, wondering if I had some fuelling pimp on my face that make people scared of watching me in the eyes, or maybe that I have 2 heads, one small and the other almost normal.

But I had the confirmation at the custom office that I have no problem at all. They film you during the entire stamp process and certainly put it on youtube.th if you behave badly in their country. Maybe it's the way I talk, my accent, but even there I still thing that I communicate more easily with non-english people than with native english mother tongue (Have you ever seen an English Tongue?)

I tried to apply the new skills that I learn during my negociation classes at school, working on the the relationship, building the bridge to be able to cross the main substance on it. But NO, they walk away.

They just walk away.

Taxi driver with his kid waiting at the Taxi stop bench.

Here is the breaf dialogue that usually happen when I am in Thailand talking price:
Me: " That's pretty good, what is it?"
Them: "How much do offer me for it?"
Me : "Wait a minute, I don't know if I want to buy it. What is it called?"
Them: "10,000 Bath" (US$200)
Me: "This is expensive!"
Them: "Ok then 9,900 Bath" (US$199)
Me: "This is still expensive! What about 90 Bath"
Them: "-?!"

This is the exact time that they walk away from me, no talk, no look, just their back going away.
I am left with my hands in the air and my mouth wide open. Sort of giant poulp.

View from the Hotel Swimming Pool
overlooking the bay.

Ok I admit that I started way too low, but that the game afterall.

I start very low so that we can talk for a long time, just to exchange some ideas along the way, like what is it like to live in this island, or what color is the most important in the city, vital stuff. I was thinking that negociating any price is part of the cultural experience that one might have in any foreign land (home country maybe as well). But how can you negociate when no one is in front of you .... very frutrating for me. They tactic is working very well. The price is fixed and no one can change it.

Pankace motorbike street vendor.
My fav banana-coconut-pancake.

I became paranoid to the point that I was avoiding talking price at all cost !
I still don't understand how you could do walk in a price negociation, you could be unhappy, yield at someone, laught but walk away ... this is very rude for me. So I start doing the same thing to see if I would trigger the same thing in people mind. As soos as they start talking money, I walk away.

Phuket, white sand, tanned tourist and blue sea

I felt very bad, walking away from people without smiling and turning my back to them. I could not do it for long. I use then another tactic, I gave up. I just pay what ever they were asking me to pay. It turns out to be quite an expensive trip, but I felt better. In retrospect, I think that the problem was not me going to bargain reclusoin land but because tourism kills the local habits of negociating. Too much tourist kills locals.

I had finally my Paid Taid on the beach
for my last lunch overlooking the beautiful sea

Speaking of tourist, I went down on Saturday night to "Funland" Patong Beach where you can see what Thailand is also famous for. I am not talking here about its cuisine or its white sand beach. Watching tourist bar full of testosterone ready to explose over any Thai Girl or Thai Ladyboy made me wander how damaging that would be for future generation. What to do?

What I want to keep in mind is rather my Red Lobster, Green Oysters and Black Chili Crab on the terrasse restaurant in Patong Beach rather than the Ladyboy Lobster, Professional Oysters and Green German Crab at the bar later on at night.

Recommendation in case of
Tsunami emergency.
BTW, there is no high ground around.

Phuket was devasted 2 years ago by the Tsunami. Maybe not as badly as Indonesia, but the 4 waves that came at 8 AM are still in people minds and people talk. Some saying it could have been worse because it was a Sunday and school were closed, it was early in the morning and people were still sleeping. Could have been worse if it was happening during the afternoon or at night when tourist are all alert, brave and drunk to fight the Thai-land.

Phuket address

Phuket is in reality an island, with plenty of things to do.

In Phuket island you have a Phuket town, and according to some source this town must be avoided at all cost. Expensive, no charm and nothing to do were the common qualifiers that I heard about the town. I did not take the chance to verify the veracity of each of the adjective mention above.

What I can recommend instead, is the place to stay. Among the different beaches you have, you better aim to the west coast (the West is not the Best, always?). Kamala, Kata and Karon are the nicest beach around. Pick a hotel and cruise between the swimming pool and the sea.

Hotel
What you will not miss in Phuket is accomodation.
You don't beleive me, check this list out !

• Aquamarine Resort & Villa Phuket , Kamala Beach.
  Very nice hotel, high end budget with 3 swimming pools, one swimming bar and numerous places to have a great view overlooking the bay. What is a bit disappointing is the fact that the hotel is a bit remote from Kamala village, at the end of the road. This is nice but every time you want to go somewhere the hotel cab service charge you an arm and a leg to go anywhere. It cost more to go from the hotel to the local town (2 minutes slow taxi drive) than to go from the airport to the hotel (45 minutes ride).
  Don’t even try to bargain, otherwise they walk away, and never come back !
  
• Mom Tri s Boathouse, Kata Beach.
  I have been recommended as well this remote place at the end of the island. The pictures seems nice. Must be a very high end hotel ... for those who can afford

Restaurants

• Pier, Kamala Beach.
  You have plenty of bar and sea food restaurant along the only main street in Kamala. Choose you fish from the massive sea food display table and then walk in, wait a drink or two and then enjoy your sea food battle. Sea food platter for less than 30 € per person.
  
• Food court, Putang Beach.
  This is probably what I liked the most in Putong. On the main street, between 3 professional bars and some street vendors, you have massive food courts. They are a bunch of benches on small place close to the street where in the back street cooks try to feed all sort of people: hungry locals, courageous tourists or foreign foreigner. My recipe for success did not change, choose your lobster and your crab, wait a beer or two and battle with your sea food platter delicacy. The visit to the kitchen on the way out was fascinating. The orchestration of the cooking competed with a visit at Harrods during the sales. Sea food platter for less than 20 € per person.

Pangkil Island

I auto-proclam myself King of Pangkil.

I am sure that you played this game many times in which you have to choose 10 CD, 10 movies or 10 books to go to a desert island. But have ever thought about what kind of island you are going to? That will probably change your list if you knew better where you are going to spend the rest of your life.

Boat trip to go to the desert island

For me this is the island I want to live in if I have to choose 10 CD, 10 movies and 10 books. Althought I am not sure that 10 CD, 10 movies and 10 books will be sufficient till the rest fo my living life as a King of Pangkil.

But hang on there! I could change the law if I want to. As King of Pangkil, I proclame that 10 is not enought, and you can take as many thing as you want. I also proclame that beach is a national sport, with sea shell pickin at low tide and crab staring at high tide. I proclame that every subject must at least have 43.43 minutes of sun per day no matter the weather. All day breakfast, lunch or dinner. Swimming pool diving contest everyday at 5PM before your daily oil massage. Party-Music at the pool or at the Beach depending on the number of stars you can see. I proclame finally that law should not exist, and your dream desert island should be the way the way you want.

The beach

Let me tell you how I landed in my dream land. We were 30 or so to take off direction Pangkil Island in Indonesia. We took a ferry at 6 PM on Friday afternoon to the main Indonesia island from Singpore. 2 hours later we arrived in thje dark in mainland Indonesia and after a quick custom exercise taxed with a one page visa on passport, we all took a giant bus. I managed to squize in the chief's 4X4 just to finish our discussion on what would be the best was to invest in the area (see later the importance of the discussion). After some talking we reached a peer where 2 long Indonesia boats were waiting for us to cross the bay direction Pangkil. The quick dinner was good enough to propulse us to the daily night drinking contest. Finally We were ventilated in our respective house and mine was just above the main "dining room", but I could only appreciate the view in the morning.

And what I discover in the morning was what you could see below !!!!!

The view from my room

The next days we just wandered around playing volley ball, drinking cocktail, eating sea food, playing cards, joking around, dancing salsa in the sand, watching shooting stars, talking about life and other important topics, taking nap, receiving massage and enjoying time.

An inland house

The size of the island was big enought so that we did not had to see each other all the time and could take a break if we wanted to, but was small enough to be able to walk from one side to the other, the swimming pool to the main Beach and not being tired. We were a group of random people, doing random thing and having a good random time.

The outdoor lounge.
Between the Main Dining room.
Under my Bedroom

I thing that as an desert island everything depend on the people you go with and paradise can easily turns into hell. BUT we were a bunch of good people and we did enjoyed our time to the fulliest. We enjoyed so much that some of us extended our stay for an extra night. I was part of the 8 survivors gang and let me tell you that nothing is better than to wake up in paradise once again when you know that you should be somewere else.

Sunset in Indonesia

I gave back temporary my throne to the one of the local chief in command. On my way back from my island to civilisation I thought about conquering Indonesia island by island, and I came up with the master plan. I need a crew of happy people from time to time.

I am looking for my master plan:
- 1 bonefire manager with experience
- 14 massage ladies with experience
- 2 cooks (no experience needed)
- 1 swimming pool watch guard with some movie experience
- 1 boat taxi driver
- 3 bartenders and 1 DJ (recommendation is a must)

And then we will think about the money later on ...

Koh Samui

Full moon was on the rise when people showed up at the pier ... we were thousand crusing in Koh Pha Ngan, wondering from one place to another searching for smiling and familiar faces. But in vain after some fight back to move still as a group, we all gave up and split to the four differents corners of the party, whishing eachother good luck in one eye lush. We had a good time all night long and told our respectives stories at brunch time the next day.

We had a blast in the decadent and proper way, let me tell you how?

Scooter land

Koh Samui is not the island that everyone is going to party, but rather Koh Pha Ngan where the full moon party is on every full moon. Don't worry, if you are around and it's not the full mood, you will still ahve a party, if will be call the black moon, the first of the last moon, but you will have a full party under the moon.

Ko Samui White Beach, Salty Sea

Koh Samui is an island where you have the main and closest airport, full stars hotels and facilities nearby the party island. At night you take a speed boat and 50 minutes later with your new boat-party friends you land on the promise island. At first you dont really understand why you been taged with a all-incluseve bracelet, but a quick look around make me think of my South-West ferias under the tropic. That night, I was sure that some people would sleep where they fell. We still were a group of 30 or plus people together moving still at the same pace and promise to each other that no matter what we will not lost one soul in this sea of human being.

Lunch on the beach

We were wrong, after the first corner we lost half of the crowd and deide to go ahead anyway, thinking that it was already one o'clock and we should go the the main party if we don't want to miss it. So we walk ahead, buying on our way 5 liters bucket of what ever we could, here local Rhum, Gin or Whisky. An 30 people animal stroke-drinking is a wild animal that needed to be fed on regular basis. So we did it.

Street coconut vendor on the beach.
Does that make him a beach coconut vendor?

We finally reach after 3 or 4 buckets the main playa del Full Moon. Imagine thousand of people dancing barefoot on the beach at the sound of a blasting techno music under a full moon. We lost thousand people from pour group and find them back. I was personally lost twice and been rescue by J. twice as well.

Smile on a sea-bike

A small group of full mooner took the last boat back to the Koh Samui. The departure was the most chaotic fighting ever. Try to convince a fellow english man drunk, that the shoe he thought was his is in reality your tee-shirt. The last people from the island jumped in the last boat from where we saw the sunrise between 2 snoring. The return must had took the same time but I still dont remember it.

One of the many night restaurant on the beach

Full Moon party is a must in the life time of parier but no recommend to boat averse, unless drun all time. Life is hard when you don't know what to do with, but easy if you let if flow

Koh Samui address

Hotel

• Chaweng Cabana, Kho Samui
  Very nice hotel/cabana squeezed between the main road and the beach. A foot step away from the main attraction and a sea shell through away from the white sand beach. Supposed to have some breakfast as well, but I can’t comment on that. I am not sure at what time I came back from the party.
• Le Paradis Boutique Resort & Spa, (formely known as Princess Village)
  Le Paradis has a beachfront swimming pool and a variety of spa treatments, perfect for relaxation and pampering. Very nice place to wander around. Not to menction the bar restaurant overlooking the beach. That was our HQ for the rest of the weekend. Highly recommended for nice a nd relax stationary strategic dreamover.

Restaurant

• Karebu at the hotel Spa Le Paradis.
  The menu is just fantastic. Fusion food mixing west Western & Thai.
  But the best is probably the view you have at dinner time, lsiten to the waves crashing on your feet, or watching the moon rising above the sea.
• Beside the KArebu, I don't remember eating much, only drinking, must have ate something, but don't quite remember, must have been some Whiskey and shrimps or some sort of condiment.
• I remember having an ice cream on my way out to the airport.
  Does it count?

Bars

• Soi Green Mango and its surrounding is a full-tilt bar zone.
  Take off your wallet and dance your ass off all night long.