Part of Wat Phra Kaew in Bangkok's Grand Palace
Planes and layovers for 26 hours. Arrive at 1AM. Ripped off by a taxi. Rats patrolling garbage heaps. Drunk backpackers lazing about. Puddles of puke and urine. Finally find cheap hostel. Attractive young lady stumbles sleepily to check me in. On second thought, it’s definitely a man. Why did I pain myself in coming here again? The first day is always the worst. Why do I always forget the cuture shocks?
The next morning is a lot better. It always takes a good sleep before realizing that it’s not unbearably foreign here. Everything from last night had changed too. Someone cleaned the streets of garbage, the rats went into hiding, and there was a real woman at reception. Also, I was reminded that I am not a wandering traveller this time. I have a mission. I am job hunting in South East Asia. And off to one of the poorest and devastating of them all: Cambodia. Not much has changed in Bangkok since I was here 6 years ago. If the same is true in Cambodia, I’ll question why I was even considering working there.
But that’s all for next week. I have a couple days to chill out in Thailand first. I may as well head for the southern paradise!
-steve-
