The First Trip To Thailand

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Actually what makes me cringe are people like you, ignorant as the young backpackers you now condemn but with a smug. know it all -but completely unjustified-sense of expertise.(as though Sukhumvit is any more "real" than KSR!!The wai to the old dear at the guest house was correct incidentally.You seem not yet old enough to have developed into one of the downmarket Anglo-Saxon losers that flourish -though a minority- on this forum, but the warning signs are there.I sense an underlying intelligence so for heavens sake wake up about Thailand before you are just another farang deadbeat.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wonder if he realises how revealing his witless remarks are? Boris, time is too precious to be perfect. Wake up before it's too late!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think it may be too late already

[mbkudu]

I remember my first time in Thailand in 1991. On Wisut Kasat Road in Banlampoo C&C guest house had chicken coops for rent at 50 baht per day; it was enough space for me back then. Every night the same tuk tuk driver positioned himself outside the guest house for my brother, two other fellow travelers from England whom we met, and myself to go to Patpong each night. The nights were fun and crazy. The worst night I remember was waking up in Pussy Galore at 7:00 a.m.

with puke all over the front of my shirt. They just let me sleep it off. Wallet still in the pocket and watch still on the wrist. Those were the days.

I moved out of C&C after a year and moved to Petchburi Road. Six months after I moved out I heard from a friend that C&C had burned downed mysteriously. Evidently a tourist from Bahrain who had been staying there had a large amount of cash and valuables in a safety deposit box there. After the fire, hiss stuff was not in the box. Unfortunately two young waitresses perished in the fire, sad indeed.

[tutsiwarrior]

in 1999, recently divorced and after living in SE Asia (Indonesia) for 3 years I landed in LOS with the idea of what I wanted and an idea of how to obtain it. It took less than 24 hours to find the real item and now happily married 5 years later with a house and a new family. Sorry...no backpaker tales to relate...

[Boon Mee]

Summer of '78 took the train up from Singapore and once across the border had to try the Durien - washed down with copious amounts of Singha.

Boy... was that a mistake!

[boris]

Since its the season of goodwill, why doesnt someone invite Boris around for some dinner today and try and enlighten him, I would myself but I am stuck in Malaysia. I know he would not be interested but if I were there where he is or he were I was, I would definetely buy him a jar.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks.I genuinely appreciate the offer and the kind thought.You might be a little surprised to meet the actual Boris, although in fact I had an excellent and convivial Christmas.I do appreciate I appear as a curmudgeon and I sometimes for a bit of fun deliberately go over the top in making a point.I do however think there is a role for someone on this forum that says the things that others don't particularly want to hear.None of it is very profound I dare say.If I have irritated or offended anyone I am sorry although you probably deserved it.As we have seen, life is precarious and too short to hold grudges.

My contribution to the thread is that in the mid-1980's armed with a modicum of Thai ,courtesy the Union Language School managed to order fried chicken at breakfast with my boss at a smart hotel -Montien I think- (instead of the fried eggs I thought I had ordered).In embarrassment at my mistake I ploughed my way through the wretched stuff.

[Dickie]

Nope I don't cringe at all. Had a great time, apart from a week with tonsilitis. Nice.

[ProfessorFart]

No cringes here either.

I finally made it alone in 1992 after three aborted trips with 'old Thai hand' mates fell through.

I'd been armed with enough caveats and tales from them and read enough in the intervening 2 years - between first planning to come and actually arriving in Bangkok - to know most of the social no-nos, pick up a smattering of Thai and learn about the history etc. It felt as though I'd already been there without actually going.

Although no amount of reading or second hand experiences can truly prepare you for the first hand experience of a city like BKK, the fact that I also spent my first few nights in BKK on Surawongse/Patpong with a group of hoary old Scottish expats, some of whom showed me parts of the city during the day, helped me avoid pitfalls even further.

Edited December 31, 2004 by ProfessorFart

[theviking]

the first trip was easy: 2 weeks on a barstool...

The second though, get me headache: 3 weeks on the same barstool..

...but i guess iam ok now...

[aughie]

My first trip went so well I remember telling everyone how clean Bkk was. Hahaha...Now that is making a great impression. I was so amazed with the place the pollution couldn't break the grip the city had on me. I got back and immediately bought 2 tickets 6 months apart. Been on this routine since 1999.