Travelogue Two: Bangkok Backpacker
March 24th 2003
Well after hardly seeing any white kids for a week other then our wonderful friend Victor, we have made it to Bangkok and more importantly Khao San Road, home to every other backpacker who hits Thailand. We arrived yesterday afternoon on an almost empty flight, apparently between the war (if you can call it that) and the deadly new pneumonia outbreak tourism in Asia is suffering. All the better for us, I'm not going to complain about getting 5 seats to myself for the duration of the flight and overly attentive stewards who wish to give me beer.
Compared to Tokyo, Bangkok is a sultry city. The air wraps around you like a decadent touch after the chilly spring is coming air of Tokyo. I must admit though that I really loved Tokyo. Victor was a smart man to set roots there, especially cause it meant we could afford to visit. If the old rule was that you hadn't lived until you went to Paris, the rule for our generation should be you haven't lived until you've been to Tokyo. We had a fantastic last weekend. We spent all of Friday enjoying the first day of spring alongside a million others out wandering the markets and enjoying the sunshine. I would have never thought that such a staggeringly sized crowd could move so efficiently or politely- welcome to Japan.
On Saturday we took it easy, hanging out in Shibuya and then meeting up with our friend Adrian from Toronto who last minute jumped on a plane last Tuesday to visit his girlfriend Chako. We had a fantastic sushi dinner, complete with live Goby eating (okay so I couldn't do it)- apparently these tiny little fish only come once a year, you eat them still swimming bathed in a shot glass of vinegar. It was hilarious watching Chako attempt to grab these tiny squirming fish in chopsticks and actually get them in her mouth.
After dinner we headed out towards the industrial and stadium area to go to a large rave. Coincidentally (or maybe not since I have only 2 degrees of stephination not separation) old friends of mine from Vancouver- Chika and Akira were throwing a massive. They used to hold small 3-400 person trance parties 6 years ago when we all lived out west. Now they are one of the biggest Japanese promoters, holding an annual summer party at the base of Mt. Fuji for approximately 10 000. Victor managed to find someone who knew someone with their phone numbers and graciously they hooked us up with free passes and all access badges.
There were some bumpin' tunes and some incredible lasers. We left at 5:30 in the morning, just in time to catch one of the first trains back to the city, which was a monorail that offered incredible views of the city as the sun rose tinting everything with light shades of blue and pink. After a few hours sleep (well we slept, Victor went to another party!) we checked out the dressed up freaks in Meiji park not to far from Shibuya in Harajuku. I guess I looked freaky enough too with my hair all braided with pink-orange yarn and my day-glo 60's pants on because a fair number of people snapped my pic as I was snapping others.
Well my hour of time is almost up. Tomorrow we plan on getting out of Bangkok- it's time for some beach relaxation, we'll explore Bangkok on the way through some other time. Hope all of you are well.
Lots of love to you!
*steph & andrew*
