So an elephant walks into a bar...

And I try to take a picture; but it's obscured by English boys.
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Lunch area at Wildflower

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Anxious, dirty, disgusted, a bit emotionally scarred and two baht poorer.  But proud of myself.  And definitely never using the bathroom at the Bangkok train station ever again. 

Days 3 and 4

The rains had derailed my temple touring plans.  So I found myself at Jim Thompson's house thoroughly unimpressed.  Though I finally learned why that raised step in between doorways exists.  And I'm stubbing my toes at a slightly less frequency.  Went to a giant seven story mall and played House of the Dead I, III, and IV back to back.  Epic.  Took a nap before going out for the night.  Enjoyed a beer while eavesdropping on some Swiss boys debating the merits of whether I was a Thai lady boy.  Met a Pole who had fallen in love with a Thai girl seven years earlier and never left.  But it didn't work out so well for him. 

Today I awoke in a mood of sorts.  Perhaps it was my mother ringing me at 630am.  Perhaps just anxiety over leaving to Chiang Mai tonight.  I am trying to keep an open mind about everything.  Trying not to perpetuate the now standardized Shelley curse.  Trying not to believe in the inevitability of... anything.  But I have five hours to kill.  Maybe another Thai massage.  Maybe some reading.  Definitely some more coffee and cigarettes. 

Bee tee dubs, I hate bartering.

At the club with my glow stick yo

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People watching at a cafe

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Day 1

Woke up at my mother's co-worker's mother's home after four hours sleep.  Shed a quick tear over a recent heartbreak, but vowed not to do it again.  Had plastic wrapped Minnie Mouse as my witness.  Went downstairs to a table full of food.  Ate something orange and proceeded to take a fake bath.  Don't ask.  Taxi to the hotel.  Blew my load on a Thai telephone.  Shook my escort and finally acquired a much needed meal of coffee and cigarettes.

But enough with the logging.  The twenty hour flight was a miserable combination of a peanut and beer diet combined with no sleep and a bit of deep vein thrombosis.  The previous night's anxiety only subsided after I randomly met my friend Elan on Khao San Rd.  An evening with Israelis entailed breakfast for dinner, two night bazaars, a slightly frightening tuk tuk ride and watching a wonderful rendition of Smells Like Teen Spirit performed by a lovely band of Thai boys.  Oh, and some Mai Tais, too.  All in all (whatever that introductory clause means), it was a good first day.

This morning I walked to the Grand Palace.  Got my picture taken with a tourist who thought I was famous.  I thought it better not to argue in front of the Emerald Buddha.  Received my first Thai massage when I got back to the hotel.  More than a bit nerve wracking due to the gender of my masseur.  Vowed to avoid male masseuses in the future.  Though I admit, he surely stretched me in ways, well...  Discovered that knees in ones ass cheeks actually feels good.  But thumbs in your ears, not so much.  Still not a fan of people touching me. 

I am currently sitting in an internet cafe at four in the morning.  Sleep schedule has been all sorts of wacky.  It is raining now, but I like the weather.  It's nice to finally be warm.