Cowboys in Thailand (or Cameras Don't Cost $23,000) (or "She's a Real Firecracker")
Ok, so I left off last time with the coconut milk. Shortly after that, I was invited to the computer store with Jeff and David. So, again, I ventured into one of the many "malls" in downtown Bangkok. But these are no ordinary malls--they are huge malls with any kind of store you can imagine (actually 3 or 4 of every kind of store you can imagine). So, we paced about the incense-infused corridors of this lovely shopping haven and then it hit me--cameras don't cost $23,000!! So, what the heck do all these (extremely large) numbers really mean...to me...an American...who pays for things with dollars? Well, the currency here is the Baht and as of now the mighty American dollar is worth 38 Baht, meaning I have to take the price of things here and...divide by 38!! (I'm glad I went to college for that one)
Now I'm backtracking, trying to remember prices of various items I have seen in the past few days. Gas here is less that a dollar, a bottle of Pepsi is 50 cents, and my plate of pad thai--less than two dollars! I was excited by all of that, and I'm gonna keep doing price comparisons (because that's what I do) My mother was right--things really are dirt cheap here! So, after an hour's worth of calculations, we were done at the mall and off to the airport to pick up Rebecca!
We arrived quite early, so we had time for lunch! Even airport food here is great! I had some sweet and sour shrimp dish with rice ( I LOVE rice and I am so happy that it comes with EVERY SINGLE meal that I eat here!) I also realized that when we go out to eat, I don't order--David does. That's an interesting twist for me, but hey! he hasn't steered me wrong yet. So, we finish our meals while watching Mr. Bean reruns on the TV in the restaurant, which David and Jeff found hilarious! I have to admit, I was pretty entertained by them too, except I was more frustrated with the decisions that Mr. Bean was making (You just don't wash your teddy bear and expect him to remain the same size as when you put him in, c'mon--ahh, sweet, silly, British humor!)
We finish eating and we go to meet Rebecca. While we're waiting, Johnson (a work associate of David's) comes up to meet us. He greets Jeff by covering his eyes, what a jokester! Well, good thing Mom showed me a picture of him before we went, because I would have been much more nervous about a strange man straggling right on next to me, covering the eyes of a young child (Good thinking, Mom!) After about 45 or an hour waiting--during which I saw many things and people of interest (not even Thailand is safe from the dangerous phenomenon that is the MULLET), Rebecca shows up! We journey back home and relax for just a bit.
David let me into his library and I found a book about English football fans and how they are the dregs of society and super violent drunks (it's been said to be like A Clockwork Orange come alive)...needless to say, I'm glued to it whenever I get the chance to read! So, I read for a bit and then Jeff comes to announce that I have been cordially invited to go to dinner with Rebecca and David (even though I JUST ate about 2 hours ago!) What else do I have to do, though, right? I haul myself downstairs and we embark on our journey.
About 5 minutes go by (and by now I am used to being in the car for at least 20 or 30 minutes to get anywhere) and BAM! we arrive at our culinary destination--a Thai Cowboy Restaurant. We pull up and I already see people with cowboy hats, fringe vests, and boots! I'm in heaven--I wanted so badly to take a picture before I left, but I thought it might be a little bit too touristy of me! So, David orders us food and I get some fried rice and an amazing soup--it's some seafood soup, but the broth is exquisite (despite it being rather spicy)! I eat 2 1/2 bowls (they're small though, so...it's justified ;-)and David, Rebecca, and I have a pleasant chat about why he isn't allowed to go there after the sun goes down (the cowgirls' skirts got shorter as it got darker).
David also loves my Mom...a lot! He loves to tell me how great she is (even though I already know), but I really like it too, because I like bragging about my mom--well, I like talking about her in general because it makes me think of her, which makes me much less homesick. Sometimes, though, I think I'm making a stretch when I try to incorporate her--or any of my other friends--into the conversation.
For example, when we were talking about air travel, David pointed out that Baltimore was notorious for losing his luggage...I responded by talking about the time I drove up to Baltimore with Jeff in my Mom's Jaguar and how great a drive the car was and how excited I was to hang out with my Mom, who is the coolest Mom ever, and how I want to be 1/2 as cool as she is when I am like her, but how I probably will never be that cool, and how all my friends like her and wish they were her Mom, and how I am glad she's my Mom and not theirs.............that's not too far off of the original subject right? I realized I have diarrhea of the mouth (which I know I heard somewhere, but can't remember). I say one thing that is somewhat related to the topic at hand and then in my head there is a whole other stream of consciousness thing going on and when I get really excited---Plshshshshhshshsh, it all comes out (kind of like when I post on my livejournal...)
---Also, when I was rereading this, I sound kind of like I'm stalking my Mom, but it didn't really all come out like that, and also, David started it! :-P That leads me to another thing--out of nowhere, he turns to Rebecca and says, "She's cute isn't she?" to which Rebecca responds with a giggle and a "Yeah, she is." (I'm thinking, yay, he's not too sick of me yet--give it a few more days...) Then, in the same breath David says..."I wish you could meet her Mum (he says Mum, I love it!) She's a real firecracker." And proceeds to talk about how smart my Mom is, but also how much she eats! I think this is hilarious, because I know my Mom and her appetite is not as extensive as David might have you believe! Maybe she ate a lot while she was touring the Far East with him, who knows? But I just laugh and smile and will never correct him!
And now that I have officially dragged out the events of my day a whole lot longer than they needed to be drawn out, I am off to read more about the Thugs of England! I'm sure I'll have just as much, if not more, to report on tomorrow!
:-)
Now I'm backtracking, trying to remember prices of various items I have seen in the past few days. Gas here is less that a dollar, a bottle of Pepsi is 50 cents, and my plate of pad thai--less than two dollars! I was excited by all of that, and I'm gonna keep doing price comparisons (because that's what I do) My mother was right--things really are dirt cheap here! So, after an hour's worth of calculations, we were done at the mall and off to the airport to pick up Rebecca!
We arrived quite early, so we had time for lunch! Even airport food here is great! I had some sweet and sour shrimp dish with rice ( I LOVE rice and I am so happy that it comes with EVERY SINGLE meal that I eat here!) I also realized that when we go out to eat, I don't order--David does. That's an interesting twist for me, but hey! he hasn't steered me wrong yet. So, we finish our meals while watching Mr. Bean reruns on the TV in the restaurant, which David and Jeff found hilarious! I have to admit, I was pretty entertained by them too, except I was more frustrated with the decisions that Mr. Bean was making (You just don't wash your teddy bear and expect him to remain the same size as when you put him in, c'mon--ahh, sweet, silly, British humor!)
We finish eating and we go to meet Rebecca. While we're waiting, Johnson (a work associate of David's) comes up to meet us. He greets Jeff by covering his eyes, what a jokester! Well, good thing Mom showed me a picture of him before we went, because I would have been much more nervous about a strange man straggling right on next to me, covering the eyes of a young child (Good thinking, Mom!) After about 45 or an hour waiting--during which I saw many things and people of interest (not even Thailand is safe from the dangerous phenomenon that is the MULLET), Rebecca shows up! We journey back home and relax for just a bit.
David let me into his library and I found a book about English football fans and how they are the dregs of society and super violent drunks (it's been said to be like A Clockwork Orange come alive)...needless to say, I'm glued to it whenever I get the chance to read! So, I read for a bit and then Jeff comes to announce that I have been cordially invited to go to dinner with Rebecca and David (even though I JUST ate about 2 hours ago!) What else do I have to do, though, right? I haul myself downstairs and we embark on our journey.
About 5 minutes go by (and by now I am used to being in the car for at least 20 or 30 minutes to get anywhere) and BAM! we arrive at our culinary destination--a Thai Cowboy Restaurant. We pull up and I already see people with cowboy hats, fringe vests, and boots! I'm in heaven--I wanted so badly to take a picture before I left, but I thought it might be a little bit too touristy of me! So, David orders us food and I get some fried rice and an amazing soup--it's some seafood soup, but the broth is exquisite (despite it being rather spicy)! I eat 2 1/2 bowls (they're small though, so...it's justified ;-)and David, Rebecca, and I have a pleasant chat about why he isn't allowed to go there after the sun goes down (the cowgirls' skirts got shorter as it got darker).
David also loves my Mom...a lot! He loves to tell me how great she is (even though I already know), but I really like it too, because I like bragging about my mom--well, I like talking about her in general because it makes me think of her, which makes me much less homesick. Sometimes, though, I think I'm making a stretch when I try to incorporate her--or any of my other friends--into the conversation.
For example, when we were talking about air travel, David pointed out that Baltimore was notorious for losing his luggage...I responded by talking about the time I drove up to Baltimore with Jeff in my Mom's Jaguar and how great a drive the car was and how excited I was to hang out with my Mom, who is the coolest Mom ever, and how I want to be 1/2 as cool as she is when I am like her, but how I probably will never be that cool, and how all my friends like her and wish they were her Mom, and how I am glad she's my Mom and not theirs.............that's not too far off of the original subject right? I realized I have diarrhea of the mouth (which I know I heard somewhere, but can't remember). I say one thing that is somewhat related to the topic at hand and then in my head there is a whole other stream of consciousness thing going on and when I get really excited---Plshshshshhshshsh, it all comes out (kind of like when I post on my livejournal...)
---Also, when I was rereading this, I sound kind of like I'm stalking my Mom, but it didn't really all come out like that, and also, David started it! :-P That leads me to another thing--out of nowhere, he turns to Rebecca and says, "She's cute isn't she?" to which Rebecca responds with a giggle and a "Yeah, she is." (I'm thinking, yay, he's not too sick of me yet--give it a few more days...) Then, in the same breath David says..."I wish you could meet her Mum (he says Mum, I love it!) She's a real firecracker." And proceeds to talk about how smart my Mom is, but also how much she eats! I think this is hilarious, because I know my Mom and her appetite is not as extensive as David might have you believe! Maybe she ate a lot while she was touring the Far East with him, who knows? But I just laugh and smile and will never correct him!
And now that I have officially dragged out the events of my day a whole lot longer than they needed to be drawn out, I am off to read more about the Thugs of England! I'm sure I'll have just as much, if not more, to report on tomorrow!
:-)