Friday, August 17, 2012

These guys love the 'Kok!

Here we are: Jared, Andrew, Chris, and Justin -- just 4 guys enjoying their post-bar (or pre-3L...) time off.

Hello Reader,

Right now, we are on a 22 hour bus ride from Chiangmai, Thailand to Luang Prabang (more like LONG Prabang!) Laos. We figured now would be a good time to give you an update on our travels. Because we know you care. (About us, not our shitty blog).

We started out in Bangkok, a bustling Asian megacity, teeming with tuk tuks, streetside noodleshops, "massage parlours," rabbit sized cockroaches, and, of course, ladyboys. Hence the name of our blog.

Before our trip, our experience with Bangkok was limited to asking people, "What's the capitol of Thailand?" and then punching them in the nuts when they answered. But now we know so much more:

1. Wat is the word for temple. Wat? I just told you. It's Wat. Yes but wat's the word? Exactly.
2. Jared and Justin wear the same sized shorts. We know this because FinnAir lost Jared's bag and could not locate it for 5 days.
3. Every price is negotiable. Each of us have our own effective negotiating technique with Bangkokian vendors, from Andrew's shouting "No! No!" in the face of the vendors, to Justin's feeling bad for them and then paying 20 baht more than the asking price. Chris prefers automatically laughing at the seller's opening bid and then walking away. Jared's signature move is snatching the calculator from the seller, pressing clear, and replacing it with his own bid--often 0.
4. At a Muay Thai fight, the cheap seats are the best seats because we got to sit with men betting their life savings on the fate of a man who dances and peacocks around to a cymbal and gong orchestra before each viciously entertaining fight.
5. At a cabaret, we learned that the ladies of Thailand are not very good at Ping Pong due to their unorthodox playing style.

We were also also honoured to spend two days in Bangkok during preparations for the Queen's birthday. In a country that venerates its royal family as much as the Thais, this meant much giddy anticipation among the populace, and construction of various party-ish decorations and infrastructure, including an elevator for the elderly, hospitalized King's triumphal return to the royal palace. And although we love him and may end up going to a Thai jail for saying this, we must admit that he is NOT the world's most phyically attractive monarch.

Check back tomorrow for a post about the exciting island portion of our trip!

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