booze, a bad influence and some bad decisions

Monday Aug 15 & Tuesday Aug 16 2016

After visiting Ben my plan was to go to Krabi. I taxi-ed to the bus station near him and then hopped in a van. The ride took a little over 3 hours. Jenna and I were meeting up there, but not until later in the week. I was going to be exploring on my own yet again. Fingers crossed I don't consume any questionable chicken this time.

I was hungry, so after checking in to my hostel I headed to a restaurant down the street. I treated myself to a beer and a book while people watching with the ocean as the backdrop.

Once I'd finished, I headed back. I met some people at my hostel who were going on a bar crawl that night, so I figured what the hell and joined in. Little did I know, it would be a bunch of 18 somethings from New Zealand and Australia who could drink me under the table. It was definitely quite an evening, which resulted in me being quite hungover the next day. This mid twenty something just can't hang like she used to. My saving grace however was that the weather was overcast and rainy so it was absolutely perfect for napping the day away. Eventually however I did get out of bed and headed to the beach. I had a nice walk in the cold, wet sand once the rain had stopped.

I got back to my hostel only to discover that the 18 year olds were at it again. Tonight they would be taking a party bus to another hostel where they would be playing bar games ALL NIGHT LONG. Woof. I certainly wasn't going to sit in alone (especially because then I would've been woken up by all of the drunkies in my dorm room when they did decide to roll in) but I definitely had learned my lesson from the night before. I was not going to try to keep up. And while I made a solid effort, in the end, tequila buckets were had and bottle to mouth shots were poured. 18 year olds two, 20 somethings big fat zeros.

All in all this Krabi trip was a lovely blur of booze. I was definitely ready to get out of here.

Heading South to Nakhon Si Thammarat

Friday Aug 12-Mon Aug 15 2016

I was supposed to wake up early, finish packing, clean out my refrigerator, say bye to Jason and move out of my apartment for good, however...

a) my alarm went off but my phone was on silent
b) I turned off my alarm and went back to sleep
c) I slept through my alarm
d) I never set my alarm

because I rolled over and looked at the clock AND IT WAS WAY, WAY LATE!
I had to leave for the airport in 12 minutes. OMG 12 minutes. What? I literally jumped out of bed, screamed for Jason to get up and hopped in the shower for the fastest 2 minutes of my life. When I got out I started yelling to Jason, "put this in my bag, clean this out of the refrigerator, etc, etc." I started packing up bags of food and running them down the hall and stacking them outside of Sian and Linds' rooms. I banged on Lauren's door, asking if she would take two boxes of my shit that I could go through when I got back. I was, to say the least, frazzled. I ran out of my apartment and down the stairs with my big pack on my back. I hailed a taxi but he refused to take me to the airport. I then hailed another taxi who agreed. Thank God! We were about a mile down sukhumvit when my current taxi driver decided heading to the airport wasn't a good idea and told me to beat it. WHAT? But you just picked me up and told me you could take me?! Gahhhh.
I flagged down another taxi and thankfully this one took me ALL THE WAY to the airport.

I wasn't planning on checking my bag however, so when I got to the airport I headed to my terminal. When I arrived the attendants told me I could not bring my bag on the plane and that I would have to go to baggage check which was in a different terminal. Me and my big bagged self went sprinting through the terminals, hoping to make our flight. When we arrived to the front of the baggage claim counter the woman asked me if I was ok with the extra checked baggage fee. Well no, I certainly wasn't, but what the hell else was I going to do? I had to check this bag and I had to make my flight. She took the bag and watched me sprint off toward my terminal. All of you "on the edge of your seat" readers will be happy to know I did make my flight that morning.

I texted Jason to apologize for being a complete nut (what a great farewell impression, right?) The text I received back was telling me to be really careful-- there had just been a series of bombings in the south, close to where I was headed. There had also been a bombing in Hua Hin-- thank god Tash had left a week earlier. Figured I should probably be on top of it because last time there was a bombing, my mother found out about it and was wondering if I was ok. This time I tried to be proactive instead of reactive by texting her and turns out she didn't even know about the bombings! #DamnMyGoodDaughterConscience

When I finally did decide to head out of the shoebox sized airport in Nakhon Si Thammarat I was met with a whole lot of nothing. I tried like mad to get a taxi, but there were none in sight. I was going to have to succumb to the ridiculously overpriced airport taxi service. The taxi driver had no idea how to get to Ben's, even after speaking to him on the phone, and ended up dropping me a few blocks from his apartment. This wouldn't have been a big deal, however, Ben was on crutches so it's not like he could come get me. I trudged on in the heat with my big yellow bag.

Ben's house was nice- it had a downstairs living area and kitchen with a bathroom. Upstairs there were two bedrooms and a bathroom. I lucked out because Ben had a girl roommate who was gone for the weekend so I was able to stay in her room.

We didn't do much because of Ben's crutches. He had been in a motorbike accident a few months ago and had messed his leg up pretty badly. He was currently recovering from one of a few surgeries he would have to undergo. That was fine by me though- I was looking forward to a weekend of resting and relaxing. We ordered some super delicious thai style burritos and then underwent the task of binge watching Stranger Things (I highly recommend it, in case you're wondering)

Ben took me to a few different restaurants in his town (these were pretty much the only things in his tiny town).

One of the mornings I decided I'd make breakfast, however Ben had no groceries. I went wandering into the neighborhood because he said that there were a lot of thais nearby who sold eggs and other items out of their houses. I was slightly freaked out, because as I walked, I came across two very, very large buffalo. They just kept nomming on grass though, so I just kept on walking. Phew. That's definitely something you don't see everyday (or ever!) in Bangkok. I came across a few thai women who were selling groceries on their front porch so I stopped to get our breakfast ingredients. While doing this, I witnessed some kind of thai celebration that included fireworks near their shrine to buddha.

I'm glad I got to see and experience the tiny town Ben lived in, but being there reaffirmed for me that I had made the right decision to live and work in Bangkok.

But Really, I Should Be Listing My Place on AirBNB

Bangkok for the week of Aug 8-11 2016

My Canadian friend from Koh Tao, Jason, came to stay with me for the week in Bangkok. When he arrived in Thailand he had flown into Bangkok, but hadn't really explored it. I told him I'd play tour guide, for a small fee of course :)

I started out by introducing him to really delicious, cheap, thai street food. (He hadn't been eating much of it on the islands.) There's a wonderful little place right down the street from me that's only open until 3pm during the week, so you have to rush to get there, but boy is it delish. The walls on the inside of the garage where they cook the food are also really cool because they are riddled with photos of everyday life in Thailand. Jason definitely approved of our first stop.

We then headed to a viewpoint bar. On our way, we passed a street vendor selling shredded pork sticky rice (disclaimer: it may not even be called this, but that is how I would describe it)-- it's one of my most favorite thai dishes. I made Jason try some and he liked it too!

The bar itself was only 25 stories, but it had a 1920s flapper theme. The inside of the building fit the theme perfectly and the outside balcony was quaint and quiet. I chose it because they have a really nice whiskey selection and when it comes to whiskey, Jason doesn't mess around. I told him if he really wanted to see the city though, we had to go to the tallest viewpoint in Bangkok, Vertigo at Banyan Tree (I had been to this bar with my coworkers and it was amazing) We wandered there but on our way it started to rain. When we arrived the rooftop was closed but we could take a peek from inside the restaurant a few stories below. Did I mention Jason has a fear of heights? I don't think he liked this activity quite as much as the last one.

I then took him for pizza at THE ONLY place to order pizza in Bangkok (trust me friends, Bangkok "pizza hut" does not taste like it does back home) However, because we're ignorant and don't use meters for measurement, we ordered incredibly incorrectly and ended up with enough pizza to feed us for four days. #ThankGodForBoyStomachs

Jenna and I decided a tour of Bangkok wouldn't be complete without free bubbly, so we put Wednesday night Ku de Ta on the calendar. However, since I had sent almost all of my nice clothes home and Jason only had backpacking clothes, we had to spend some time at the mall finding appropriate clothes and shoes for the occasion- Ku de Ta doesn't just let in any schmuck from off the street. So, by going on a tour of the malls in Bangkok and getting clothes for the evening, we killed two birds with one stone. Ku de Ta is an experience to say the least. Jason totally loved the strobe lights on the ceiling, the bumpin music and the overflowing glasses of bubbly. But the best part? When the champagne stops at 11pm, everyone heads downstairs to the lobby of the building-- in it there's a sev and beers/liquors are super cheap. We got a few bottles and then sat in the lobby of the closed starbucks to enjoy them. We then headed back up, ready to dance the night away, having enough liquid courage to shake it like shakira but enough money left in our pockets for some late night Dondy's and then some. We may look like we classy, but these shmucks came in from right off the street :) #No400BahtBeersForMe

Jason had seen plenty of outdoor tourist markets, but what he hadn't seen was the outdoor market for locals in the slums. This market was a true Bangkok experience. It's amazing because tourists don't know about it (well except for the few lucky ones) so it's a real immersion experience. I've been there quite a few times, but bringing someone for the first time never gets old, especially when you're walking by hanging pig carcasses, chicken decapitations and fish flopping off the tables. Jason was really glad to have seen it, but I'm not sure if he would've eaten anything from there (little does he know that's where I get all of my fruits and vegetables :)

Bangkok certainly isn't complete without a massage and on my street is the best massage place, hands down. I bring all of my guests there. Which unfortunately, probably looks a bit odd to my regular ladies who saw me in with Tom over the weekend and are now seeing me in with Jason but long hair don't care, right? He very much enjoyed his massage, sans happy ending.

Did I mention Jason was in law school at the time he was traveling? So yeah, even though he liked to live it up he still had to get some work done here and there, which worked out perfectly for us one evening. It was Julianne's last night, so Jenna and I decided to meet up with her for dinner at Hemingways. We celebrated the three of us, our fun times in Thailand, and our adventures to come. It was a wonderful last dinner! After we ate, I headed back to my apartment to grab Jason. We decided we wanted to hear some live music and I had been hearing nothing but great things about Iron Fairies from Jenna and Julianne, so I decided to bring him there. The venue is small and intimate. We got to sit in the loft area right near the band. Their set was absolutely amazing-- everything was accoustic. And, they had fantastic whiskey. win. win.
After Iron Fairies, we went with Jenna and Julianne to this crazy hole in the wall underground house/techno club (one of Julieanne's favorite things) and danced the night away. Sionara Julianne, XXX!

I decided we needed to see the "nature-y" part of Bangkok, so I planned a day at the Green Lung. We took the MRT to the river, then boarded a boat across (Jenna told us they would try to charge us more because we are farang but just to pay the local price). On the other side you can rent bikes and circle around some paths surrounded by water. It's very beautiful and relaxing. We biked until the heat overtook us and then headed back to the city life.

All in all it was a super fun week. I loved getting to spend time enjoying the city I called my home for seven months, with a person I called my friend for seven days.

Hostess with the Mostess

Sat Aug 6 and Sun Aug 7 2016

I headed to bed really late after getting home from my tour of the islands. I woke up Saturday morning to a text from my friend Tom. He was on his way back to Bangkok and was hoping to come stay with me... tonight.
What? Already? Yikes! I had been living in shared accomodations for over three weeks now and was incredibly excited to enjoy some alone time in my very own room. However, how could I say no to a friend and fun? Looks like my alone time was short lived. I'd be entertaining a roomie come tonight.
Tom arrived on a bus super late like I had the night before. He got in, showered and we headed to bed. On Sunday we both relaxed and recooperated. We spent some time by the pool and a little bit of time at Big C- I needed food, ok? and maybe a bra or two...

As a reward for putting up with my shopping, I took Tom for dinner at the flying chicken restaurant. He absolutely loved it!

We attempted to go to a few bars after dinner but because it was a thai holiday nowhere was serving alcohol (I secretly loved this because it meant we had nothing else to do but go home and go to sleep- score for the old woman in me!)

A Bad Booking Back to Bangkok

Friday 5 Aug 2016

Today was my last day on Koh Tao. I would be leaving without having done any scuba diving on an island that's sole purpose is to provide amazing dive sites. Oh well. At least I got to explore the land part of the island...
Jason, his friends and I started with brunch at a cafe down the street from our hostel. We then headed to the bus station. My option was a ferry and then a 12 hour bus ride back to Bangkok. No thank you. I decided it would be worth it to fly, so I booked a flight and then headed into the station to book a boat. Only problem? There wasn't a ferry leaving in time to get me to the airport. So, I had to eat the cost of the flight, AND book a ferry and a 12 hour bus back to Bangkok. #DumbTravelerMoments

Jason and I went to the beach for a swim-- I needed a serious cool off after that major faux pas. We enjoyed the sunshine for what was left of the afternoon and then we parted ways. I headed to the dock to embark on my 16 hour journey back to BKK, while Jason headed back to the hostel to embark on a fun night out with friends. Woof.
After sailing on the ferry and riding on the bus, I finally found my home in Bangkok around 1:30am. To say I was exhausted was an understatement.

Tacos on Tao

Thurs 4 Aug 2016

Now that I was feeling better, I was actually wanting to get out and see the light of day. I told myself that I had to move hostels because this one was just plain bad luck for me- I needed to start fresh. Speaking of fresh, while on Phangan at Echo Beach, I had been given a reccomendation for a hostel called Taco Shack, but when I tried to book it was completely full. I decided it was finally time to give Taco Shack a try. I packed up my belongings and headed outside to hail a taxi. Unfortunately, the songthaews were trying to seriously overcharge me and they would NOT BUDGE on price. Hmmph, I'll show them. I'll just walk the whole way. I spent most of my time walking along the beach, but then my maps cut out. I could not get to this place to save my life. I was up hills and down hills, I was on this side of the street and that side of the street. I was cutting through construction sites and pop up shops. Exasperated, I turned down a sidestreet in hopes of finding something to eat. Instead, I found Taco Shack. Damn, was it a hidden gem.

I immediately loved it! The woman who checked me in was irish. She had started her stint abroad teaching as well, had done it for years, and gradually moved into hostel management. She gave me a wristband, shower towel and took me to my room. On the way we passed a big communal outdoor space where tons of people my age were chilling. My dorm room was clean AND spacious! I started off by taking a long hot shower and then coming in to what I thought was my empty dorm room-- I was changing and playing my music when I heard something behind me. I turned around to see a guy sitting in his bed working on his computer-- woops. I felt really bad about the music- and awkward about changing- so I went over to apologize. I then finished getting ready in the bathroom. I decided I wasn't going to meet anyone if I didn't take the initiative, and where better to start than with the guy who almost got a free show?! I asked if he wanted to get lunch. He was so relieved I wasn't mad or creeped out by him. On our way to eat he explained that when he looked up and saw me he didn't know what to do, so he started making awkard coughing noises to try to let me know he was in the room. He then wasn't sure if that was the right way to go about it, so he stopped and tried turning on his music. And that my friends, is where our friendship was born. Canadian Jason and I, as I began calling him, spent the rest of the afternoon together on the beach, laughing and talking, mostly sharing awkward travel stories with one another. We headed back to the hostel for tacos around 10pm and I got to meet a few of the guys he was traveling with. We then explored the bars on this side of the island together for the rest of the evening. We started with a fire show that was so-so but had great views of the ocean. We were able to sit up high on wooden benches away from the crowds. We then went to a busier bar that had music and beer pong. We played, but I made Jason drink all of my beer- I didn't want to chance having another night like I had at the previous hostel. On our walk home we wandered past a construction site. Jason "odds are'd" me (a game I introduced to him earlier in the day!) and won. I allowed one photo to be taken for proof of my loss and damn is it a good one. I'm creepin like a champ. #DontTeachACanadianAmericanGames :)

Do Not Eat the Chicken, I Repeat, Do Not Eat the Chicken

Mon, Aug 1- Wed Aug 3, 2016

Today I left Koh Phangan to head to the final island in the string of three, Koh Tao.
My companions at Echo tried to get me to stay, but I had already been there for 5 days; I needed to move on and see some new sights. It was with a heavy heart that I left my beach boys behind. I will always remember you, #echo4life.

Manuel was also leaving so we went to the pier together. Once there, we boarded separate boats, mine to Koh Tao and his to Krabi. After sailing for a few hours I got off the ferry and took a truck to my hostel. On first glance I would say it was definitely nowhere near as nice as Echo Beach and it was way more expensive. I began to wonder, was leaving Echo the right decision?
Just then a group of guys walked up to check in, so I started chatting with them. We ended up grabbing dinner together-- chicken gyros from a kart two doors down from the hostel. Everyone in our lobby had been raving about how cheap and delicious it was. As we ate, we walked down to the beach. We stopped for a fire show- it didn't even hold a flicker of a flame to the ones on Koh Samed ;) -and sat on the pier with our toes dangling in the water enjoying a beer. The guys took off to explore some more of the beach. I planned to stay and sip the rest of my beer while listening to the crashing of the ocean waves, but a wave of different sort overtook me. I left my beer and headed back to the hostel just in time to throw up. Yuck.
Did I mention in order to throw up I had to squat on the ground around the toilet because it was sitting on a raised pedestal? Did I also mention that this was one of those bathrooms where the showers were right next to the toilets so when I sat down on the floor to give my legs a break I was sitting in a puddle of water? In addition, did I mention there were only two bathrooms on my floor, one of which had a big hole in the door? Did I mention that my room for the evening had a sliding door that creaked EVERY SINGLE TIME it was opened, yet there was a sign on the door that said it MUST be kept closed unless entering or exiting? By morning my poor roommates were probably ready to strangle me. Oh, did I also mention that the A/C in the rooms gets shut off during the day?And that my bed in said room was the equivalent of a yoga mat? Yep. I was lying on a yoga mat, on the third floor, in a boiling room with a door that couldn't be opened except to allow me to practice my squats while vomming in a raised toilet, all the while fearing my legs would give out and leave me in a puddle of shower water, or worse, someone would see my sorry state through the hole in the door and assume for sure that I was a newb who couldn't handle her hangovers. I wondered REAL hard, was leaving Echo the right decision?
This continued for all of Tuesday and into Wednesday.

Finally, by Wednesday afternoon, I was starting to feel a bit better. I headed to a restaurant down the street. A real, indoor restaurant, and ordered the blandest thing on the menu. I brought my book to do some reading. While there, I noticed another guy, sitting at a table alone, much like myself. He smiled at me once or twice, so on my way out, I stopped by his table. What was there to lose? "Wondering if you're traveling alone like I am?" I asked. Nope. He wasn't traveling. He lived here. He had just gotten off of work and was waiting for his to go order. Woops. So much for nothing to lose.
He was still incredibly friendly though. We chatted for a bit, then exchanged numbers. He told me he worked at a dive shop that also owned a bar. He asked if I'd come by for a bit later in the evening... I started to think maybe leaving Echo was the right decision.

When I got back to the hostel my roommates started in right away trying to convince me to go out. Maybe they thought if I went out I would get lost and not come home and then they could all sleep in peace? Who knows. Either way, there was a pub crawl scheduled for this evening and they had already bought me a ticket for it. I decided to go to the first bar to appease them. I also decided to give them all of the free drinks that came with my pub crawl ticket.

When they left for the next bar, I made my escape. I took off the other way and headed to meet up with Daniel, the guy I had chatted with earlier at the restaurant. The one who wasn't traveling alone. The one who lived here. Yeah. He was super nice and offered to take me diving the next day, however I declined because I was not about to head underwater prematurely and vomit all over in my scuba mask while a good looking male looked on. We chatted for awhile until my roommates headed back to the last bar-- it was on a raised platform in the ocean. I met them there and we danced for a little while before heading to bed. Sober Sally enjoyed her night just fine and didn't have to practice anymore squats after heading to bed :) She closed her eyes thinking, maybe leaving Echo was the right decision after all.