Bangkok & Malaria update

What a whirlwind! I'm on a bus to Northern Thailand now after two days and three nights in Bangkok. It's so hard to describe Bangkok without resorting to the usual clichés. The air vibrates from the heat and energy. People, cars, motorbikes, tuk tuks, markets, street food, banners, lights, buildings, dogs, smiles, temples, canals, Buddhas, monks, honking, papaya, shouting, seafood, taxis, amulets, chiles, lime, satay, shoes, underwear, fried bananas, sweat, mosquitos, tourists, ferries, umbrellas, people.

Did I get everything? Of course not! What a city, and I didn't even make it to Patpong with the go-go bars.

My kind couchsurfer host picked me from the airport at 12:30am. When morning struck he guided me to a tiny anonymous restaurant where I had the most delicious papaya salad and satay beef for breakfast. Evidently it's papaya season, and here they shredded it like carrots and tossed it with lime, garlic, green peas (in the shell, like snap peas maybe?), fish sauce, cherry tomatoes, coconut sugar, peanuts... This is such a must when I return home. I've got some pictures on my point & shoot camera for you guys when I return.

Then onward through the tourist checklist: Grand Palace with the Emerald Buddha, and Wat Pho with the reclining Buddha, more and more and more Wats (a Wat is a Buddhist temple; evidently building one bets you a lot of good karma so there are hundreds in Bangkok spanning the centuries), then some fried rice and a trip through the canals. What a different world... University students in their smart pleated skirts & button downs stepped expertly from the long boat shuttle onto their family's waterside steps and walked down a boardwalk to their old teak stitled houses. What a life! We
ended the evening with street pad Thai, mango, papaya, and a blues bar on Khao San road. I tell you, nothing like seeing a Georgia license plate on the wall behind three Thai dudes playing classic blues & rock and roll to make you feel nostalgic. I even drank a jack on the rocks :)

The next day started with me throwing up, then some fresh seafood picked out in the market and cooked up. Yum! My couchsurfing host recommended I visit the nearby hospital to ask about the malaria medication. Evidently Bangkok is home to one of the premier research centers for tropical diseases - how convenient! This was an interesting exercise in Thai healthcare at a private/university hospital. I filled out a form with medical information and travel plans, then was sent in to see the travel clinic doctor. When I explained what happened, he laughed! Then he had me guess my likelihood as a backpacker for two months of catching malaria... Ready? 1/10,000. He said he never recommends foreign travelers to take the anti-malaria medicine, and they only see maybe 4 cases a year. Then he talked to me about my vaccinations and asked why I didn't have the Japanese Encephalitis shot. When I told him it was over $200 in the US and my doctor said the risk was very low, he laughed again! While the risk is indeed even lower than malaria, the disease cannot be treated if contracted and is very very serious. I had been nervous about the risk I was making. He said they vaccinate everyone in SE Asia because it's potentially deadly and that I could have the shot as well for 538 baht. For those following along at home, 1USD = 30 baht, which makes the shot under $20. Of course I said YES PLEASE! :D

Then I move to the cashier, pay for the vaccine plus 100b to see the doctor (that's just over $3 folks) and receive the shot in hand. Off I go to the nurse, get poked, sit around for observation for half an hour and then I left! An afternoon well spent, in my opinion. I'm really excited to feel as protected as smartly necessary while I travel.

Phew, this is a long post and I have so many other thoughts. The hostel I stayed in was over 100 years old with teak everything! Beautiful. They also had "super special" pad Thai down the street, which wrapped deliciously oily noodles and huge shrimp in an omelette! I'll post a picture. It was SO amazing. Like I'm craving it right now and I just ate dinner (trucker stop food of steamed veggies & rice, nothing interesting).

I set my alarm for 6:15am this morning and was woken up at 6:10am by a Skype phone call! Surprise, it's Maggie!! I had to catch a train at 7am so I couldn't talk long, but wow was it amazing to see my baby sister. What a gift. I hope you did well on your test dear :)

7am-8:45 train to Ayutthaya to see ancient ruin. 9:30am-3pm bicycle around city visiting ruins and sweating like a pig! Pictures to come... I loved it. 3pm-6:44pm sitting on a bus replying to emails and writing this blog post all to be sent when I connect to wifi tonight. 6:44pm-9pm still bored on a bus to Sukhothai. At 9pm I will arrive and take a tuk tuk to Sila resort hostel, where they rent bikes for free! Tomorrow I plan to bike to the ruined ancient capital in Sukhothai to see the sunrise over the ruins. I'm so excited!! Then bike around all day again, sweat like buckets, and head that night or tomorrow to Chiang Mai.

I'd like to take this moment at the end where no one is still reading to note that I have done all of this by myself and have not yet picked up any travel companions going my way. I've made friends! But i've have had no one but myself to rely on to get around and I've made it. Not perfectly... I almost missed the bus because I circled by bicycle around a giant busy bridge for 30 minutes trying to find the street so I could return to the damn train station, get my bag and return the bike... But I'm doing it! I bet some of you deep down thought I didn't have it in me :P

Much love to everyone... I love getting your emails & comments. Extra special thanks for the advice on malaria medication. I'm going to be so good about the bug spray I promise!

Pictures to come <3

Katie