Thailand Experience!!

Dear Friends,

I would like to tell you my Thai story and experience. The Thai story is one that has no measure in my mind. It has broken all my pre-conceived notions. Thailand has been really enriching as well as easy to travel. The people are so friendly that one always thinks--when am i going to get robbed? That feeling goes away after a while.

Before I go on. I have to tell you about my first Thai experience. I took the plane from Narita in Japan, I made a stop over in Korea. In the airport, I checked my email and in doing so..i made eye contact with a young woman she smiled and then i smiled back. She came over and introduced herself. She was coming from the United States and was on her way to Thailand. She came to talk to me because she thought I was also Thai. I told her that I was not Thai, but that I was traveling to Thailand. She said that she was also going there. To our surprise, we had the same flight from Korea to Bangkok. We had a few hours to wait before our flight so she went off to do her own thing. I then got into the plain and she was sitting right across from me. We did not talk on the plane, but constantly looked over. When we finally arrived to Bangkok, everyone got up and the masses directed themselves to Baggage Claim. I did not thing of anything when I got off the plane, but later I hear a voice from behind who called my name. It was the same Thai woman from the Plane. She asked where I was going(a very common question in Thailand) and that if I had a hotel reservation already. I told her that I was going to Kaosand Road and that I did not have a reservation. Then we got to baggage claim and got our bags. She came over and asked me if I knew how to get to the area where i was going. I told her that I was going to take a taxi. She told me that the service was really expensive and that I could get a better deal outside the airport(this is true) and that maybe even her uncle could take me to Kaosan. I refused, but then she insisted. I was a little nervous at this time because she asked me to come out of the airport and ask her uncle for a ride. I came out and there was the usual airport crowd of individuals embracing their loved ones. The she said there... that is my family. I felt a little more relief when I saw a complete family. She then asked her uncle were if he could give me a ride to Kaosan. To this he replied that he could not take me all the way but could get me close and then I could take a taxi. I said it was ok and then we went on our way. We crammed into a small pick up truck and got on our way. We talked about her experience in the US and she said that it had been a very positive one. She said that a lot of people helped her and that she promised to help people in return. Then, after about an hour, the truck stopped in a long highway. The uncle stopped a taxi told the driver to take me to Kaosan and to put the meter on. The family put me in the taxi and gave me a phone number. She said " when you get there call us to see that you are O.K. I nodded and said that I would call back. She asked me if i had coins. I did not have any so she made her boyfriend to cough up some coins and she was about to give them to me, but I told her that she had already done a lot for me and that I could make some change. This experience has stayed with me for a long time and so I decided to share it. So the point of the experience is that that experience is not unique....Thai people are just that nice. Now...I was a little afraid to come to Thailand by myself, but this place is more safe than other places I have been. People here are not violent and do not want to get your material things. They do take advantage of you other ways, but never by force. You always pay more for things because you are a foreigner. I prefer to pay more for thing than to be mugged.

Thailand!!!

I have taken a long break from this blog to reflect on what I have seen so far. Anyway, a few days ago I went on a trekking trip in the Thai Jungle. The first day I had a great time because I saw new things. I saw the beautiful mountains with their awesome flora and fauna. It was great to walk through the rice fields and get mud on my shoes and feel the cool breeze that slowly moved the rice plants. The group I traveled with made it very exciting. We bonded really well on the tough times. We had blisters in our feet, we were really cold and hungry, but also celebrated by showering in the naturally occurring pools in the Jungle. I must say that the experience will leave a long lasting mark in my memory. As we got deeper into the Jungle, we began to hear more natural sound. Naturally occurring waterfalls and beautiful birds, and then after a days worth of walking, we ran into a small village. The small village was made up of 10 houses. These houses were really vulnerable to the elements, but they felt warm. The families living there greeted us as we walked into the town. I made my rounds though the village and observed what they did. The families were primarily farming and hunting families. They were separating rice from the plants. It was a great thing to see. Later at night the beautiful children sang songs to us. I have made a small recording of the beautiful voices from the small children who came to sing for us. I must say that I have been touched by this experience. Now...i must go..but more is coming up.