Bangkok 1

Just to prove that I will be updating this as often as possible, and also to waste time before I meet friends, I will throw out a few things I've noticed in the capital of Thailand.

The food is incredible. Today, as a snack I just had some kind of meat nuggets (I'll guess pork) in a bag with a long toothpick. Delicious. I've also already eaten Egyptian and Indian food, which brings me to my next observation...

This city is overrun by foreigners. Thousands of westerners work here and more thousands are constantly walking the streets in just about every neighborhood I've been in and all over the public transport. In India I was used to getting stared at because I look different or at least a second look out on the street, but here no one gives a crap. In some ways it is awesome because I just blend in which is nice. In others it sucks. Why am I not longer special because of the color of my skin??? Whoa... ok moving on...

There are a lot of foreign guys with thai girlfriends, holding hands walking on the street. In Nepal I saw a few Nepali guys with western girls, but never the other way around. I am somewhat intrigued. I would be more interested had I the yellow fever. I don't. I miss Indian and Egyptian girls. I couldn't talk to them, they couldn't talk to me, we had a great arrangement. And now its all screwed up!!

Speaking of this, my couchsurfing host, Diana, who is a lot of fun by the way, asked me yesterday if I'd had any young thai girls whistle at me yet? I thought that was a weird question but she insisted that the local girls love guys with blond hair (which I STILL contend I don't have) and are not shy in expressing their affinity. I have not been whistled at. I am not surprised. Having been told for years that local girls in every country I visit from Italy, to Egypt to India would find my lighter features attractive and never having seen proof of this myself, I just smiled knowingly at Diana's implication and changed the subject.

I may have realized something extremely important. Future travelers pay attention. Temples... are boring. A lot of boring. All kinds. I have almost no desire to spend time and money jostling with families of fat British tourists to take a picture of a statue of Buddha in another shrine encased in another temple inhabited by other monks. I've seen it. It's been done. In Europe I could sit in a big cathedral for a long time. The difference? SITTING. There is no place to sit in the temples of Asia. No pews to take in the grandeur before you. No priceless works of art, sculpture and statues to admire. Asia is full of so many wonderful things to see and do that are infinitely more exciting than sweating through a horde of camera-wielding pale-face bulls.

When I find out what those wonderful options are I will be sure to choose them and leave you all to the crowds and touts. By the way, I love the lack of touts! They are such pussies!

- Excuse me sir, do you need a-
- NO!

And they just give up! They would all starve in India.

OK thats enough for now I have to meet some couchsurfers for dinner in 10 minutes. I'm going to Cambodia in a few days. I'll let you know if I succumb to the temptation of Angkor Wat or if I stand fast against the tyranny of temples!