Pepto Pink Pick Up

Saturday 6/13/15

Getting around in Bangkok can be hectic. From my research online I discovered that a metered taxi can be a resonably priced convenient option. Of course the sky tram and the train lines would be less expensive if you were traveling alone. On our first attempt at getting a taxi this morning we walked to a taxi stand on one of the main roads near our hotel. On our walk there, we were stopped several times by tuk-tuk drivers. We got in a yellow and green taxi and as he was driving off I politely asked him to turn on the meter. "I take you 100 baht" was his response. That's only around three dollars so we said ok. Shortly afterward he said "i take you 100 baht you shop in store ten minute." I had been warned about this scheme online. My response was a a firm no. After we repeated these two lines to each other back and forth three times he did a u turn and dropped us back off where we started. For the rest of the day we stuck with hailing our pepto pink taxis. Before we even got in I would ask to make sure our ride would be metered. Out of the six pink taxis we hailed, five agreed to put the meter on and one didn't know where our destination was. I appreciated his honesty.  We discovered through these rides that the meter will always begin at thirty five baht and will go up based on distance. If the vehicle does not surpass 6km/hr then there is a surcharge per minute. Also, whatever the meter reads expect to pay to the nearest 10 baht. Example: if 78 pay 80, if 92 pay 90

Lemontea Hotel to Wat: 80 baht 

Wat to Lemontea Hotel: 100 baht

Lemontea Hotel to Siam Center: 80 baht

Siam Center to Lemontea Hotel:  60 baht

Arriving in Bangkok

Friday 6/12/2015

Three planes, one train and a taxi ride later we arrived at the Lemontea Hotel. From door to door our trip took just over twenty five hours. The plane rides weren't awful, just long and boring. I watched four movies and slept perhaps a combined five hours. Our brief layover n Japan was fun. I liked seeing the intricate treats, many green tea flavored, that are most certainly an art form there. Surprisingly, they had airport attendants walking around the large airport with signs indicating which flights were boarding and at the gate they offered complimentary bottled drinks and prepackaged snacks. I think I would like Japan. When we arrived at the BKK airport customs and immigration went quickly. We exchanged $30 at the exchange place for 953.40 baht. (I know this exchange rate is not as good as we would get at the ATM but we needed baht right away for transport.) After that we walked down to the bottom level of the airport to the city train. We bought a bright yellow token from a machine to Makkasan station. On the train there was a sign indicating priority seating for disabled, elderly, pregnant women and monks. If I were not so tired and diaoriented at the time I would have taken a picture for you. When we got off the train at the station we once again made our way to the ground level. We were hoping we could walk to the hotel from the station, but we soon found out it was just over 3km and we weren't up for a walk. The taxi attendant called us a pepto bismol colored taxi. I got in and shut the door and the driver began to drive off while Jen was only half in the vehicle with her door still wide open! That was a scary moment. Given the drive along unpopulated traffic filled streets I was glad we had taken the taxi. When we arrived at the hotel we were greeted with a delicious tiny glass of tea. Each glass had one large ice cube in it. Jen and I looked at each other both thinking the same thing, "What the hell, when in Bangkok." Cheers!

$11.12 wrap at the Detroit airport

35 baht train ($1.12)

60 baht taxi ($1.88)
Today's Total: $14.12

Total-$2708.63

Laura

Reflections on the plane: In prepping for my trip, my dad introduced me to a former student of his, Laura.  She is around my age and spent five months living in Phnom Penh working for Samaritan's Purse. Laura and I talked on the phone for about thirty minutes one Saturday afternoon about her time there.   She transitioned easily between telling me about the under aged beer girls (these young girls wait outside the bars starting around eight dressed like they are ready to compete in a pagent) to how I could get a massage for seven dollars or my nails done for four. I have a feeling this is says more about the city then even Laura realized. My current perception is that these two extremes represent the two different socioeconomic statuses in the city; the wealthy and the impoverished. During my time in PP I will be exposed to both sides. I know that navigating between these two extremes is something I will struggle with for the duration of my time there. I hope I will be able to keep my focus on the positive aspects of the city and its people. 

Calm?

I'm on an airplane from Greenville to Detroit. You would think I would be full of excitement or shaking with nerves. Surpizingly, I'm neither. I feel a sense of calm that I most certainly didn't expect. Is it because I really am ready and prepared for whatever awaits me across the world? I wish!! More likely, I'm in some sort of denial over what I've gotten myself into. 

Pictured; perhaps the last drink I will have for a while that contains ice, and I'm too cold to really appreciate it 

My Packing List

6/9/2015

My Packing List

1) Eddie Bower Rain Jacket

2) Camera with 2 extra batteries, 2 memory cards and a mini tripod

3) Tampons

4) Electric converter

5) Socks, underwear and swim suit

6) Facial wipes

7) Antibacterial wipes

8) Makeup, deodorant, contacts, toothbrush, toothpaste, compact mirror

9) Tops

10) Bottoms

11) Copies of important documents (passport, maps, hotel reservations)

12) Sanuks and Chacos

13) Sneakers

14) Insect repellant wipes

15) Liquids (shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, tinted face moisturizer, contact solution)

16) Journal, two books, notebook with notes on what I want to see and how to see it as well as emergency contact information, tucked inside pictures of family

17) Handbag (pen, sharpie, tide to go, lip balm, sunglasses, wallet, small flashlight, earplugs, eye mask, travel hairbrush, phone sized wet sack, pack of wet ones, headphones, passport, iPhone and charger)

18) Medical Kit (see previous blog entry)

Not pictured: trash bags, zip lock bags, rain cover for pack, cheap digital watch, necklace, rings, travel towel

What to wear?

6/9/2015

What to wear?

Cambodian women dress conservatively. From my research it is my understanding that most of the time their knees and shoulders are covered. However, Southeast Asia is very hot.  I expect the temperatures while I’m there to run from 75°F to 100°F, so covering up will be difficult. I decided to pack mostly separates in a neutral color palette. With these 13 pieces I can make 31 outfits!

Clothes

1 maxi skirt

1 pair dress shorts

1 pair athletic capris

1 pair linen pants

2 knee length skirts

1 knee length sleeveless dress/swim cover up (not pictured)

4 cotton short sleeve tees

1 athletic moisture wicking tee

2 tank tops

Shoes

1 pair sneakers

1 pair Chacos

1 pair sanuks

Other (not pictured)

1 bathing suit

7 pairs underwear

1 sports bra

2 regular bras

1 rain jacket
3 pairs socks

Update: In Cambodia they did require us to cover our shoulders and knees at work.  You had to cover shoulders and knees in temples in both Cambodia and Thailand.  However, the restrictions were lifted during free time. I didn't need to pack so many bottoms.  I ended up buying cotton shorts and pants at the market that were cooler and more comfortable than the pants I brought.  The underwear from REI were the easiest to wash in the sink and wear again.  If I were spending more time there I would definitely bring a few more pairs of those.  I wish I would have packed one more bra.  I have never been one to sweat in the chest area, but in Asia I sweat everywhere! I wore the Chacos almost everywhere.  I never wore my sneakers or socks. The green skirt from Gap pictured was my coolest most versatile piece.  It has big pockets that worked well for carrying my phone and wallet around town.

My Medical Kit

6/8/2015
My Medical Kit

I am excited to try new foods in Cambodia, but I have a weak stomach. I would consider myself an amateur foodie, but here in the US I know what I can’t eat; Or rather what I may choose to eat knowing I will regret it later.  (Sorry if this is TMI but I promised honesty.)  So one of my biggest concerns going to Cambodia is illness. Even people I have talked to who have strong stomachs admit that they had problems when traveling in Asia. In researching, I discovered that counterfeit drugs are big business in Asia. http://sea-globe.com/the-drugs-dont-work/ For this reason I am packing more medications than I normally would on a trip abroad. Below is a list of everything in my medical kit, although many of the ones I packed are the Target versions.

Medical Kit

Tums

Pepto-Bismol Tablets

Benadryl Tablets

Advil

Dramamine

Imodium A-D

Prescription Antibiotic (Cypro)

Nuun Electrolyte Drink Tablets

Neosporin + Pain Relief

Band-Aids of various sizes

Wet Ones Antibacterial Wipes

Sunscreen

Bug repellant wipes

Vitamin B-12

Vitamin D3
2 personal prescriptions

Update: I used the pepto tablets for my stomach, gave away some Benadryl, used Advil for aches and pains, used the Neosporin on my coral injury, and took the anti diarrheal a few times. Gratefully, I never took the antibiotic.  I used two packs of antibacterial wipes.  The Nunn tablets were yummy and helped a lot when I felt dehydrated.