Stories Vol 2: Bangkok with Sherry Wang

Being in a hostel while traveling alone is similar to the experience you have on the first day of class in a new school. You spend the first 10 minutes assessing your surroundings, gauging your comfort level and whether or not to let your guard down. Once you feel your nerves start to settle, you look for people to establish a connection with. More often than not,  these people are individuals you know on some unconscious level are probably similar to you. In such an alien environment we seek comfort and stability in the familiar.

 

I rather enjoy playing "Jane Goodeall" in these situations. The morning after I arrived in Bangkok, I quickly grabbed a coffee from the Hostel Bar and sat down at a table in the main room. My objective was to find a buddy for city exploration. With that objective in hand, there are different strategies for finding your way into a conversation as an outsider. They fall into one of two categories, one is a passive one and the other is active.

 

Passive Entrance: A lone traveler sits down at the center of the communal table at the hostel during peek rush periods (i.e. breakfast or pregaming). You do not try to start a conversation rather you look to enter a current one or you simply wait for someone to introduce yourself.

Active Entrance: Sitting in a communal place, rather than wait for another to start the interaction, you introduce yourself from the get go and begin the hostel convo (Ie. Where are you from, what are your plans for the day/trip, yadayadaya).

 

I chose a passive strategy this time. With coffee in hand, I sat down at the table, pulled out my map and travel guide and began thinking through what the day may hold for me. With in minutes, I was greeted by a soft and friendly voice from the girl sitting diagonally from me at the table. "Any chance, would you like some of my balls?" Said the girl.

 

Pulled out of my planning by the odd remark, I looked over and there is this Chinese American holding a bag of fried dough balls. After a quick round of the Travelers 20 Questions, we had a connection and decided to crash each other's days and explore the city together. She was much more prepared than I was. She had a list and advice from a local on what to do and where to go. Needless to say, I was ecstatic. A day of exploration and no prework. She definitely was adding more value to this transient friendship.

 

 

Taxi Transit

 

Thirty minutes of getting ready passed and we were on our way. The first to do on the list: Bargain for a Tuk Tuk to take us to the river taxis. (A Tuk Tuk is a bike with a cart on the back. See image below.) We got it for 50 baht (<$2). Not our best but we were newbies. With cameras in hand, we quickly fell victim to a  shoot. Ok so victim, might be a bit harsh. It was pretty freaking fun.

I knew prior to coming to SE Asia that it was going to be wicked hot but I don't think I realized how hot was hot. With in minutes of getting into the Tuk Tuk outside the hostel my back began to perspire. By the time we got to the river to catch the boat taxi, my shirt was rather drenched clinging to the sticky wet skin atop my back. All I could think when I was sitting in the River Boat was, "Damn it. I should know better. Miss Ali Anderson always taught me at Target, dress for sweat and choose colors wisely." While I had grabbed an UrbanOrganics t-shirt (non-profit in St. Paul look it up!) it still was this off-khaki that when wet showed my nipples clear as day. I had tried to make it more breath proof by tearing it into a tank but that did little to cool me off.

 

On the boat, we had an excellent view of Thailand. We discussed careers and long term plans. I found out quickly that she would actually be in Chicago during the first six months I would be in Evanston. A drink to recap our trips and continue the friendship was now on the table for August.

 

 

Temple Exploring

 

After a bit of stumbling through Thai at our drop off location, we figured out how to traverse the river and get to the temple Wat Aunt. Our time in Wat A run was filled with shameless picture taking, talking and temple admiring. Below are a few highlights from the exploration. I must say that climbing the stairs was an adventure. They are about 1.5feet tall and 6 inches deep. There were points when it was absolutely amusing to watch other tourists struggle with the feat. Not because of physical capabilities but because of the fears associated with heights.

 

 

Favorite eavesdropping moment on a group of British teens: "I love the selfie. I think everyone should take selfies." You don't have to tell me twice. ;) As many of you can see by now, I've embraced the selfie.

 

 

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Walks and Conversation

 

Having moved on from the temple, Sherry and I decided to continue our explorations back on the other side of the river by foot. We walked around the palace, around a park and up to Kho San Road. Our conversation at this point had turned to one of a more personal nature. It made me think back to what I call the perfect friendship, "the transient friendship." I'll discuss more about this later, but it is a friendship formed during travel in which you skip all of the steps in becoming friends and just accept that for the moment you've known the person your with for a life time. I have many of these friends from previous travel, they text and message from time to time, reminding me of our conversations and in doing so inspiring me to get back on the path I committed to during our time together.

 

Thai woman we passed on our walk to Kho San Road

Jo Shannon, Holly the Furmenator, Kayla, Jarod, Simon, Olivia, Siona, Emma, Pete, Kate, I think of you all often. Thank you for our travels. Some time in the future I will visit you. You gave me so many different perspectives to see the world through.

 

 

The Awkward Thai Massage

 

Khoa San Road was interesting pretty much like las ramblas in Barcelona or any other tourist walkway. The highlight of this last stop with Sherry was the Thai Massage we decided to get. It probably was the most awkward massage I have ever gotten. It started with Sherry and I being escorted into a nail salon with a row of beds and curtains. The two Thai girls who looked to be no older than 17 through us both pants, motioned to the two end beds and drew the curtains. Sherry and I exchanged a confused look but walked to the beds.

 

Standing on top of the beds, the two girls drew the curtains around us, leaving the one between us open. Ok. So now it was clear that they thought we were a couple. We started to giggle and I reached for the curtain between us and drew it to a close. Sherry was quick to get changed but I was rather confused. Unlike Sherry, who was given pants with an elastic waste band. I was given one with a weird tying mechanism, not a drawstring, just two ties attached to a permanent location on one side. I had NO idea which side was front. I did my best and put the pants on.

 

After opening the curtains, the two Thai girls looked at me, smiled and then broke out in laughter. Wrong way, sir. Wrong way. They began tugging at my pants. Clear that I had put them on incorrectly, I quickly tried to correct it. No sir, wait sir. I draw curtain sir. Given I was still in boxer briefs didn't think much about changing it in front of them. Everyone in the salon laughed. With the pants now correctly on, I struggle trying to figure out what to do with the excess room in the waist and how to tie the pants shut.

 

The Thai girl, motions for me to lay down on my back. As I lay down, she climbs on top of my legs and begins folding the fabric forcefully around my waist and ties it tight. "Ohhhhh," I hear sherry call out from the bed next to mine. "That's how it works." "Thanks, Sherry." I think to myself.

 

Now with us ready to go. The two girls begin our massages. I had no idea that a Thai Massage was so…. Well…. Interactive. They sit in between your legs, pulling them over and under and up to your chest stretching your body out. They use their elbows, knees, palms and fore arms to work your muscles.

Ten minutes in, it became clear that this was not a reputable place. The girls kept giggling and chatting a way with each other. Intermittently telling us, "we sorry, we no more talk." Then motioning a zipper shut across there mouth. I think Sherry probably got the better masseuse. Mine kept letting out gasps of pain and winced every time she had to massage a muscle. She clearly was having pain in her wrists. I was torn, this was her profession after all. Then my next thought was maybe they are being made to do this not out of choice. I tried to put it out of my mind.

 

After finishing up the hour long massage (only 10 bucks), I have decided to go to actual massage parlors for now on. To finish off our time together, Sherry and I grabbed a beer and some food and said our good byes. "Safe travels," I said to her as she ran off, leaving me to finish the last two beers.

 

 

All in all a great first day and new friendship!

~W. M.