Goi Ban - AKA Banana Shake.

Donavan is off, and I am off on my own once more. We spent a good bit of time enjoying Bankok, which pretty much just entailed a christmas dinner at a gay bar, shopping for a full day around town, having some beers at a few pubs, taking a tuk-tuk to false piers, and seeing Harry Potter 7. Who knew Bankok could be so boring? ;P

Truthfully, Bankok was probably the only place that I have been that had a scummy side to it. Yes, people have ripped me off, and yes people been rude, and yes people jack up prices everywhere. But never have I been lied to, and persuaded into doing something I never intended to do by a "random" person on the street. But, lesson learned. Bankok also includes those lovely men handing out sex pamphlets that have a range from men to women to children on the front of them. Never had that before either... In a way it was shocking, and in a way I was surprised that it didn't happen sooner, being offered these things.

I miss Donny, he was a blast to travel with. Being on my own is a good thing at the same time, though. It gives me time to re-evaluate my time here, take in everything that has been happening in my life in the past few months, and really assess myself thoroughly.

I am now residing on an island just southeast of Bankok called Koh Samed, where I have managed to meet a local thai and his "step-dad" from Texas. Apparantly, Joe came here 17 years ago with his family, and they became friends with Den and his family, and adopted Den as their own. I have been learning alot about thai culture and language from Den, who has shown me the Thai alphabet and vowels/tones. He is attempting to teach me how to say basic things, how the alphabet works and so on. It's an extremely complicated language, to say the least.

Despite what the tout on the street showed Donny and I, Thai people are some of the nicest people that I have met. All of them go out of their way to help me find what I need, or help me find a place to stay, they flower people with compliments (even eachother, not just foreigners), and they love it when a foreigner attempts to speak their language. I have found that they are not so sweet and nurturing on the resorty places like this island, or Koh Samui, but it's understandable at the same time.

I admit, despite still having another two weeks in Thailand, I am excited to be moving on to Laos. It's hard to think that half way through January, I am officially half way through this trip.

Swank. :)