Tuk-tuk-tuk

For those with whom we haven’t had recent contact, we’re in Thailand for a quick 10 days and then we’re off to Tibet for the real purpose of the trip, seeing the big mountains, and learning how Buddhism works in Tibet, with the caveat that it’s under Chinese control. The Tibetan part of the trip does not diminish our enjoyment of this beautiful country and its fascinating combination of different cultures.
What a bustling vibrant city Bangkok has become. After a gap of 43 years it doesn’t even resemble the place with the small town feel that I recall from being here in 1962. And while I know we could say that about any place, the changes here is geometric, arithmetic. It has gone from a city of a half million with a small town feel to a megalopolis of 6 million. Skyscrapers abound everywhere. Multiple areas of the city have several buildings topping the 38 story hotel in which we are staying. Everything here reminds Carol of Seoul, what with its non-stop noise and traffic that would make the most hard boiled commuter from home wonder how the people here do it constantly. It’s not exactly a quiet place to be.
Gone are all the little old ladies chewing the betel nuts and spitting the blood-red juice on the sidewalk which made it look like some caricature of an over done slasher movie, and gone is the ease of moving about the city on foot to see the interesting cultural and historical sights. The street vendors are still there hawking almost everything which is to be sold: from the wide variety of food stuffs which you’ll never see in a Thai restaurant at home, gadgets and gizmos of all description and clothing of all sorts. The most amazing “store” we went into yesterday was nearly a city block square complex with six stories entirely filled with every type of computer device made. Literally thousands of little kiosks and shops with mouse devices, laptops, screens, and a myriad of all the little individual items which one can buy for computers are for sale.
In addition the place was the worst-case scenario of Hollywood’s as well as software developers’ nightmare: The piracy shops. Little albums like the ones into which you put your photos are filled with thousands of movie titles on DVD, and music CD’s and everything selling for under $5 per title. Just leaf through the pages of the album, noting titles you want. The “sales person” almost always looking about 14 years of age disappears from behind a screen, and magically reappears with a little plastic envelop with the new CD or DVD inside covered by a picture of the DVD cover, scanned, of course, form the original and printed on a simple piece of paper from the printer.
You want software? Get Microsoft Office for $7, Photo shop which we bought for about $500 costs $5 here. I’ve never seen anything which remotely compares to the complex. With so many vendors all vying for business offering the exact same product at the same price, it made me wonder how anybody could make a living doing business here. I’m not exaggerating when I say thousands of shops and the most amazing part of it was that each shop had anywhere from 10 to 30 people buying, trying out various equipment, and talking the talk. They even have a huge food court which was about 50 yards long and 100 feet deep serving the masses who obviously spend a lot of time there. And best of all, for us, at least, was that it was air-conditioned. The stifling heat outside which makes it easier to be in the mood to buy. We had lunch there for $1 for each of us.
The noise level was that of some trading floor for a commodities exchange. Add to the din the thousands of people talking, and all the food clattering, the constant blare of music from various CD’s, DVD’s and game shops all with product demonstrations going on constantly.
It certainly gave a picture that would give movie, software, and music developers their worst nightmares. And nobody sees anything wrong with it. It’s just entrepreneurship.
The city is clogged with traffic at all times of the day. Thousands of traditional taxis, and the tuk-tuks are everywhere. If you think of an ATV three-wheeler with a small seating area in the back covered with metal roof and you get a picture of the Tuk-Tuk. The name comes from the sound the engine makes as it runs, “Tuk-tuk-tuk-tuk.” We took a tuk-tuk to the main commercial area for less than $1. It took us forever to get there because of the traffic, but it is the most popular form of transportation. . Again, with so many thousands on the street at any given time, it makes you wonder how anybody makes a living at the prices charged. When we left the hotel with all of our luggage for the 35 days, the bell hop at the Sofitel hotel where we stayed couldn’t believe that we wouldn’t take a taxi. “No,” we said, “we like tuk-tuks.” They just shook their head, flagged one down, and off we went down the street, luggage and all. “Tuk-tuk-tuk.”
Then of course there are the motor-cycles. Oh, my god!!!! They weave in and out of traffic, they cut in between lanes of moving vehicles and work their way to the front of the queue when ever there is a stoppage for any reason. At the change of any red light to green there is a roar of the dozens of motor cycles which have jumped the wait and roar off for at least a short distance until they start the weaving and cutting all over again. Walking down the street there is an almost constant line of them all parked on the sidewalk. It is nut unusual to see literally hundreds of them parked at a large store or shopping area. It certainly is a very practical method of transportation here. Many of the streets are very narrow here and the “Motor-cys” make for easy navigation of the maze. It was hard for me to realize how much traffic has developed. Certainly can’t blame the city fathers for not foreseeing that Bangkok would become a driver’s nightmare. Yesterday’s traffic was even worse. Many streets were closed off for the Royal funeral of the King’s grandson who was killed in the tsunami of Dec 26th. Proof that the devastation reached all levels of society.
The heat is absolutely oppressive. I feel like a living scene from Robin Williams’s movie: “Good Morning, Vietnam,” when he does his monologue on the weather. “How hot is it, Roosevelt?” “DAMN HOT!!” and it is. Highs approaching 100 and lows in the 70’s with humidity in the 90 percent range, makes staying outdoors in the sun a dodgy proposition at best. After visiting something of interest and walking to the next, we always scout out the big department stores where we know it will be air conditioned. Just a slow troll around the store revives us and we hit the outdoors again. Even the Thais are complaining. They all tell us we should come in November or December when the weather is much better, a full 5 degrees cooler. Yeah, okay!
Thailand is still a dream for a traveler on a budget, if a place where a plane ticket costs $1,000 can be considered a budget. Many will have seen the 60 minutes show on Thai medicine and gotten a picture from that. Translate that picture into other aspects of life and you will realize how little money you can spend and still have a great time.
Our hotel the other night in Sukathai, was simple but clean, had cable TV, hot water, a king bed, AIR CONDITIONING, and cost $12.50 for the night. We stopped at a nice little roadside restaurant on the way. No AC but good food and it costs $6 for the two of us, everything included. We are now in Chaing Mai and went out for dinner. A really fancy little place: teak timbers, live music, fancy table settings and dinner cost $7.50 after leaving a big tip, because I didn’t have smaller bills, and I felt like such a cheap miser asking for money back. So instead I just became an over-spending tourist making it difficult for those who follow.
Bargaining is the name of the game on the streets, but how do you do that when things are already so under-priced and not feel like a skinflint? So I pay too much, so what. The street vendors have little, and we have so much, it just doesn’t feel right. Last night after dinner, I had only 20 baht left, just 50 cents, since I’d left the rest of my money in the hotel safe. I wanted a muchie and we stopped at a store and I explained through gestures that it was all I had, what could I get for my money. She pointed to a rack of cookies. That sounded good. I took the cookies, gave her the money, and she gave me 10 baht back. Okay, how about some peanuts. Good, but she gave me back 5 baht. I finally left it at that. Having the munchies is one thing. Gorging on junk just to see how much I could get for my money is totally ridiculous.
Roads here are amazingly good. Lots of four lane highways where driving is a breeze. I scoot at about 75 mph without a sign that there are any highway controls. No posted limits, no highway police, just cars, and not many of them at that the further away from Bangkok you get. You just pass the slower vehicles, then get out of the way of those going REALLY fast, about 85-90.
The two lane roads are a little dicier, but the rules seem pretty well established. There are two schools of drivers; they either go too slow or two fast. Naturally, I’m in the too-fast school, but on the bottom rung of that ladder. As you approach a slower moving vehicle, you check to see if there’s enough room to pass, and then pass, even if there’s not necessarily enough room. The cars coming in the other direction understand the rules, so they just move over, if necessary, and there’s no road rage, no middle fingers pointed to the sky, no shouting or high blood pressure.
You have to be aggressively defensive. (or is it defensively aggressive? I forget which) Just understand that even on curves and lots of hills, there aren’t any solid lines to restrict passing. I’d heard horror stories of driving here, but actually, it’s all pretty civilized. You do pay attention, however. No nature, or people viewing. Your attention is focused squarely on the objective.
The hard part comes when approaching towns where the traffic picks up and the motor-cys have entire families on them. Dad drives and has the baby on his lap, while mom is behind him with the older child on her lap, probably sitting sideways. Kids as young as 6 months get sandwiched between the two parents. Hardest of all is the kids driving the motor cycles. I’ve seen them as young as 10 years old, weaving in and out of traffic. Scary indeed!!!
Traffic is slow working through the towns, so you carefully work your way around the myriad of tuk-tuks, motor cys, and types of motor scooters. Then a red light comes up and while you are stopped all the ones you passed swarm around you like bees, and at the green light the process all starts over again as you begin to get around them one at a time.
Today we are heading out near the Burmese; oh excuse me, the Myanmar, border where many of the “Hill Tribes” are located. It will be another fascinating day, we’re sure. Thais of all types are incredibly friendly, helpful, and warm people. We’ve not met anyone who was in the slightest way unpleasant. They all greet you with the traditional hands clasped together, as if in prayer, with thumbs near the nose and head slightly bowed. It is such a warm, humbling greeting. I couldn’t believe in our Bangkok hotel which was filled with Westerners, how many people passed without acknowledgement. Carol and I always respond in the same manner, and when we initiate the gesture, we are greeted with an amazing smile and happiness; I don’t understand how others miss out on being on the receiving end of such warmth as the Thai people are capable of giving.
So we’re off again. As you can see, we still find so much in this world to discover. And again, we’ve found that no matter where we go, people are the best attraction that any country can offer.
We’ll write more at the opportunity presents itself. Hope to get something else off before we leave here on the 8th for our flight to Kathmandu and then on to Tibet.
Here’s hoping that you are all well and happy, no matter where in this world you may be.
With love to all, we are
Carol and Jim