Ping Pong and Tigers....

So after a very long day of traveling to get to Phuket, I FINALLY got on my plane to Bangkok.  I somehow got to talking with these three other people who were traveling independently of each other, all from San Diego.  Turns out they each had an overnight layover in Bangkok, and wanted to go see the city, so, figuring it'd be my only SAFE time to go see Bangkok nightlife, we all shared a cab, and I dropped my stuff at my hostel, and we headed out!

We went into Patpong, which is one of Bangkok's many red-light districts (it's just one of those things you have to see at some point in your life).  It was EXACTLY as stereotypically raunchy as you would have pictured it to be.  So after the novelty of that wore off, we grabbed some 4 a.m. noodles (SO GOOD) and I said goodbye to my new friends, and returned to my guesthouse to CRASH.

The next day, I just wasn't really that in the mood for sight-seeing, so I was a bit grumpy while walking around.  The major sights to see in Bangkok are temple-style structures, but after Cambodia, everything else seems a little lackluster, so I actually only saw one and opted to skip the rest.  It just really wasn't exciting to me.  

Then my first major scam attempt came.  NEVER take tuk-tuks in Bangkok.  They are just bad news.  Either hop on the back of a motorcycle taxi, or take a full-fledged car with the meter.  Tuk-tuks try to miserably rip you off.  This guy offered me a really good price, so I got in, but....skeptically.  He then proceeded to do the "oh yeah I'll take you where you need to go, but first let's stop at these five shops that my friends all own so I can get kickbacks for bringing you..."  I was NOT pleased, and had to threaten to report him to the tourist police to get him to finish driving me, and even then I cut his fare in half.  Jerkface.  It's amazing how obviously people try to rip you off too!  Taxis HATE using the meter, despite it being the law, and so will try to negotiate a ridiculous price with you beforehand.  I wanted to get back to my guesthouse, and asked a cabbie if he could take me, and responded with "350 baht"  That's almost twelve dollars.....NO fare within the city of Bangkok should be more than 100 baht, or about THREE dollars....it's a shame that some tourists don't know any better and will take the fare, b/c it just encourages them to rip people off more!

Anyways, I spent that day just roaming the city, which was interesting, but it's a bit too crowded/dirty for my taste...Yesterday though, I went to the tiger temple!!  Its where these monks have raised tigers since they were cubs, and so have become so docile that they will just let you walk right up and pet them and whatnot.  It was soooo cool!!  I also got to pet a little tiger cub, which was ADORABLE.  The only frustrating thing about the trip was that the bus from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi province where the temple is located, is apparently not a direct bus.  The reason I say this is that they were essentially dropping off people they knew at stops along the way, causing the whole trip to take about an hour longer than needed.  The trip back was worse, a 2 hour direct drive took about 4 hours!!  But, never fear, I made it back safely, and now have my last day in Bangkok to kill before heading to the airport to go to Egypt!!!

I'm SO excited to get to Egypt and to see Michelle!!!  I've missed her so much!  Ah, my Berkeley partner in crime, it will be a glorious reunion, to be certain....

Today will most likely be spent wandering Chinatown, and then heading out to watch the Muay Thai fights around 6, leaving at 8:30ish for the airport?  I like it....