Arrival at Bangkok International Airport

Posted by Stuart at 07:39 PM on August 01, 2002

Last night at 10:45 I arrived at Bangkok International Airport after a relatively smooth (but VERY long 19 hour) flight. I quickly made my way through customs and found my friend Mag. We took a 30 minute taxi ride to his apartment off of Silom Road. Since I hadn't slept much on the plane, I was able to go to sleep fairly quickly, even though my body thought it was 10 AM.

Today I got up early, and although I am awake, my body isn't quite responding to me. I am moving very slowly. But hopefully since I was able to sleep at night time, then my body will get used to the time change quickly.

Jet Un-lagging

Posted by Stuart at 04:08 AM on August 04, 2002

Today is my 3rd full day in Thailand, and I am still feeling a little jet lagged. My friend Mark from SF arrived today, and we will be staying with his friend for the next two weeks. Apparently the friend is a Thai soap opera star / model / recording artist. We went to the Central Department Store today (a big mall) for lunch, and it was quite amusing for me to walk behind him and watch the girls (young and old) with shocked and smiling faces of recognition as he walked by.

Most of my time here has been spent trying to get over the jet lag. That means a lot of sleeping, and a lot of eating. For some odd reason I have been stuffing myself ever since I got here.

Highlights of the last few days have been going to Ministry of Sound on Friday night -- definitely one of the coolest nightclubs I have ever been to. It had a nice mix of guy and girl, gay and straight, and GREAT music. I did, however, leave with my ears ringing. Was the music too loud, or am I too old? haha.

Saturday night Mag and I had a very simple street vendor's Chicken and Rice dinner. It was raining lightly as we sat outside under a big umbrella next to a busy street eating our food. The dish was so simple... nothing more than grilled chicken on rice, with a spicy sauce on the side. But it was the simplicity that made it so good. Comfort food at its best.

Mark is leaving

Posted by Stuart at 08:01 PM on August 15, 2002

Today is a sad day for me, as my friend Mark is heading back to San Francisco. We have had a great time hanging out the past two weeks (I can't believe two weeks have gone by already!). You never know if your friends are good travel companions until you actually go on a trip together, but we got along really well.

I am really going to miss him.

Mellow Bangkok Days

Posted by Stuart at 03:47 AM on August 20, 2002

The last few days have been pretty mellow here in Bangkok. I have been looking around a bit for apartments. Small studios go for about $300 and one bedrooms for $400. So far I haven't really found anything that I love.

Ever since I have been in Thailand I have also been looking for a pool to practice in, and today I finally found one. It's a nice 50 M pool at National Stadium, right by the Skytrain. They were holding an age-group meet there today, but I will be sure to swim there soon.

Tomorrow night I am taking an 11 hour overnight bus to Chaing Rai, Thailand's northern-most province. I am meeting my friend Isara in Phan, and traveling around with him a bit. We are planning on going camping, hiking, and waterfall visiting in the national park there. Even though I am starting to settle into life in Bangkok, it will be nice to get some fresh air and see the countryside.

And yes, for those who have been nagging... errr... worrying about me, I DO have my malaria prevention pills now! :)

Back "Home"

Posted by Stuart at 03:23 PM on September 07, 2002

I arrived safely in Bangkok yesterday after being on the road in Northern Thailand for two and a half weeks. I'm still feeling a little bit sick, but definitely much better than a few days ago. I think I'll just lay low for a few days and recouperate. Perhaps that will give me some time to upload the many pics and respond to all of the emails in my inbox. It's good to be home.

Um... did I just call Bangkok home?

Thai Resumes

Posted by Stuart at 06:33 PM on September 13, 2002

Today I spent most of the day getting ready for my job interview tomorrow. One difference in the job hunt here in Thailand than in the US is that you have to include a picture with your resume. Preferably a professional looking one. So I went to the neighborhood Kodak store (there are Kodak and 7-11 stores everywhere) and got my picture taken.

Ok, I don't know about you, but that pic looks scary to me. Oh well, it's going on my resume.

(By the way, this is just a test to see if I can include pictures here on the homepage easily. Looks like I can.)

Interview #1

Posted by Stuart at 07:41 PM on September 14, 2002

My first job interview in Thailand went very well today. I talked to who may become my new boss at the university. She thought I was perfect for the job, and next week will be talking to her boss, the VP, about hiring me.

The interview went so smoothly that I think I will look into the other schools in Bangkok that also have classes taught in English. The lady I interviewed with today seemed surprised that I wasn't talking to any other schools, so maybe I should do that!

Hua Mak Sports Complex and Swimming Pool

Posted by Stuart at 11:10 PM on September 25, 2002

As I mentioned before, I have been swimming a little bit at National Stadium in Bangkok. But now I have a new favorite place to swim: Hua Mak Sports Complex. It is a much better facility, clean, less crowded, cheaper, but it is a LOT farther away. It takes me about an hour to get there by bus. But I think it is totally worth it.

Hua Mak is very impressive in that there are thousands of people exercising there every night. I enjoy just walking around watching people play all kinds of sports. Tonight I had my camera with me, and took a few shots. Check them out in the photo section by clicking on the pic.

Acclimating?

Posted by Stuart at 02:04 AM on September 27, 2002

My friends and family back home often ask me if I am getting acclimated to life in Thailand. Well, I have to say that I am definitely getting over the initial shock of being here. When I first arrived, it was sensory overload: new sights, sounds, smells, tastes. Now I actually blink every now and then. Some things are starting to fade into the background noise, like street vendors and tuk-tuk drivers constantly vying for my attention.

Now that the big picture isn't so overwhelming, some times I notice new details. For example, when I first arrived in Bangkok, I thought to myself several times, "It would be nice to have a Walk/Don't Walk sign at this busy intersection." I never saw any of them at first, but now I see them all over the place. I have no idea why I didn't recognize them before. I guess there were just too many other new sensory inputs for my brain to process.

Yet even though in some ways I feel more comfortable here, at the same time I still feel very much like an outsider. I have picked up a few words of the language here and there, but I am hardly fluent. I am learning my way around Bangkok, but every day I hear of somewhere new that I have never heard of. It is almost like an out-of-body experience: I am living here every day, but I am not a part of life here. A large part of my effort still goes into day-to-day survival. Where is Place X on the map? How do I get there from here? How do I eat when the menu in front of me is all written in Thai script? How do I conduct personal business with my bank accounts from thousands of miles away?

Meanwhile, I have spent much of my time the past two weeks looking for a job. If I can't find one here, I want to return to the U.S. knowing that I at least tried. When I was job hunting back in San Francisco during the past year, I found the experience exciting ("Oh, here's a cool job posting!") and depressing ("I wonder why no companies have called me back.") After a few weeks of looking here in Thailand, I have to say that I feel the same way.

But now that I have caught up with all the postings on the job sites and can check for new postings for an hour or so each day, and I am starting to feel restless, anxious, and a bit stagnant, I think it's time to hit the road again. I've been reading in my Lonely Planet Thailand and I think Kanchanaburi and Ayuthaya, west and north of Bangkok respectively are next on the travel itinerary, perhaps starting this weekend.

Never Mind: Floods Coming to Bangkok?

Posted by Stuart at 10:23 PM on September 27, 2002

Hmm. On second thought, I don't think I will be travelling for a while. (See post from earlier today, below.) As you might have heard, the flood waters are in Ayuthaya now and are coming to Bangkok next week. Seems that a triple whammy of heavy rains, the highest tide of the year, and a tropical storm are going to make things very soggy here for a while.

For more info, see the article Triple Flood Threat from the Borneo Bulletin.

I am already looking forward to the time after the floods. Not just because it will be drier, but because I have a few friends from San Francisco that will be visiting Bangkok. My friend Andy will be arriving this weekend, and on the 10th both Rupert (as part of his around-the-world trip) and Gary (visiting with a bunch of friends from Singapore) will be here. Perhaps I can talk Rupert into doing the Kanchanaburi and Ayuthaya road trip with me.

Employed Again

Posted by Stuart at 11:25 AM on October 03, 2002

It has been almost a full year since I had a permanent full-time job, but now it looks like I am back off the unemployment line. I still have some paperwork to do and I'm waiting on a few things from the US, but I am 95% there. Starting next January I will (more than likely) be a full-time instructor teaching computer classes at a nearby university.

Ever since my first interview at the university went well, I have been thinking to myself, "Do I REALLY want to do this? Do I really want to LIVE in a foreign country for an extended period of time, making less than 1/3 of what I made in the US? Do I really want to commit myself to learning the language and dealing with all the day to day troubles of the average expat?"

And now, I can say that I have decided to go for it. So far, this has been an amazing experience that I wouldn't trade, but I don't think I am finished with the challenge just yet. The analogy I thought of yeseterday is that my life for the next year or so will be like going back to grad school. I will always be struggling... struggling to learn my lessons (Thai language and culture), struggling to make ends meet (teachers don't make huge salaries). But with the struggle always comes the joy of growth and feelings of accomplishment.

So the decision is made. Now I just have to do those things to make the transition from a visitor to a resident: apply for the right type of visa (part of the paper work I mentioned above), open a bank account (which I did this morning), and start looking for an apartment (starting this afternoon).

*Deep breath and DIVE*

Working Sooner

Posted by Stuart at 04:31 PM on October 04, 2002

Originally the deal with the university was to start teaching full-time in January. Then they called me back and asked me to pick up one class starting October 24. Now, they want me to start full-time October 24. In addition to teaching, they want to me to work on their website and help administer a travel software package for their Hotel and Tourism Department.

Needless to say I was shocked. My first reaction was to be disappointed that I wouldn't be able to travel around SE Asia as much this fall and winter as I had hoped. But then I came back to reality (with a not-so-gentle nudge from my good friend Mag) and realized I have been vacationing long enough. Not to mention I still have two weeks until October 24 plus vacation time at Christmas. Mag is right: it's time to re-join the working world.

Starting work will definitely be good for the newly opened bank account, but not so good for continuing an exciting online journal...

Subscribe to sgtowns.com

Posted by Stuart at 09:13 PM on October 06, 2002

Now that I have my college transcripts and a recommendation letter (thanks James!) in my hands, I have been spending the past few days finalizing all of the paperwork for my new job at the university. I've also been looking around town at apartments. Tomorrow I will be visiting a few more and I hope to make a decision in the next few days. I also have to leave Thailand to renew my visa before Thursday. I think that I will go to Singapore to do that, but hopefully I will have an apartment picked out before I go.

I've also been nerding out on my website lately. In addition to little tweaks here and there (like the calendar on the right side menu bar) I also added a way you can subscribe to the site. If you fill in your email address in the form on the left menu on my site, you will automatically get an email letting you know every time I have updated the site. That way you don't have to check back until you know for sure something is new.

I also added a separate subscription list for the Photo Log. To be fully informed about what is going on in my life, sign up for both!

By the way, I am just testing this feature now, so it might not be perfect yet. If you do sign up and see something weird, please let me know. Thank you!

Enter your email address below to subscribe to Stuart's SE Asia Travel Log!





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Flooding

Posted by Stuart at 07:17 PM on October 07, 2002

The long-awaited floods finally came to Bangkok today, but so far they haven't been as bad as I expected. I left the apartment building today to find that Silom and the other roads around my building (Surasak and Soi 19) were full of water up to the curb.

I carefully made my way to the Surasak SkyTrain station armed with my camera, but from the elevated tracks I could see that the flooding was mostly confined to the area around my building. By afternoon it had stopped raining and most of the water had drained away. This time we were spared.

To see a few pictures of the traffic on the flooded streets, check out the Pictures of Bangkok Photo Album

Rupert Arrives

Posted by Stuart at 12:22 PM on October 11, 2002

Woo. I was a bit verbose the last two days, eh? Not sure what got into me there.

In any case, I am back in Bangkok safely. The rest of my time in Singapore was relaxing. I had lunch with my good friend Kelvin who I haven't seen since my last trip to Singapore. I also went swimming at one of the many public pools. As with everything else in Singapore, it was immaculate. Unfortuntely though I forgot to take my camera, so I don't have any new pictures to post.

After an uneventful flight to Bangkok I headed home for a few hours, then went back to the airport to pick up Rupert who was flying in from Hong Kong. We taxied to his hotel, dropped off his stuff, and had a few beers on Silom as we traded travel stories. He has been around the world this year, so it will be interesting to hear how Thailand ranks with all of the other places he has been. We'll see if he likes it as much as I do. Judging by what he said last night ("I see why no one says anything bad about this place.") I think he will.

My New Home

Posted by Stuart at 11:08 AM on October 12, 2002

Yesterday I was given the keys to my new apartment. The search certainly wasn't as painful as ones I have experienced other places (especially San Francisco) but it did have its moments.

For example, early last week, Mag, Kary (an American friend of ours) and I went apartment hunting in Mag's building. Kary and his partner were desparately looking for a new place to live because their current apartment had been broken into a few days prior. I figured that since there was two of them and one of me, we wouldn't want the same apartment. I was wrong.

We walked into a studio apartment on the 15th floor of Mag's buidling and both of us had big eyes and big smiles. The small room is on a corner of the building, so two of the walls are windows with an incredible view of Bangkok and the river. The room is complete with a very small kitchen, cool modern-looking black furniture, and a bathroom where the tub is next to another huge window. Unfortunately, though, we both wanted it badly.

I was the one who finally gave in and let Kary have it. I figured that since he was in more dire straights that I was, that he should get the room. He thanked me and took it. The more I thought about it though, the more I wanted the room. I was disapointed and afraid that I wouldn't find anything that I liked as much and I was mad at myself for being so nice. (Not that I am terribly proud of that last part.)

In any case, a few days later Kary called me and told me that he and his partner had found a two bedroom apartment for the same price and they wouldn't be taking the one that we all liked. I couldn't believe my luck and jumped at the opportunity. A few days later (yesterday) I moved in.

Rupert and I went shopping for house stuff last night. I bought sheets, two pillows and pillowcases, two bolsters and bolster cases, a comforter, a water heater, two towels, four drinking glasses, twenty clothes hangers, a bottle opener. Total cost: US$88.

So here I am after my first night of sleep in my new bed on the 15th floor, typing my journal, looking out of the window wall at skyskrapers and the river, admiring the view of Bangkok my new home.

Apartment Pics

Posted by Stuart at 10:55 AM on October 13, 2002

I just uploaded some pictures of my new apartment, the views from it, and my first two house guests Mag and Rupert. They can all be found in the Pictures of Bangkok Photo Album.

Terrorism in Asia

Posted by Stuart at 04:33 PM on October 14, 2002 The big news here in Thailand (especially among foreigners like me) is the recent bombing of the nightclub in mostly Hindu (not Muslim) Bali. Ever since I started travelling to Asia last November, I have always said that I would not be going to Indonesia anytime soon. When I say this, people always reply, "But Bali is safe." I am guessing that they have changed their minds now. In other news, I resumed my attempts to get a non-immigrant visa today, but was told that I do indeed have to leave the country to get it. So tomorrow AM Rupert and I are heading to Vientiene, Laos. He is starting his Grand Asian Tour (Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia) and I will be joining him at least through Laos before my teaching job starts on October 24. Devastating blow to Bali tourism (CNN Asia) In-depth coverage of Bali Bombing from CNN Asia

Gay & Lesbian Film Festival

Posted by Stuart at 12:44 PM on October 27, 2002

I feel guilty (!) when I don't have anything exiciting to say, but I have been fairly domestic the last few days. I've been making multiple runs to department stores and Tesco Lotus (Thailand's version of Wal-Mart) for home furnishings. It is easy to forget about all the things that one needs in a house: trash cans, laundry baskets, iron, ironing board, sheets, towels, detergent, silverware, mugs and glasses...

Ok, enough of that boring house talk! Last night I spiced up things a bit by going to watch movies that were part of the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. The annual Bangkok Pride celebrations are in two weeks and this festival is one of the activites leading up to the big event.

Last night's showings were short clips from Europe. The first set was Lesbian themed and the second set was Gay (male). I think most of the shorts were from the last 6 years or so, but luckily they were all new to me.

G&L Film Festivals are always hit or miss, as anyone who has been to one can tell you. Sometimes the movies are cute or funny or thought-provoking or entertaining or touching. On the other hand, they are sometimes disturbing or vile or too extreme or outrageous (in a bad way) or just plain bad acting, bad writing, and filmed with a home video cam.

All of these words are my opinion of course. Your milage may vary, as they say. The good things about these films (as with most independent, i.e. Non-Hollywood films) almost always push the boundaries of what is acceptable and "normal", both in filmmaking and in society in general. The movies last night were no exception. Although I have to admit I left the theatre with mixed emotions of being a little uncomfortable at some of what I saw yet touched deeply by other things, I can look back now and be very thankful for the opportunity to challenge my own views and ideals.

Another Interview

Posted by Stuart at 07:32 AM on October 28, 2002

Hmm... it looks like the email notification feature isn't working. At least *I* am not getting any updates. I'm not sure what to do about it, as I am using a service from Bloglet.com. As far as I can tell, I have set things up correctly (at least it was working before!)

I had an interesting afternoon yesterday. Around noon I got an email from someone I had sent my resume to a month ago. He wanted to meet me right away to talk about a new internet project that he is working on, so I met him for coffee at the Discovery Center mall. It turns out that the project is a really great one. It's very high profile in Thailand (even I have heard of it) and sounds like a lot of fun. We're going to talk more this week, but I am hopeful that I will be able to help out at least part-time.

After the informal interview-over-coffee, I went to Hua Mak for swimming. The bad thing about a 10 day trip to Laos is that I am now out of shape again. Ugh. I don't think I will swim very well at the Games in Sydney next week. Oh well, the trip will still be loads of fun I am sure.

(Wow... my flight to Sydney is just one week away! I have been looking forward to this trip for over a year now!)

Go Figure

Posted by Stuart at 04:29 PM on October 28, 2002

Of course now that I said that the email updates aren't working, I get one in my inbox. Oh well, at least they are being delivered every now and then.

Today was my (hopefully) last trip to immigration. I am now the proud owner of a *Multiple-Entry* Non-Immigrant Visa B. Today's trip was relatively painless. Just an hour wait and 1000 baht (US$25). So now when I go to Sydney next week everything will be in order. (I hope I didn't just jinx everything there.)

Friends in Bangkok

Posted by Stuart at 05:25 PM on November 19, 2002

I have done a bad job of keeping this journal up-to-date lately, haven't I? The week or so I have missed is a record, I think. I still need to get pics up from Laos and Sydney. Bad Stuart! Bad!

But really, nothing terribly exciting has been going on lately. I have been spending most of my time shopping and eating and going out with my friends who have been visiting from San Francisco. This week Richard, Michael, Manop, Gary, Rupert, and Todd have all been here. We have had a lot of fun at the weekend markets and the malls and the clubs.

The only exciting thing I can think of is that I might go with Todd to Vietnam in a few days. I applied for my Visa yesterday and basically have a month to use it. Perhaps tomorrow I will buy the ticket and be on my way in a few days. From what I have read, visiting Saigon will be a real adventure. Definitely more difficult than practically-American Sydney or even Bangkok. Stay tuned.

Contract Signed

Posted by Stuart at 10:07 AM on December 03, 2002

This morning I just signed a two-year contract to teach at the University. I can get out of the contract at any time (as long as it is at the end of the semester) but I think I might try to stick out the two years. I wonder if I will feel like a local by then. Hopefully at least I will be able to speak and read some of the language.

I start work full-time the first part of January, so I am going to get in as much travelling as possible, including making it back to the US for Christmas, of course.

First stop: A nice Thai beach this weekend.

King's Birthday

Posted by Stuart at 02:04 PM on December 05, 2002

Today is the birthday of the the much-loved King of Thailand, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Many businesses in Bangkok are closed and it is forbidden to sell alcohol. The malls were packed though. I was hoping to catch the new Harry Potter movie, but all of the showings were sold out by the time I got to the theatre.

The Birthday of the King also means that today is Father's Day. So I send Happy Father's Day wishes to my Dad back in the US!

Here's a little more information about the King, lifted without permission from the website of the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, DC.

"His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great is the world's longest reigning monarch. In 1996, the Thai Kingdom celebrated His Majesty's 50th year on the Throne.

"His Majesty was born 72 years ago in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He began His reign at the age of 19. During the past 53 years, King Bhumibol has traveled throughout the Kingdom to witness directly the living conditions in the provinces where most of His subjects live and work. His Majesty has consistently provided not only moral support and encouragement to the Thai people, He has also made available various types of assistance, through charitable foundations under His patronage, for rural development projects designed to improve His subjects' livelihood.

"His Majesty has an enlightened vision for a modern Thailand. His vision has provided inspiration for successive governments throughout His reign. He is committed to the development of democracy and defends its principles in the government of Thailand. His Majesty's resolve and dedication to the welfare of the Thai people have contributed greatly to the political stability and economic growth that Thailand has enjoyed over the past 50 years. King Bhumibol has truly earned the love and reverence of His people, who regard Him as the soul of the Thai Kingdom."

Winter?

Posted by Stuart at 12:26 AM on December 11, 2002

On the 15 minute walk home from my favorite coffee shop on Silom I noticed that the air was much cooler and stars were actually visable in the night sky -- two very odd sensations in sweaty, polluted Bangkok. If this is what "Winter" in Bangkok means, I am really looking forward to the next few months.

The last few days have been mellow and relaxing. I have been spending most of my time hanging out and exploring the city with my friend Todd from San Francisco. Today we took the canal boat to the Mall Bangkapi and enjoyed the water park on the roof. The 100 baht (USD$2.50) annual pass for the water park that I bought in September was some of the best 2 bucks I have ever spent.

At the water park we ran into someone I recognized. (For such a big city, Bangkok often feels very small.) He was there with a friend, and after swimming and playing and relaxing at the water park (where again, everyone was so very friendly and chatty) our two new friends took us to a fantastic gormet Thai seafood restaurant on nearby Lad Prao Road. The food was delicious and we still got out of there only paying USD$5 a head for dinner, desert and beers.

After dinner Todd and I took a cab to my favorite coffee shop, had some coffee and read the Bangkok Post, and then I enjoyed the "cool and starry" night walk back to my apartment.

Last Day of Class

Posted by Stuart at 11:19 PM on December 12, 2002

Tonight was the last meeting of the first class I ever taught. For some reason, I am a little sad that it's over, but I know that I have many more classes to go. Next semester I will be teaching the entire semester, so hopefully I will be able to get to know my classes a little better.

Tomorrow I start the last leg of my Asian travel as Todd and I will be in Hong Kong for the next few days. I don't really know what to expect when we arrive tomorrow, other than a beautiful skyline (especially at night), a lot of Chinese characters (obviously), and some expensive shopping (at least relative to Bangkok).

I've been fighting a little bit of sickness the last few days -- both a sore throat and another stomach virus. I think that I just haven't gotten enough rest and I am blaming Todd 100% for dragging me day and night all over Bangkok. haha.

In any case, we leave early tomorrow morning. I can hardly wait to get in the air again.

A New Chapter

Posted by Stuart at 01:13 PM on January 03, 2003

Here I sit at my desk on my first day of work. It feels a little strange to have a permanent full-time job again. Afterall, it's been over a year since I have had one.

Having a permanent job means that another short chapter of my life is over. The past 5 months I have been a nomad, visiting as many places as my body and wallet would allow. The final tally is: 5 months (Aug-Dec 2002), 8 countries (Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, China/Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and the US) and about 40,000 frequent flyer miles (that is, if Lao Air and Gulf Air were partners with United or American).

Now, "real" life starts...

What Kind of Man?

Posted by Stuart at 02:24 PM on January 07, 2003

In an attempt to get to know me better, one of my fellow teachers at school asked me yesterday, "What kind of man are you?" I had no idea what he meant, but he quickly clarified for me. "Are you a sports man? Or are you into music? Or...?"

Oh, what is my passion? Surprisingly, I didn't have an immediate answer for him. Like I have mentioned here on these pages before, lately all I have been thinking about is day-to-day survival. I haven't had any hobbies or interests other than trying to figure out how to live in a foreign environment.

But even before I came to Thailand, I didn't really have one specific passion that would answer "What kind of man are you?" I like sports but I am not glued to ESPN Sports Center every night. I like music but I haven't really missed my CD collection that is back in California. I like movies but I don't see every new release. I like to travel but I don't try to cram in as many countries in a short time as I can.

Oh. Opps. I think I found the answer.

More Guests

Posted by Stuart at 02:11 PM on January 08, 2003

The very next day after arriving back in Bangkok last week, two other friends from San Francisco arrived as well. Mark has finally moved to Bangkok for good and Yohannes was just visiting. Then on Sunday my friend from Vietnam arrived for a 4-day stay.

I never realized Thailand was such a popular holiday destination for people from the US. Or maybe it is just a recent trend. Before I moved to California I don't think I had ever met anyone who had visited here. In any case, I love hanging out with friends who are on vacation in the city where I live.

Another Hospital Visit

Posted by Stuart at 06:07 PM on January 18, 2003

I haven't written much in this space for the last week or so, partly because nothing interesting has been happening. Yesterday I finished my second full week of teaching classes. Finally (after two weeks) I am starting to get caught up and starting to get used to working a full 40 hour work-week again.

One of the requirements for getting a work permit (in addition to signing my name to about 10 documents) was to get a rigorous physical. So this afternoon I went to a nearby hospital and was subjected to several tests. I guess everything turned out ok, since they let me go after the test results came back. As was the case with my past visits, a trip to the hosptial is always interesting mainly because hardly anyone ever speaks very much English. I'm not sure why that is. I am also not sure why I have been to the doctor more times in the last six months than I have in the past several years. Oh well, at least its cheap and relatively hassle-free.

Street Elephants

Posted by Stuart at 06:22 PM on January 22, 2003

From Reuters "Oddly Enough" news section: "Police in [Bangkok] Thailand are rounding up elephants that roam the capital's traffic-clogged streets to try to reduce accidents and improve the welfare of the beasts that have become the country's national symbol.

"An estimated 150 of Thailand's 2,500 domesticated elephants are loose in Bangkok. Some break legs falling into drains or ditches and an average of 20 road accidents a month involve elephants."

Well, that part of the story is not at all odd to me, considering I pass elephants on the street every night I walk down Silom Road.

The article continues: "Many elephants and their handlers have been drawn to the city because environmental protection laws have reduced traditional logging work.

"A special government mahout team is helping police round-up elephants and send them to the countryside to work, mostly in the tourist industry, Soraida Salwala, founder of non-profit organization Friends of the Asian Elephant (FAE), told Reuters.

But the campaign has met resistance, often violent, from handlers, who make a living selling tourists fruit to feed the elephants. Police backed off from a tense one-hour confrontation with a group of mahouts with two young bulls over the weekend.

"The handlers held the elephants at knife-point, threatening to kill the chained animals rather than let us take them away. We let them go as the last thing we want is to see the elephants killed," Soraida said."

Ok, so maybe it was that last paragraph that was a bit odd. Seems that killing the elephants would be the same as the proverbial "Goose who lays the Golden Egg".

In any case, it is interesting that not only unemployed PEOPLE from the countryside come to Bangkok for work, but elephants do as well...

TawanDaeng Beer Garden

Posted by Stuart at 01:46 PM on January 24, 2003

I tried to keep track of the number of musicians and instruments and types of music that was being blasted from the stage last night, but I failed. I didn't fail to have a wonderful time, though.

My Thai friend Roen, a fellow teacher at BU, took me and four other farang (foreigner) teacher friends out to the TawanDaeng Beer Garden. He kept saying "Bangkok's #1", and after visiting, I beleive it. The place was huge yet it was packed on a weekday night.

The set up is much like the first big-Bangkok-Brewery I went to several months ago (Brew Pavillion on Ratchadapisek). There is a big stage in front of huge room and a 2nd floor balcony on three sides that looks over a "dance floor" full of more tables and chairs. The signature at this brewery is VERY tall 3 liter containers of beer. The first one went down very smooth. The second helped wash down the delicious Thai food.

The music though, was perhaps the highlight. At least 12 band members played at least 20 different instruments: trombone, trumpet, sax, flute, clarinet, piano, guitar, bass, and all kinds of other Thai and non-Thai percussion instruments. There were also 3 singers: a girl and a guy who sang Thai and English pop love songs (no duets though) and a guy who sang Thai "Songs for Life" (folk music that got it's start in the 1960s).

I had so much fun in fact, that I am dragging a group of friends there this weekend to help me celebrate my birthday.

Yikes... one year older soon!

Birthday Weekend

Posted by Stuart at 11:30 AM on January 27, 2003

As threatened, I dragged a few friends with me to TawanDaeng again this weekend to celebrate my birthday. I was amazed that the band's set was completely different than it was a few days before. It (as well as the beer and the food) was still outstanding.

All in all it was a great weekend. First there was TawanDaeng on Friday. Then on Saturday, I took my first pasa thai (Thai Language) class at BU. I think it's going to be a good class -- I'm still hopeful that I will be able to carry on a simple conversation in Thai by the end of the year.

On Sunday, Steve (one of my friends from SF who is visiting Bangkok this weekend) did a tour of the Grand Palace and other Bangkok tourist spots while Francois (the other visiting friend) and I headed up the San Saep canal to the WaterPark on the roof of the Mall Bangkapi where we had a great time, as usual.

Massasge Anyone?

Posted by Stuart at 10:52 AM on January 28, 2003

In Thailand, there is nothing "odd" about elephants or massages. Yet these are the topics in two separate Reuter "Oddly Enough" stories this week. (By the way, the excellent yet cheap (US$5) traditional Thai massages are one of my favorite things about Thailand.)

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A massage a day keeps the Thai death toll at bay.

That's the message from Thailand's health ministry, which said Monday it planned to set up traditional massage services at gas stations to help motorists relieve stress and, hopefully, cut the road toll.

The ministry, in a statement, said it was working with a Thai fuel company to provide the services in 21 gas stations on major inter-city highways and around the capital Bangkok from next month.

"The more hours people continue to drive on roads, the less concentration motorists tend to have and the more accidents are likely to occur," Vichai Chokevivat, head of the ministry's department of Thai traditional medicine, said in the statement.

"A 15-minute pause for stretching or massage will help relieve their stress," Vichai said.

The Trouble with Cambodia

Posted by Stuart at 11:58 AM on January 31, 2003

Israel/Palestine. India/Pakistan. Thailand/Cambodia? I have never had the experience of living in a country with a very tense political situation with its neighbor -- until now. I can't imagine Canada, for example, rioting and torching the American Embassy, which is what happened to the Thai Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia yesterday. Of course, the US and Canada have never been at war, which can not be said for these two countries.

And what was the Thai response? Grumblings from the Prime Minister. Official downgrade of relations. Looking down on Cambodia in a general sense with a lot of talk about how this will hurt Thai businesses. As the Bangkok Post reported: "Sataporn Jinachitra, president of the Export-Import Bank of Thailand, said most Thai investors had already factored political risks into their business decisions.

"The businessmen we deal with look at risk over the medium term. They understand Cambodia has only adopted democracy over the past 10 or 12 years,'' he said.

Last night about 1000 Thais protested at the Cambodian Embassy in Bangkok. According to the Bangkok Post, "The protesters eventually began to disperse after Pol Gen Sant told them His Majesty the King had appealed for calm, and subsequently led them in singing the national and royal anthems."

Maybe George W should try that with anti-war protesters at home!

Peace and Quiet

Posted by Stuart at 01:34 PM on February 03, 2003

I was very relieved to see that the campus was nice and peaceful when I arrived today. The past week has been graduation week, and the open spaces have been packed with students in graduation gowns having their picture taken.

It really was quite a scene. Different days would host different majors with different colored robes. So each person who was graduating would have one day to dress up, put on lots of makeup (boys and girls), bring the entire extended family and all their friends each of whom were toting a camera with a huge telephoto lens. I have been to some of the biggest tourist places in the world (Effiel Tower, Disney World, Angkor Wat) and I have never seen so many pictures being taken at one time with so many big cameras.

When I was younger and visited Disney World with friends, we would play a game to see how many tourists' pictures we could be in. If we saw someone taking a picture we would run to try to get in the background. This time, however, I was just trying to walk from the street to my building but I am sure after this week my face will be included in the backgrounds of graduation pictures all over Bangkok.

Vistor #6

Posted by Stuart at 06:28 PM on February 05, 2003

The university I attended was very small, so it is not often that I run into someone I know from there. It is even stranger to run into someone from there that I don't know. But that is what happened to me outside a club in San Francisco over the last Christmas holiday.

In any case, I got an email from that guy today saying that he was in Bangkok over night and wanted to meet up. So I said sure, I'm up for dinner and a night on the town with a fellow alum.

So now on the 36th day of the year, there have been 6 people that I know to visit Bangkok. That's a little over one a week. Wow.

Seafood Market

Posted by Stuart at 11:44 AM on February 09, 2003

If I walk into a restaurant that is full of tourists, I know that I am about to be ripped-off. Unfortunately I didn't make this observation when I walked into the Seafood Market and Restaurant on Sukumvit Soi 24 in Bangkok. Otherwise, I would have at least known what I was in for.

Instead, when I entered the restaurant, I was overwhelmed by everything else OTHER than the tourists. The place was huge, with gigantic plastic fish hanging from the ceiling as if they were swimming in schools in the ocean. The back of the restaurant looked like a grocery store, with the idea being that you shop at the market for the seafood you want, and then they cook it to-order for you.

As we were picking out the food, I started to get used to the place and noticed that the place was packed with tourists: Japanese, Korean, Middle Eastern, European... Sure enough, when we paid for the bill for tuna sushi, crab meat, shrimp, and a grouper, the total was 1,500 baht. They charged us another 500 to cook it. So, that means the grand total was 2,000 baht (US$50) for 3 people. Compare that to the fact that I usually spend about 200 baht (US$5) just for myself for an ENTIRE DAY, and you can see what kind of markup we were dealing with.

Even though dinner wasn't worth 2,000 baht, it was still tasty. Oh well, it was an experience for sure. I just won't be returning.

Is it Summer Already?!

Posted by Stuart at 11:00 AM on February 12, 2003

For the past few months, the rising sun streaming into my window around 6 AM has helped me wake up and get out of bed. I have loved taking my morning shower and watching the pollution turn all shades of red and purple and yellow as the sun comes up. Then, I enjoy a nice walk to the SkyTrain, enjoying the breezy and (relatively) cool air.

But now, that all seems to be over. The last few days I can barely see the morning sun through the haze, and the walk to the train has been downright sweltering. Is Winter over already?! I don't know about anyone else, but I am not ready for that!

Twelve Hour Days

Posted by Stuart at 06:11 AM on February 13, 2003

I hate exams and now I can feel the pain from the other side. I've been putting in 12 hour days this week and the work seems to keep piling up: creating two mid-terms, creating two study guides, helping students who haven't studied all semeseter, creating homeworks, writing lectures, helping students who are starting to panic at the last minute, grading homeworks, helping students who are just now starting to ask questions, help proofread grammar on other teachers' final exams, helping students...

The proofreading assignments have been interesting. For example I found out that we have a class called "Cyber Marketing" that I think would be fun to teach. I was having NOVO flashbacks as I read the exam. It is also interesting to see very obviously what the differences in languages are, as the non-native English speakers make the same mistakes over and over. For example, there are no articles (a, an, the) in Thai, nor do you have to worry about subject-verb agreement. I wonder what the common mistakes are for non-native Thai speakers.

Actually it has all been interesting. I am still enjoying the work even though the hours have been long. The days fly by, so I guess that is a good sign.

Proctoring Mid-Terms

Posted by Stuart at 06:51 PM on February 18, 2003

Today was the first day of mid-terms at the University. As a full-time instructor, I have to proctor one or two 3 hour exams every day. It was quite an experience made up of thirty minutes of confusion and 4.5 hours of boredom.

The confusion came from the plethora of rules to insure that there was no cheating on the exams: assigned seating, multiple copies of exams, checking IDs, no students allowed in after one hour, no students allowed out until one hour, turn in the multiple choice but leave the essay questions on the desk...

The rest of the time was utter boredom. I passed the time by studying Thai and drawing wireframes for how I want the next version of my website to look. (What a geek!)

The good news from all of this is that I actually don't have to proctor any more exams this week. Starting tomorrow I will be training on a Hotel Reservation software package that the school just bought. Chances are good that I will be teaching students how to use it this Fall.

Training in Thai

Posted by Stuart at 11:33 AM on February 19, 2003

On the way to training this morning, my fellow teacher Antti (from Finland) met me in the hallway and asked, "Have you heard the news?" Of course I hadn't and so he proceeded to tell me that the training we were scheduled for today was going to be COMPLETELY IN THAI.

Granted I am trying to learn the language, but the conversations I have learned (Hello. How are you? I am fine. Where are you going? I am going to the temple. Do you like it? Yes, it is very beautiful.) are not helping very much. Luckily the software is in English, so I can at least follow along a little bit.

More SF Friends

Posted by Stuart at 10:23 AM on February 20, 2003

After dinner with Mark last night, I wasn't quite ready to go home so I was wandering around the Silom area window shopping (except it was at open-air stands... no windows!) Unexpectedly, I run into ANOTHER friend of mine from San Francisco who is visiting. I had no idea that he was coming here, but there he was with another friend of his. Just two more to add to the list of people I know or who have met who have chosen Bangkok as a travel destination.

On that note, I have info on travel deals from the US to Bangkok. First of all, my friend Francios swears by EVA's Deluxe Cabin. He says that for an extra $200 round-trip you get to sit half-way between business and economy. The best part of it is that the seats recline to almost 100% flat. Sure helps to fight the jet lag monster.

The other deal arrived in my mailbox last week: Cathay Pacific's February/March Deal of the Month is a round-trip from SF or LA to Bangkok for $649, or NY-BKK for $699. This is good for travel by April 12, so take advantage and come visit! (For more info, see the Cathay Pacific site)

War on Drugs

Posted by Stuart at 10:24 AM on February 21, 2003

The phrase "War on Drugs" has been around for a long time, but here in Thailand, "war" apparently means WAR.

Earlier this month, the Thai government declared WAR on drugs in Thailand. The Prime Minister promised that Thailand would be drug-free in three months. Laughable, right? Well, the police have gone on a rampage (I don't know what else to call it). After 19 days the results are: over 30,000 dealers and users have asked the goverment for rehab, 15,616 people have been arrested and 596 people have been KILLED. That's right, about 40 people have been killed in Thailand every day for the past two weeks. According to police reports, those involved in the drug trade are killing each other so that they won't be turned in to the police. There is also a big push to investigate over 700 goverment officials who are suspected to be involved in trafficking.

There are a lot of shocking numbers in that last paragraph. Perhaps not so shocking is what is happening to the price of drugs. Of course when the supply of a product is cut off, prices go up. The police are reporting that prices for methamphetamines have tripled or quadrupled all over the country.

Luckily, I haven't actually seen any of this -- just heard about it on the news and in the paper. It might as well be happening in a different country, but it's not.

Entrepreneurialism

Posted by Stuart at 10:21 AM on February 26, 2003

One thing that I really like about living in Thailand is that there is a real entrepreneurial spirit here. Perhaps it is similar to San Francisco in the mid-90s when everyone was starting their own internet company, but it's certainly not that way in the US now. Most everyone seems satisfied to work for a big company instead of trying to become their own boss.

Here in Thailand, though, almost everyone I have met is either running their own business or thinking about starting one. I love that! I guess one reason it is so prevalent is because entry costs are relatively low. In any case, it has been a lot of fun for me to learn how people start and become successful by working for themselves.

For example, my friend Sone is visiting Bangkok this week from Luang Prabang, Laos. He is here to buy things for his bar/restaurant, saying that things are less expensive here than in Laos. I was a little surprised by this, but I guess it makes sense. Laos has no industries to speak of, so restaurant supplies would have to be shipped in from some other Asian country (China or Thailand). So by visiting Thailand himself, Sone can cut out the middleman. Not to mention he gets to vacation in a fun city. Smart man!

Continuing Business Lesson

Posted by Stuart at 10:26 AM on February 27, 2003

The small Asian business lesson continued last night over dinner with Sone. He started his business in Laos by renting a building with two floors -- the bottom floor for the business and the top floor to live. This is a common setup here; my friend AJ in Samui, who runs a language school, did the same thing.

When Rupert and I visited Luang Prabang last year, Sone's business was just a bar. But now he has added a kitchen and serves food (on the menu: Chicken Fried Rice for US$1). The next step is to build a beer garden in the area behind the building.

The other smart thing that Sone did was to make more rooms out of the upstairs area, and now his housekeeper/cook and his other staff live in the same building as well. They don't make much in salary, but room and board is included. Another good idea to keep costs low!

Other little tidbits of information I got:

* The prices at Sidetrack Bar are in Lao Kip (not dollar or baht). Otherwise the Lao customers will not come because they think the place is for foreigners only.

* The foreigners (more and more all the time) come early and leave early and the Lao customers come late and leave late.

* The foreigners like to complain that Sone's prices are too high. I guess that is because they expect that Laos will be cheap, but as I said before, you have to remember that everything (except for Beer Lao and Lao Whisky) has to be imported from Thailand. Perhaps they are just trying to bargain with him. In any case, when Rupert and I visited the place was packed with Lao people. When the prices are good for local people, they are good for me!

Decision Point

Posted by Stuart at 09:30 AM on February 28, 2003

The last few days have been a little stressful for me as I try to decide what to do with my week-long holiday that starts tomorrow. On one hand, I thought about going to SF to clean out my storage space so that I don't have to pay every month for something I don't need. On the other hand, I wanted to travel through Issan (NE Thailand) because I have never been there before.

So what to do? I have been totally indecisive on this one... 50/50. I found a decent ticket to the US (only about US$550) but I dread actually going through all of my stuff to sell, give away, or throw away. Not to mention I was already planning on going to the US in August and again for Christmas. Do I really need (can I really afford?) 3 trips to the US in one year?

Ok, so maybe I should be happy that my biggest worry is where to go on vacation!

By the way, it's the last day of the month and I achieved my goal of posting every day. Woohoo.

Isaan Bound

Posted by Stuart at 09:03 AM on March 01, 2003

The decision has been made and I am heading to Isaan this weekend. I am not sure what to expect exactly, or exactly where I will go. What I hear is that Issan is Thailand's "heart" -- it's the countryside with small towns, agriculture, mountains, nice people, spicy but delicious food, and a laid-back way of life. I am also hoping for a little culture by visiting the Khmer-style temples along the Thai-Cambodian border.

By the way, I am not sure exactly how to spell "Isaan". I have seen it spelled in print as Isaan, Isan, Isaan, Isarn, Esan, E-San, E-Sarn, and even Ai-San. For some reason (not sure why) I prefer Isaan, and will try to spell it that way in daily posts all week.

So, in the next day or two I will hit the road again and start my next little week-long adventure...

Home Again

Posted by Stuart at 11:25 AM on March 11, 2003

The first thing I did when I got home last night was add four new stars to the map of SE Asia that my sister gave me for Christmas (Khorat, Phanom Rung, Khon Kaen, and Udon Thani). The next thing I did was to enjoy having hot water to bathe in!

My nine days in Isaan was wonderful. I visited archeological sites of 4,000 year old cultures and Khmer temples built 1,000 years ago, ate a lot of delicious Thai food (including a lot of stuff I had never had before), met and chatted with many Thai people (with varying degrees of success), and returned to one of my favorite cities: Vientiane. And the cost of my 9-day, 1200 KM trip? About 8,000 baht (US$180).

Although it was a great trip, it's good to be home. I have today off, then it's back to work at school tomorrow.

Real Life

Posted by Stuart at 01:53 PM on March 13, 2003

Wow, looks like I actually skipped a day with no postings. Not really much (interesting) to talk about actually. I started teaching classes again yesterday after my mid-semester break and I'm now trying to get back into the swing of things. Vacations are great fun, but it is always a huge task to get back into Real Life.

In addition, I get to do my US Income Tax soon. Luckily these days you can do it online. Very convenient when you live on the other side of the world.

Let's see... what else? It looks like I will not have a full teaching load this summer, which means I should find a second job soon.

I have also started looking for a new place to live. My six month lease is up this month and now that I know my way around town a little better, I am hoping to find someplace a little more convenient and a little cheaper.

Well, those are the things on my mind this week. Not much fun compared to last week adventures, huh? Ahh. Real Life.

Big Day: New Visa and New Apartment

Posted by Stuart at 11:25 PM on March 20, 2003

It is no exaggeration to say that I signed my name twenty times today. First, I took a trip to immigration to get my Visa. Then I signed a lease on my new apartment.

The trip to immigration went very smoothly -- not due to the simple process, but instead due to the huge amount of help given to me by the University. The process was unbelievaby bureaucratic. I turned in a 15 page stack of papers (prepared by the school with most pages signed by me) and my passport to one person who did the following: read, stamp, add page, stamp, stamp, sign. Then I went upstairs and handed the stack to another person: stamp, sign, stamp, stamp, scribble. Moved to the next person: staple, stamp, sign, stamp, stamp, staple.

The signing of the apartment went a little smoother. Luckily my Thai friend Hoon was there to help, as the contract was completely in Thai. It makes me very uneasy to sign something I can not read, but I trust that Hoon did a good job of reading the basic contract (he actually caught a couple of mistakes). In any case, I had to sign every one of the 3 pages plus the two copies of my passport.

So after all of that, I now have a Visa and an apartment -- both for one year. Whew!

Add all of that to the new war in Iraq and it was a big day. I detest war and I think it is horrible that my country will be responsible for the deaths of thousands of people, but now that it has started, I hope it can be finished as quickly and as cleanly as possible. To show my support for America, though, I had a coffee at Starbucks and a pretzel at Autie Anne's. :)

Iraq Protest at the American Embassy

Posted by Stuart at 01:29 PM on March 22, 2003

A friend of mine gave me a ride to work today and our trip just happened to take us past the American Embassy here in Bangkok. Sure enough, there were many protesters outside. Most appeared to be Muslim, judging by the veiled women and white knit skull caps on the men. (Sorry, I don't know what the proper term for the men's white hats is.)

Some waved an Iraqi flag as they marched up and down the street, but most were sitting very peacefully listening to speakers talk about (I am guessing) what a bad person George Bush is. In any case, it was a very calm peaceful scene. Very different than what I have heard is going on at the American Embassies in places like Egypt where protesters are battling riot-gear-clad policemen.

Paper Writing

Posted by Stuart at 02:01 PM on July 05, 2003

I have been very busy lately. First, I had a stack of mid-term exams to grade. And now my boss wants me to write a paper for the school magazine. She told me about this a long time ago and I had every intention of writing the paper, but just never got around to it. I even started 6 weeks ago on my trip to Samui but never finished.

But now the school is practically demanding that I do it, so I am working on it now. I am actually enjoying the process, now that I am into it. I have until Tuesday, so I should go back to it.

Also, I have started uploading pictures from last weekend's trip to Kanchanaburi. They are in the Pictures of Kanchanaburi Photo Album. I will try to post the rest this weekend.

Back in BKK

Posted by Stuart at 10:21 AM on December 30, 2003

I've made it safely to Bangkok. I was going to spend a few days in Tokyo, but at the San Francisco airport I decided to put off that trip until later.

I will try to post some of my holiday trip comments and pictures later this week...

Rain Storm

Posted by Stuart at 02:35 PM on January 13, 2004

I woke up this morning to bright and relatively cool and clear skies, and I took it as a good omen. The first two weeks of the year have been... well... I am not sure what the right word is. Challenging? Difficult? Not that 2004 has been bad, per se, but, I have to admit I have struggled a bit.

First I was fighting off jet-lag after a fun, but stressful 2-week vacation to the US. Then, the New Year started and I had to finish up grading final exams from last semester at the same time that the new semester was starting. Plus, I am preparing for my new gig as a teacher at an online university. On top of all of that, I have been a little sick lately. I'm not sure what it is, but I haven't really been feeling myself since I returned. Are these the reasons why, on January 13, I am posting my first website entry of the new year? Perhaps.

But last night, after running about 3 kilometers on the treadmill at the gym, I was soaking my tired legs in the hotel's outdoor jacuzzi when it started to rain. Luckily, there was a covering above my head that kept most of the cold rain off me. It rained harder and harder and harder while I just sat there and marvelled at the scene. Hot steam, glowing from the yellow underwater lamps, was rising to meet the cold rainy mist glowing from the white hotel spotlights. The hot steam and cold mist mixed and swirled around me as the wind blew. It was raining so hard at one point that the water pouring down the the side of the hotel turned the building into a 30-story-gold-and-silver-metal nam tok.

The rain continued through the night, washing away a layer or two of grime off the buildings and off my New Year. Here's a toast to the remaining 50 weeks of the year!

$2 Airline Tickets

Posted by Stuart at 02:16 PM on January 14, 2004

I often talk about how goods and services are so much cheaper in Thailand, compared to what I was used to in San Francisco. But I think the purchase I just made today is the a