Thailand – Bangkok, Ko Si-Chang, Pattaya, Ko Samet
Hello All,
I have been on the ground here in Thailand for about two weeks now and find myself really starting to settle into my trip – it’s kind of funny to think that if this where one of my typical vacations – I would be getting ready to leave to go home now – but I am just getting warmed up.
I spent three days in Bangkok when I first arrived – the city is really busy, the air is really polluted, and there is just a constant drone of human activity no matter which way you turn. Generally I feel safe in Bangkok – with the biggest risks coming from trying to cross the street with all the traffic 
I hiked around and checked out various temples and sites. Ate some great food – interesting, but after a few days I was ready to move on.
I went to the coast south-east of Bangkok to a small island called Ko Si Chang where there is one nice beach, and not much else other then clean air – a welcome change from Bangkok. Spent a couple days there hiking the island and meeting the people that lived there. Mostly only Thai people come to this island and the owner of the guest house said that he only sees about 10 Americans a year.
Moved on from there to Pattaya by the sea – a strange place to say the least – the town itself feels like a mix between the seedy side of Las Vegas and the fun party atmosphere of New Orleans set in a location like Miami Beach. There are over 400 bars in this small beach town – all of which should make it a very cool place, but there is one problem – it’s overrun with package tourists on short vacations – mostly fat single men in there 50’s wearing speedos and hanging out with one of the 7,000 prostitutes who work in the city. So you spend your days and nights watching these old guys with their young Thai “girlfriends” who could be there grand-daughters and it makes the place feel wrong. Too bad – I think it could be a fun place if there were different people here.
No worries – there is always a better place down the road, you just need to keep moving till you find it. The next stop was Ko Samet, a small island off the south-east coast, just basically one long strip of sand with cool beach bungalows on the water and fun parties on the beach at night. Better yet – it’s mostly young people just looking to hang out for a few days and chill out. Met lots of great people mostly Dutch and Swedish and a few Kiwis. Days are spent sitting on the beach until the sun goes down, then they go into beach party mode, setting up sitting mats and little tables right on the beach with party lights above. People sit on the beach, meeting people and drinking cheep mixed drinks out of plastic buckets with straws. What a kick – it’s very social scene and before you know it, it’s 4AM – time to go to bed so you can get up the next day and do it again. The days kind of go on like that and before I knew it, I had been there a week.
I left friends behind yesterday, albeit with plans to meet up with some of them in a few weeks. Am back in Bangkok for a day, before heading south for a few days of diving and some more island action.
Peace to all… Write me when you can.
Matt