Bangkok Journal
Saturday, 29 April 2006
12:39 PM, Washington, DC – Upon arrival at Dulles, I immediately saw David (my supervisor), who waved me over to the first class check-in line. I realized COL Gere had made his way to the end of the long, snaking line for coach check-in, so I motioned to him, thinking he hadn’t seen David or where we were supposed to check-in. But David informed me that COL Gere was right where he was supposed to be - he was traveling in coach. Ah, the Army life.
The first leg of the flight will take us to Seoul and will last about fifteen hours. Yes, fifteen hours. Sigh. With about an hour until we are scheduled to depart, David and I are relaxing in the business lounge, drinking coffee and eating muffins, cheese and fresh fruit.
Sunday, 30 April 2006
6:08 PM, Seoul – The flight went by rather quickly and consisted of sleeping, eating, sleeping, reading, sleeping, watching movies and let’s see…what else? Oh, yes, sleeping. I guess Dramamine and wine lend themselves well to that equation.
David and I are again relaxing in the business lounge, this time in Seoul, enjoying watercress sandwiches, sushi and a tasty cold coffee beverage. How can I return to the doldrums of life in coach after this?
Monday, 1 May 2006
3:02 AM, Bangkok – We’ve arrived! The five-hour flight from Seoul seemed incredibly long. Perhaps it was because the seats weren’t nearly as comfortable as the earlier flight and I was starting to feel the effects of traveling. But now we’re here in Bangkok at the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel. I’ve showered, unpacked the necessities, and now I’m ready to climb into my king-size, wonderfully-welcoming bed.
8:14 PM – It’s been a long, loooooong day. We started with breakfast a mere four hours after arriving at the hotel. Then it was off to the institute for several meetings, followed by a delicious lunch of pork fried rice and dumplings, and then more meetings. Upon returning to the hotel, David and I trekked to a nearby mall, where we got 60-minute foot massages for $8. What a deal!
I’ve been fighting off the jetlag since 1:00 this afternoon, so I decided to pass on dinner and return to my room for some much-needed alone time and sleep.
Tuesday, 2 May 2006
2:50 PM – David and I have returned to the hotel after a short, but busy and productive day at the institute. Lunch was Thai coconut chicken soup, which is really a misnomer. “White liquid fire” would be much more accurate.
I’ll spend the rest the afternoon relaxing and reading, perhaps by the pool. I don’t yet know what tonight has in store.
Wednesday, 3 May 2006
8:43 PM – My body is finally on Bangkok time. Hooray! The COL insists that jetlag is a figment of the imagination, to which I reply that falling asleep at 6:00 in the evening and waking up at 3:00 in the morning is not imaginary or common practice for me.
We spent the morning in meetings in the Veterinary Medicine building. I told David to make sure we avoided areas that might contain animals. (I don’t know what goes on in those areas, but I’m fighting off mental images of screaming monkeys in wire cages.) Lunch was delicious: veggie dumplings and beef with egg noodles at MK Restaurant. After enduring two more meetings in the afternoon, David and I headed out for some shopping and a Thai foot message. We then returned to the hotel, changed out of our sweaty clothes, and met up in the lobby to sip mint iced tea and listen to a live trio of piano, string bass and oboe. Odd combo, but entertaining. COL Gere then met us for dinner, where we enjoyed sushi and discussed our tastes in music. It was an pleasant surprise to learn that both David and the COL are opera fans.
Thursday, 4 May 2006
2:59 PM – Remember how I wrote that I’ve finally adjusted to Bangkok time? Well, I spoke too soon. I managed to stay awake past 6:00 last night, but I woke up at 3:00 AM and couldn’t get back to sleep. David informed me that this is likely not to change. Great.
Today is the hottest day yet. It’s in the 90s right now, but with 75% humidity, it's way over 100.
Tonight we are dining at Vertigo, the restaurant on top of the Banyan Tree Hotel:
Dinner was a crisp vegetable wrap with peanut sauce, Caesar salad and roast rack of lamb. Everything was superb – the food, the service, the atmosphere – but I found myself wishing I could share the experience with someone other than co-workers.
Tomorrow morning we'll tour the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) and Wat Po (Temple of the Reclining Buddha). Finally, I get to be a tourist!
Friday, 5 May 2006
8:54 PM – I spent the morning being a tourist – a sweaty tourist. Again it was in the mid 90s with 70% humidity. David and I started with a visit to the Grand Palace, the official royal residence from the 18th century until 1946, when King Rama VIII (elder brother of the current king) was mysteriously found shot dead in his room.
Next was the Emerald Buddha, which is actually carved jade, housed in the Royal Temple (Wat Phra Kaew) on the palace grounds. I don’t know what is was – the burning incense, the visitors bowing and praying before the Buddha, the sense of history – but the spirituality in the temple was palpable. I knelt for a long time, drinking it all in.
From there we walked to the Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Po). Built in the 16th century, it is the oldest temple in Bangkok. It houses the reclining Buddha statue that illustrates the passing of Buddha into nirvana. David told me it was really big – and he wasn’t kidding! The statue is over 150 feet long and 50 feet high, with gold plating on its body and mother of pearl on its eyes and the soles of its feet. There are 108 prayer bowls lining the Buddha’s back. For a donation of 20 baht (about 53 cents) you are given a bowl of coins (satangs), which you drop into each of the bowls for luck. I ran out of coins and had to skip the last four bowls, so I expect I’ll be hit by a bus before heading back to the States.
We returned to the hotel for a meeting with the Project Coordinator to plan our work schedule for next week. Then we had a fantastic dinner at Spice Market, the Thai restaurant here in the hotel: spicy chicken, rice noodles and veggies, plus a refreshing lemongrass iced tea. Delicious.
We have an 8:15 AM flight to Chiang Mai tomorrow for a weekend of fun, so no blogging until I return Sunday night. Happy weekend!
Sunday, 7 May 2006
10:01 PM – What a weekend! The flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai took a little more than an hour. After hopping on the shuttle and checking into our hotel, we immediately set out via taxi to Wat Phrathat, the temple perched on top of Doi Suthep. Since COL Gere has a bad knee, we didn’t climb the 304 steps from the front gate to the temple, but took the cable car to the top. It’s a beautiful temple with an amazing view of the city.
Afterwards we headed to a nearby spa for some pampering and relaxation. Even though I was the girl in the group, it was the guys who suggested it. (Does that say more about me or them?) Considering how inexpensive the treatments are, you really can’t pass them up. I opted for an herbal massage and facial. I’d never experienced a facial before and found it to be very unsettling having all that gunk piled on my face. But I did enjoy the herbal massage quite a bit.
Feeling completely relaxed and rejuvenated, we headed back to the hotel, changed our clothes, hopped in a tuk-tuk (which seemed much safer when not in the context of Bangkok traffic), and went to dinner at the Antique House. There we enjoyed authentic northern Thai cuisine in a traditional Thai-style home built in 1870. A delicious end to a busy day.
On Sunday we had breakfast at the hotel, met our driver (the tuk-tuk driver Jimmy offered to drive us around for the day – in a car this time – anywhere we wanted to go for 600 baht – about $16) and went to an elephant training camp just west of the city. For 1500 baht (less than $40) we saw an elephant show, went for long rides on elephants, ox-carts and bamboo rafts, and had a delicious lunch. The entire excursion lasted a little over four hours and was worth three times as much. The elephant ride offered some amazing scenery and, other than the fact that I was a bit concerned about my skin baking in the hot sun, the raft ride was one of the most serene experiences of my life. The whole experience was absolutely fantastic. Plus, I was one of five people who got to ride an elephant bareback. (Just wait until I download the pictures!)
Then we did a little shopping, made a brief stop at The Monkey Center (I was disturbed by the animal treatment and environment, so we left rather abruptly), returned to the hotel to retrieve our belongings, and set off for the airport to catch our flight back to Bangkok.
A memorable aside: While relaxing before our flight and chatting about the day, COL Gere looked at my ankle, crinkled his bow and said, “Is that a leech on Amanda’s leg?” I jumped up and screamed, “WHAT?!” just as David said, “No, it’s mud from where the elephant sprayed her.” Whew. That’s seven words I never want to hear again.
Monday, 8 May 2006
3:33 PM – We’ve managed to finish all of our work two days earlier than expected, so we’re heading back to the States tonight. As much as I’ve enjoyed the trip, I’m ready to be home.
We depart Bangkok at 1:30 AM Tuesday morning and arrive in DC at 11:30 AM the same day. It will be interesting seeing how my body adjusts to gaining eleven hours.
Tuesday, 9 May 2006
3:25 PM – Our last night in Bangkok was interesting. David and I had planned to do some last-minute souvenir shopping at the night bizarre, but I began feeling nauseous and dizzy, and decided it would be best to relax at the hotel before our flight.
I was feeling a bit better when we arrived at the airport, but still out of sorts. Then, while waiting to board the plane, I broke out in hives all over my arms. Knowing that worrying would only make the situation worse, I took a Benadryl and tried to relax. We boarded the plane and, eventually, the hives went away.
About three hours from Dulles, a flight attendant made an announcement that a passenger was having a medical emergency and asked anyone with medical training to notify a flight attendant. David is an RN, so he went to see how he could help. It turns out that an elderly woman was having severe diarrhea and cramping. They made sure to keep her hydrated, but couldn’t do much beyond that.
And now, after seeing the sunrise twice in the last twenty-four hours, I’m home.
12:39 PM, Washington, DC – Upon arrival at Dulles, I immediately saw David (my supervisor), who waved me over to the first class check-in line. I realized COL Gere had made his way to the end of the long, snaking line for coach check-in, so I motioned to him, thinking he hadn’t seen David or where we were supposed to check-in. But David informed me that COL Gere was right where he was supposed to be - he was traveling in coach. Ah, the Army life.
The first leg of the flight will take us to Seoul and will last about fifteen hours. Yes, fifteen hours. Sigh. With about an hour until we are scheduled to depart, David and I are relaxing in the business lounge, drinking coffee and eating muffins, cheese and fresh fruit.
Sunday, 30 April 2006
6:08 PM, Seoul – The flight went by rather quickly and consisted of sleeping, eating, sleeping, reading, sleeping, watching movies and let’s see…what else? Oh, yes, sleeping. I guess Dramamine and wine lend themselves well to that equation.
David and I are again relaxing in the business lounge, this time in Seoul, enjoying watercress sandwiches, sushi and a tasty cold coffee beverage. How can I return to the doldrums of life in coach after this?
Monday, 1 May 2006
3:02 AM, Bangkok – We’ve arrived! The five-hour flight from Seoul seemed incredibly long. Perhaps it was because the seats weren’t nearly as comfortable as the earlier flight and I was starting to feel the effects of traveling. But now we’re here in Bangkok at the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel. I’ve showered, unpacked the necessities, and now I’m ready to climb into my king-size, wonderfully-welcoming bed.
8:14 PM – It’s been a long, loooooong day. We started with breakfast a mere four hours after arriving at the hotel. Then it was off to the institute for several meetings, followed by a delicious lunch of pork fried rice and dumplings, and then more meetings. Upon returning to the hotel, David and I trekked to a nearby mall, where we got 60-minute foot massages for $8. What a deal!
I’ve been fighting off the jetlag since 1:00 this afternoon, so I decided to pass on dinner and return to my room for some much-needed alone time and sleep.
Tuesday, 2 May 2006
2:50 PM – David and I have returned to the hotel after a short, but busy and productive day at the institute. Lunch was Thai coconut chicken soup, which is really a misnomer. “White liquid fire” would be much more accurate.
I’ll spend the rest the afternoon relaxing and reading, perhaps by the pool. I don’t yet know what tonight has in store.
Wednesday, 3 May 2006
8:43 PM – My body is finally on Bangkok time. Hooray! The COL insists that jetlag is a figment of the imagination, to which I reply that falling asleep at 6:00 in the evening and waking up at 3:00 in the morning is not imaginary or common practice for me.
We spent the morning in meetings in the Veterinary Medicine building. I told David to make sure we avoided areas that might contain animals. (I don’t know what goes on in those areas, but I’m fighting off mental images of screaming monkeys in wire cages.) Lunch was delicious: veggie dumplings and beef with egg noodles at MK Restaurant. After enduring two more meetings in the afternoon, David and I headed out for some shopping and a Thai foot message. We then returned to the hotel, changed out of our sweaty clothes, and met up in the lobby to sip mint iced tea and listen to a live trio of piano, string bass and oboe. Odd combo, but entertaining. COL Gere then met us for dinner, where we enjoyed sushi and discussed our tastes in music. It was an pleasant surprise to learn that both David and the COL are opera fans.
Thursday, 4 May 2006
2:59 PM – Remember how I wrote that I’ve finally adjusted to Bangkok time? Well, I spoke too soon. I managed to stay awake past 6:00 last night, but I woke up at 3:00 AM and couldn’t get back to sleep. David informed me that this is likely not to change. Great.
Today is the hottest day yet. It’s in the 90s right now, but with 75% humidity, it's way over 100.
Tonight we are dining at Vertigo, the restaurant on top of the Banyan Tree Hotel:
9:34 PM – Just returned from an amazing evening at Vertigo. We had dinner reservations for 7:30, but arrived an hour early to watch the sunset. It was absolutely amazing – brilliant, continually evolving reds, oranges and golds dancing over the Bangkok skyline. My eyes were completely fixed until the last hint of sunlight faded and the glimmering lights of the night city took over.Vertigo is unlike any other bar-cum-restaurant in the world: some 61 floors above the streets of Bangkok, this open-air rooftop lounge grants views that simply take your breath away. Stylish, sophisticated and reaching for the clouds, there is no better place for a romantic tête-à-tête, glamorous cocktail party or fashion launch than this. Indulge in barbecued seafood, champagne and a wide selection of cocktails, wines-by-the-glass and non-alcoholic drinks. Innovative a-la-minute BBQ items include 'Red Mullet en Papillote with Thyme', 'Grilled Scallops in a Shell with Toasted Hazelnut and Coriander Butter' and 'Grilled Oysters with Parmesan Cheese'. Irresistible.
Dinner was a crisp vegetable wrap with peanut sauce, Caesar salad and roast rack of lamb. Everything was superb – the food, the service, the atmosphere – but I found myself wishing I could share the experience with someone other than co-workers.
Tomorrow morning we'll tour the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) and Wat Po (Temple of the Reclining Buddha). Finally, I get to be a tourist!
Friday, 5 May 2006
8:54 PM – I spent the morning being a tourist – a sweaty tourist. Again it was in the mid 90s with 70% humidity. David and I started with a visit to the Grand Palace, the official royal residence from the 18th century until 1946, when King Rama VIII (elder brother of the current king) was mysteriously found shot dead in his room.
Next was the Emerald Buddha, which is actually carved jade, housed in the Royal Temple (Wat Phra Kaew) on the palace grounds. I don’t know what is was – the burning incense, the visitors bowing and praying before the Buddha, the sense of history – but the spirituality in the temple was palpable. I knelt for a long time, drinking it all in.
From there we walked to the Temple of the Reclining Buddha (Wat Po). Built in the 16th century, it is the oldest temple in Bangkok. It houses the reclining Buddha statue that illustrates the passing of Buddha into nirvana. David told me it was really big – and he wasn’t kidding! The statue is over 150 feet long and 50 feet high, with gold plating on its body and mother of pearl on its eyes and the soles of its feet. There are 108 prayer bowls lining the Buddha’s back. For a donation of 20 baht (about 53 cents) you are given a bowl of coins (satangs), which you drop into each of the bowls for luck. I ran out of coins and had to skip the last four bowls, so I expect I’ll be hit by a bus before heading back to the States.
We returned to the hotel for a meeting with the Project Coordinator to plan our work schedule for next week. Then we had a fantastic dinner at Spice Market, the Thai restaurant here in the hotel: spicy chicken, rice noodles and veggies, plus a refreshing lemongrass iced tea. Delicious.
We have an 8:15 AM flight to Chiang Mai tomorrow for a weekend of fun, so no blogging until I return Sunday night. Happy weekend!
Sunday, 7 May 2006
10:01 PM – What a weekend! The flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai took a little more than an hour. After hopping on the shuttle and checking into our hotel, we immediately set out via taxi to Wat Phrathat, the temple perched on top of Doi Suthep. Since COL Gere has a bad knee, we didn’t climb the 304 steps from the front gate to the temple, but took the cable car to the top. It’s a beautiful temple with an amazing view of the city.
Afterwards we headed to a nearby spa for some pampering and relaxation. Even though I was the girl in the group, it was the guys who suggested it. (Does that say more about me or them?) Considering how inexpensive the treatments are, you really can’t pass them up. I opted for an herbal massage and facial. I’d never experienced a facial before and found it to be very unsettling having all that gunk piled on my face. But I did enjoy the herbal massage quite a bit.
Feeling completely relaxed and rejuvenated, we headed back to the hotel, changed our clothes, hopped in a tuk-tuk (which seemed much safer when not in the context of Bangkok traffic), and went to dinner at the Antique House. There we enjoyed authentic northern Thai cuisine in a traditional Thai-style home built in 1870. A delicious end to a busy day.
On Sunday we had breakfast at the hotel, met our driver (the tuk-tuk driver Jimmy offered to drive us around for the day – in a car this time – anywhere we wanted to go for 600 baht – about $16) and went to an elephant training camp just west of the city. For 1500 baht (less than $40) we saw an elephant show, went for long rides on elephants, ox-carts and bamboo rafts, and had a delicious lunch. The entire excursion lasted a little over four hours and was worth three times as much. The elephant ride offered some amazing scenery and, other than the fact that I was a bit concerned about my skin baking in the hot sun, the raft ride was one of the most serene experiences of my life. The whole experience was absolutely fantastic. Plus, I was one of five people who got to ride an elephant bareback. (Just wait until I download the pictures!)
Then we did a little shopping, made a brief stop at The Monkey Center (I was disturbed by the animal treatment and environment, so we left rather abruptly), returned to the hotel to retrieve our belongings, and set off for the airport to catch our flight back to Bangkok.
A memorable aside: While relaxing before our flight and chatting about the day, COL Gere looked at my ankle, crinkled his bow and said, “Is that a leech on Amanda’s leg?” I jumped up and screamed, “WHAT?!” just as David said, “No, it’s mud from where the elephant sprayed her.” Whew. That’s seven words I never want to hear again.
Monday, 8 May 2006
3:33 PM – We’ve managed to finish all of our work two days earlier than expected, so we’re heading back to the States tonight. As much as I’ve enjoyed the trip, I’m ready to be home.
We depart Bangkok at 1:30 AM Tuesday morning and arrive in DC at 11:30 AM the same day. It will be interesting seeing how my body adjusts to gaining eleven hours.
Tuesday, 9 May 2006
3:25 PM – Our last night in Bangkok was interesting. David and I had planned to do some last-minute souvenir shopping at the night bizarre, but I began feeling nauseous and dizzy, and decided it would be best to relax at the hotel before our flight.
I was feeling a bit better when we arrived at the airport, but still out of sorts. Then, while waiting to board the plane, I broke out in hives all over my arms. Knowing that worrying would only make the situation worse, I took a Benadryl and tried to relax. We boarded the plane and, eventually, the hives went away.
About three hours from Dulles, a flight attendant made an announcement that a passenger was having a medical emergency and asked anyone with medical training to notify a flight attendant. David is an RN, so he went to see how he could help. It turns out that an elderly woman was having severe diarrhea and cramping. They made sure to keep her hydrated, but couldn’t do much beyond that.
And now, after seeing the sunrise twice in the last twenty-four hours, I’m home.
posted by Amanda at 3:55 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home