12/01: My First Trip to Asia

In December of 2001 after a few months of planning, I took off on my first trip to Asia, alone. Supposedly two of my friends were planning to come along but one was laid off and the other had problems with his business so they backed out. Prior to this trip I had never been away on a vacation for more than eight days at any one time and only once did I go away on my own and I didn't really have that great a time. So I told my friends that my three week vacation may be shortened. That I may be back in a week. I left SFO to Bangkok on EVA Air. This airline is the only one that offers a class called "Economy Deluxe," which has the larger seat size similar to business with economy class service for a few dollars more. This was truly helpful for the long haul from SFO to Taipei, an eleven hour ride. Aside from the two hour layover in Taipei, the trip was long, food was good, and uneventful. It didn't really matter too much. I was pretty excited.

I arrived in Bangkok on the King's Birthday and nothing, nothing was open. But I did find one bar open and it was filled with foreigners. I walked in and took the only seat available at the bar.. and waited. No one spoke to me nor did anyone served me. So I spoke up and asked for a beer. Lo and Behold, thus began the time of my life. I met people from europe and also from the states. They knew I was a newbie in Bangkok by the questions I was asking and was very open to share their experiences and ideals of what would make my vacation a great one. (No one initally spoke to me as they thought I was Thai and since it was the King's Birthday and every business were supposed to be closed, they assumed I was a Thai cop.) The bartender, who initially ignored me, also got into the conversation amazed that I spoke English so well. "I'm an American. I'm sure you speak Thai very well. (wink wink)" "But you do not look like American. You look 'japon' or 'Thai man.'" Up to this day, I would have to explain at least once a day how I could be an American.

I spent a week in Bangkok taking tours to the Grand Palace, Wat Po, Chinatown, Chao Praya River and stayed at the Riverside Marriott on the recommendation of my buddy Neil Davis and also at the Grand President Hotel on Soi 11 and Suhkumvit at the recommendations of my fellow co-workers. The Marriott was truly immaculate. Each morning I looked forward to catching the 7am boat across the river to begin my day on tours. At 7am in the morning, I thought the weather was perfect, approximately 65-68 degrees F but the guys on the boat were shivering! They had on their shirts, sweaters and coats. It was pretty funny. I guess it's all relative.

I took an hour flight on Thai Air south to the island of Phuket. There I took the local cab, paid my 400 baht, rode the forty minutes to the town of Patong and checked into the Hotel Summer Breeze. There, I found the best beaches I had ever been on up to that point. The white sandy beaches were warm with turquoise blue green water that you can walk out into for about a hundred yards. The water was so clear that you can see to the bottom for some ways. At night, the partying was on-going up and down Soi Bangla, the main party street full of clubs and bars. People were friendly and were just having a great time. I also took a couple of day trips, one was to Phi Phi Island (where they filmed the movie, "The Beach") and second to James Bond Island (where they filmed, "Man with the Golden Gun.")

After Phuket, I returned north to Bangkok and took the two hour taxi ride south east to the beach resort town of Pattaya where I stayed my last three days and met Trudi, a good friend I would only see once again thereafter.

At each turn and at each town, I met so many wonderful people that I was having the time of my life. Instead of returning early, I extended my trip right up to Christmas day, the night I always spend with my family. I found something that really made me happy and excited and that was traveling to new places, taking pictures and making friends. Thus began the beginning of the end to the Second Segment.