Lessons from Bangkok

After almost a week in this city, I am slowly starting to get a sense of what life is like here. It's been mostly a learning experience, and I really would not want to pass on sharing some of these experiences. Of course, guidebooks are great to spare oneself the traditional scams, tuk-tuk or taxi rip offs and the likes, and we've been doing good so far - at least we think. But not everything is in the guidebook, not even if it's the Lonely Planet. So here are my lessons from Bangkok.

Lesson #1: Always Have An Umbrella
This was my first night in Bangkok. I was taking a nice stroll out of the guesthouse to check how far my office was, get a feel of the city. And of course, boum, a huge thunderstorm cracks open on my head as I was on my way bck to the guesthouse. It was dark, it was late, I had to start work early. I just went for it. And - man! did I get wet!!!

Lesson #2: Do Not Eat the Chili
Sounds quite common sense when I put it this way. But when the chili is being sneaky, hiding in your plate, disguised into green peppers or tomatoes just to fool you, it's a whole different story. Those things really bite!!

Lesson #3: Mosquitoes also Bite
Again, you're going to think I'm a fool, everybody knows that. Yet, we were at the restaurant on Saturday night, and I saw the other girls spreading some strong lemongrass-smelling (citronnelle) oil on them. Ha! I thought. I don't need this anymore, there's no malariaor dengue in Bangkok. Consquence: now my legs are so full of mosquito bites that I look like I have the chickenpox (varicelle). Veeeery elegant.

Lesson #4: Always Have An Umbrella (again)
I mean, it's great that I bought one the day after I got so wet. And it's really pretty with that, grey with red flowers. But if I leave it at home juste because it's hot and sunny in the morning, then guess what happens in the afternoon, as soon as I set foot out of my air-conditioned office?...

Lesson #5: Do Not Wear White Skirts
(Works for white pants too.) Especially when (a) it rains, (b) the sewage is flooding the streets and (c) you're wearing flip-flops (tongs). Because they have not invented mud-guards for flip-flops, and as I write right now, my skirt has turned into a dirty-borwnish-spotted skirt. Matches my legs, I guess.

Lesson #6: Do Not Ride Tuk-Tuk during Rush Hour
That is, if you care about your life. Not so much the driving - how dangerous can it be when you don't move at all? But pollution, exhaust fumes, diesel, smog, lead and other nasty particulate matters are gleefully settling into my lungs. As Brian nicely underlined, I'm giving up years of my life just sitting in traffic. Next time I'll take a real taxi.

Lesson #7: I Will Never Complain about A/C Again
I would not be here to write this without air-conditioning. I'd have melted, entirely. God bless air-conditioning.

Lesson #8: Long Life to the King!
It's the King's 60th jubilee next Monday. The city is going completely nuts about it, wearing yellow shirts printed "I Love the King" (I think I have to get one, it's going to be top fashion in Berkeley this fall), rehearsing 5 times in one week the shows for Monday: boat show on the river, kids dancing and bowing in golden outfits, prayers and singing. Honestly, if I were Kim Jung Il in North Korea, I'd be jealous.

But I'm personnally quite happy about it: they're blocking the whole city center this weekend, which means the office will be closed Friday and Monday. Our next post will be from some palm tree-lined, white-sanded beach in the China Sea this weekend. Yahoo!