Random Comments

Things to Like about Thailand

The unrelenting Thai politeness. Most Thai's are overwhelmingly polite, not just with words but with actions.


24oz local beers. Order a beer and that's what you get. I guess the 12oz model just isn't enough in this tropical climate.


$2.90 hour long Thai massage. That was the best price I've seen so far, generally we dish out twice that much. It's a daily habit at this point.

200+ item menus! Many restaurants have menus 30 pages long. The only nuisance is that Thai's are so polite, once they hand you the menu, they stand right next to you until you order. Once, I tried telling the waiter to give us a few minutes. He politly agreed and then stayed right there and waited. I'm starting to get used to it.

Where's the Elephant!

While in Bangkok, we were at a nice outdoor restaurant in downtown across from our hotel, when all of a sudden a young elephant walks up right next to us, like within 10-12 feet! (It's really amazing just how quiet they are). Anyway, I noticed it first and said "Hey guys look an elephant". Syd and Barrett notice but Rylan had be looking down at his plate. When he looks up he says "where"!

I said "Right there"!

He stretched his neck so he could see around this big "grey wall" and again says "where's the elephant"? Again I say "right here". It didn't register for Rylan for another few moments, but when it did it was a great reaction of surprise and shock.

I think there is a joke about hiding elephants. Anyway, we laughed about it all night.

Some Funny Stuff:

Two ladies in full burka attire riding a moped. ( I don't know, I guess you just had to see it).

Road Rules:

As I see it the lines painted on the roads are for reference only, perhaps a form of measurement. What we would call two lanes, the Thai's call five; two for cars and 3 for mopeds OR 3 for cars and 2 for mopeds.

At the stoplights mopeds weave through the traffic until they are at the front. It is expected, if you don't the moped behind you will let you know.

Driving the wrong way on a street is okay, as long as you think you can make it. (Sidewalks are fine too).

Turning left on Red is expected even if your in the outside lane. Again only if you think you can make it.

3 persons per moped is fine, just put the baby on the handlebars.

If you see a car nosing in from a side street, expect them to go for it. (If they didn't they'd never get in).

Cell phone use while mopeding in traffic is common, no need to stop. I actually saw three on a moped, two of which were on the phone. I know unbelievable.

In the states we call all this DWA (Driving While Asian). Well we're living it. We rented two mopeds for the month, and today I performed my first left on red. But don't worry Moms, I haven't called anyone yet.