The Elephant Cloud » Thailand

Last meal

Jay Wright — Thu, 29 May 2008 16:44:00 +0000

Second Time? Second Time?

Yes. Second time, we nod.

About ten minutes from the airport is a lesser known hotel that offers all the amenities at affordable price. We stopped on the way in and we stopped on the way out.

Down the street, we returned to an outdoor restaurant which treated us well the first time through. A large concrete slab with a tin roof and plastic tables, they remembered us and catered dutifully to our whims. There was no English, just a plethora of fresh fish, soups, and smiling faces despite turning down their proffered chicken foot soup.

In the warm night, the rains came down hard and the canvas walls were lowered to lash about in the wind. We soaked it up one last time, a second time indeed. And we’ll be back.

Voted off the island

Jay Wright — Wed, 28 May 2008 16:43:00 +0000

A gentle tide and waveless beaches. Perfect: a handful of days on warm, sunny Thai beaches with bowls of green curry, fresh coconut shakes, and the occasional beer Chang.

No tours, schedules, or agendas. Just a gentle jungle breeze on the beach.

But the time has come, I’ve been voted off the Island.

I’m heading home.

No Guidebook Necessary

Jay Wright — Fri, 02 May 2008 10:57:00 +0000

Bangkok and its curry welcomed me back for the third time. Like an old friend, we dined on fresh fish, caught an excellent soccer game, drank some beer, and wandered together on a timeless morning.

It was a quick, eighteen hour affair, an easy transition back into Asian culture, a soft step to prepare for the culture shock of India. It was so smooth, we didn’t even bring a map.

Bangkok arrival

Darlene Nastansky — Thu, 01 May 2008 14:03:26 +0000

Ten hours flying west with the ever rising sun, my body fooled into thinking there was no need for sleep. Layover in Tokyo, my first footing onto the Asian continent. Lingering through the airport, kiosks filled with tentacled squid cellophaned for quick take out, boxes of green tea mochi, cafe sushi and crazy electronic bubble wrap items, a fav with the local girls. Tokyo, another journey for another time.

Little time between stops, we were ushered onto the next jet destined for Bangkok. Finding 18J, I wedged myself near the window and immediately dosed off into a glorious slumber. Darkness had finally overtaken 18 hours of sunlight as I wondered from customs, 10:15pm Thai time. Tired, my body moved toward the easiest solution a bright, yellow Kiosk offering local taxi and hotel services. I realize I am no longer the young, I can handle anything resilient hippie chick I thought I once was, rather an aged, quasi-resilient hippie chick, weary-eyed traveler seeking trouble-free accommodations.

Bellies rumbling at 1:30am, a venture into the cooled midnight air finds eateries encased only by aluminum roofs, scattered tables and chairs, families sharing meals, local police sipping rum. Crossing the street is akin to a successful game of Frogger, there I find an elder man standing behind his delicacies beckoning a look, recognizing only fresh fish amongst the gastronomic art display, I smile, anchor to a table and reassure my belly. King Fisher beer was ordered, anxious to try the local beer I ordered “the same,” and instead got a bottle of “Beer Chang.” Satiated yet exhausted, I fell into a slumber.