Now Khao San road was described by the guide book and wikitravel as a sort of backpacker ghetto. I think that was a huge understatement. The road is about 3 blocks of bars, cheap hostels and vendors selling pirate/fake items. Sprinkled into this mix is a horde of young white people looking to party. Lots of brits and aussies, many of them young women dressed like they want to be assaulted. Throughout the night we constantly saw people, backpacks in tow, walking down the street, coming and going from the hostels. After coming out of China it was almost a surreal experience to see this many white people around and this level of over indulgence. Some of the bars were no more than a drink stand with a bunch of plastic chairs and as the night went on the chairs seemed to multiply until they were half way in the street. Drunk, stoned, tired looking white kids slumped in the chairs trying to keep the party going. I can see now why Bangkok has a party reputation and is a destination for some many young travelers.
We eventually ran into Jon and Laura and sat down to have a few beers. They filled us in on their trip since Beijing and we shared some of our stories as well. At one bar we started talking to two British guys from London, Neil and Francis. They were two of the funniest guys I have ever met and had us rolling for a good 30 minutes. Neil had also just come back from working in a orphanage in Siem Reap for a month and in one at Chiang Mai before that. At another bar we saw what had to be a man dressed as a woman (lady boy) walk by. She walked by about 4-5 times, prowling the streets for unsuspecting tourist (we actually saw a lot of old fat bald white guys with young asian women. maybe I am stereotyping but it did not look like it added up). As I said the term lady boy this old Thai man in front of us heard me and asked how I knew about lady boys. I told him it was common knowledge and he filled me in that the 2 "girls" behind us talking to 2 white dudes were men, but to keep my voice down because they are not allowed into the bars. I was rather shocked because I really thought they were women which just goes to show that you can never tell. It's also why until I leave Asia and Africa I have taken a vow of abstinence.
Couple other odd moments through the night were
- Justin eating street vendor vegetable I had never heard of. It was the most foul smelling vegetable ever. Jon bought it cause he wanted to try it and after he tried it Justin decided to also. The stuff smells like rotten vegetables and as we learned later from the guy Jon gave it away to it works well as shampoo. When Justin scooped some up (it had the consistency of pudding) and put it in his mouth there was a split second when his face was like "what did I just eat". For the next 30 minutes Jon and Justin were complaining about the taste still in their mouth and their burps having its distinct taste.
- Getting my picture taken with the Jack Sparrow of Thailand. A street vendor dressed as Jack Sparrow selling handmade bracelets and such.
- Getting offered the ping pong show over and over. If you don't know what that is don't ask.
