Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2001 05:52:45 -0800 (PST)
From: Jay Schneider
Subject: Rambo and Room Service
Happy 2001, dear readers! I’m hoping this first installment of the new year finds everyone healthy, well, and enjoying life as much as I am.
I won’t bore you with the details of my countdown festivities, since I’m sure it’s a tired old story to the many of you who were also watching a drag show in a red-light district gay bar.
And no, pets, Santa Claus did not find me this year (I’ll chalk that up to lack of a forwarding address, and not a reflection of my behavior). Fortunately ‘Uncle Chuck’ came for a visit, and not only insisted on sponsoring my holiday but demanded I upgrade my standard of living. Being the considerate fellow I am, and not wanting to disappoint my ol’ college buddy, I didn’t argue.
Though it was sad to part from my shoebox room in the guesthouse who’s slogan reads “If the neon lights don’t keep you awake, the 24-hour Britney Spears/Backstreet Boys/techno fest will,” I soon adapted to life in the Siam Intercontinental. Admittedly, it was rough at first, going from a guest house staff who laughed at me each time I found a cockroach in my bed, to a uniformed man who saluted me each time I passed (I made a point of walking by this gentleman as often as I could). When the swimming pool, driving range and pleasant strolls through the gardens got too much for us, we could always retreat to our room with its comfortable, proper beds, air-conditioning, and…cable! Not just any cable, but cable with AMERICAN FOOTBALL!
It was nice to see a friend from home, not only for his wallet, but also for the sight-seeing and exploring of Bangkok’s cultural sites. See, none of my female friends shared my desire to discover exactly what the ‘ping-pong’ show at the go-go bars is all about.
But it wasn’t all saluting and ping-pong shows. We soon headed south to the islands where I could visit another friendly face Ava, a fellow ex-English teacher from Japan. It was great to see her again, catch up on the past 5 months, and threaten her with blackmail (see previous update: ‘Joe Camel’), but also to see her doing so well in her new job. Working as a divemaster (dive-mistress?) in Ko Lanta, she seems really happy and in her element. During my stay, I heard countless divers praise her divemaster-ing skills. I almost felt like a proud parent, and tears willing in my eyes, I hugged Chuck and cried “Our little Ava’s all grown up.” Chuck promptly slugged me, and I promised never to do this again.
While Ava was off diving, Chuck and I, who were not certified and didn’t have the time to take a course, entertained ourselves exploring the island and it’s caves, hanging out on the beaches, and lounging in Ava’s hammock (though, not at the same time).
We also rented motorcycles and raced around the island like fully-insured maniacs (yes, I finally got more health insurance). No exciting mud stories this time (dry season), but I did try my hand at taking other people’s lives into my hands and carried passengers. Here’s what I learned: Ava riding on the back is far, far more enjoyable than Chuck, but a beautiful Dutch-Indonesian woman beats them all. (Sorry, Ava; no apologies, Chuck)
Well, it all had to end at some point, and Chuck and I headed back to Bangkok so he could catch his flight back home. Our farewell dinner was ‘Room Service and Rambo’ night, the penguin-suited man wheeled in our fresh sea food, as we watched ‘First Blood,’ the original (and by far the best) Rambo movie.Classy.
So what’s next for our hero? Well, apart from a return to a budget lifestyle, let me explain.
My basic plan (and I’ve always had one, despite what most of y’all are thinkin’) is to explore Laos/Northern Thailand and Malaysia/Singapore, and then pack it up and head for home. But I may not follow the nice itinerary I’d come up with prior to the holidays. Seeing Chuck and Ava reminded me how nice it is to see friendly faces, and travel/hang out with people you get on with. Though I’m always meeting great people on the road until now I’ve been ‘doing my own thing’ not altering my schedule too much in order to travel with, or meet up with people. And it felt right to do so.
But my plan for the new year is to be more people-oriented, and I’ll gladly mold my schedule to accommodate friends. For example, I may travel a bit with Ava when she finishes the season, or I may try and meet up with the two American guys who convinced me to shave my head in Kathmandu. (Though I’m a little upset with them as I just found out they missed their chance to be extras in a Bollywood movie because they overslept. I’m so disappointed.) So my plans and routes may have me hopping around and backtracking a bit, and it may even lengthen my trip a few weeks (no, really, I am coming home) but I think it’ll be for the best.
So what does all that mean for right now? I’m heading for Malaysia.
(see above: ‘beautiful Dutch-Indonesian woman’)
will write again
Jay “don’t forget my Birthday, January 14th” Schneider