Thursday - Day 2 Bangkok Hospital

After a great nights sleep and coffee in the garden Brett and Maya introduced me to their 'soi'. A soi is a small street off a large multi-laned street. Usually only a car and a half wide and lined with parked cars, street vendor carts, restaurants and shops a soi serves wheeled and foot traffic. Brett and Maya's place was flanked by Soi 4 and Soi 6 off Ratchawiti Road. Soi 6 had all the shops and restaurants on it so that is the one we accessed the main roads from the most often.

This bright and warm morning we strolled the block or so down the soi to their usual breakfast restaurant. It has no name - you just know where it is. After placing our order we settled in the eating area set behind the open air cooking area and watched what Maya assured me is really bad Thai TV until our breakfast was served. I went with the egg and pork omelet which was served over rice to ease myself into Thai cuisine.

True to my promise to Jack and my doctor we set off to get my last of the series of three hepatitis vaccinations I was supposed to get as soon as I got to Bangkok. Our planned destination was the Travelers Clinic next to the nearby hospital. I gamely followed Brett and Maya as they threaded their way through the crowds along the streets and then on the elevated

walkways that allow people to move from the sky train platforms to the various streets without impeding the wheeled traffic on the streets. Since Victory Monument is not a tourist area of Bangkok very few signs are written in English so I had to be told the large white building complex we were entering was the hospital.

In a large reception type area rimmed with windowed offices Maya explained at the information desk that I needed to get my last hepatitis vaccination and I was inducted into the Thai medical system. Moving from station to station went pretty smooth until it was discovered that I'd been mistakenly listed as Mr. Sharen Rea. That got me shuffled back to the records area for a re-do. As I was sitting and waiting to be called for further processing I was amazed at the number and variety of Thai's preparing to travel. There were some very old and some less than healthy folks waiting for their travel shots. When a nurse in a 1950's style nurse uniform beckoned me to come forward I figure they'd take me in the little room and give me my shot so I went in without Brett or Maya. That only lasted a minute. A woman sitting at a small writing table began asking me questions - I think. She looked at me - I looked at her. Then I went to the door and beckoned Brett and Maya to join me.... they were smiling at me when I opened the door - I think they had a bet on how long it would take for be to be back in the doorway.

Maya explained the situation. The two had a nice discussion. We three were directed back out of that closet and directed to go to another window to pay. That done we were directed to go to the Pharmacy window. Brett, Maya and I became a little concerned. Was I going to be given a shot through the pharmacy window? Had there been a misunderstanding and I going to be give the treatment for hepatitis instead of a vaccination? Were hep vaccines self administered in Thailand? I was waived to the window. We were the only farangs in the reception area so I guess they knew who we were and I was handed a small vial with a clear liquid in a plastic bag. Hmmm.

Maya asked a question and the guy at the counter pointed down another hall. So off we went in that direction and there was another nurses station. She had needles! Good! None of us wanted to give me a shot! Two hours had lapsed when we emerged from the clinic. Maya told me I could keep my hospital card as a keepsake - which was when I found out we had not been able to find the Travelers Clinic listed on the internet and went to the regular hospital for my shot. So all those people weren't travelers getting travel vaccinations - they were every day Thai's in the walk-in clinic! This was only the first of many instances where I found myself clueless as to the details of the situation!

With the must-do done we set off to see the Chao Phraya River by water taxi. My second meal in Thailand was at an American restaurant called Rick's which wasn't very exotic but the fish foot spa that followed was! The little fish swarmed one foot and then the other for a ticklish 15 minutes!

THAILAND HERE I COME!

Dressed in my 'warm' garb for the Medford to Portland segment of my journey to the Far East I took off on schedule from the recently remodeled Medford Airport for the short hop North to Portland, Oregon.

Mike picked me and my bags up and we swung by Carl's Jr. to pick up hamburgers for dinner at the house. As Caleb dug into his hamburger he cheerfully encouraged me to enjoy my last taste of anything other than fish and rice for the next three weeks. BOY WAS HE WRONG!

The flight from Portland to Seattle was short, sweet and uneventful. I've learned all the things you can not carry and what shoes not to wear when you will be going through airport security so I went right on through every check point without a hicup.

By pure chance I had selected seat 39B on the big transcontinental Korean Air jet. What a great seat! The flight attendant seemed concerned that I might not want to be by the bathroom but the trade off was only having one person sitting beside me during the 10.5 hour flight into Seoul, Korea. The ride was bumpy but I still managed to sleep awhile and the rest of the time was taken up with movies and eating. They do feed you on the international flights - and feed you well. My concerns about being offered only Korean food were completely unfounded.

I did get what I thought was yogurt on my breakfast tray - but it wasn't. I watched others and they put a soy sauce looking dressing in it and seemed to enjoy it. I tried but the taste didn't appeal. That was my experimental food for the day. I am determined to give atleast one new thing per day a try!

Seoul to Bangkok flight seemed to be really short and I was in Bangkok, through customs and imigration in no time. Then I was lost.

The Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok, Thailand is new, extremely functional and traveler friendly until you get on the other side of Customs. Then you are facing a blank white wall with no obvious exits. Watching others I noticed people went to the far end of the wall on either end and disappeared around the edge. Left or Right? I went left because it was closer.

On the other side of the wall was a short maze like hall with a couple of switchbacks and then you were in a huge open area filled with people moving along with purpose. In front of me was a set of revolving doors that obviously lead to the outdoors and waiting taxis but I really wanted to be with Brett and Maya before I left the securty of the airport so I looked over every sign in sight (none of which were in English) for a hint of where to go from this point. Over head there was one small sign with an arrow indicating that down the corridor to my right was the Meeting Area. Since it was the only English option I went down the corridor while scanning the crowd for Brett or Maya.

After what seemed like a very long walk and no sight of a 'Meeting Area' I was beginning to consider returning to my starting point and looking for other options when I heard "SHAREN". Not to be egotistical or anything but I figured that must mean me so I immediately stopped and looked around. On the far right side of the corridor, on the other side of a red ribboned off area I caught sight of Maya's lovely face and Brett's wonderful grin! Awww, they did come for me!

There had been some concern on my part about what day I was actually arriving in Thailand - the international date line came into play somewhere around Japanese air space which threw me 15 hours ahead in time. So although I left on Tuesday I was arriving in Thailand after 11 pm on Wednesday night. Or so Brett assured me and he was right. I was in Tuesday but Wednesday in Bangkok was over before we got to their place.

Brett and Maya were both rather impressed with my economy of luggage. Because I didn't have to pick up baggage I guess I ended up not going out the exit they were watching for me from and I was on the other side of the red tape! We worked our way down until we came to an area where I could 'cross over' and I got big hugs from Brett and Maya before we went in search of a taxi.

Bangkok at night is like driving through Los Angeles except I could not read any of the street signs! Highrises, four lane freeway full of fast moving cars, stores open and lots of people out and about on the sidewalks even though it was after Midnight and it was a Wednesday night.

Victory Monument is a tall Washington Monument looking tower - well-lit and impressive in the middle of a large round about. Brett pointed out that if I got lost if I could get to Victory Monument I'd be able to find the house. As if I was going ANYWHERE with out them, ha! Within minutes of being in Bangkok I was sufficiently aware I was totally out of my element.

Brett and Maya had made arrangements for me to stay in one of their landlords two guesthouse rooms. It was spacious and a charming blend of new and old. I loved it immediately. The landlady's dog, though, did not take to me at all! Something that didn't change in the following four days. I don't think I smelled 'right' to him!

So after what seemed like a long day to me but was actually two days I said good night to the young ones and went to quickly to sleep in my princess suite!