When I replied “Air Asia” to the question of which airline I would fly from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok, the response was a chuckle. As a matter of fact, I got that same doggone reaction every time. And I soon found out why. I was about to be ‘Air Asian-ized.’
It’s definitely an experience if you’ve never flown on an airline that has no boarding passes nor seat assignments. It was deep to see folks go from casually sprawled out & chilin’ in the waiting area to a line at the drop of a cell phone. That was just the warm up because when it’s time to board, it’s truly every man, woman, & kid for themselves when that door opens. ‘And they’re OFF! Everyone RUN to the seat of your choice, the front of the plane, the back of the plane, just get to a seat dammit! As I stood on the line waiting for the door to open, I had my nose up in the air thinking ‘oh this is soooooo gauche—oh crap! gotta gooooooooooooo’ & despite that thought, I had to stifle a giggle, it was actually fun!
Getting into the seat of my choice, I settled in, daydreaming of what possibly lied ahead, the vision of the dancer in that geography book years ago floating in my mind’s eye, mandolins or some stringed instrument serenading my footsteps upon the Bangkokian walkways, until the chick behind me started kicking my chair—WHY DO PEOPLE DO THAT?????!!!!! If you are moving your leg & you make contact with the seat in front of you which is a given in Economy, trust me when I tell you that the person in that seat you are hitting feels every thump & is none too happy about it! Dammit.
A few hours later, I’m dropping my bag off at the Buddy Boutique Hotel. Clean, cheap & non-skuzzy with a slight European charm, I was feeling pretty smug in that choice as I made my way out onto the bustling Khao San Road, the heart of ‘Backpacker’s Haven.’ I was every bit of the wide eyed nine year old as I began to take it all in. I’m in Bangkok! A woman comes toward me with an interesting hat & all her wares strapped on some type of contraption she wore; all the sights & sounds & colors; people going to & fro; the woman sitting right across from me doing…now she isn’t weaving or crocheting a what, huh a DREADLOCK WIG????!!!! Well I’ll be damn! Ms. Thing is making fake locs in friggin’ Thailand of all places! I am absolutely captivated, watching the very small crochet hook dart in & out but trying not to stare too hard though trying to figure out how she’s doing it without being obvious. Try that one! Though I did stare a bit too long for her taste because she starts throwing the ‘you’re standing there too long & not buying’ vibe I reluctantly move on. Later on I do find someone who’s more than happy to chat in his broken English [yeah but who am I to talk, with no Thai in which to butcher, at least he could speak another language other than his native tongue!]
But before I find my so-happy-to-talk-while-making-fake-locs guy, I have so much more to see. It almost felt like a step back in time—the long block reminded me of the Village back in the day as I observed all the characters along it with a million stores, vendors & people occupying every inch. There was a Thai massage storefront on what seemed like every other building. I was frozen with indecision while deciding which direction to adventure I should take first.
Shopping won out. Though not much of a shopper at home, I LOVE LOVE LOOOOOVVVVEEE to shop in other countries. I love artsy, craftsy, creative items, things you’ll never see anywhere else, particularly jewelry, & I love shopping for gifts. Besides Hong Kong, Bangkok is one of the cheapest places I’ve been to shop. I mean, IT’S OFF THE HOOK! So I got down to it, determined to look at every single thing & was totally blissful.
Until the almost beat down. Barely in town one hour, I can NOT believe this dude had come out his store behind me to pick a fight because I didn’t buy a lamp that wasn’t the one I wanted! In the store for what seemed an eternity while he dug down in the basement knowing doggone well he didn’t have the darn thing--his cohort even had the nerve to ask for payment before I got the lamp. Hmmph! I might not be from there but I ain’t stupid. So by the time boyfriend got back with a bunch of lamps that looked nothing like what I wanted, I booked. Now, I read the Thai were basically peaceful & friendly folk [though right before I arrived in town there was a coup-yet it’s reported it was peaceful] but that was not what I was experiencing at the present moment. He came out yellin’ & sputterin’ about my not buying something in his store, now mind you, I’m in front of a vendor’s table while this is going on & I got the feeling if brotherman hit me upside the head I’d just be laying on the ground hit upside the head. I don’t know what had me more stupefied, the fact that this fool was yelling & pointing in my face, or the fact that I was so calm. He even called me STUPID! I just looked up at him & said, “I am not going to stand here & argue with you, you need to go back on to your store” & then I TURNED MY BACK!!!! Now, WHO'S crazy?!
©Jacquie
Bird
©Jacquie
Bird