...a stream of thought....

it's surreal.......and it's ironic, but sairaa and I just finished watching "The Beach" while sitting in a restaurant on Koh Phangan. We are currently staying on a little bungalow resort about a fifteen minute walk from Haad Rin...the famous beach that hosts the monthly "world famous" Full Moon Party...I mean the idea is pretty interesting...but I have to say that the more I'm here...(on the island and in Thailand) ...the more I feel bad.... If you've ever been here you may understand what I'm saying. It seems that the islands (Tao, Phangan and Samui-especially) have become overrun by westerners...and europeans(what's the difference anymore) .......and because of this....it seems that Thailand has lost most of it's culture...or most of the culture that isn't sellable....

We saw it when we hit Bangkok. When you arrive in Bangkok for the first time...like most you head straight for Khao San Road...(it's like a corral for backpackers)...and like most you are asked every five steps..."where you from...?" ..."come in..jus looking.....we make suit fo' you.. bery cheep.." In particular, I was told I had a really cool tattoo by every man in a suit.....my response was to ask them if I looked like the kinda guy who wears a suit?? and of course they had a response for everything...."ahhh maybe you get married...." I'm convinced that they knew i wasn't going to buy....I'm assuming they work on percentages......out of every 20 guys they pester....one is bound to buy something from them. They do their thing and I politely decline....and I continue on.... .......and so it goes with every other street vendor....and they are ALL street vendors....even the ones with shops....

The Islands aren't quite the same but the same mentality seems to be very present.....everything here is geared towards us......everything is in english, almost every restaurant sells western food or italian food...(alongside thai staples) ..... and there are 7 elevens on every corner...complete with ice cold AC. It's geared towards a consumeristic society....even more so than in North America.....because in N. America we at least have to dedicate some time to work. Over here it's just spend, spend, spend, consume, drink, party consume.....sleep..maybe... like I said...it's surreal....
Of the three islands we've been on so far...I like Koh Tao the best because it's small and most of the people(...most...) are there to dive...and the majority of the divers we met were rad people...but even the idea of diving seemed like another thing to be exlpoited. Samui seemed to be the place for overweight balding white men to hook up with young(or not so young) thai women ( really revolting..)...or people that want to go on a vacation and never leave the resort, and if they do...it's to go to an irish pub that reminds them of home...( inside joke...we went to an irish pub...haha we had to try it...) Phangan is ....well...it's what you'd expect...the majority of what we've seen is ....one big frat party ....or I guess it would be Europe's version of Daytona Beach during spring break..... same, same!!


Don't get me wrong...it's not all negative. We've seen some cool things...and we've met some cool people in all of these places....It's just that I'm feeling a little conflicted about being another westerner here to consume.....I would really like for my travels to have a little more substance than this... Sairaa keeps reminding me that we need to experience something before we can judge it....which I agree with....I'm just hoping we get to the good stuff soon...;)

"I just feel like everyone tries to do something different, but you always wind up doing the same damn thing...." - the beach