Our First Tour

Tom is an American from Massachusetts. He has been vacationing in Thailand for many years, and on one said vacation he decided to stay. In his exact words, "I really don't have to go back, Do I?"

This is his second year teaching English in Thailand, first year at this school. He previously taught in Thailand's public schools. He wouldn't recommend it.

He is the other Primary 1 teacher with Brian. Upon learning that we had just arrived and it being our first time to Thailand, he asked May to have us call him. Brian did just that, and before we knew it he was standing on our doorstep with Cob.

It's no secret that sexuality runs rapid in Pattaya. You may have heard the term ladyboy, which refers to a transvestite. Ladyboys are very common in Pattaya. Needless to say, they are also totally open to homosexuality and hold no judgment on the subject.

Cob is Tom's partner. They are the cutest couple! Cob is quiet a bit younger than Tom. Alot of the farang men in Thailand are older and have younger partners. Age isn't an issue in Thailand.

Cob and Tom came with two motorbikes so they could take Brian and me around. Though we were happy to get a tour of Pattaya, I wasn't exactly thrilled about riding on the back of a motorbike. Regardless of my feelings, when it came time to hop on the motorbike, I did. I rode with Cob. Tom felt that Cob was a rather reserved driver compared to others and of course has more experience being Thai. This fact did comfort me. However, trusting all the other drivers on the road is a different story.

Cob is probably half the size of me. Holding on to him felt like holding on to air. I put on a helmet that was a little too big for me. It was very worn and would offer little help if an accident should occur. When we first took off, I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I found myself holding my breath alot of the time or closing my eyes when passing cars.

Of course, he couldn't help but zip through traffic. The sound of cars passing you is a bit precarious. At times you find yourself squeezing your legs in as tightly as possible in order to fit through small spaces. I can honestly say, I have never been so close to other moving vehicles in my life. I thought we were going fast considering, but other motorbikes where flying by us. I kept hoping we were there!

Eventually, we turned into their "neighborhood." Luckily, it was a straight shot to their apartment. We only made one right turn. Going into town would be a different story.

They live in government assisted housing. Since Cob is Thai, he qualifies for the program. The buildings are still being built so they have no neighbors yet. Their apartment is smaller than the other apartments we've been looking at. It does have it's own bedroom cornered off.

We decided to get cell phones. We had a loner from May, but wanted one for each of us. Tom took us to a shopping place... somthing Com... Anyway, it's much like a department store. The second level is filled with Cell Phone vendors. Cell phones are very popular in Thailand. Even the poorest person has a cellphone and the average person has at least 2 or 3 phones.

There are no contracts in Thailand. You merely buy a phone, put in a sim card, call to activate it, and pay for minutes at convenient stores. It's a totally foreign idea to American's because we are used to being locked into contracts and paying fee's.

I love this new system! You just walk into the convenient store and hand the cashier the amount of Baht you want added to your phone. We did 250 Baht each. They print out a receipt and then you type in the number to your phone. Minutes are added instantly. Hopefully, it will last a month if not longer. If you don't have the money to buy minutes, no big deal... you just add money when you can. If you are really in a pinch, you can call someone and press *22 and use their minutes to talk :)

Example of 1-2-Call Sim Card Package. Number is in Left Corner.

Brian and I both bought a cell phone for 1,000 Baht each with a little negotiating. The sim cards came free with the phones. They holdout a couple choices for sim cards out because a specific cell phone number is assigned to each card. I picked the number that ended in 0.  I had 15 free minutes added to mine until I could run into a 7-11 to buy more. The sim card we use is 1-2-Call. I hear this is an affordable one. Meaning, when you go to buy your minutes at the store, they go futher and don't charge more per minute used. I forget the name of the other sim card company, but they are notorious for being expensive. Tom clued us in on this fact.

Our cell phones are very simply. No camera or touch screen. We could have bought those phones, but we were being cheap. We just needed something that works. Believe me, they had tons of I-Phones and other technologically advanced phones I have never seen before. Ironically, the police had done a raid on the place prior to us arriving. I can probably bet most of the phones in that place are high quality knock offs. When Cob approached the counter with us, the girl who sold us the phones thought he was an undercover cop. Ha.

Misty's Left, Brian's Right.

We went down the street to eat. Choice of either boiled chicken and rice or fried chicken and rice. It came with a soup broth on the side. 30 Baht. It was very good.

After eating, we went to Cob's mothers house. She is recently divorced and Cob helps her take care of the store. It was a glimpse of real Thai living. Her storefront is her house. She has a tiny bedroom behind the store... really only room for the bed. There are a couple picnic tables out front. That is where we sat and talked while Cob worked. The neighborhood children play outside the store front. Bun is Cob's younger brother and the leader of the gang. As soon as we stepped off the motorbikes, they wai'd us. My first time being wai'd :) So cute. They go to public school so their English isn't that good.

Tom took Brian down the street for motorbike lessons. I sat at the picnic table and watched the children play. On the other side of Cob's mothers house, there were about 4 public school teachers. They where enjoying American Country music and drinking. Typical night. Apparently, the real joy is seeing them sing karaoke. Unfortunately, I didn't get to witness that.

There was a steady line of patrons coming to the store. I found it particularly interesting that when one purchased a soda, Cob would fill a little clear bag with ice and pour the soda into the bag. He then topped it off with a straw. People were just carrying bags of soda with them. I didn't understand this, but it looked cool. Later, Tom informed me this was in order to recycle the glass. If you return the glass bottles you get a discount. If they know the people buying the soda, they just give them the glass because they know they will bring it back. If they don't know the people then they get the bag.

After Cob closed up the store, we decided to go to the Temple on the hill. Cob locked his mother in for the night - literally. Her door is a metal garage door. You leave a portion cracked at the bottom, and lock it. Obviously, fire safety is not a concern.

The temple has a beautiful view of the city. We stopped at a convenient store on the way and bought cat food. Apparently, alot of stray animals congregate at the temples because the Monks try to take care of them. This offers little comfort as you see tons of dogs and cats roaming the streets half starved and diseased. PETA would have a field day in Thailand.

View of Downtown Pattaya from Temple

Tom taught us the proper way Thai's do temple. I found this very interesting having studied religion in school. You grab a pre-made cluster of incense with a yellow candle in it. You take the candle out and light it using an already lit candle close to where you are kneeling. You light each incense... I think it was about 5 sticks. You hold it in your hands and say your prayer, and then stick them in the bowls of sand. Be careful not to burn yourself on preexisting lit incense! Brian took a burn to the forearm. Then you get up and walk around the 5 statues that happen to be in this temple. In the cluster there are also sheets of white paper. In the paper is a piece of gold leaf. You walk around the statues and put the gold leaf on each statue. This is a very hard process as most of the gold leaf sticks to your fingers. I am sure there is a proper way to do this.

The temples resident monkey. We tried to wake him but he was soo sleepy! Too cute!!!

The temple wasn't very busy at night. However, during the day you can actually see the big Buddah statue. We also did this thing to find the lucky lotto numbers. Apparently, gambling is not condemend by Buddahists. Inside a cup is about 30 or so sticks. Each has writing and numbers on it. The idea is to shake the cup until just one stick falls out. That stick tells your fortune and gives you the lucky numbers for the lottery. I had 24. Cob said it meant good health. I will take it!!! I have no immune system, and living in a 3rd world country is sure to be waring on my body.

We feed the cats. Not too many this time by Tom's estimates. Cob scared the dogs away so the cats could eat in peace. Tom really wants a cat so he was sizing up each animal. He says if you ever want an animal just get one from the temple. Kittens are born every other week or so. I turned to see Brian's reaction. He was not amused. If I got a kitten, It would have to go back to the states with us. I would get attached.... Plus I doubt my parents want another animal :) So, no cat for me while in Thailand ;)

A couple temple cats snacking.

Tom wanted to take us to Walking Street but it was already 1AM. Brian and I were getting tired!!! Plus we had an appointment in the morning to look at apartments. We skipped Walking Street.

Instead we got a midnight snack of chicken kabobs. We decided to eat them on Jomtien Beach. We are always down to eat. We didn't oppose.

However, we got separated. Apparently, Cob took off and left the others in our dust. We also had to pull over to get a soda full of gas (Explanation later). We thought that they passed us when we pulled over, but they where no where to be found. As luck would have it, both our phones had died. We had no way of calling Brian and Tom. Cob and I went up and down the beach at least 3 times. We finally went back to our apartment, and they were there. They had lost us and decided to go eat on the pier. Hmmm...

Good first tour!