SUPERFLUOUS
Yeah. Got to use that shit in a title. And it meant what I wanted. Suck it, Pulitzer prize committee.
SE ASIA 'CLOCK'
These are Logan's observations. While I have had some other travelers agree with them (or at least think they were humorous) you may have your own ideas on these. Good. Here are mine:
Sunrise minus 2 till sunrise: The only people up at this time are generally tourists dumb enough to think that something is more special at sunrise. Or want to be able to brag to people they saw x at sunrise.
Sunrise till ten: If you enjoy seeing closed shops, this is the time to wander around. Most shit you want to see and do is closed.
Ten till sundown: Some stuff open, a lot of people on siesta. They don't call it that here but avoiding the big angry orb in the sky is smart.
Sundown till sundown plus three: This is the time to go and see and do everything. Hell, a lot of stuff doesn't open till this time.
Ten till midnight: Sensible drinking at nice places.
Midnight till four: Poor choices, increased chance of bad shit.
Four till sunrise: Only the truly desperate are out and about.
PHARMACY ADVENTURES
In Thailand, they have either tuk tuks (see 'pro tip' below!) or 'meter taxi'. As I've probably said in the past, both are often (usually?) staffed by insistent beggars and rip off artists. Especially the ones parked around tourist areas. After being told they wanted to charge me five to ten times what the journey should cost and hell no they won't use the meter I decided to instead catch the water taxi to the hospital. It is on the opposite side of the river near Khao San Road.
For those not in the know, Khao San Road ("Co like 'cope'" and sometimes spelled Khaosan Road because 'reasons') is the fluffy bunny tourist area. If you aren't here for whoring or getting your perverted fix, this is the place. Family friendly and all.
Since this is the tourist spot, the prices are a lot higher than other places. I asked where to get medicine (as it is restocking time) and was told to go to the hospital - they have many pharmacies near there.
I chatted with various Thais when I made it across the river taxi (step lively or die horribly) and was directed to one.
A fellow customer told me I was very lucky to be at this particular pharmacy as it is the cheapest one in Bangkok. I told her I was freakishly lucky. Four different medicines for a year, about $100 to $125. They were only missing one. Since I will eventually be back to Bangkok (possibly to meet a friend as well as catch my eventual plane back to Jolly Ole England) I may end up swinging back by there to get the missing medicine if I can't find it in Cambodia.
Buying in bulk raised some eyebrows. I was asked if I would be taking it back to my home country, maybe reselling it, etc. Note that they were still going to sell it to me - they were either just curious or were looking to get cut in on the deal. After assuring them it was all for me for the next year and that I had no home they gave up on that line of questioning.
So I got most of the medicine I need. Hopefully, I can get the rest at some point soon and not have to worry about it for another year.
What is shocking is that the meds cost less on the open market here than I'd have to pay with the VA (Veteran's Affairs) office footing most of the bill in the USA. Folks get mighty ripped off there for some rich people's stock prices.
Cambodia note on pharmacies: The ones in Cambodia seem a bit grittier and it is a fucking epic quest to find something. Seriously, you may end up wandering to eight different shops to find one thing you need. While this isn't bad if you are a fat fuck and need to either eat less or burn more calories and fucked if you're eating any less sooooooo....
PRO TIP
I've come across this when dealing with people who have never been in SE Asia. "Tuk tuk" is pronounced 'took took' - like "I took your pudding." No idea why it is spelled the way it is.
No idea why it is said this way but book readers sound like idiots when they mispronounce it. Because drivers are constantly trying to get you into one by stating what it is, anyone spending more than an hour here has heard the correct way of saying it at least a dozen times. And probably has developed some rage.
WHAT AM I DOING IN BANGKOK?
Heroic Cthulhu.
Recorded in London, England and put up on youtube. Both audio only and audio with visual formats.
These are TTRPG's which have been recorded and people seem to enjoy watching or listening to.
Currently, I am working on the second season.
WHEN SUDDENLY
Through the magic of staggering out when I write this thing, I am suddenly now back in Siem Reap Cambodia because well, fuck Bangkok. I've really been there too much. For like $8 a night I was staying in a pretty miserable room with a fan. For $13 a night I now have AC and a mini fridge and the room looks really nice.
And beer is cheaper than water (at restaurants/bars). Seriously.
The current price for beer is fifty cents. If you buy a water at a store it is maybe thirty cents (Cambodia uses the US dollar as it's currency - yes, really) but at restaurants it is generally seventy five cents to a dollar. It's nice to see that the price of beer (and rooms) haven't increased in the last seven years here. I know I've not been making more money.
Siem Reap seems to me to be a bit more squalid and trashy than it was. Not sure why that is. I don't mind squalid and trashy - it's generally cheaper to live in places like that. Wondering what is causing it here though. Due to various physical ailments nobody else gives a fuck about (take a lesson old people) my walking has been cut down to about a third of what it was. Plus breaking my foot twice. By stepping on it. Too fat for my own feet. (Note - if you make a joke about the physical ailment, you might be able to get away with mentioning it but it had better be a fucking short joke you rambling old bastards!)
Now I'm staying at my favorite restaurant, 'Viva!' in Pub Street within the heart (there's not much else) of Siem Reap. I'd often seen signs advertising the place for $20 per night and figured I'd treat myself for a night while I looked for something more affordable. Haggling got the price down. If you can't haggle, learn to be rich instead!
The manager of Viva! even gave me a card for 15% off of the food (in perpetuity) since I'd been a customer here for years. Though grateful, I was thinking "It is NOT easy to get one of these fucking cards!"
RAINY SEASON VS DRY SEASON
A lot of people hear 'rainy season' and say 'eek' because they think they're made of sugar. While I don't recommend wandering around in SE Asia's rain (you'll probably get sick - a lot of things here can make you sick) it normally does not rain all day. It normally rains for an hour or two then it's done. And the temperature is much cooler. Of course you then have to deal with tons of standing water (they are not good at making roads or sidewalks or gutters here) and 'squirt stones'. Long time readers of the blog will remember those are the loose pieces of sidewalk that get water trapped under them. You step on them with one foot and dirty water squirts onto your other shoe, leg, friend, etc. That's what I call them anyway and they are fairly prevalent.
Right now (NOV) it is on the cusp of the two seasons - the only two they have. The rainy season is ending and the dry season beginning. Neat.
It's great that I've managed to procure lodging now and will be paying in advance because the great 'wander around' time for the ordinary person (New Years) approaches. They don't really do much for Christmas out here other than a few expats and it's not a holiday I care about. Actually, none of them are (you people need an excuse to drink? What's that all about?) except where it impacts travel. New Years is a huge one. Get your lodging early, pay in advance. Don't go anywhere. Hunker down. Buy some provisions (alcohol, water, snacks) in advance so you don't have to worry about it.
Ensure your place is rented out for these holidays - preferably in advance - or you'll end up paying a premium for the week before and after. Unless that country celebrates Christmas - then a week before Christmas till a week after New Years is premium time. Plus, all of the transport will be crowded or possibly even sold out.
The next time I will need to travel won't be until February. At that point I will head back to Bangkok, go to the airport then fly back to England. And hang out there making Heroic Cthulhu season 2.
THAI TRANSLATION
'Sausage' = shitty hot dog. Think one of the cheap ones in the bargain bin that rednecks turn up their noses at.
'Ham' = think about a piece of Oscar Mayer bologna, inexpertly heated up (ie part hot and part cold - somehow rather than just being lukewarm).
'Egg' = the 'eggy' taste will be double or triple what you are probably use to. Plan accordingly.
PRICES
(As of OCT/NOV 2017!)
Water taxi, 15 baht. Note - make sure the boat is pointed in the direction you want to go. They do NOT turn around. (At least not where I was.)
Decent place to stay, nothing fancy but great internet, 300 baht. (That's less than a cheap meal at a lower class English pub. Really.) Note that the internet in Viva (Cambodia) seems better. Weird.
Beer - half a dollar. Contrast with Thailand's three to four dollars for a beer and wonder why anyone fucking goes there to drink.
Within shops, you can get loads of different alcohols for around ten to twelve dollars per bottle. [They do have wine here but there is way too much to know about wines to mess with them for nice wine. I've not yet started mixing red and coke yet though that may happen in the future. Or not - I have enough of that in England to keep me happy. Also, they don't have any (that I've spotted) truly cheap (four or five dollars a bottle) wine here though I've not really been looking. Most seems to be around twelve to fourteen dollars at a glance.]
Tuk Tuk (Cambodia) - for short rides if you're giving them over two dollars, you're horrible at this. Seriously.
Yeah. Got to use that shit in a title. And it meant what I wanted. Suck it, Pulitzer prize committee.
SE ASIA 'CLOCK'
These are Logan's observations. While I have had some other travelers agree with them (or at least think they were humorous) you may have your own ideas on these. Good. Here are mine:
Sunrise minus 2 till sunrise: The only people up at this time are generally tourists dumb enough to think that something is more special at sunrise. Or want to be able to brag to people they saw x at sunrise.
Sunrise till ten: If you enjoy seeing closed shops, this is the time to wander around. Most shit you want to see and do is closed.
Ten till sundown: Some stuff open, a lot of people on siesta. They don't call it that here but avoiding the big angry orb in the sky is smart.
Sundown till sundown plus three: This is the time to go and see and do everything. Hell, a lot of stuff doesn't open till this time.
Ten till midnight: Sensible drinking at nice places.
Midnight till four: Poor choices, increased chance of bad shit.
Four till sunrise: Only the truly desperate are out and about.
PHARMACY ADVENTURES
In Thailand, they have either tuk tuks (see 'pro tip' below!) or 'meter taxi'. As I've probably said in the past, both are often (usually?) staffed by insistent beggars and rip off artists. Especially the ones parked around tourist areas. After being told they wanted to charge me five to ten times what the journey should cost and hell no they won't use the meter I decided to instead catch the water taxi to the hospital. It is on the opposite side of the river near Khao San Road.
For those not in the know, Khao San Road ("Co like 'cope'" and sometimes spelled Khaosan Road because 'reasons') is the fluffy bunny tourist area. If you aren't here for whoring or getting your perverted fix, this is the place. Family friendly and all.
Since this is the tourist spot, the prices are a lot higher than other places. I asked where to get medicine (as it is restocking time) and was told to go to the hospital - they have many pharmacies near there.
I chatted with various Thais when I made it across the river taxi (step lively or die horribly) and was directed to one.
A fellow customer told me I was very lucky to be at this particular pharmacy as it is the cheapest one in Bangkok. I told her I was freakishly lucky. Four different medicines for a year, about $100 to $125. They were only missing one. Since I will eventually be back to Bangkok (possibly to meet a friend as well as catch my eventual plane back to Jolly Ole England) I may end up swinging back by there to get the missing medicine if I can't find it in Cambodia.
Buying in bulk raised some eyebrows. I was asked if I would be taking it back to my home country, maybe reselling it, etc. Note that they were still going to sell it to me - they were either just curious or were looking to get cut in on the deal. After assuring them it was all for me for the next year and that I had no home they gave up on that line of questioning.
So I got most of the medicine I need. Hopefully, I can get the rest at some point soon and not have to worry about it for another year.
What is shocking is that the meds cost less on the open market here than I'd have to pay with the VA (Veteran's Affairs) office footing most of the bill in the USA. Folks get mighty ripped off there for some rich people's stock prices.
Cambodia note on pharmacies: The ones in Cambodia seem a bit grittier and it is a fucking epic quest to find something. Seriously, you may end up wandering to eight different shops to find one thing you need. While this isn't bad if you are a fat fuck and need to either eat less or burn more calories and fucked if you're eating any less sooooooo....
PRO TIP
I've come across this when dealing with people who have never been in SE Asia. "Tuk tuk" is pronounced 'took took' - like "I took your pudding." No idea why it is spelled the way it is.
No idea why it is said this way but book readers sound like idiots when they mispronounce it. Because drivers are constantly trying to get you into one by stating what it is, anyone spending more than an hour here has heard the correct way of saying it at least a dozen times. And probably has developed some rage.
WHAT AM I DOING IN BANGKOK?
Heroic Cthulhu.
Recorded in London, England and put up on youtube. Both audio only and audio with visual formats.
These are TTRPG's which have been recorded and people seem to enjoy watching or listening to.
Currently, I am working on the second season.
WHEN SUDDENLY
Through the magic of staggering out when I write this thing, I am suddenly now back in Siem Reap Cambodia because well, fuck Bangkok. I've really been there too much. For like $8 a night I was staying in a pretty miserable room with a fan. For $13 a night I now have AC and a mini fridge and the room looks really nice.
And beer is cheaper than water (at restaurants/bars). Seriously.
The current price for beer is fifty cents. If you buy a water at a store it is maybe thirty cents (Cambodia uses the US dollar as it's currency - yes, really) but at restaurants it is generally seventy five cents to a dollar. It's nice to see that the price of beer (and rooms) haven't increased in the last seven years here. I know I've not been making more money.
Siem Reap seems to me to be a bit more squalid and trashy than it was. Not sure why that is. I don't mind squalid and trashy - it's generally cheaper to live in places like that. Wondering what is causing it here though. Due to various physical ailments nobody else gives a fuck about (take a lesson old people) my walking has been cut down to about a third of what it was. Plus breaking my foot twice. By stepping on it. Too fat for my own feet. (Note - if you make a joke about the physical ailment, you might be able to get away with mentioning it but it had better be a fucking short joke you rambling old bastards!)
Now I'm staying at my favorite restaurant, 'Viva!' in Pub Street within the heart (there's not much else) of Siem Reap. I'd often seen signs advertising the place for $20 per night and figured I'd treat myself for a night while I looked for something more affordable. Haggling got the price down. If you can't haggle, learn to be rich instead!
The manager of Viva! even gave me a card for 15% off of the food (in perpetuity) since I'd been a customer here for years. Though grateful, I was thinking "It is NOT easy to get one of these fucking cards!"
RAINY SEASON VS DRY SEASON
A lot of people hear 'rainy season' and say 'eek' because they think they're made of sugar. While I don't recommend wandering around in SE Asia's rain (you'll probably get sick - a lot of things here can make you sick) it normally does not rain all day. It normally rains for an hour or two then it's done. And the temperature is much cooler. Of course you then have to deal with tons of standing water (they are not good at making roads or sidewalks or gutters here) and 'squirt stones'. Long time readers of the blog will remember those are the loose pieces of sidewalk that get water trapped under them. You step on them with one foot and dirty water squirts onto your other shoe, leg, friend, etc. That's what I call them anyway and they are fairly prevalent.
Right now (NOV) it is on the cusp of the two seasons - the only two they have. The rainy season is ending and the dry season beginning. Neat.
It's great that I've managed to procure lodging now and will be paying in advance because the great 'wander around' time for the ordinary person (New Years) approaches. They don't really do much for Christmas out here other than a few expats and it's not a holiday I care about. Actually, none of them are (you people need an excuse to drink? What's that all about?) except where it impacts travel. New Years is a huge one. Get your lodging early, pay in advance. Don't go anywhere. Hunker down. Buy some provisions (alcohol, water, snacks) in advance so you don't have to worry about it.
Ensure your place is rented out for these holidays - preferably in advance - or you'll end up paying a premium for the week before and after. Unless that country celebrates Christmas - then a week before Christmas till a week after New Years is premium time. Plus, all of the transport will be crowded or possibly even sold out.
The next time I will need to travel won't be until February. At that point I will head back to Bangkok, go to the airport then fly back to England. And hang out there making Heroic Cthulhu season 2.
THAI TRANSLATION
'Sausage' = shitty hot dog. Think one of the cheap ones in the bargain bin that rednecks turn up their noses at.
'Ham' = think about a piece of Oscar Mayer bologna, inexpertly heated up (ie part hot and part cold - somehow rather than just being lukewarm).
'Egg' = the 'eggy' taste will be double or triple what you are probably use to. Plan accordingly.
PRICES
(As of OCT/NOV 2017!)
Water taxi, 15 baht. Note - make sure the boat is pointed in the direction you want to go. They do NOT turn around. (At least not where I was.)
Decent place to stay, nothing fancy but great internet, 300 baht. (That's less than a cheap meal at a lower class English pub. Really.) Note that the internet in Viva (Cambodia) seems better. Weird.
Beer - half a dollar. Contrast with Thailand's three to four dollars for a beer and wonder why anyone fucking goes there to drink.
Within shops, you can get loads of different alcohols for around ten to twelve dollars per bottle. [They do have wine here but there is way too much to know about wines to mess with them for nice wine. I've not yet started mixing red and coke yet though that may happen in the future. Or not - I have enough of that in England to keep me happy. Also, they don't have any (that I've spotted) truly cheap (four or five dollars a bottle) wine here though I've not really been looking. Most seems to be around twelve to fourteen dollars at a glance.]
Tuk Tuk (Cambodia) - for short rides if you're giving them over two dollars, you're horrible at this. Seriously.
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