After a ridiculous 8 days in Bangkok, I am back on the road again. Most backpackers would be horrified by the fact that I spent over a week there, by choice. But I loved it, had to drag myself away actually. I especially loved the day where I spent 4 hours in a coffee shop, being a normal person and not a tourist. That was a brilliant day.

Right now its "Excursions from Bangkok" time. I spent one night in Damneon Saeduk (can't recall how to spell that one), the place that is famous for the floating markets. You know those old photos of the canals jam packed with ladies in straw hats selling brightly colored fruits and veggies out of their paddle boats? Well, it doesn't look like that any more. Now there are about one-fourth the number of boats, and half of them are selling tourist shit. But I knew it would be like that becuase the Lonely Planet warned me. I had gone the night before (on the advice of the Lonely Planet), and gotten up early to see it before the tour buses arrived. I followed the signs that said "Old Floating Market," which ended up to be the long way around. So I walked about 2 km in my crappy sandals, only to find a boatman that wanted to charge me 500 baht for an hour tour. I knew (again, from reading my LP) that it should only cost 150, so that's the price I held out for, and that's the price I got. As much as we all bitch about the LP turning us all into sheep, I've gotta admit it really helps in situations like that!

And it turns out also that the 2 km walk was well worth it, because the first half of the boat tour was paddling through the neighborhoods, where peoples' houses are right up along the edge of the canals, with boats floating underneath their porches. What a cool place to live! I was stunned by how many plants and flowers everyone had, which made the whole canal absolutely lovely. The part of the boat ride was great - very peaceful. The actual floating market was neat too, despite how touristy it has become. I had Thai style breakfast bought out of the boats - doughnut type things dipped in hot, sweet soy milk, and then a bowl of spicy noodles. Then the 2 km walk back in my crappy sandals, past a whole bunch of coconut farms. I've never seen coconut farms before, so that was cool.

A weird experience last night too -- I was staying in the only hotel in town, a sort of sleepy place where locals drink beer and watch TV in the lobby at night. I arrived about 8:30 p.m., and the entire town was pretty much shut up for the night already. I was a tiny bit on edge, being the only guest that I could see, and a solo female. It seemed a safe place, just the type that gave me the willies for some unfounded reason. Some of the guys from the lobby invited me for beer, but I decided to play it safe and politely declined. Back to my room, showered, read for awhile, when suddenly, around 10 p.m. the doorbell to my room rings. I didn't even know I had a doorbell, so it threw me a bit. I asked who was there....no answer. So I decided not to open the door. A few minutes later, it rings again, and I again asked who it was, and got no answer. I was a little creeped out, but decided to open the door, since there was a deadbolt and a chain. And this is Thailand, a pretty safe place.

When I opened the door, there was a bunch of grapes sitting on the floor outside on a paper towel. Someone had been making me an offering. Why they didn't stick around to give them in person, I don't know. I can't decide if the gesture was sweet or creepy. I didn't take the grapes because I was still on edge, but now I realize I should have, I think one of the locals that had invited me for beer was trying to be nice. I opened the door about 10 minutes later and the grapes were gone. The offering was revoked I guess.

So right now I am in Kanchanburi, the town that is known as the location of Bridge over the River Kwai. I'm going to rent a motorbike tomorrow to go see the bridge and some other sights, including a temple where they have TIGERS!! Very excited about that.

My guesthouse is a riverside bungalow with a huge bed and a comfy hammock. It's wonderful, and pretty quiet except when the "barge bar" goes by everyonceandawhile.

Oh, and yes I did say RENT A MOTORBIKE. That's my new thing - I've done it twice already and absolutely love it. So much fun! The ones they rent are really motor scooters, small and managable, easy to ride. And don't worry Dad, of course I wear a helmet - they make some very strong ones out of bamboo here.