Thailand

Posted by Rampant Coyote on December 6, 2011

I’m not much of a world traveler. In fact, I haven’t been out of the United States since I was a teenager. But my day-job does sometimes involve travel, and I was tapped to go to Thailand to oversee the software side of a simulator installation and to do the training on its operation.

So now I’m in a hotel in Bangkok, and fortunately (for now) I don’t seem to have the Murray Head song stuck in my head. Maybe it’s because it is getting drowned out by the Christmas music playing 24/7 in the hotel lobby.

Between fighting jet lag and overall sleep deprivation over the course of the weekend, the endurance-sapping tropical heat, and the day job duties I’m running on the ragged edge right now, though I did manage some sightseeing in on my first day. I climbed the extremely steep steps of the Wat Arun temple, bought some knick-knacks from a vendor in a boat in the middle of the river, and saw some of the damages caused by the recent floods.

Little bits and pieces that made an impression (and because I’m falling asleep at the wheel here):

Women riding side-saddle on the back of motorcycles
Ronald McDonald standing in the “thank you” pose – bowed slightly with his hands together in a prayer shape.
McDonalds serving as their best-selling dish some kind of teryaki chicken on rice. Yes, I’m sure you could make it a combo with fries and a drink.
Crazy traffic that feels more like a variation on pedestrian traffic (and often not much faster)
Toilets with… um, spray nozzles.
A mall food court with ducks (full body, cooked) hanging in the display window.
Just wild, busy streets even late at night.

Anyway, it’s been busy and exhausting but enjoyable. There’s been about zero time for game development or even game PLAYING thus far, and even checking email is extremely limited. I’m sorry if I’m really slow getting responses back. It’s just that kinda trip

Filed Under: Geek Life - Comments: 7 Comments to Read

PsySal said,

JAY! JAY JAY JAY!

There are places in the world where you do want to eat at McD’s, but Thailand isn’t one of them.

First, pretend there is one country that provably has the greatest food in the entire world. Next, pretend you get to go to that country. Now, realize you don’t have to pretend!

Seriously while you are there, EAT. Even if you don’t have time for sight-seeing, you always have time for dinner!! Vendor food, restaurant food, thai ice tea, regular coffee, whatever. =)

Have fun! 🙂
Toiletry said,

Re: Toilets with spray nozzles.

Yeah high-tech bidets are all over Asia, esp. South Korea. They’re actually pretty awesome when you get used to them (no more reaching and wiping!). Google has them installed everywhere on their campus also.
Bad Sector said,

I agree with PsySal. Food is one of the few things that can distinguish otherwise similar modern cultures 🙂
UDM said,

Sawadee kap!
Rampant Coyote said,

Heh – we’re getting other kinds of food, too. However, I’m not a fan of Thai food in general. Though it seems that the part I have the aversion to is the fish-sauce. I had some yesterday that I was able to skip the chili-fish sauce on, and while it was quite spicy, it wasn’t the flavor I’ve learned to associate with Thai food. So that was much better.

The other type of food I’ve never warmed to? French. Guess where they are sending me in three months?
PsySal said,

But Jay! Even the non-Thai food there is amazing 🙂 Like, the best hamburger, pizza, lazagna I’ve ever had were all in Thailand. So just skip McD’s since it is necessarily the same everywhere 🙂 Well anyways I know you are there on work but have fun!
Xian said,

We always have to be careful when we are there with the food since my daughter is allergic to peanuts, and the food is often cooked with peanut oil – peanut is tua din in Thai.

My favorite story involving Thai cooking is when we first moved back to the US from Thailand we went to stay with a friend in New Orleans. He thought he was used to spicy food with all the cajun dishes he would eat, but after a week of my wife’s Thai cooking he had to go to the hospital with chest pains – he was afraid of a heart attack. It turned out that he had got acid reflux so bad it had backed up into his esophagus, giving him severe chest pains. Ever since then I have teased my wife that her cooking has literally put someone in the hospital 🙂

I am glad you got to see Wat Arun. Next to Wat Phra Keo, it was always my favorite temple to visit.