Let the Honeymoon Begin

We finally made it: 1AM 

Bangkok, Thailand

Tired, nervous, excited, lost and ignorant

First impression: It feels like an oven and why doesn't anyone know english...

Oh and this Baht thing is confusing

Baht= Thai $currency. ($1= 31 Baht) aka we are livin' large over here.

Sitting on the left side, driver on the right Brooke in the back... we taxi'd to Amarin Mansion (first hotel/apartment building we stayed in) which took around an hour. Pop music in english the entire way.

As we pulled up to the hotel we realized it was located in what looked like the neighborhood hangover 2 was filmed. our room looked like a dorm, 2 single beds, TV, shower BUTT wash....

We passed out only to wake up at 8am wide awake. 

 Day 1: Time to go explore. Brooke was awake before me seeming as she slept for 18 hours straight. we went down to the lobby and met some other students who had been in Bangkok for 4 days...They seemed a lot more familiar with the area than us so we asked them some advice. His name was Nomad. He told us are apartments were the nicest ones but they are in a location that is worse than the ghetto. After that we were inspired to look elsewhere for living.

He gave us a map and pointed us in the direction of cheap, flee market shopping which included a boat ride and a tram to get to. 

Two american girls in shorts that are too short, glasses that are bug eyed and high tops. Walking idea of what not to wear in Bangkok. We found that out after the sun went down around 7pm and all we wanted to do was PASS out. 

Walking to the boat we saw some crazy stuff. Huge lizard on the street, mad traffic, stray cats and dogs everywhere. Smells like New York city but with dead animals mixed in. Sweating after being outside for only 5 minutes... We made it on the boat. (15 baht which is like 50 cents)

 then we took the tram which was around 50 cents to and made it to the mall in Siam.

Never been so excited to see a Starbucks Coffee. Ordered a Cool Lime Refresher and Brooke order a Passion Ice tea. 

We found out later...Nothing is the same in Bangkok. 

 Finally after searching for two hours for normal food because every Thai dish looks the same.... We found pizza and sushi our 2 favorites. I got a roll and a salad, Sarachi doesn't exist and Brooke order a Margareta pizza. Turns out that Margareta in Thailand is considered a cheese pizza.

This is where the language barrier finally kicked in. 

Brooke, "umm.. I order a margareta pizza, like the one with tomatoes and basil..."

Our Thai speaking waiter, "ooohh may chay? uuuhhh no cheese chay?" 

Brooke, "ya the one with light cheese and basil..."

He taker her pizza only to bring back a pizza with no cheese... bread and pizza sauce. 

The look on her=priceless. 

A few carbs and an unsatisfied stomach, we learned that this is going to be a long 6 months. 

 Shopping in Bangkok=amazing. We basically bought everything we saw and we could because everything was under $10. I ran into a Allergan sign and took a picture!

I really hope the Botox in Thailand is the same as the one in the US... I am not going to be the one to find out!

 Exhausted after shopping we decided that its time to head back... Got on the wrong boat on the way back and ended up in the middle of a sketchy street with gnarly locals.

What would have helped was a pair of pants and an english map.

We found our way to the boat station by our apartment and took a Tuk Tuk home! 

Tuk Tuk is a 3 wheeled oversized scooter with a place for people to sit in the back. Brooke put her feet up on the back of the seat... (only to read a few days later in the Do's & Don'ts of Bangkok that putting your feet up is extremely rude in Thai culture)

When we got back to our place we realized its time to move. No phones, no sense of direction... We found a place not to far that later became our new place! 

Rattanakosin Island Condominium

Our own rooms, living room, bathroom (butt wash) 2 balconies, kitchen, fully furnished on the 12th floor. 

That night we meet Justin, our little gay asian landlord. After walking the streets of Bangkok all day, I cannot tell you how refreshing it is to hear someone speak English. Never thought language would make you feel so lonely. 

Justin is honest, straight forward, sweet and hilarious... everything we had been looking for in locals since we arrived. 

He introduced us to his Aunt and Uncle.. Dau and Dan.. pretty sure that isn't there real name. 

Sweetest Thai family we have met thus far. After taking our shoes off they welcomed us in with baby bananas and cooked us dinner. 

Jetlag started to kick in but the conversation seemed too interesting to not engage. 

We sat across the table from each other talking about culture and our experiences while eating instant noodles... couldn't have asked for a better night. 

We told Justin "Were in".

Went back to our old apartment Amarin for the night with our new keys. 

What felt like a lifetime was only day 1, this day was truly a definition of the "honeymoon" stage.