Behind the White Coat

Park City Utah

So this MLK weekend a big group of us head out west from New York to Park City Utah to hit the slopes. I am a snowboarder myself - though I used to ski for many years growing up.  We booked this trip a while back, and were very excited to experience the Rocky Mountain snowboarding/skiing experience!  It is generally much better than the East coast mountains.  More snow, longer and wider trails, higher peaks, and a more variety of terrain and slopes.  The east tends to often be icy and colder and the mountains are generally not as large and the trails not as vast.  However this year we got screwed.  Of course when we decide to head out west (I havent' been myself in years), it turns out to be the year that no snow has fallen. Seriously.  Apparently this has been the worst snow season in the past 20 years! It hasn't snowed since November!  Unbelievable.  Half the trails weren't even open. Luckily there was snow making, and we did find a handfull of trails that were great and a lotta fun.... But clearly it wasn't the same, and to some degree I feel my experience was robbed!  

Despite the lack of snow, the trip was a lot of fun.  Half the fun is renting out a great house or condo, being with a bunch of friends, checking out the town, drinking, and having fun.  We had a fun group, and Park City is certainly a great ski town.  There is a cute village with one long street packed with restaurants and bars and shops, and it is very festive.  There is plenty of "apres ski" options as well at the mountain with various restaurants and bars, so we kept ourselves entertained.  As for the mountain, we went one day to Park City, the second day to Canyons.  I actually liked Canyons better as a mountain.  It had more peaks, more options, and you really feel like it was a larger area, where certain trails and lifts were disconnected from other parts, and all trails didn't lead to the same place.  So it felt like you were boarding a vaster area with more options. They also had a gondola and heated chairlifts!  Now that is a bonus.  Although the apres ski options as far as restaurants, bars and the lodge they had to offer were not as good as Park City. They had a few places that seemed to be catering more to the "higher class" crowd.  Probably what they are going for given there is a Waldorf and a Hyatt among the lodging options on the mountain resort.  So Park City trumps Canyons on that front, but I liked Canyons better as far as trails go.

I just got word that it is snowing all week in Park City...  Great....

Back in New York!

Back in New York.  Back to reality.  Back to work. Sigh.

After 2 weeks touring SE Asia, and I get back to the hard working American life, I ask myself:  What am I doing here?!  The Aussies do it right.  They travel at least a month out of a year!  Government jobs there accrue you up to 3 months of vacation per year as time goes on!  Yet here we are in the U.S., barely able to take 2 weeks off at a time. I'm telling you, our priorities are screwed.  This is why so many Americans are ignorant to the rest of the world and never have a chance to travel.  That and we are so far from everywhere it costs a shit load of money to get there!

Anyway, the end of my trip was a night in Bangkok.  I met up with my friend's friend and her friends and went out and about with some local Bangkok residents, and it was a lot of fun!  Had my one last share of street food at my favorite street vendor on Sukhimvit by soi 11.  Gonna miss that cart!  We hit up after hours at Wong's bar, which is a popoular late night speakeasy dive joint that goes late into the night.  I'm gonna miss the 2$ beers too!

My trip home wasn't the greatest.  A 25 hour flight from Bangkok to Hong Kong to Vancouver to JFK.  On the last leg, the guy a row ahead of me vomited all over his seat and the floor.  Really?? You couldnt go to the bathroom or at least use the bag?!  I felt bad for the person next to him!  When I landed at JFK, I was looking forward to going home. But alas, as I got to immigration - as a single male traveller of Pakistani descent, unshaven and tired - I was immediatley taken to the back room for "secondary screening".  It took them over an hour to "clear my identity".  I was the last one to leave the terminal.  American born and US passport means nothing. Apparently I share the name with some real bad person.  This is the 3rd time this has happened to me!  The agents in the back were somewhat sympathetic (yet at the same time useless). I am obvioulsy not this guy, how many times do I have to go through this for me to prove it to them?!  They recommended filing a complaint with Homeland Security to apply for a redress.  Which is what I did.  Hopefully they will see my claim and this won't happen to me again, but there are no gurantees.  I am not optimistic.  Bastards.  Oh well, the price it pays to be a brown guy in America....

On other travel notes, Cathay Pacific is a pretty good Airline.  Some people don't like the economy seats because they don't really recline, isntead the seats slide downwards to almost let you "slouch" into a somewhat reclined position.  The bonus is that nobody in front of you reclines so a tall guy like me has some more room for his knees and legs.  Nonetheless its hard to get comfortable - just like it is in any economy seat when flying for a whole freakin day!  Though the unlimited booze and cup noodles they serve you as snacks at anytime of the flight are kind of nice! (I love me those cup noodles).  Another great airline I experienced for the first time was Qatar, which is what I flew from Bangkok to Hanoi.  What a great airline!  I flew in a new 777 plane, which was spacious and modern with great seats and a great entertainment system.  Leg room seemed a little more than usual, and the seat reclined.  I think I liked it more than the Cathay set up.  The service is also fantastic, and I will also say the flight attendants were the most attractive ones I have ever seen.  Every one of them were beautiful!! (Yeah call me a typical man, but hey I'm just calling it like I see it!)  So Qatar is definitely my new favorite airline!

Jetlag is kililng me.  I worked the next day after arrival, and I am still exhausted.  Now I have 5 days at home until I leave yet again for the long MLK weekend to hit up Park City Utah for snowboarding!  Hope I recover enough to enjoy that trip, even though there is no snow in Utah right now! It hasn't snowed there in forever.  They say it is the least amount of snow they have had in winter in about 50 years.  Just my luck! But I think it will be a good time regardless!  

Keep an eye on my facebook page.  I'll have a bunch of photos from my trip up one day soon!

 

Hanoi Food Tour

So I'm here in Northern Vietnam, where they don't mess around when it comes to food. So it was time to go Bourdain on the streets of Hanoi. No fear, just good eats. Well maybe a little fear. I did come prepare with Pepto and imodium just in case, and i took it a step further and took a zithro everyday as prophylaxis! (Not taking any chances)

My first evening I wanted to hit up a restaurant that would serve up some good classic Vietnamese food. On several rec's i went to Quan An Ngon.  Only a 5 min walk from my hotel, its pretty much an open air restaurant with a canopy up top.  The place was pretty packed on Thursday evening, with tourists, locals, students, large groups and solo eaters.  Most of the tables are long shared tables where you get elbow to elbow with your neighbors.   I took a seat and was offered this vast menu of options representing the local favorites from different parts of Vietnam. Suddenly I realized I don't know that much about Vietnamese food -  at least not the terminology.  So I did the next best thing: look at what all the Vietnamese people are eating around me. I noticed a few popular items, and a few things i recognized eating in the past, and with a little pointing and some guidance, I was able to formulate an order with the waiter.  

One thing I saw many eating which I have had in the past was the various ground and grilled meats they serve with thin rice paper, or "Banh Trang".  They serve the meat, rice paper, and some fresh mint and other condiments, and you create your own roll and dip into a tangy sauce (which Im guessing is fish sauce base). I went with the Chao Tom which is ground shrimp grilled on a sugar cane.  Very tasty! I also just like putting together my own eats at the table.  I also love how vietnamese dishes involve a lot of garnish with fresh mint and cilantro giving it that extra fresh herbal zing to the dishes.  My second dish was the Bo Luk Lak.  Which is tender cubes of beef that are marinated and stir fried into tender glazed little cubes served with potatoes, and a side of some fried rice.  For dessert I had what everyone seemed to be having, which was a glass of tapioca balls with some jelly strands topped with coconut milk and ice.  (I probably shouldn't have had the ice but I had it anyway... )   All in all a tasty meal with authentic food in a clean and comfortable environment, especially if you desire those classic street type dishes but are a tad weary of the cleanliness.

 

 

The next day it was time to get down to the nitty gritty. I was now on the hunt for the best bowl of Pho I could find.  Since this was my last day in Vietnam, I had only one shot at this.  After doing some reading and talking to the hotel concierge, both sources led me to one name: Pho Gia Truyen.  Which was again only a few blocks from my hotel.  When I found it, it looked like just another one of the many shoddy little pho stalls offered in Hanoi, if not among the more ordinary looking hole in the walls.  I went for "brunch" I suppose, around 10:30am, so the line wasn't long which it apparently always is.  They serve only two variations of Pho, one with beef and one without (which I doubt is truly a "vegetarian" option as the broth is made with fish sauce and I'm sure beef stock.  I simply held out one finger and requested "pho bo" , or beef pho.  It was a small counter with a two person operation.  One guy had two different hunks of beef that had been cooked (Im guessing it was baked or poached or something), and he was slicing thin pieces of fatty meat from each of the two slabs for each dish, with his bare hands that were soaked in juices and getting right up in there. I thought to myself I really hope he kept them clean, I hope he doesn't nick himself, and was also glad of my natural hepatitis A immunity at that moment.  The woman next to him was manning a pot of broth in a giant pot, just brewing bellowing smoke.  She would scoop out the broth with a large ladle into a bowl of noodles, the guy would toss the meat right on top, and it would all be garnished with some fresh greens and some spices, and you were good to go.  The beauty was that each ingredient is made separately, but when put together, the delicious flavorful broth just locks everything together like its been cooking in the same pot all day.  And again the broth appeared so light yet with a perfect intensity of flavor - not too dark or overpowering - so you could still taste those thin tender fatty beef strips and perfect noodles with each bite.  I opted to spice mine up with some of the chilis at each spot on the tables (the term table used loosely here as with my little plastic stool and low plastic tray, I might as well have squatted and eaten old school Asian style).   It was definitely some of the best noodle soup - let alone pho - that I've had, ever!  I remember thinking if I got sick, it was probably worth it.... Unless I get shigella or something, that would suck.

 

After my breakfast I did some walking, shopping, and touring of the city as I built up a little more of an appetite.  Round 2 was lunchtime a few hours later, and my next stop was to chow down some Ban Bo.  Ban Bo is also a noodle dish of room temperature rice noodles that is topped with this crispy stir fried beef right on top, some juices and a little broth with again some fresh herbal garnish.  I found the spot, Ban Bo Nam Bo, which looked just as shabby of a hole in the wall as Pho Gia Truyen was.  This time one lady sat in the station in front, with rows of bowls with already cooked noodles ready.  As an order came in, the beef would be fired up in her wok at high heat, sizzled, and thrown into the bowl with a touch of crispy garlic and some spices. Thats it.  I walked in and the aroma of the sizzling beef was enough to make me salivate.  The dish did not disappoint. Each bite offered a crispy flavorful shreds of beef with a herbal garlicky tinge with a strands of noodle and a slurp of broth - it was heaven in my mouth!!  I downed my dish in about 5 minutes, and probably could have had a second bowl!

Unfortunately by then I had to hit the airport.  I was intrigued by the option of going to one of the many places that serve snake, usually cobra. Apparently you'll see the guy slice and dice the sneak in front of you, after which a multiple course meal of that snake is to follow.  The first of which includes drinking of the fresh cobra blood and eating the still beating heart!  Alas for better or worse, I skipped out on that one!

Although Hanoi left me only with enough time for 3 real places to eat, they did not disappoint.  The Pho and the Ban Bo were amazing.  Perhaps I am biased because I like beef, and I love noodles (especially a noodle soup), but those were two of my favorite dishes of my trip.  Please check them out if you are ever in Hanoi!

 

Hanoi, Vietnam

You ever see that movie the dawn of the dead where the zombies take over the country and people fight to survive?  Well Hanoi is sort of like that, but it's the motorbikes that have taken over. Now I've seen my fair share of motorcycles around the world- Lahore, Kuta, have a lot for sure. But Hanoi takes the cake. They are swarming. During rush hour in the city center, i counted over a hundred pass by our cab while we were stopped!  They have no fear and no rules. You just have to go and let them maneuver around you. It's like a sea of bugs everywhere, like those killer bugs in the Mummy movies.  There are men, women kids, grandmas, and even families and pets on single bikes. I just wish more would wear helmets!  I saw some kid texting and riding with his baby sister in back!

One of the guys on the boat cruise asked me "did you try crossing the street yet?" I didn't know what he meant, but now I did.  The motorcycles don't go by lights or anything. They just go. If you wait for a clearing, well then you ain't crossing the street!  So there are two basic methods. 

Method 1: Frogger. 

This requires some awareness and maneuverability. It's like the old Frogger game, but you're starting from level 10. And there is no guarantee you'll find a gap for the next step. I almost got hit this way but Luckily the chick stopped cold just in time right at my toes! 

 

Method 2: Leap of Faith.

You ever see Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail?  Of course you have. Remember when he had to go across the big ravine at the site of the grail, and he just closed his eyes and took that leap of faith?  That pretty much the strategy. Don't think, don't maneuver, just walk straight and let the bikes swarm around you. If your faith is strong, you will make it across. This is my preferred strategy and I think it worked fine!

  

My hotel was the Rising Dragon Palace in the old quarter - a great location as it is close to the action, the shopping, and all the good eateries.  Its a pretty new hotel with quaint rooms but real clean, on a quiet street, free wifi, and only 45$ a night!  They also provided good reccomendations and a great user friendly map.  

 

Hanoi is quite the bustling city.  It is smaller and cozier the Bangkok, but very busy. The roads are smaller and narrower and, the buildings are not as grand and tall.  It is poorer and humbler than Bangkok, and also a little dirtier. But it definitely has its character.  At times it even reminded me of places in Pakistan.  The streets are lined with shops, stalls, eateries, etc. There is no dead space. Sidewalks are packed with tables for the food vendors, "mini grocers", parked motorbikes, various merchants, or pedestrians. Occasionally even weaving bikes looking for an opening.  You'll see a lot of wandering merchants, especially the little old ladies in their Vietnamese hats strolling around with a bamboo rod on their shoulders that holds a basket on each end selling anything from fruit to ear muffs.  

 

Like Bangkok, you can buy all sorts of things from clothing to souvenirs etc. A lot of silk products like scarves and traditional clothing.   Youll see a lot of designer knock offs everywhere from clothes to accessories. The one thing that is legit is the North Face gear though. North Face stuff is made in Vietnam and anything that is "rejected" to export gets sold real cheap at local shops. It's often barely noticeable too, like some thread or seam that is off. I picked myself up a jacket for about 40$ US. 

Also, watch out for the taxis. There are a few reputable companies like the guide books will tell you, but a lot of scams. I got into one guys cab that had a legit lookin banner on his cab, but then I noticed his meter was running real fast. Like more than double speed. I called him out on it, and he tried to make excuses. Then he wouldn't take me to the door of my hotel, said it was a block down on a one way. When I persisted he got mad and was yelling, as I was abusing him back, because he knew the hotel would call the police. I gave him the price he deserved (about 40% of his meter) and walked out as he continued his abused. Nice try buddy. 

I checked out the Ho Chi Minh museum as well.  They love that guy.  It is a nice walk trough if you have a couple of hours to spare and want to check out some Ho-History.  I actually really wanted to see the Mausoleum where you can see Uncle Ho himself, however it is closed on fridays, ho-well.  

One of my main plans in Hanoi was to eat up a storm - restaurants and the streets alike. I'll dish out my dining adventures in the next post.... 

Halong Bay

Halong Bay is one of those must sees if you hit up Vietnam, or SE Asia for that matter.  The drive from Hanoi is about 4 hours, where you book a journey on one of the many "junks" - which are old style boats, but actually pretty nice. An overnight or even two nights on the junk is the best way to do it. The easiest way is to book through a travel agency which is how we did it. They'll pick you up from your hotel in a shuttle bus, and off you go. So by 8:45am I was off to Halong.

There are all types of junks available, from the dirt cheap 30$ or 40$ for a night, to the more luxurious upwards of 250$. We opted for one on the nicer end, as if I am gonna sleep on a Vietnamese boat, I at least want no rats, good food, and a safety assurance. (apparently one sank a month back and a few people died. I didn't even know this!). Anyways, we went with the Calypso Cruiser, which is apparently one of the newer ones.  It cost about 120$ per person, which wasn't bad at all for what we got.

Halong bay is truly a beautiful sight. Now we went in the dead of winter in January, so it was certainly a little cool with temperatures in the low 50s, and overcast and even a little drizzle and wind at times. The summer season does give you warmer weather and clearer skies during the outing.  That being said, the cloudy, foggy and misty feel to the bay does give it that mysterious and mystic feel as you cruise through the bay, navigating through the hundreds of tiny rock islands in the silence of nature. It is quiet amazing even despite the chilly temperatures.

The first day on boat they set sail towards this cave that lies in the middle of the bay. On the way they served up a delicious lunch of some seafood and chicken and rice. Really good I must say. After a few beers we chilled on the upper deck seeping in the surroundings until we arrived at the "cave of wonders". We spent a couple of hours walking through this pretty amazing and huge cave, appreciating the stalagmite and stalagtite formations (I never remember which is which).  Just to prove how resilient the Vietnamese market salesman are, on the Bay near the sites, there were lil old ladies in row boats going around selling drinks and chips and what not, off a little boat even!  Now that is dedication.

After that we continued on the boat, had a little happy hour and hung out with the other 15 or so people on the boat. It was a great mix of people and we all got along well. The happy hour and boozing definitely helped that.  Dinner was outstanding. The presentation of the food alone was very professional and artsy. I had some of the best grilled squid I ever had, and the best pumpkin soup I ever had - seriously.  After dinner we drank some more and celebrated one of the couples anniversary, and in true asian fashion, as we did karaoke on the boat until about 11pm!!  My room was small but adequate. Fully functional bathroom and heater. And we anchored during sleep so there was no engine noise or swaying.

Day 2 some opted to go kayaking.  It was just a tad too chilly for me to be honest.  So the rest of us got off at this small beach island where you could climb up about 400 steps to the top of the rock to appreciate some quite breathtaking views of Halong Bay.  The day ended with lunch and the journey back to port. Definitely a great time and worth every penny, whether you come with friends, family, or your significant other.

 

Vietnam at last!

So as the 3rd rolled around, I managed to sort out my Vietnam visa. However when I called the airline to change my flight finally, I was not able to get on the flight on the 3rd! Shit. After all that?! I could perhaps get another flight somewhere like Chiang Mai, or maybe even hop over to Cambodia - but that also needed a visa. I certainly didnt want to stay another 4 nights in Bangkok. So i said screw it and bought a new flight to Vietnam. I'd be spending the same amount one way or another, and I had Vietnam on my radar for this trip anyway, and I went through all the hassle of getting my visa sorted out, so that's what I did. Later that evening I flew to Hanoi.

I have one less day in Vietnam, but still wanted to hit up Halong Bay. My friend had done the 2 day boat tour that I was supposed to be on 2 days back, so I rescheduled mine for the day after I arrive.

I was able to stay with my friend at her hotel the first night - the Hilton Opera Hanoi. Quite the beautiful hotel. We had enough time for a good meal. So on some recommendations of an Aussie couple she met in Halong Bay, my friend and I head out to Wild Lotus for dinner. Wild Lotus is supposed to be one of the better "high end" restaurants in Hanoi - even the New York times had a piece on it. The space is quiet beautiful. High cielings and nicely decorated almost like some royal Vietnamese residence. We opted for the 7 course tasting menu, which was only 35$ US a piece! And it did not disappoint. Sharks fin soup to start, followed by a refreshing and flavorful Vietnamese salad with prawns and cabbage and greens with hints of cilantro and mint and peanuts. There was fantastic grilled duck with orange sauce where you could really taste the French influence in the cooking. A crispy fish dish in some spicy sauce was another highlight. And finally the beef pho (which is a classic Vietnamese noodle soup) was outstanding! All in all one of the best meals I've had in Asia this far. And though expensive for Vietnamese standards, it was a steal for what it was. If you are in Hanoi, I'd check it out!

Dinner ended late and i called it a night to get picked up early for the 4 hour journey to Halong Bay. I'd explore Hanoi when I came back. When I got home, I realized I couldn't find my iPhone. I didn't have it at the restaurant so assumed I left it at home. I have never lost that thing! Could I have left it in a cab in Vietnam?! It so I could kiss it goodbye. I started to freak a bit. I had all my info, my photos, everything on that! So I went online to iCloud to "find my iPhone". Of course wasn't working. Does it not work in Vietnam?? Or maybe cause my data was off. Great. I'm done. As a last ditch effort I call it. And lo and behold the cabby picks up! He speaks not a lock of English. So I keep saying "Hilton. Hilton!". By some miracle, I get my phone back in 10 minutes!! Now THAT is a close call people! I went to sleep elated, like I had won the lotto!

Bangkok scenes

Bangkok

Bangkok.
It is quite an interesting city. It's got a little bit of everything. The old city is rich with culture, architecture and history. The city is crawling with markets- some only on weekends like the famous floating market a ways from the city, others running well into the middle of the night, like the Patpong night market. There's tall buildings, a great transport system, a river with a busy ferry system, plenty if shopping on all levels, and oh yeah, tons of Thai hookers!

The Old city is a must see. Here you'll get a feel of old Bangkok within the streets, buildings, shops and sites - all swarmed with locals and tourists alike. The Grand Palace grounds and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha are must sees. Magnificent buildings that have a certain Victorian feel to them, with beautifully decorated roofs and statues and windows in old Thai style with meticulous engravement, design, and color. Stone and gold plated statues of various creatures are seen everywhere, all together giving it a truly mythical feel. Within the large temple you'll see murals depicting scenes with the Buddha and various stories through out. At the front lies a huge alter profoundly decorated in shimmering gold with the green tinted "emerald" Buddha sitting atop. This is one of the most spiritual sites for Thai Buddhists, and many are stopping there paying respects.

The other great site nearby is the "giant Buddha," or the Reclinig Buddha. Literally massive gold reclining Buddha housed within a shrine. Quite an amazing piece! A ferry across the river will take you to the famous Wat Arun. Which they regard as the symbol of Bangkok. Wat means temple, and it's probably the most important one in Thailand. It rises
280 feet high and you can climb some real steep stairs to get a good distance up for some great views. It's meticulous carvings and decorations and sheer height makes you wonder of the manpower and time that went into it! Go around sunset.

Bangkok also has tons of food. Good food. And not just plenty of restaurants, but a lot of street food. Unlike Singapore, which took all the street carts off the streets and allocate them to the "Hawker" markets, the Bangkok street food scene is thriving. You think New York has a lot of street food? - which these days is becoming dominated by the halal carts - well Bangkok has tons. They can be as quaint as a one person cart half the size of a hotdog cart with a 12 inch grill cooking up satay and fish balls, to a full fledged operation with a giant spread of produce, meat, and seafood on display with multiple gas burners and pots of broth cooking. Many also offer simple chairs and tables on the sidewalk, and usually a cart with a full bar! My favorite was this guy near my hotel on Sukhumvit by soi 11, which was a large one with some seriously kickass Thai food. Probably among the best NYC restaurants I've had!! Some of the wilder things you'll see are stalls with deep fried crickets, worms, and other strange creepy crawlys! I'm not THAT adventurous!

Wanna shop? Theres malls sure. But everywhere you go in Bangkok, the major streets are lined with stalls selling everything from food items, to trinkets and souvenirs, tshirts and clothes, fake designer items, iPhone accessories, and even Viagra and Cialis. Oh yes indeed! So a great place to fulfill any shopping need and to buy your gifts and souvenirs.

Oh yeah, then there's the working girls (and sometimes boys... Well, ladyboys to be accurate) It is quite an interesting scene. I guess since prostitution is legal anything goes. They are always hangin out, especially near areas with lots of tourists or bars. They hang out in the bars lookin for targets or for you to "buy them a drink". You have some at the "shady" massage parlors too, and I think a lot of people get girls for days tona week at a time, sometimes for just 100$. You'll see guys walkin around with them any time of day, all over the place. Usually it's white guys in their 30s to 50s! If your a single guy , just don't look anyone in the eye. And if you do, check out their hands and feet first.

Finally if you are in Bangkok, you sorting of have to swing by Patpong. Patpong is the site of the night market, which is packed with stalls selling just about everything. Interestingly this market runs right through the heart of the red light district. You'll be accosted by guys trying to get you into the go-go bars where you'll find stages of Thai girls scantily clad dancing for you and coming up to you. They are pretty much there for you to pick out to buy - and there ain't no lap dances. Go big or go home! Most tourists will sneak peeks at the scenes in the downstairs bars. The upstairs areas host some of the more raunchier outfits like the sex shows and the ping pong, or "nana shows". I think I'll leave that part of the story out... You can google it if you really are curious!

Bangkok Has Me Now....

Its New Years day now. So the plan was to fly Bangkok air from Koh Samui to Bangkok, then switch to Qatar to fly to Hanoi after a 3.5 hour layover. My baggage was checked straight through Hanoi already - perfect. All I needed was my boarding pass at Bangkok... So I thought.

I fly in and have a Singha beer and some noodles before the Qatar desk opens. When I gave him my papers, he asks if I have a visa for Vietnam. Well, it is a visa on arrival of course. So I'll get it there. In his forced accented English he asks, "Sir do you have the preauthorization form?" After struggling to decipher his words, he showed me what it was. Shit. That's right. For Vietnam you need to apply for a visa on arrival online and pay some money and they give you this print out. I knew of this of course, and I did it when I was planning my trip back when right?  I gotta check my email stat.  
Then he tells me go online and apply and get the letter if I don't have it. Uh. Dude. It's 6pm on new years day. My flight leaves in 2 hours. Do you really think I can get a visa approval?  He smile and gives a little chuckle. That's Thai for - "I don't know what the fuck you're talking about, but I am going to try and come off as polite and giggle because maybe you cracked a joke to make light of the situation?"

I run back down backward through security and got online. No email in my gmail. I checked my credit card to see the date i bought the visa but no dice. Did I forget?! I googled again to get to one of the many 3rd party websites that offer visa service. One actually said they. Could do it within 4 hours! But alas. The embassy is closed till the 3rd for holidays. That's it. Im stuck.

Bangkok has me now...

I even tried to claim a ticket I had bought for Chiang Mai that departs the same day an hr later. I wasn't going ot use it as my plans had changed, but I could use this flight perhaps and just go there? However now, because of my situation, I had to get my Bangkok exit stamp revoked from my passport and get my bag all of which took forever.  Oh well.

Luckily I knew someone there in Bangkok the first night so could hang out a bit. I soon got a text from my friend Jen, who I am supposed to be I'm Vietnam with, telling me the Hanoi dinner plans and gettin ready for going to Halong Bay trip the next 2 days. Well. Guess Jen is on her own now! Now what??
Looks like its 2 nights in Bangkok, and then plan B?

We will have to see... First lets see if I can escape Bangkok....

Happy New Year from Thailand

Happy New Year!!
They know how to do it right in Thailand. We had drinks at our favorite bar along the beach when the clock hit.  People were out for miles along the beach on each side of us drinking at various beach bars and parties, letting lanterns loose into the sky to cast away the bad and evil for the new year. At one point you could see hundreds of little red flames in the sky! Quite the site. The fireworks were crazy. Basically local Thai guys (and a few old ladies) patrolling beach with all types of huge fireworks to sell, and you would set them off right there. These things were like Macy's July 4th caliber. They were like giant rockets! It was definitely not safe when these puppies go off right next to you a few yards or a few feet away! If there was a misfire, we would have some serious issues... That being said, it was exhilirating!

We eventually made our way along the beach and ended up at Arc bar. This huge outdoor party on the beach full with fire dancers, bumping music, tons of people, and drinks served in buckets for the masses. Ther even even dancing on platforms in the water, and swimming in the ocean! We met up with other friends there and partied till the wee hours of the night...