More Inconvenience

Georgetown, Malaysia

I'm really getting annoyed now. It's Hong Kong all over again. I did a tour of central Georgetown's ATMs a second time without any success. My Lloyds card will expire soon and no bank is giving me any cash for it. It's actually quite urgent because I need to withdraw money for the last month before my card becomes useless. It means that I will have to call the damn hotline again (and be apologised to and called sir again). They think they are so clever. But this here, this thing here is pissing me off. This time, I think I'll just empty the account and transfer everything to Germany, so that I won't need that silly bank anymore. They don't deserve my hard-earned money.

Keranamu Malaysia!

Georgetown, Malaysia

I've finally arrived in Malaysia, crossing the border from Thailand at Sadao/Bukit Kayu Hitam. It was raining (and still is now) but for some reason I was (and still am) so happy to be here again. It was something, I realise, that I've been looking forward to for all this trip: to get back to Malaysia. I entered countries like Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, places I had never been to completely cool. But last night, after completing the border formalities and seeing signs of "Selamat datang ke Malaysia" (Malay: Welcome to Malaysia) I was almost giddily happy. Later, in Georgetown, things went wrong, it was now pouring down and my bank card was rejected and I had to find a money changer late at night. Still, I was excited like a little child (almost embarrassing myself in front of the Chilean friend who joined me for dinner) but I couldn't help myself. At a food court I ordered Hokkien Mee, Satay and Teh Tarik and the world was somehow good. Listening to a lady singing old Chinese songs (月亮代表我的心!!!) and watching some middle aged people dance I was in the mood for singing, as well. I'm here for the third time but this is what Malaysia does to me. It may have it's short comings but I still love it.
Keranamu Malaysia!

Damn those little buggers!

Kho Lanta, Thailand

There is a certain disadvantage to the back-to-basics charm of beach chalets. The ones I found here were a real bargain, I think. Little huts lined up just off the beach. The choice wasn't massive anyway since many places have already closed for the low season.
The point is this: For days now I've been looking for the little nut-bracelet that I bought in Luang Nam Tha in Laos. I was so sure I just left it on my bed one morning and went out. Then, in the evening it was gone. Or so I believed. But maybe, I thought, I had actually put it somewhere else. I'd look for it later...
I never thought anything or made any associations when, one time, I came into the room and there was a rat squatting on the wooden beam that runs around the room at mid-height holding the walls together. There we were - man and animal - staring at each other. It was hard to tell who was more surprised. Then I shouted and shooed it away and it disappeared into a gap in the ceiling toward the roof. I wish it had gone outside but at least it was out of sight. And at least it was not a sewer rat.
Then, when I prepared to leave Kho Lanta today I searched my bags for the bracelet. No sign of it. I hadn't put it in any of my bags. Then where could it be? In the end, I pulled the bed aside and found it there in a corner. How had it got there? Only when I picked it up I realised it was in pieces. The string that held it together was torn and some of the black and white nuts were strewn around the floor. They had been gnawed on! And the string wasn't torn but had been chewed! Now it clicked. I hadn't thought those nuts were still edible. The damn rodents had found out fast. So they had dragged the bracelet under the bed to eat it. Which also meant they had been all over the bed to get at it. Ugh, nice! Good thing I normally zip up my backpacks. I wouldn't want them crawling around in there.
I'm quite upset. It's Pakse all over again. It's as if I had learnt nothing. But who'd think there are rats frequenting the rooms? Who'd think that those nuts were edible and not painted with some chemical paint? Grrr! I should have thrown something at the beast when I had it in my sight. That's another souvenir I can't replace.

Clean up Lanta

Kho Lanta, Thailand

The Lonely Planet Southeast Asia writes that on Kho Lanta you can "slip into a beachy existence". They fail to mention that what you slip on is almost obscene amounts of rubbish, ranging from plastic bottles and cups and miscellaneous packaging over discarded slippers and tooth brushes and actually dangerous things like broken glass. It's actually quite sad to see picturesque beaches being despoilt in such a way. I do believe that tourists have a hand in this, leaving their water bottles wherever they were lying. But many packaging suggest items that tourists would have no use for, which in turn suggests that some locals still don't appreciate the beauty of their country and use the beach as a rubbish tip. And that's what it looks like in many places. Even though tourism depends on it. Resorts only clean up within their little sphere of influence. Only in the south of the island where few people live the situation gets better. I think, apart from environmental and purely aesthetic implications people need to understand the business ones, as well. Tourists won't like relaxing on a beach full of rubbish. Maybe that would be a good opportunity to volunteer - but I've thought that so many times already, almost from the very start of my trip. I hope, that people will come to their senses in time to save these beautiful places if not for the sake of saving them then at least to ensure tourists will continue to come here to enjoy them. It would be a real shame to see this island get swamped by waste.

You want spicy? Sure?

Kho Lanta, Thailand

I had my first proper spicy Thai curry tonight. A red curry with seafood. Why is this worthy of ending up here? Well, it's not actually easy to get spicy food here if you're a foreigner. It seems too many Farang (Thai: foreigner) complain about spicyness or specifically don't want it or want it and then find out they really didn't. Or it's just the Thais believe their food is so spicy that no Farang could possibly take it. However this may be, restaurants that cater for foreigners will not put a single chilly into a papaya salad and leave curries tasting depressingly bland. So, I always ask for spicy. People look at me, then go away and bring back food that still tastes of nothing. In the end, to taste anything, I have to ask for extremely spicy (which of course in Thai term isn't). I order my papaya salad with three or four chillies (still nothing to average Thai people eating it with ten or so) and get shocked looks, hesitation - "Very spicy" - I have to assure people that they don't need to worry, I know what I'm doing. Really. Then, they watch me very closely to see if I'll react. I always quote the sentence heard in a small eatery in Xi'an, China, where the shopkeeper commented to a customer (not me) that noodles without chilly don't taste good (“凉皮没辣椒不好吃“）. But today, I just mentioned I liked spicy and the lady that ran the little restaurant went and brought back a fiery red curry. It's good being taken seriously once in a while. Thanks!

More on Foreigner Pricing

Kho Lanta, Thailand

Again, this is an observation that could have been anywhere along the trip but struck me in particular in Cambodia and Thailand. And for Thailand I (again) collected evidence (see photo).
It actually started in Russia but there I had been warned: Russians - 100 Rubles, Foreigners - 300 Rubles. I found that very annoying but I could live with it because I had been prepared. I even attributed it to Russian character - Russians not being friendly to foreigners. Now, I have to apologise to them for thinking like that.
I've got to say here that China was the fairest country in terms of ticket pricing: tickets were expensive for everyone but at least I could check both the Chinese and English writing and prices for Chinese and foreigners were the same.
The phenomenon started again in Cambodia and has followed me into Thailand. After many people had said that in these countries not many places required tickets and ticket prices China had been that exorbitant I had been looking forward to getting here. Then I realised that in Cambodia local people were just hanging out around Angkor Wat - they couldn't possibly be buying the same US$40 ticket for three days that I had bought. And I was right, the hotel manager confirmed, Cambodians didn't have to pay a single Riel to see the temples. I was shocked, not least because all these picnics would be leaving rubbish, rubbish that my entry money would pay to clear away! And it wasn't even being done.
The greatest insolence was then in Thailand where the people were taking advantage of the fact that foreigners normally can't read Thai. But my Thai friend told me it said in Thai that the price was 10 Baht, then in English that the price was 30 Baht. Now, I don't have a problem with paying 30 Baht (roughly a US$1) hoping that my money will help restore and preserve a historical site. What got me upset was the sneakiness with which they make foreigners pay more. I even got into an argument with a ticket seller over this demanding to only pay the Thai price. It was a futile argument, of course, because I would still not just walk in. Grrr! Sometimes I hate that law-abiding me.
My latest outrage was now here on the island of Kho Lanta, that's also where the photo is from. Observe that the foreigner price is five (5) times that of the one for Thais. And for what? I'm not quite sure - I went in after hours and only found a derelict light house and an (admittedly) beautiful beach. But that, however, beautiful the view, doesn't justify a 200 Baht entry fee! They must be having a fever!
I guess, however much I rant, it won't change anything but I just wonder what if, what if this was Germany? What would people say if tickets for Germans were, say, 10 Euros and for foreigners 20. Now, of course, Thais and Cambodians argue that foreigners are richer than them and can easily pay the higher fee. Still, I'd argue that foreigners coming to Germany, that can afford hotel stays and other expenses in Germany also have money, so why not make them pay higher entrance fees, too?! I'm sure there'd be an outrage - much similar to mine. But why do I need to take that shit when I come here and already bring a lot of my money into circulation. We don't do this to tourists, so why do we need to suffer this abroad? Then let's just do the same and see what tourists think. I'm sure they'd pay - grinding and gritting their teeth but they also pay and then it would be fair and square. Or maybe they'd realise how it is to be treated unfairly and maybe, just maybe, things in their countries would change.
Am I over-reacting with this? I'm sure I'm not. Other travelers have complained about this, too. We're all a bit pissed off, so, here it is. All my out-rage written down. Change something now!

Dream with Expiry Date

Kho Lanta, Thailand

I've finally had to buy my ticket home. Not really because I really want to but my bank card is about to expire leaving me without means to book online. My feelings about this are mixed: On one side it'll be good to go home; you can't stay on the road forever, never having a place where you belong, always living out of your backpack. On the other hand I don't want this to end. That's why I put it off for so long, risking even rising ticket prices. Buying the ticket gives my holiday an end date; I've set the date that I will have to wake up from my dream and go back to the real world, where I will have to deal with real problems like work and life instead of what boat trip I'll do tomorrow or which beach I will lie on next. On the 8th of November this dream will come to an end. I will fly out of Singapore Changi Airport at 23:05 straight to Frankfurt in cold Germany arriving at 5:15 local time (anyone willing to greet me at the airport is welcome - I'll need some cheering up, I think). That's my expiry date, the time for my wake-up call.
So, better dream as best I can until then!

Shouting Match

Krabi, Thailand

A number of things have gone wrong today. I still can't get used to the fact that people here try to squeeze as much money out of tourists as possible. The "foreigner pricing" is only one aspect. Another thing that happens here is for mini-buses to drop off tourists somewhere in the middle of nowhere or somewhere inconvenient and then adding an additional fee to where you want to go. For example, you may get dropped off at a travel agency near your destination to choose a hotel but the rest of the transfer is not included. On my way to Railay Beach I witnessed some German tourists argue with the staff about this. In Krabi while going to Kho Lanta it was my turn to see Thai people, who are usually known to be polite, from a very uncharacteristic side. I don't deny that my own attitude was to blame, too.
At the hotel at Railay I thought I had paid for a transfer all the way from Railay Beach to the hotel I had had arranged on Kho Lanta. When the boat set us ashore at Krabi a woman at the travel agency there politely asked me to pay for the rest of my trip. I was surprised, told her about my arrangement but she denied. I had only paid a trip to Saladan, the island's major town. To be taken any further would cost more. I refused. I insisted that my arrangement should have included that, too. She also persisted.
Then things got heated. I don't know what got into me. I felt that after the incident with the other German tourists days back the same thing was happening again - to me. I felt cheated and was furious about it. So I shouted at her. That this was unacceptable. That I had paid for the whole trip and demanded to be taken all the way. She was shocked but still refused. After a short, noisy exchange a man came in. It was probably her husband. She said something to him. He asked me what was going on. I repeated my demands. It doesn't happen often that I blow my top, so I was on an adrenaline high. I don't actually remember much of the exchange until he tore up the payment receipt I had brought, came forward quite menacingly and told me I was not in my own country here. "Shut your fucking mouth", he snarled. At this point I realised that if I didn't back down it would probably come to blows. Was I up to that?
Fortunately, then a new load of young tourists filled the empty office and the confrontation was over. Not another word was said. When the minibus to the island pulled up outside the driver waved me over, too. I got in the back with the other travellers but I was not in a mood to talk. When we got to Saladan the driver stopped but made me understand in a conciliatory tone he would take me further, I just had to pay for it. Even some of the others asked me if I was sure. But my pride was hurt, so I got off and started walking.
Eventually I did let a tuk-tuk driver persuade me to take his ride. It wasn't far and I paid almost as much to him as I would have had to pay to the original driver. But when the sun is down and you don't know the place you haven't got much of a bargaining position. Some great start for this island. Maybe I should just have stayed at Railay.

Long Live the King!

Bangkok, Thailand

It's interesting to spend some time in a real working monarchy. I've been holding off this entry because I wanted to observe this phenomenon in places in Thailand other than the capital.
Having lived in UK for a long time I'm used to the British Royal Family being loved and laughed at at the same time. People will gather in the thousands when the Queen makes an appearance in London but the Royals also often find themselves at the butt end of public scrutiny, criticism, humour even and never being taken entirely seriously.
In Thailand, as I had already heard from the news, this is an entirely different story. Portraits of the King or other royals as well as depictions of the royal crest (see above) are omnipresent, from large banners in the streets to small, framed photos in people's shops and homes. The punishments for offending the King are harsh, e.g. prison sentence for what we may consider a small transgression, like painting a mustache on a portrait of the monarch.
But in a nutshell, people here love the King. And this is not imposed from above. Especially on Mondays (His Majesty was born on a Monday), many people wear yellow shirts to show their loyalty and respect. Many places also have little, for lack of a better word, shrines to the King where people burn incense to show their devotion or at least wai the shrine when they walk past it. It feels almost like a faith in its own right. To the point of being worrying sometimes. In conversations some people will reverently refer to him as "my king". I was told that the government may say what they want, for many Thai people what the King says is what counts. Many people will rather follow his wishes than the government even though the King effectively has little power. People also worry what will happen when he dies one day (he's not the youngest anymore, after all). The crown prince is not too popular, I heard, and people would rather see the second son succeed his father. The seeds for further turmoil in the Land of Smiles have already been sown.

Pussy Acrobatics

Bangkok, Thailand

It's a horrible stereotype. How did I slip into it? Well, I guess it's almost unavoidable. Similar to Amsterdam Bangkok has a reputation for sex shows. I'm even having my nose rubbed in it (figuratively speaking). The home of my friend here is practically next to one of the famous red light districts - if you can call it that. Walk home on the wrong side of the street and dodgy guys will sidle up and offer you porn DVDs, special massages or "ping pong shows". Now, my friend being a local had already explained to me that a ping pong show had nothing to do with table tennis. Rather it was a demonstration of an unusual way for a girl to shoot a ping pong ball from an unusual place. I'll leave the rest to be filled in by imagination.
I bravely resisted temptation and curiosity for days before I gave in.
The place was a bit dodgy, as expected, and had the expected dodgy, foreign patrons. Now I was one, too. The moment you sit down the working girls decend on you for tips. You're a walking wallet in there. Had I forgotten Amsterdam?
There's a difference, though. While sex shows in the Dutch capital are probably best described as "porky on stage" this was more like "pussy acrobatics". It was very creative in a way. The girls could blow out candles, shoot ping pong balls and even darts across the room. Acurately, too. They could hit and pop a balloon several meters away. And they could paint. Guess which part of the female body the above portrait of me was done with. Go ahead. Make a guess.
So I spent the evening having a few (over-priced) drinks and handing out tips. You end up having your arm always curled around one of the almost naked girls and generally feel like a pimp. They even tried to drag me off to the even shadier backrooms for some private time and were surprised to find that I resisted. The old matron at the backdoor gave me a look that suggested she doubted my sanity - or sexual orientation. Doesn't seem to happen often.
Eventually, it grew late, I had spent an embarrassing amount of money and the place closed. Another stage of my journey I can tick off.

• Watch Ping Pong Show in Bangkok: ☑

Sex, Drugs and Hip Hop

Phnom Phen, Cambodia

It could have been anywhere. The fact that I'm writing this in Phnom Phen in Cambodia is just a matter of where I found a convenient computer. I wish this was about the good old days of rock 'n' roll. It's not.
This is about reputation, about misconception and eventually about prejudice. This is about how people here, Asians from China, Laos, Cambodia, etc. seem to see us Westerners. It seems to break down into three categories:

Foreigners are either Americans or at least like American music when they party. Most of the time this is American hip hop. Any place catering for foreigners in Dali seemed to blast it into the street. Sometimes it really got too much. It's nice to hear some tunes from home, I'm sure, but why travel half-way around the world just find again what you have at home? I don't get it. I may not always enjoy local music but that's part of the experience.

Foreigners like to drink. A lot. Well, agreed that's often not prejudice but fact. Whether it's China, Laos, Cambodia or which ever country. Where foreigners concentrate you'll have bars, clubs all serving Western beer(read: Budweiser or Heineken), whiskey, vodka and whatever you'll expect in your favourite pub back home. You can get it cheaply, in buckets, what you need to get pissed. You go into a restaurant and before you've even made it through the door the first thing they offer you is beer. Signs outside will advertise it, people will shout it after you. When I ate at restaurants in China and ordered tea or water/fruit juice I often got surprised looks. Sometimes kind people in Laos invited me to drink (beer or the local laolao). After joining a local piss-up once I always declined - much to the surprise of the locals. He's a Westerner - why isn't he drinking alcohol? The Lonely Planet features a "Drinking" section for every destination. For countries it'll list the average price for beer to help travelers budget their trip.
Then there are, of course, the real controlled substances. Backpacker havens regularly have them. Whether it's Dali in China or the 4000 Islands in Laos. "You want to smoke?" is a common question. People will discretely wave around little bags of cannabis. I've had innocent little Chinese aunties offer me drugs! And travelers I've been with seemed delighted. With prices for beer and pot that low we'd be mad not to get completely stoned, right? Right?

Now, the last point doesn't get mentioned in guide books but judging from my experience is very much a reality. Foreign men like the little Asian girls. So, when they go on holiday they don't want to miss that "experience" either. Of course, that experience comes at a price. Again, where ever I went I was offered sex. That's the thing that happens to a single white male traveler. In China girls would wave me over to their massage parlours. Come evening in central Shanghai I could hardly walk a few paces without various girls trying to chat me up: "Hello, where are you from?" (And one guy I knew was proud that so many girls in Shanghai wanted to talk to him - poor fool!) In Laos, a kid from the travel office i rented a bike from invited me over to chat, then casually mentioned that, when i had finished eating, he knew where to get it if i wanted to "make". In Kratie, Cambodia I was innocently buying food at the night market when I noticed a girl next to me. I smiled, she smiled back and I returned my attention to buying food. The next thing I knew was a guy nudging me, pointing at her and me making indicative gestures. Did I want? I laughed at him. "Does she know what you're offering?" But again the offer was clear. He's a foreigner, surely he wants to try the girls here. And again, I've seen the truth in that assumption. Only once I went to a foreigner bar in Vientiane, Laos. I would swear that the customers were all but one or two white males and Asian prostitutes. I was grateful to have gone there with a female friend (not Asian and really just friend) I had met at the hotel, so they left me alone. Still, I believe there was a lot of business that night. A number of men seemed to succumb when I left the place.

So, why is this about misconception and prejudice. It is because not all foreigners are like that. I sincerely hope. I'm not like that. It's about prejudice and preconception because this seems to be how locals now see foreigners, particularly Westerners. It's quite sad. Tourists don't seem to realise or care that they're not at home but abroad. What do locals think of us behaving like that? I, for once, am not happy to be guilty by association. I surely haven't seen the end of it yet. I wonder what Thailand will be like. I've heard stories...

Update: I've actually collected some evidence here in Angkor Wat near Siem Reap. I spotted a group of Western men that supported every point I've made above. They came to a spot near the famous temple to watch the sunset bringing cigarettes, beer and girls (the kind that charges by the hour). They (the guys) were the clichee of the Western sex tourists - ugly, loud and vulgar. It was such a perfect scene to support this article that I just had to take a photo of them. Enjoy! By the way, to remove any national prejudice where most sex tourists may or may not come from: I found out that they were from Estonia (a big relief for my own national pride).