Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Pattaya Paradise

Hello everybodeeee!
Well, I didn't make it to Kanchanaburi with Kasia. We went in opposite directions. She went north and I went south. As it turns out it was a good decision for both of us. She told me she had a great time up there seeing the bridge over the river Kwai, the tiger temple and the historical sites where all those people died. I, on the other hand, took a van to Pattaya and checked into the Welkom Inn. They gave me room number 2. Fitting because that's almost all I've done in the room to this point - number 2. I have had the wicked runs since I've been here and NOTHING is helping. However, somebody has room number 2 booked for tomorrow so I have to change. I'm hoping the room change will coincide with a change in bowel consistency.
I have managed to get out a little bit. I bought myself a snorkel and prescription mask at a nice dive shop here called Mermaid's I think. I have yet to use them due to the diarrhea, but I've extended my stay here in the hopes that I will overcome this ailment.
On a brighter note, I did have one good day while here. Good constitutionally speaking. So I went to the Million Year Stone and Crocodile Park. Or something like that. What a cool place that is! I just happen to like rocks and they have some petrified trees that are guestimated to be like a million years old. Plus some really interesting old rocks. And the gardening is unreal! Also they have some animals there that were a hoot! I actually fed a baby tiger. That was a thrill. They are just like really big cats. Very little difference that I can see. Boy was she pissed when I stopped feeding her too! Plus I made friends with some elephants and a couple birds. I fed some HUGE catfish that reminded me of prehistoric monsters. I saw some yahoos sticking their heads in crocodiles' mouths and I even got to feed the crocks myself! They put a rotten chicken on a long fishing pole and you hang it over the water and watch the crocks crawl all over each other coming way outta the water to get it. That crock puts up a helluva fight lemme tellya! Took the bait and snapped the line though. But I'll get her next time after she grows some. heh heh.
Unfortunately, my camera ran out of juice JUST as I bought a picture of me feeding the little tiger. I paid 40 baht, (a buck), for the chick to take a pic of me with my camera. When she pushed the button, the camera shut down. What a pisser! However, unbeknownst to me, whilst I was feeding the little feline there was an enterprising young Thai chick taking my pic with her own camera. Then while I was wandering around eating these AWESOME honey/orange popsicles they have here and sharing with a particularly friendly cockatoo who would lick it and then shake his head then come back and lick it and shake his head again, this young chick rides up to me on her bicycle and takes a really large photo out of the basket and hands it to me. I instinctively went into polite refusal mode but then I saw the photo. It was great! I paid 200 baht for it. (5 bucks). When I get back to Korea and my scanner, I'll be sure to include it here.
Unfortunately, I didn't get pics of the crock show or the really cool elephants I met. I was watching some guys getting a pic being lifted up by one of the elephants and suddenly I hear this huffing and puffing about an inch from my face. The other elephant smelled my Dentyne Ice gum I suppose and she was sniffing me. Have you ever had a trunk an inch in front of your face? It's a moving experience lemme tell you. So I bought up a basket of bananas and started feeding them to the two elephants one at a time. But my gum sniffing friend wasn't gonna stand for that. She reaches her trunk right into the basket of bananas and tried to get them ALL! ha ha ha. Bananas everywhere! So I'm trying to pick them up and feed them to the elephants and there were two trunks trying to beat me to the bananas. It was hilarious! They had a good feast though. And they thanked me by doing a little dance lifting one leg and swaying it back and forth in front of the other. I'll miss those old, grey, wrinkled girls.
I've met a couple of INSANE British guys here. They want to go out tonight to the shooting range. I think that sounds kind of cool so I think I better go. Wayne and Cy. I'll try to get some pics of us toting .45's or rifles or something. If I can. I hate to say this, but apart from the green apple splatters keeping me chained to my hotel room, this holiday has been relatively disaster free so far! Now I've just gone and jinxed myself. But that'll make for an interesting next entry. See ya then. I would include some pics but I am having trouble doing that from here. I can't figure out why. I will try from my computer when I get back to Korea. See ya then.

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