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city"},{"term":"izu"},{"term":"kakunodate"},{"term":"kamakura"},{"term":"kensington market"},{"term":"kobe"},{"term":"kofu"},{"term":"kutna hora"},{"term":"laguna beach"},{"term":"lancaster"},{"term":"layfayette"},{"term":"lincoln"},{"term":"livingstone"},{"term":"maryland"},{"term":"mexico"},{"term":"mexico city"},{"term":"michigan"},{"term":"milfordsound"},{"term":"mississippi"},{"term":"mobile"},{"term":"mongolia"},{"term":"moose jaw"},{"term":"moses lake"},{"term":"nagano"},{"term":"new london"},{"term":"newport"},{"term":"niagara"},{"term":"north carolina"},{"term":"offbeat"},{"term":"oranienburg"},{"term":"ouimet canyon"},{"term":"pensacola"},{"term":"philadelphia"},{"term":"pioneertown"},{"term":"pisa"},{"term":"potsdam"},{"term":"rachel"},{"term":"rappongi"},{"term":"red bluff"},{"term":"redwoods"},{"term":"reviews"},{"term":"richmond"},{"term":"roswell"},{"term":"russia"},{"term":"sachsenhausen"},{"term":"san antonio"},{"term":"saskatchewan"},{"term":"scranton"},{"term":"seattle"},{"term":"shinjuku"},{"term":"skye"},{"term":"socorro"},{"term":"solvang"},{"term":"sudbury"},{"term":"tallahassee"},{"term":"tallinn"},{"term":"texico"},{"term":"the hague"},{"term":"vancouver"},{"term":"verona"},{"term":"victoria"},{"term":"virginia"},{"term":"virginia city"},{"term":"wall"},{"term":"wilmington"},{"term":"ypres"},{"term":"zurich"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"one.year.trip"},"subtitle":{"type":"html","$t":"One Teacher's Around the World Travel Blog\u003Cbr\u003E"},"link":[{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.oneyeartrip.com\/feeds\/posts\/default"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4453582688315838952\/posts\/default\/-\/thailand?alt=json-in-script\u0026max-results=3"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.oneyeartrip.com\/search\/label\/thailand"},{"rel":"hub","href":"http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/"},{"rel":"next","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4453582688315838952\/posts\/default\/-\/thailand\/-\/thailand?alt=json-in-script\u0026start-index=4\u0026max-results=3"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"Unknown"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"generator":{"version":"7.00","uri":"http://www.blogger.com","$t":"Blogger"},"openSearch$totalResults":{"$t":"27"},"openSearch$startIndex":{"$t":"1"},"openSearch$itemsPerPage":{"$t":"3"},"entry":[{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4453582688315838952.post-8985512097528418483"},"published":{"$t":"2010-02-05T18:37:00.001-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2010-02-06T08:59:40.621-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"asia"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"bangkok"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"rtw09"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"thailand"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Off to Peru... kinda"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ca onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S211upOnY8I\/AAAAAAAAB1k\/iS4jR0Xm6i0\/s1600-h\/IMG_6069.JPG\"\u003E\u003Cimg style=\"margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;\" src=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S211upOnY8I\/AAAAAAAAB1k\/iS4jR0Xm6i0\/s320\/IMG_6069.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435129769507644354\" border=\"0\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EHaving showered the night before, I woke up ready to head to the airport; I woke up at five in the morning.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ESome damn fool had set the air conditioning to the coldest setting hoping that that would ensure a better night's sleep.  Some damn fool.  Me.  For the next three hours I would wake up, consider getting out of bed and turning it down, realizing that would mean taking the ladder from my bunk, and potentially falling to my doom, grabbing another towel, and throwing it on me.  Each new towel would add to the warmth for about an hour before my body adapted, and I became cold once more.  There were enough towels to last until my alarm went off.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMaking my way downstairs, I checked out, grabbed an anti-malarial breakfast at 7-11, and boarded a taxi.  I snagged a taxi on my first try, “Airport, metered, no tolls.”  There was no bartering, there was no complaining, there was just a friendly, “hop on in,” in the most perfect English I'd yet heard.  I was a little bit terrified by this, but it was early, and I'd just exited a freezer, stepping into a sauna, and wanted something in between.  Something that the blasting aircon in this taxi seemed to offer.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAnd it was lovely.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe driver was from Laos.  Now, I should point out that for the last few weeks I've had people telling me, “it's not L-au-s, it's pronounced L-au.”  Just for the record, he pronounced the name of his home country “L-au-s.”  So who is propagating this alternate pronunciation?  It's shall remain a mystery.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EGetting to the airport was smooth as silk; clearing passport control was just as lovely.  The only real snag was getting my ticket.  I became that person you hate to wait behind.  The one that turns a quick, here's my passport, give me my ticket please, exchange into something terrible long winded.  Secret phone calls were made as I waited.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt turned out that I didn't have a ticket booked out of Peru home.  I explained that I had a ticket booked later for Argentina.  This did not seem to suffice.  I pointed out that I had one for Los Angeles.  This was more acceptable it seemed.  Minutes ticked away as numbers, and letters were punched into computers, and I was left waiting.  When she spoke once more, she asked me for my Argentina details.  Apparently this was acceptable now.  She then asked me for the airport code to punch into her computational machine.  I told her EZE.  I think that's right.  I'm pretty sure.   But, again, if this information is important, why trust the person giving it?  And once again, if you need to use airport codes on a regular basis, why doesn't your computer have a database?  Seriously people, this is not 1983.  Mind you, even then such a database could have been created and used.  Maybe it was, computers being all new and business like back then.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut fear not, for I got my ticket to Frankfurt, and even my connecting flight to Sao Palo Brazil.  But not for my flight from Brazil to Lima.  Apparently I would need to get that there.  I fear delays.  I was also told that my luggage was checked all the way through; probably.  This was not filling me with confidence.  No confidence was I filled with.  But what could I do?  I grabbed what I was given, smiled, and carried on.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EIt was time to spend my final few baht.  Had I planned better I could have got a Burger King burger, and a Dairy Queen sunday.  As it stood, I was two baht short, ending up with double the ice cream instead.  It didn't matter.  The plane would feed me.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EShortly I was on board the plane, leaving South East Asia behind me.  And I was fed.  And given multiple opportunities to drink alcohol.  The elderly couple beside me took each and every opportunity, of which I was awake for 6 during the course of the flight, but as each time my eyes opened their glasses seemed full again, there were clearly more.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI grabbed a beer on the first two passes.  These would be enough to knock me out, ensuring that I obtained some sleep on these terrible flights.  The schedule was not ideal.  I flew out of Bangkok at 1:30pm, would arrive in Frankfurt thirteen hours later, but time zones would make that only 7pm, it would be 10pm when I flew out, and 12 hours later I would arrive in Brazil at some other god awful hour, before trying to get to Lima (provided my connecting flight ticket can be obtained.)  Not ideal.  And at no point do I want to be drowsy.  I'd like to stay alert – stay safe.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOn the plane the first thing I noticed was no in seat video player.  Great.  Well, I expected this which is why i was prepared with many many books.  Well, just two books, but they combined into over fifteen hundred pages of reading.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI'm still readying Red Rabbit.  I hate Tom Clancy.  I do.  His writing is terrible, and grade two reading level, and as my mind picks up whatever narrative style I'm currently reading, I'm thinking in god awful, underdeveloped, third person thoughts.  I dreamed in Tom Clancy thoughts.  It hurts.  But there's something that keeps me pressing on.  Perhaps the ease of the reading, or the desire to just get to the end and say – there, that's it, no more.   Read on I do.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EHundreds of pages flipped by, pushing me just past the half way mark.  This will never end.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAfter meal number two I set myself to sleep again.  When I woke up we were descending out of the sky, hurtling towards the ground.  Somewhat terrifying when you just wake up.  I struggled to put my seat belt on, and clipped it just in time to touch down.  Most airlines I have flown would have woken me up and admonished me for not having had my belt attached.  But not this one.  What a way to wake up that would have been, Ka-Chunk.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFrankfurt airport was a treat.  In a haze I walked the maze of terminals, and passed through security checks, and made small talk about Maple Leafs, and then found some tile to sit on and type.  Sitting now at gate C14 I can only hope this is the right place.  There are other people here which is good, but the display monitors are all off.  There's also high pitched beeping that is driving me slightly crazy.  I do not function well without sleep these days – which strikes me as odd, as for years I've not required it all that much.  I think it's the heat.  That's what it must be.   Once back in my own climate, I'll revert to my normal self, yes?\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOh – and there's snow here!  Real honest to god white stuff.  Not The White Stuff, because that's just a die from Killer Bunnies, but white stuff nonetheless.  I'm excited.  I can see it through the window.  People wear jackets here.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWon't that beeping stop?!\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI'm pulled back to the final moments on board my flight.  The lights of Frankfurt reach out below me, and it strikes me that some people are going home.  Home to warm houses, and fires, and coco.  Hot wine, friends, and family.  The lights reach out welcoming and beckoning.  On a night like this when I see snow for the first time, I wonder what home must be like; I wonder where home is.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe tile is cold beneath me at gate C14 where I sit waiting for a message to call me forth, push me onwards.  So few things can mean so much to so many.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOn board my next flight the woman beside me begins to chat.  A twelve hour flight.  This could be a death sentence.  I want to read.  I want to – well I can't watch movies, because once again there are no entertainment units built into these planes.  It's like the late nineties.  Crazy.  I want me touch screen on demand movies.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut I talk to the lady beside me, who turns out to be quite delightful, as they most always are.  At some point though, after dinner, I slowly fade into sleep.  With all the time zones I'm crossing night and day become mere illusions.  I have no idea how long I've been awake, nor how long I will sleep."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.oneyeartrip.com\/feeds\/8985512097528418483\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.oneyeartrip.com\/2010\/02\/off-to-peru-kinda.html#comment-form","title":"0 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4453582688315838952\/posts\/default\/8985512097528418483"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4453582688315838952\/posts\/default\/8985512097528418483"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.oneyeartrip.com\/2010\/02\/off-to-peru-kinda.html","title":"Off to Peru... kinda"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"oneyeartrip.com"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/02942033055663818067"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S211upOnY8I\/AAAAAAAAB1k\/iS4jR0Xm6i0\/s72-c\/IMG_6069.JPG","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"0"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4453582688315838952.post-9072950738248534980"},"published":{"$t":"2010-02-05T18:36:00.001-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2010-02-06T08:57:28.041-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"asia"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"bangkok"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"rtw09"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"thailand"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Floating Markets and River Bridges"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ca onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S210i0xeneI\/AAAAAAAAB08\/CkTgeZvYYu0\/s1600-h\/IMG_5923.JPG\"\u003E\u003Cimg style=\"margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;\" src=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S210i0xeneI\/AAAAAAAAB08\/CkTgeZvYYu0\/s320\/IMG_5923.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435128466936602082\" border=\"0\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EEarly in the morning I wake up.  My tour driver is supposed to grab me at seven fifteen.  I assume that getting downstairs by seven will give me time to grab some food before I head off.  I assume wrong.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EMy driver has been waiting, I am told.  Perhaps I should have not been informed to be ready for seven fifteen then.  In another world I would not have come down until then.  Then poor poor people waiting in the van.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWe make our way to the floating market.  I sleep.  When we arrive we are told that for a mere 150B we can take a boat through the market.  This only slightly enrages me, as I've paid 1450B for this tour.  The two day elephant, rafting, hiking tour with four meals was only 1100B.  I am not one for surprise charges, especially when I've spent my last baht, except that which will take me to the airport tomorrow, on this tour already.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S210jD7BG_I\/AAAAAAAAB1E\/Fh-G00hONdk\/s1600-h\/IMG_5940.JPG\"\u003E\u003Cimg style=\"margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;\" src=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S210jD7BG_I\/AAAAAAAAB1E\/Fh-G00hONdk\/s320\/IMG_5940.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435128471003143154\" border=\"0\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EI do not float on the market, though we do take a motor boat there, and isn't that something.  I walk the edges, and over the bridges, and take pictures, and experience if from the observational post.  And that's alright.  I can't help but think, “what's the point of all this?”  Yes, it's interesting, it's on water, but it's just another market.  There's nothing overly special about it.  There's no real reason for it to float (other than people can bring their wares in by  boat) and it's not an incredibly ancient tradition – only being started in the twentieth century.  Perhaps had I visited this location earlier on in my Thailand experience it would have been different – but now?  All I can think is, “it's just another market.”  I've seen day markets, night markets, weekend markets, sunday markets...  They're all the same, they all sell the same stuff, none of it has any charm other than what is obvious.  There's little point to experience them all.  But then again, there's little reason to come to Thailand if you don't want to shop.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EStill – it's interesting.  There are boats.  Full of tourists.  Yay.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S210jsD4YEI\/AAAAAAAAB1M\/u5prVP6ipCM\/s1600-h\/IMG_6055.JPG\"\u003E\u003Cimg style=\"margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;\" src=\"http:\/\/2.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S210jsD4YEI\/AAAAAAAAB1M\/u5prVP6ipCM\/s320\/IMG_6055.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435128481777737794\" border=\"0\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003ENext our tour stops at an Elephant show area.  For 600B you can ride an elephant for ten minutes.  Really?  That's what we're here for?  This was not even listed on my program.  I have a suspicion that our leader cut our time at the market short to bring us here in hopes of gaining commission.  Once more, I'm not a fan of hidden things, or charges, especially when a tour is three times the price it ought to be in the first place.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ENext we head to a snake show.  Same deal.  At both of these locations I find a place to sit and read my book.  Kill time.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhen we are about to leave the snake show I am told that as I will be headed to the River Kwai I will need to change vans.  I meet my new driver, and hop on board with a new group of people.  Off we go, two more hours of driving, stopping once for lunch.  Which is pretty good.  So yay.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S210j79BysI\/AAAAAAAAB1U\/9w9fk5sdoyE\/s1600-h\/IMG_6025.JPG\"\u003E\u003Cimg style=\"margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;\" src=\"http:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S210j79BysI\/AAAAAAAAB1U\/9w9fk5sdoyE\/s320\/IMG_6025.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435128486043962050\" border=\"0\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EWhen we get to the river, I can hardly wait to burst out of the doors and walk around.  This is, at last, something worth seeing – something worth experiencing.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFinally I can walk around and explore and see something for myself.  And it is good.  I walk over the River Kwai, and try to imagine the history that happened here.  I stepped out of the way when the train needed to cross.  I experienced the small crossing on which so much laid.   And then I went to the war museum.  Which was silly.  And small.  And tiny.  You can skip it.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S210kSb-M9I\/AAAAAAAAB1c\/nBDDsoeTAHM\/s1600-h\/IMG_6046.JPG\"\u003E\u003Cimg style=\"margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S210kSb-M9I\/AAAAAAAAB1c\/nBDDsoeTAHM\/s320\/IMG_6046.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435128492079330258\" border=\"0\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EOh and did I mention there was a cheetah just hanging out on the side of the road?  Not terrifying at all.  A pet, I'm sure.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOn the way back we were jockied into another truck again, and we headed back to Bangkok.  This new van took us most of the way, before three of us were tossed into yet another van which took thirty minutes to drive what would have taken me a good ten minutes to walk, reminding me of the old joke, “nobody drivers here – there's too much traffic.”\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EStill – aside from the heinous beginnings, not an altogether bad last day."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.oneyeartrip.com\/feeds\/9072950738248534980\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.oneyeartrip.com\/2010\/02\/floating-markets-and-river-bridges.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4453582688315838952\/posts\/default\/9072950738248534980"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4453582688315838952\/posts\/default\/9072950738248534980"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.oneyeartrip.com\/2010\/02\/floating-markets-and-river-bridges.html","title":"Floating Markets and River Bridges"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"oneyeartrip.com"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/02942033055663818067"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S210i0xeneI\/AAAAAAAAB08\/CkTgeZvYYu0\/s72-c\/IMG_5923.JPG","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}},{"id":{"$t":"tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4453582688315838952.post-6737375177567740427"},"published":{"$t":"2010-02-03T11:01:00.001-05:00"},"updated":{"$t":"2010-02-06T08:44:58.493-05:00"},"category":[{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"asia"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"bangkok"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"rtw09"},{"scheme":"http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#","term":"thailand"}],"title":{"type":"text","$t":"Video Games and Travel"},"content":{"type":"html","$t":"\u003Ca onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S21yI-rOi2I\/AAAAAAAAB00\/tvBw9J7iBc0\/s1600-h\/IMG_5904.JPG\"\u003E\u003Cimg style=\"margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;\" src=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S21yI-rOi2I\/AAAAAAAAB00\/tvBw9J7iBc0\/s320\/IMG_5904.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435125823894883170\" border=\"0\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EWaking up, hanging out in the common room, watching some television.  Yeah.  It's pretty sweet.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EWhenever my kiwi friend decided to wake up (nothing like the morning after you fly across a terrible amount of time zones to really make you want to seize the day) we headed out to the MBK centre.  Yes, yes, more malls.  Strange how the price jumps for tuk-tuk drivers when you're with someone else.  There's nothing like turning down one driver, watching them leave, having another immediately fill the place to begin negotiations anew.  After a good four drivers tried their luck, we finally decided on one – or rather, he decided on us.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S21yHvAxsZI\/AAAAAAAAB0c\/jgL8uNPF_Z8\/s1600-h\/IMG_5894.JPG\"\u003E\u003Cimg style=\"margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;\" src=\"http:\/\/3.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S21yHvAxsZI\/AAAAAAAAB0c\/jgL8uNPF_Z8\/s320\/IMG_5894.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435125802510430610\" border=\"0\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EAnd then off through the smog of the city, dangerously fast through perilous turns and – traffic jam.  Perhaps it wasn't that I was with someone else that caused the price to raise as much as it was the time of day.  Ohh well.  My ignorance to such things seems to have gone swimmingly, as I did not have to feel any guilt over the rather delayed progress we were making.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis also explained why one driver laughed and drove off when we told him our destination.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EBut fear not, for we completed this journey, and then entered the aforementioned mall on a quest to find a store that I had seen weeks past. I just knew it was on the third floor.  After walking the third floor, I was less sure about my previous assurance.  But it must have been on the fourth floor!  Well, there were a lot of cell phones there.  That's almost like finding what I want, but not really at all.  That would leave only the second – ok, you know where this is going, I'm sure.  The store was nowhere to be found.  But wait, I knew of another place on the first floor where my desired item cold be found.  It just required a lap or two.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EI have never been this lost in a mall before.  Quite refreshing, quite refreshing indeed.  Or perhaps those were the free samples of fruit that had been left out all day?  No it wouldn't have been those – as they were left out all day.  A shame that resisting the allure of a free selection of produce is not easier.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S21yIfckCyI\/AAAAAAAAB0s\/W7xn_mFHS-s\/s1600-h\/IMG_5901.JPG\"\u003E\u003Cimg style=\"margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;\" src=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S21yIfckCyI\/AAAAAAAAB0s\/W7xn_mFHS-s\/s320\/IMG_5901.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435125815511878434\" border=\"0\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EWith purchase made, and success grasped, we headed out to complete one of her missions – obtaining flight tickets.  Apparently you can't book a flight over the internet for next day departure.  Who knew?  I find this rather distressing, as I'd been considering such things not long ago.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAfter some searching of the neighbouring malls, and finding nothing, an information booth was approached.  We were sent two blocks down, some doors over, and all that fun stuff to discover a travel agent.  Who fond tickets cheaper than the internet listed them as.  I just want to point out that I was shocked by this – shocked.  I had thought that the internet could always beat in store purchases.  Apparently not.  I'll have to keep this in mind for future flights.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003ERight as she was to pay, oh no, thirty dollar credit card service fee.  So off to a bank machine.  This was right next door.  While she wandered, I perused information about Universal Studios: Japan.  They have a Jurrasic Park ride too!  My worries are behind me now; if the park in LA is still refurbishing theirs, I can always discover my beloved animation dinosaurs (pronounced in the same voice Mr. DNA would use) across the sea.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThere was a problem with funds being in the wrong place, or some such nonsense.  Flight tickets were not yet to be purchased.  First an internet cafe would be required for money shifting, and other such electronic magics.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThis was fine, as the cafe was next to an iStudio store.   I went in and found myself the iPod touch.  Once more I was close to buying it (stopped, really, only by the fact that I think 64gigs is too small, and am holding out that a 150 will be released before I get back.  Or perhaps some new toy will reach the market within a half year.)  This did give me some time to play all the iPhone games I'd seen on co-op though.  And they were lovely.  And I think I might have become slightly obsessed with the game TapTap.  I see that this has been made free as well.  Think of all the tap taping I could be doing on my travels.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca onblur=\"try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}\" href=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S21yH-HW7kI\/AAAAAAAAB0k\/8YmWyc3yl_0\/s1600-h\/IMG_5896.JPG\"\u003E\u003Cimg style=\"margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;\" src=\"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S21yH-HW7kI\/AAAAAAAAB0k\/8YmWyc3yl_0\/s320\/IMG_5896.JPG\" alt=\"\" id=\"BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5435125806564568642\" border=\"0\" \/\u003E\u003C\/a\u003EBut then again, that's the thought that stops me.  I don't want to play games while I'm on the ro...  ohh – money transfered!  Back to the travel agent, tickets bought, over to a tuk-tuk only two tried and one confusing conversation about how we forgot where we were staying, despite the fact that I was giving the precise location and name of where we were staying, later and it was off to the races.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe terrifying, terrifying races.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EA final look at the giant swing (of death – seriously, read up on it.  No bags of silver in my teeth.)\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EThe night was spent once more on KSR (significantly more entertaining when you're not alone.)  For the first time I was approached to see a ping pong show.  I imagine this happened as a girl was with me.  It's always the girls who want to go.  No more than two hours ago a girl convinced three guys to join her at one this eve.  She knew where it was and everything.  The boys?  Clueless.  As it should be.  I refused, getting back on topic, and carried on.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EFood, fun, and thumb pianos were experienced.  And then back to the hostel.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EAs we headed off to our separate rooms (she preferring solo-dorms where snoring is not an issue) and mine to the dorm where – up until now, snoring has not been an issue.) good byes were said and potential New Zealand plans were made.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EOnly one thing makes me hesitant.  I had to explain to her what The Sims was.  I once met a girl in University who had no idea what the holocaust was.  I had to explain it to her, and convince her that it wasn't one of those shiny three dimensional picture things (obtained most often from Upper Deck '91 trading cards) and was instead something far more terrible, and much less collectible.  But this I could understand.  Somehow it seems far more terrifying and unlikely that someone could have lived their life, and avoided all knowledge of The Sims (one, two, and three... not to mention all the hand held spin offs.)  Really now – New Zealand - really."},"link":[{"rel":"replies","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.oneyeartrip.com\/feeds\/6737375177567740427\/comments\/default","title":"Post Comments"},{"rel":"replies","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.oneyeartrip.com\/2010\/02\/video-games-and-travel.html#comment-form","title":"1 Comments"},{"rel":"edit","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4453582688315838952\/posts\/default\/6737375177567740427"},{"rel":"self","type":"application/atom+xml","href":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/feeds\/4453582688315838952\/posts\/default\/6737375177567740427"},{"rel":"alternate","type":"text/html","href":"http:\/\/www.oneyeartrip.com\/2010\/02\/video-games-and-travel.html","title":"Video Games and Travel"}],"author":[{"name":{"$t":"oneyeartrip.com"},"uri":{"$t":"http:\/\/www.blogger.com\/profile\/02942033055663818067"},"email":{"$t":"noreply@blogger.com"},"gd$image":{"rel":"http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail","width":"16","height":"16","src":"https:\/\/img1.blogblog.com\/img\/b16-rounded.gif"}}],"media$thumbnail":{"xmlns$media":"http://search.yahoo.com/mrss/","url":"http:\/\/1.bp.blogspot.com\/_88RoabsTacs\/S21yI-rOi2I\/AAAAAAAAB00\/tvBw9J7iBc0\/s72-c\/IMG_5904.JPG","height":"72","width":"72"},"thr$total":{"$t":"1"}}]}});