Thailand at last!

Day 4/2, April 17th, 2013

Today's note will be quicker, because it's 1am and we have to get up to grab a 7am taxi to the floating market tomorrow. So far, I think Took Tooks are our favorite thing, Israeli schedules scare us, and we have decided it's not easy to be kosher here. 

Tuk Tuks = go-cart with professional driver who will pay you to take you somewhere if you pretend to shop at his friend's suit store.

Israeli schedules = "how can you see a country in less than 9 months. 3 countries in 3 weeks??? crazy!"

Kosher Thai food = (well, it doesn't). We were so excited for our first street fare and accidentally saw the Wok of sitting pork and chicken remains that she was going to cook our veggie rice in. Buyer beware. I guess ignorance would have been bliss. We thankfully found another street with other street vendors that believed in cleaning their pots occasionally. :-)

The day has been long and exhausting, but also exciting and eye opening. We landed and made it to the hostel (note: yes, Val, my parents, my cousins, and pretty much everyone was correct that Thailand is cheap and normal people stay in hotels here, not hostels. Lesson learned). (Val still claims she's happy here. Dr. Libby, how do I interperet this?)

We were told that free outdoor Thai Boxing was going to be happening, but it wasn't going on, so we skipped via Tuk Tuk via random Suit Store with "best quality" suits to Khao San Road, the "backpackers ghetto." We were looking for the Israeli Connection, which was closed, but right next door was a string of israeli run travel agencies. they all told us that we're crazy, that we have too many plans, and that we should not ride in Tuk Tuks. To quote a wise woman (VL), "i'm not sure i like israeli planning anymore."

Fully stressed, we decided we needed either a nice dinner, or, better yes, a Thai Massage. As Avinoam would say, "the computer says yes". For a grand total of $4.50 each, we both had a 30 minute full body thai massage. I got the big lady, Val got the "slighter one." Val was jealous. For 30 minutes, my body was cracked, twisted, pulled, broken, stood on, and then massaged. It was fantastic.  Walking out, I felt like Gumby, and I cannot wait for our next round. Only the next time, Val gets the hefty one. 

We did Dinner on the Khao San street at the thai masseuse's recommendation for the most authentic, best thai in the neighborhood. The name of this establishment? The Macaroni Room. "The computer says yes." So there we ate, and sparked a conversation with a young israeli couple on their honeymoon; he's in advertising, she's an actress. so we're going to watch out for her.

Tomorrow we're off for our first day of inner-Southeast Asia travels. So the "live and let live" portion of our trip begins. We're looking forward to it.

Hope all are well in the states and israel. will post pictures when we can.

jacob and val