Had a fun time visiting one of the popular clubs in Chiang Mai called Spicy. Filled with mostly western - falang -guys and many beautiful Thai women, it is one of the biggest dance and hook up clubs in Chiang Mai. My first visit there I went with a lovely Thai girl - Bee- who I had met in town while eating at the small restaurant she owns. The club doesn't really get started till past midnight and stays buzzing to past 4am. Definitely a much different vibe than Americans type clubs. No beautiful cocktail waitresses going around trying to sell drinks. Was primarily very polite and medium built Thai guys taking care of the drink orders. The sign at the front door walking states 3 main rules: (1)No ladyboys -transvestites or crossdressing guys - allowed, (2)No weapons, (3) No sex in the club emphasized with a picture of a guy and girl going at it.
Was an interesting experience going to the bathroom in the club. The moment I stepped up to the urinal I had one of the male bathroom attendants come up from behind and start giving me a shoulder and back massage while I was standing there trying to relieve myself. A moment earlier several guys warned - "Watch out they are going to give u a massage." These two guys turned out to be from Boulder Colorado. Kind of funny place to run into several guys living so close to me back home. They seemed pretty freaked out by the prospect of getting a massage from another guy in the bathroom while taking a pee. Not exactly the most typical experience, particularly for a westerner from the states, receiving a massage in the bathroom from a male attendant in a straight club. A moment later they were raving about how good a massage it was. It was a very good massage and I learned a couple of interesting moves from them. They did some amazing neck cracks on me. Wasn't exactly the easiest to relax, but having already drank several bottles of beer and being half drunk I was able to relax after several moments.
Such a different vibe in the club than back in the states. Very fun and peaceful type setting without the ever present threat of fights and violence so typical of clubs in the states. The Thai girls are so beautiful, most of them at least, and go out of there way to smile and get your attention. Much different than American clubs where most of the attractive women tend to act like gods gift to man and act much more aloof and untouchable. Here the Thai women are full of smiles and much more approachable. Of course many of them are working girls and looking to make some money taking guys home for sex. Makes it a bit unpredictable in figuring out girls motives when you are meeting and talking with them. It's not nearly as crazy as Pattaya or other places in Thailand, but still obviously there. One Australian guy had met and thought he had really hit it off with an attractive Thai woman. He was set to go home with her when she started requesting 1000 baht, or about $30 US dollars.
I myself was already there with a good looking Thai girl so I wasn't worried about trying to pick up any of the girls. Still fun meeting and flirting with the girls. It's a bit of an ego boost with the attention the Thai girls give. I was there later in the evening about ready to leave with Bee when an extremely good looking Thai girl came up to me and said she wanted to have sex with me. I'm not sure if she really wanted to go home with me because she thought I was attractive, or if she was a working girl looking to make some money, probably the latter although I would like to believe the first option. I didn't get a chance to find out as I told her I was already with someone and unavailable at the moment.
Today is Wednesday the 28th and tomorrow I am heading off to Kolkata- Calcutta - around noon. I am super excited to being going to India. Thailand has been unbelievable experience but it is a relatively easy and tourist friendly country, unlike what I am going to experience in India. I am very excited for the challenge inspite of the prospects of getting sick which seem to be inevitable in speaking with everyone who has traveled to India. It almost feels like my true adventure is just beginning upon getting to India and experiencing what is in store for me there. I feel like I am at the edge of a cliff and ready to jump off the edge into the unknown. I am really excited to be going to India to study yoga and meditation as well as visit the himalayas and see some incredible scenery and extreme culture. I have 100 days in India in which I plan to spend in Northern India and Nepal. I will be arriving there as monsoon season is beginning in northern India so the prospects of trekking and hiking in the himalayas will be diminished a bit. Not too much fun to go hiking for days with monsoon season showers pouring down on me. I will find out more when I get there and the prospects of doing so.
I got a copy of Lonely Planet India, a huge book taking up much space in my bag, but will be invaluable in helping me get around what promises to be a challenging and exciting journey. I have no idea really what to expect in getting to Kolkata, situated in northeastern India and the cheapest city to fly into in India. The street called Sutter street is supposed to be a top spot in the city for backpackers and foreign travelers. I anticipate extreme poverty and many scam artists and beggars looking to make money off myself. Have been told to expect it to me much more in my face and pushy than in Thailand, which can get a bit annoying in Bangkok. Will be a chance to meet some interesting folks in whatever other travelers and expats are in India at the moment. Probably won't be a whole lots of travelers in the city as well as the country as it is the hot season and monsoon season is quickly approaching. Chiang Mai was a bit slow in terms of tourists and Khao San Rd in Bangkok is quite slow at the moment. So much different than back during the high season in Dec and Jan. It is actually a bit nice walking around without the huge masses of travelers and party goers existing during the high season.
I come back to Thailand Sept 8 for a little over a month and a half, in which I plan to visit Laos, perhaps Cambodia, live in some of the Buddhist forest monasteries to practice meditation and save money, and also refresh myself in some more thai massage classes before heading home Nov 3. Five more months left for me in my journey which I expect to be quite profound for myself. I do not expect to be the same person after this time. Hopefully will have acquired much more peace of mind, wisdom, and insight into myself as well as have a different perspective on life, particularly in regards to the excessively materialistic style of living in the west and America. It's all taken for granted the high standard of living available to many living in America. I have found it very nice and liberating to travel with merely 2 bags full of possessions. Also able to see how people can be happy and live life without having such a unbalanced emphasis on money and owning stuff. More emphasis on family, community, and spirituality.
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