Each year, the Chinese hold Spring Festival. In schools, this is also known as Winter Break and it coincides with the Chinese New Year. This year, the Chinese New Year is on January 25. This is all based on the Lunar calendar. My school has given me from December 25-February 8 off for winter break. So, what to do with that time? Backpack across Southeast Asia of course. Here are some of the highlights so far. I will be trying to post some pictures in the near future.
December 25, 2008
Christmas was very chill. I spent it finishing up scholarship applications, getting foreign currency (i.e. USD) and getting ready to leave. That night I hung out with some friends and had dinner.
December 26, 2008
Packed and left Changsha on the 10:40pm overnight train to Shenzhen. Shenzhen is on the border of Hong Kong and is the gateway to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
December 27, 2008
When we got in (I am with my friend Stephanie), we hopped on a random bus to take us around Shenzhen. We had all day to kill because we were flying out of Shenzhen that night (to Bangkok). We spent the day chilling in some restaurants, taking a nap or two in a park and then just sitting at the airport.
However, what I learned of Shenzhen is that it is the ultra of modern Chinese cities. Rich, rich, rich. It was the first city to really be allowed to experiment with capitalism and the effects, from the numerous glossy skyscrapers, to the overpriced taxis are everywhere. Unfortanately, Shenzhen leaves little for the traveller and is really just a transit point, albeit a very large one.
The highlight of the Shenzhen stay had to be the trouble I had getting past Chinese customs. Long story short, my passport picture is very unflattering and I had to show two other forms of ID for the clerk to believe me. In addition, a Swiss Army knife and multi-tool I had forgeton in my pack (which I was carrying on) got confiscated when I tried totake them on board. Embarrassing? Yes.
Not the start I wanted but I made it to the flight.
Overall Grade for Shenzhen: D
December 28, 2008-December 31, 2008
We arrived in Bangkok at about 3am in the morning, took a cab to our hostel and just chilled until the next morning. Now there are many stories that people can tell about Bangkok. How it is dirty, how you can find whatever you want there, how it is really stinky, how it has great food.
ALL of it is true.
Dirty-Moreso in the ethical sense. I thought that Bangkok was a great city for the first day, but after the second day, I began to get really creeped out by the abundance of transient expats and sexpats calling the city home. It has a real sleazy feeling to it and some of the stuff I saw in Bangkok I cannot repeat on here :).
Overall, my time in Bangkok was spent walking, visiting a Wat (Bhuddist temple), taking a river taxi, visiting a night market (complete with donuts and shakes), strolling around the multitude of vendors outside of the Grand Palace and tasting some excellent street food.
The best part about Bangkok for a short stay, has to be the night life. I did ingulge in checking out Bangkok's gay club scene which is expansive and attractive.
There were many little adventures in my 84 hours in Bangkok. A few include the tuk-tuk rides around town. They are simply a must for anyone that travels in SE Asia. In fact, you will not be able to not use the tuk-tuk, which is a motorcylce converted into a taxi for 1-4 people. Just be aware that some of the tuk tuk drivers like to drink soooo.....cheers!
On New Year's Eve, Christina another volunteer met up with us, and we flew to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Overall Grade for Bangkok: A-
Big points for food, nightlife, culture and general feel of the city. Points off for sleeziness that transpires from tourist based economy and uptight and rude locals who overcharge for imported t-shirts from Africa. If you are planning a trip to Bangkok, just remember what the song says:
One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster
The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free
You'll find a god in every golden cloister
A little flesh, a little history
I can feel an angel sliding up to me
One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble
Not much between despair and ecstasy
One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble
Can't be too careful with your company
I can feel the devil walking next to me
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