Fucking drained! Touched down from Dubai at 7:30pm, my energy level is on par with my I- Phone, 9% — not once did I care to gaze out the taxi window, instead I am on my back in the back seat, legs stretched to the window, I am passed out. Lesson: never accept 90 proof homemade Vodka from the passenger next to you, a Kazakhstan man who’s only comfort for fear of flying is eating peanuts and getting wasted. No idea how I recall some interesting life conversations we shared, doesn’t make sense since he barely spoke English. Ah fuck it, you can have a decent back and forth with an ant with that much liquor in your system . Thank you Emirates for not banning me from ever flying with you guys again.

Kazak Vodka now out my system, I woke up in this small condo that I booked 2hrs into my flight, ( this little site is god sent). Now standing smack in the middle of Bangkok at 8am,  I can now understand why some people hate this place. It’s fucking hot and humid, the sky’s a very depressing grey, loud, traffic is a nightmare; tuk tuks, motorcycles, cars, people, its atrocious. But somehow I LOVE IT!  People seem more alive, more in touch with life here that in all the chaos I felt a weird sense of peace. A large part is due to the many friendly people I encountered in a short span of time.

I had five choices getting around:

1. Walking
2. Tuk Tuk
3. Motocy
4. BTS
5. Taxi

My choice, the Motocy of-course, I chose it because it seemed like the only logical way to zip thru traffic and get from point A-B. Don’t be prissy and take a taxi,  if so then be prepare to sit comfortably in gridlock for a long while, well on the positive side at lease you’re comfortable in AC,  take a Tuk Tuk and expect the same but this time be prepare to sit in traffic miserably with heat and noise as your companions. As a daily MTA subway rider I had no interest in the BTS as a means to get around, the subway system is straight forward.

Motorcycles and scooters the way to go, they swam the streets, everyone from a sharp looking business woman to a grandma with her basket of groceries dodge traffic skillfully riding one. If you don’t know how to handle a motorcycle be prepare to be embarrass when from the corner of your eye you take hold of who just zoomed past you, yes it’s a lady upper 60s, and yes that’s her grandchild straddling her from the back. Skills!

You can find Motorcy queues at almost any busy corner, both male and female drivers, you can spot them by their bright colorful vest. If you want to catch a ride, just walk over, give your destination, hop on the back then negotiate the price once you get to your destination – of course be smart about not getting scammed, rarely would they over price you and if so, not by much.

As for safety, you’re taking a major risk dodging thru traffic at 60-70 miles per hour on the back of a motorcycle, I saw some gruesome accidents while holding on for dare life, but I enjoyed the thrill, that’s just me. ALWAYS ask for a helmet, most drivers won’t have one to give, but at lease you asked and if one is available WEAR IT. Yes,  most Thais don’t wear them, these folks are very skillful at riding, they do this every day, but shit can happen ANY-DAY.