Week One: San Francisco to Tokyo to Bangkok

Leaving at 11am is definitely the way to go. After getting checked in through security, we boarded the plane and proceeded to find all of the empty seats. I had seven in a row to myself so I took an eight hour nap while heading across the ocean.

We spent several days in Bangkok exploring the area and one of the highlights was seeing Muy Thai (or Thai boxing). We had ringside seats for 10 matches and it's every bit as brutal as people claim. Hearing the pounding of fist or knee into muscle or bone is an intensley jarring experience. The crowd is yelling and shouting for their favorites and waving hands histarically while betting on the toughest fighter to win.

Another equally entertaining experience is watching Chad try to determine if the girls walking down the street at night are ladyboys or not. Some of them are quite convincing and could fool even the most trained eye. Their persistance is unmatched as proven by the fact that Chad had to use more force than he was accustomed to in order to break free of the clutches of some of them. "You want good time? You want boom boom fuckie fuckie?" This is their usual sales tactic and it must work some of the time because there are quite a few of them roaming the crowded areas of Banglamphu as foreigners spill out onto the streets from chic lounges and clubs looking for the next party.

The flight to Ko Samui is a short one, only one hour. But during that hour we were served a snack, drinks, a full meal, and more drinks before touching down in Thailand's paradise island. Even while waiting for the plane at the gate visitors are served orange juice, pastries, small sandwiches, and chilled bananas, all for free. A short mini-bus ride to the dock puts you on the boat to Ko Phangan. Landing at Hat Rin, we are greeted by touts calling out destinations on the island. We followed the guy shouting Ao Thong Nai Pan Noi. The beach is actually two beaches separated by a headland of huge boulders that spill into the sea atop which sits a beautiful five star resort. We stayed on the smaller of the two beaches which faces east into an oblivion of green glassy sea and big blue sky. The beach is dotted with longtail boats anchored in the bay and the sound of the breeze blowing through the palm trees invokes dreams of utopia.