After returning from my recent business trip to Thailand, I thought I would provide you my very limited perspective.
On Friday August 10th I departed on a trip to Thailand to teach Methodology as part of a Project Management course to our Asian Project Managers. Of course, as soon as I said I was going to Thailand, everyone imagined that I was making the great exotic trip. May be I would see elephants or Monkeys. Maybe I would get to shop for all kinds of great things. When talking to those who had been before, the suggested buying silk or ivory. Linda wanted me to bring her back a jade Budah. I was warned of pickpockets, drugs, and cross dressers. Interestingly, no one even mentioned to be wary of prostitutes, even though it sounds like this is probably the most likely of any of the likely issues to encounter. I am sure it is because of my religion, that most would not worry about this, or bring it up. I would simply explain to everyone, that I was flying in on Saturday night arriving at 11:50 pm., on Sunday, I would spend time recovering from jet lag and we had meetings to refine our training for the week, and that Monday through Friday, we would have class from 8:00 to 6:00 and then have dinner. I would possibly get out one and maybe two nights during the week for dinner, but the fact that I was flying out of Bangkok on Saturday morning at 6:50 am. left me little time for experiencing Thailand. And the week followed 100% true to that description
After a 20 hour flight through San Francisco, to Tokyo, to Bangkok, 40 minutes in customs and a 1 1/2 hour van ride we arrived at the Hotel at 2:30 am.
The Resort
The resort was a very nice place called the Aisawan Resort and Spa. It was 12 floors high with two pools four restaurants and some meeting rooms as well as a Spa and a meeting complex. It was right on the beach.
- View from First Room Balcony
- View from 2nd Room Balcony
- View of Spa from 2nd Room Balcony
- View from Classroom
All week long I had breakfast the class then lunch at one of the four Restaurants looking over the beach, then Class then Dinner at one of the same restaurants. I did go get a massage at the Spa on Thursday night. A Thai massage is like a combination of massage and Chiropractics. They push and pull your body in all kinds of directions stretching you to the max. It is amazing that while they are doing all of that you can actually dose off.
One Night Out - Dinner and a SHOW?
On Wednesday, we all went to dinner in Pattaya. Being a seaside resort, the Thai food, which only slightly resembled what we get here in restaurants was primarily fish, squid, chicken, and rice. Some dishes were fried, others were heavily curried, others slightly curried. One plate was a large crab with the shell cracked and meet seasoned and spiced and exposed to be extracted onto your plate with a fork.
After dinner, we went to the famous Tiffany Show. It was a kind of variety show with elaborate sets and costumes with song and dance. The key feature was that all of the very beautiful girls in the show, were men. It is obvious that some had implants and I would have to say that they all were very attractive. But the thought of it is repulsive. Afterward, you wondered if any of the beautiful Thai girls waiting on you in the Restaurants were guys as well. At the end of the show, the main players were out front for people to take pictures. Some of our group went up to get pictures with them. I had forgotten my camera so I tried to take a picture with my phone, but the camera part of my phone would not work. I am sure it is because this was just gross.
Going Home
Since I had to leave at 6:50 am on Saturday, I caught the van to Bangkok with a group of other people. I checked into the Grand Hotel in Bangkok (very plush) and then after a dinner by myself in the restaurant, I tried to sleep, however, I kept waking up afraid the wake up call might not occur. At 3:00 am I got up, showered and caught my 4:00 am ride to the airport where my return trip was just as long as the trip over.
Highlights of the Trip
While I never did get out of the hotel, other to go to dinner and the boy/girl show.
- I did get to meet some great people. My favorite was Darren, the 5 year old son of the Project Manager in Shanghai. he came with us along with his Mother to the Boy/Girl Show and was with me on the bus back to Bangkok. He was always full of energy and reminded me of my grandchildren whom I miss very much. He was born in Canada and spoke great English. He loved it when I would pick him up above my head upside down then put him over my head and swing him back down landing on his feet. He also, was asking me lots of questions about tornados and hurricanes and mud slides. He is afraid to go to the US since he thinks all of these things happen all of the time.
- The massage was very relaxing. And the Thai people bowing with their hands together as if praying every time you passed through the door or they served you.
- Lunch and Dinner by the sea is also very relaxing, but I was getting tired of the same things.
- The little Thai shrine outside of the Grand Hotel
- The Thai serpent and god statue in the Bangkok Airport
Darren and his Dad, Eric Tang of Shanghai - Darren called me Uncle Dennis
I tried to see if I could get my trip extended by a couple of days so that I could see some of Thailand, but all of the flights were full of students going back to the states for school. If had to do it again, and next time, I would have planned an extra day and would have traveled home eastward and stopped in Turkey to see Emily and family. It was only 4 time zones away. NEXT TIME I WILL EXPERIENCE MORE AND HAVE MORE TO REPORT
PS: For those of you who really think I work for the CIA or as a Drug Lord, this whole story could be a ruse.
