"Rot Tit"!

***UPDATED PICTURE*** whoohoo! ;) i'm even fully prepared with a sturdy helmet (necessary!), flashy raincoat (always need this), and a handy waterproof bag (in the convienient basket with net!) to keep all my treasures dry...and from flying out of the basket! *'it keeps the goodies in the basket'! hahaha that one was for you, sis! :)
Hahaha - i thought this term was so fitting for me, it means "traffic jam" in Thai! :) (thanx mr green for my similar nickname - it has really stuck!) so in 'trafficjammy' news...

I am a successful motorcyc (yes, take off the 'le' at the end, here in thailand!) driver now. feast your eyes on this! WHOOHOO! :)




speaking of riding - some observations in Thailand for you:

*in parking lots, cars usually stay in neutral so people can double park and can be moved around easier!? i never leave mine like that - weird.

*they also have filthy cars that need washing...and people who will write on their cars and demand they do it! (this one says "wash me"!) it's good to realize that people everywhere have some similarities! :) hahaha

*if someone flashes their lights at you on the road, DO NOT proceed! i know in new england it means "the police are behind me, watch your back" and in Connecticut it means you may be headed into a gang war if you flash them back...(scary, i know). but here, it means "don't you dare try to go in front of me - i WILL run you over", motorcycs and cars alike. so no worries, mom, i obey the 'laws' of the road! :)

*fun fact for you: in Thailand we drive on the left - just over the border into Burma, they drive on the right!? i don't know why? interesting or "na somjay" in thai (my new favorite word!)

*riding in the rain SUCKS on a motorcyc - i didn't go to class one day because it was like a monsoon out there and my helmet visor was broken...not good when rain goes in your eyes while you're driving! and you have to wear those ugly plastic bag ponchos! i do look stunning in it, if i say so myself! hahaha i did finally get a waterproof bag for my basket and a net to hold it in (yes, i have watched my jacket and helmet go flying out at one point - not good). now i am prepared!

*and you can never underestimate the exhiliaration of "riding thai style"...it is a delicate blend of fitting as many people and as much 'stuff' (groceries, animals, tires, laundry, house/lawn supplies, whatnot) as you can...without falling off or dropping anything!? it is truly a gift that thai's have - and i am becoming thai! i wish i had a picture to show you but it really is a site to see. my friend dawn and i carried about 8 bags of groceries and 2 huge wooden steps home one day from Carrefour (like a Target or mini mall of sorts)! it was hysterical! and i have ridden on the back and driving with a few friends at once - very unnerving, but comical all the same! :)


OTHER FUN FACTS:

*in the states i used to like going to the mall to hang out with friends, browse at the goods, power-shop for the items i needed, get some exercise walking around, etc...but in thailand, it is not as pleasant of an experience for me. there is SO much noise pollution - stage shows of little kids dressed like mini-adults for dance competetions, odd product sales promotions (like breast cream) by having a fashion show or dance, or selling the latest cell phone accessories with breakdancing (who am i kidding, i loved this one!!) :) or the store front sales people advertising products by microphone (the WORST of all!), and dances and songs and dances and songs...(which you would think i would enjoy but it has gotten old). all the noise just makes you want to rip your hair out and yell at people...it's basically that it is like that ALL the time - no breaks of silence or soothing music (even in the elevators!?) :( **what's funny though (or sad if you may) at least ONCE a day they lose power in the entire mall because of all the electricity being used!!!?? ha. proceed with caution.

*(stop me if you've heard this before - i can't remember if i wrote about this already?! it's worth another read anyways!) so, if you spend more than 500 baht (@$12)at the local department store LOTUS, you can get a portrait sitting and photo for FREE! :)
it was a joyous occasion when my coworker made me sit for one and of course, i made her sit with me! it was the funniest scene but people were into it and wanted one of their own! :) needless to say, we now are in the possession of the worlds most phenomenal portrait of all time! her and in a 'prom pose' shot (her sitting down and me standing behind her with my hands on her shoulders, in front of a 'faux' bookcase! BRILLIANT! ya gotta know her too, she was not happy about being in this photo but she did it. it was truly awesome experience and it bonded us as friends! it is currently hanging in my office, front and center so the world can see the 'lovely ladies' of the office...or as she calls it "beauty and the beast"! gotta love her. *sorry i can't display the photo here, can't put coworkers on the internet, sorry. you'll just have to envision it! :)

*you cannot buy or sell beer during the hours of 2-5pm EVERYDAY because kids are out of school during that time and they don't want them to try to buy alcohol. you have to ask yourself, 'what about after 5pm'? ponder that one.

*i just have to say that i am an animal killer - i don't mean to - it just happens. first my fish, then a gecko. he was just hanging out on the wall behind my bed, so i left him there to chill. awhile later i noticed he was still there in the same spot. odd, but he was probably just 'pretending to sleep' to throw me off. hours later at bedtime, he was still there, but this time, sort of holding on by 3 legs (one was hanging loose) and his head was sort of hanging back and looking up. i figured he was just alittle tired and fell asleep in that position. go figure. well, the next morning he was still there and i realized (yes, just then) that he MUST be dead - the usually like to move around and wiggle - he was pretty still. maybe he was depressed, maybe he was hurt...i don't know but i had to flick him off the wall, because they have little 'suckers' on them to stick to things! gross. and sad. poor thing. at least he didn't smell. i'll be more aware next time, i promise.

*i heard through the grapevine that you are NOT allowed to dance in Kareoke places?? what?? how is...i don't understand...if you want to jam...why would anyone want to stop that? it doesn't make sense to me?! reflect on this quandry and let me know what you can make of it.

*fast food (KFC, McD, BK, Subway, Pizza Hut) is VERY expensive here in Thailand for locals who usually pay very little for a whole meal. it's at least 200 baht for fast food meal ($5), when thai meals are as little as 20 baht (25 cents)! and it's not good or good for you!

*i have begun to master the art of 'discounts' at the local markets. i just speak alittle thai and ask for a discount and for 'thai price' (not farang price!) and it usually works! awesome.

*it's so funny to see the tshirts people wear here because they usually don't know what it says (in english) or what it means (swear words most of the time!) and they are ALWAYS grammatically wrong in spelling and meaning! (ie: Go Banana. Clean food, good taste). it's pretty silly.

*i've been seeing more elephants on the streets lately...mostly as a farang trap so they will give money to feed them, etc. it's actually quite sad, they should be in the country around trees...not noisy traffic and pavement.
...but it reminds me where i am all the same! sometimes i forget that i am in thailand and that the majority of people around me are different and speak a different language!? strange days.

*the country is celebrating the King's 60th year of his reign. People are very dedicated to him and his persona. there are even yellow shirts (with a heart on them!) and orange "long live the king" rubber bracelets that you can buy to celebrate and honor the royal family. it's kinda nice to have unity among the people, but there is still an air of worship all around (not to mention buddhism and spirit houses that it all condones...) and gaudiness of decoration, but it is a celebration nonetheless!

*the comments i have gotten about me are priceless too. most people think i am early 20's (awesome) and that i am the largest person they have ever seen (not so awesome). although i have been compared to Jennifer Lopez (really, just because of my name, unfortuantely) and Bridget Jones (my brilliant sense of humor and razor sharp wit, of course). my favorite was from a my massage worker who said my shoulders were like wood. (she's right, i am very hard to massage, i carry a lot of tension and stress there)! :) hahaha.

*oh yeah, it's true, i've seen a monk at an ATM...i didn't think they needed cash? i swear - it was funny...to me anyways! :)

hope you've enjoyed tales from the 'traffic jam'!