Analysis Of Thailand: Land Of Smiles And Friendliness
Thailand: Land of Smiles and Friendliness. You sure about that?
25th June: Krabi
“Would you like a coffee?” The custom officer politely asks as he takes the papers from our hands.
“Coffee??!!” Chris and I answer in unison, with what can only appear, to an outsider, as utterly idiotic expressions.
It’s a simple enough question, one would think; one which certainly would not require a 5 minute pause of confusion. But this one does. It’s the first time we’ve been offered anything in Thailand, by anyone, let alone a government official working in a Customs House. At first, we both surmise this is going to be a very expensive ‘stamp’ but then realise that this man standing in front of us, appears incredibly genuine.
“Oh...oh...really??...oh yes …show more content…
They argued that Georgia, and any other former Soviet country, are not nice places to visit because the people there never smile. In fact, they always look like they want to kill you. That’ not entirely untrue...yet if Georgia has taught me anything, it’s how one should never judge upon first impressions. At the time, my conversation companion actually cited Thailand as the ideal comparison country. “People smile there all the time! They are so friendly!” he said, yet now, after our experiences, never has ‘smiles’ and ‘friendliness’ appeared to be so mutually …show more content…
Once you’re in, you’re really IN: you’re part of the family, you get invited to weddings, family get-togethers and, not only are you invited to a meal, but you’re expected to help prepare it. I liked that.
So now perhaps you and why we nearly choked on our own saliva when offered a coffee by the customs’ official in Krabi. As I’ve said, we’ve also had exceptions.
28th June: Ko Lanta Island
As we board the last ferry from the mainland, direct for Ko Lanta Island, I hear the now familiar sound of Pixie’s valves flapping away. She’s been dragging this valve slap problems for months, and for just as long we’ve managed to ignore it and stall it. But now it’s gotten so loud I can’t even hear the engine running anymore.
As my in-house mechanic takes apart the engine casing, I sit there, pussy cat in lap, praying to the biker-gods above that whatever is wrong with Pixe, can be fixed with what we have. Then I hear my most hated word in the English language.
“Bugger.”
“I need to adjust your cam chain but your bikes necessitates a very particular tool, which we don’t have. Somehow, I’ll need to find a mechanic here on the island who can help me out.”
Yes. Good luck with that,
25th June: Krabi
“Would you like a coffee?” The custom officer politely asks as he takes the papers from our hands.
“Coffee??!!” Chris and I answer in unison, with what can only appear, to an outsider, as utterly idiotic expressions.
It’s a simple enough question, one would think; one which certainly would not require a 5 minute pause of confusion. But this one does. It’s the first time we’ve been offered anything in Thailand, by anyone, let alone a government official working in a Customs House. At first, we both surmise this is going to be a very expensive ‘stamp’ but then realise that this man standing in front of us, appears incredibly genuine.
“Oh...oh...really??...oh yes …show more content…
They argued that Georgia, and any other former Soviet country, are not nice places to visit because the people there never smile. In fact, they always look like they want to kill you. That’ not entirely untrue...yet if Georgia has taught me anything, it’s how one should never judge upon first impressions. At the time, my conversation companion actually cited Thailand as the ideal comparison country. “People smile there all the time! They are so friendly!” he said, yet now, after our experiences, never has ‘smiles’ and ‘friendliness’ appeared to be so mutually …show more content…
Once you’re in, you’re really IN: you’re part of the family, you get invited to weddings, family get-togethers and, not only are you invited to a meal, but you’re expected to help prepare it. I liked that.
So now perhaps you and why we nearly choked on our own saliva when offered a coffee by the customs’ official in Krabi. As I’ve said, we’ve also had exceptions.
28th June: Ko Lanta Island
As we board the last ferry from the mainland, direct for Ko Lanta Island, I hear the now familiar sound of Pixie’s valves flapping away. She’s been dragging this valve slap problems for months, and for just as long we’ve managed to ignore it and stall it. But now it’s gotten so loud I can’t even hear the engine running anymore.
As my in-house mechanic takes apart the engine casing, I sit there, pussy cat in lap, praying to the biker-gods above that whatever is wrong with Pixe, can be fixed with what we have. Then I hear my most hated word in the English language.
“Bugger.”
“I need to adjust your cam chain but your bikes necessitates a very particular tool, which we don’t have. Somehow, I’ll need to find a mechanic here on the island who can help me out.”
Yes. Good luck with that,