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| Wednesday, June 13, 2007 |
I am officially now a Bangkokian.
After 3 months living in a guesthouse, I have finally moved out of the tourist ghetto and into an apartment. I had always been weary of making this move because I didn't like the idea of committing to contracts and deposits. Plus apartments downtown are muy expensivo. But mostly, I didn't like the idea of being "settled." I liked my vagabond ways and didn't want to be tied down.
But now that's changed. My friend told me his apartment block rents without contracts and is cheap. So I went and checked it out. It was small but it is right downtown by the subway, has air conditioning, and my friend lives there too. So I took the plunge and made the move. All that is missing is the internet but I'm sure I can sneak onto someone's wireless!
I also am opening a bank account here. It will save me money because now I don't have to western union money home every month. I'm going to mail an ATM card to my parents and have them withdraw back in America! It will cost me a third of Western Union. I also found out I can get traveler's checks at the bank cheap too. I wish I knew all this before I sent money back home last month.
I guess this means I'm finally settling into a groove. I have a hectic work schedule but I think moving downtown is going to change my experience here in Bangkok. I'll be closer to the nightlife, the malls, the movies, work, my friends, and my sushi bars. I guess I am coming to terms with it all. I still yearn for the freedom of the road and the thrill of stepping into a new city for the first time but for now, living here, in this city, isn't so bad.
Other misc. Bangkok things:
My New Visa
I had to get a new visa since mine ran out. I went to get 30 day as my 90 day has expired and I can't get a new one until August. I went to sign up for the visa run and was told I was going to have to overstay my visa because the border control doesn't count 180 days in country just 180 days since your first day here. It didn't matter that I haven't spent 180 days here, my first day was Nov 28th so I couldn't get a new visa until after May 28th. Of course, they just doubled the overstay fee on March 1st so I was going to get whacked with a nice fee.
Additionally, I had to get proof I was leaving the country within those thirty days. It didn't need to be real, I just needed sometime. My friend just got a piece of paper from some travel agent and paid them a few bucks for it. I bought a flight to Singapore though because in August I actually have to go to get my 90 day visa. So I paid 60 bucks for a flight I knew I would need to change only to arrive for the visa run and find out the rule they created no longer mattered and I didn't need any exit proof any after all. They need to get some rhyme and reason into the system. Visa rules are changed on a monthly basis and it is quite a hassle. I can only imagine the new changes the next time I go. For a country who loves Farang, they love to make it difficult for us to stay here.
Misc. Items:
I saw Ocean's 13. Better than Ocean's 12 but still no Ocean's 11. It's entertaining though and has some comic moments. I'm going to buy some Armani, Massimo, Dolce/Gabana, and other expensive clothes before I go home. They are half the price they are at home! I also got a new book- The Sushi Economy. If you love sushi, go buy this book! It's a good read.
I need a dentist appointment.
I need to get a new passport. I filled mine!! YAY!!!! I'll fill the second one too before I get back home!
Bangkok Reviews of the Week:
Restaurant: MK. Despite having my initials, this place wasn't that great. Thais love it. Ask any Thai their favorite place to go eat and its either Fuji, the Japanese restaurant, or MK. I personally didn't find it that great. Its like Korean BBQ except with soup. You order lots of stuff then cook it in boiling water. It was tasty but I didn't see what the fuss was all about. I'd rather just go to a Korean BBQ and grill up some meat. I did like their sauce though- that was delicious. I wish I could have taken some of it home- I'd put it on everything. In fact, I'd go back just for that. If you are in Thailand, find an MK to glimpse Thai culture but the food isn't going to be the selling point.
Bootleg Movie of the Week: Fast Food Nation. Based off the novel about the fast food industry, I was really excited to see this movie. I loved the book. It's part of the reason why I became a vegetarian so long ago. Given that the book was so amazing, I hoped the film would be too. However, given Hollywood's nack for making bad movie versions of books, I knew I would be dissapointed....and I was. The movie tried to touch on all the issues without really touching on the issues in any depth thereby impacting the viewer in no way. It wasn't a documentary but a real movie. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that the movie lacked any substance. DO NOT RENT THE MOVIE! Don't waste your money.
THIS IS OLD SITE!!! CLICK HERE TO GO TO MY NEW ONE!!!!
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posted by Nomadic Matt @ 6:44 AM  |
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