Pattaya, Thailand

Well this has been an interesting and relaxing week. It was much needed down time after all the travel and adventure we have been doing for the past month.

Pattaya is about a 2 hour bus ride from Bangkok and located right on the beach. The bus that we took just kind of dropped us off in the middle of town and there was no one around that we could ask for directions to our place, no taxis, no information office. Luckily we found our way. The main form of public transport here are pick up trucks that have two bench seats in the back with a cover over it. They make a continual loop around town. Each ride cost 10 bhat which equals about 30 cents US. We didn't realize this and were negotiating a price and over paying every time. Glad we figured that one out.

We have spent this past week sleeping in and lounging by the pool, which is gorgeous and tropical. It is low season here so there are very few tourist. We did go to the beach one day. The water is much like cocoa at home, except for the tiny dead fish constantly washing up. We took that as a sign we shouldn't get in the water. We rented two beach chairs for the day for only $1.80 US (for both). Unfortunately not blending in with the locals means a constant train of people wanting to sell you anything from ice cream to fried shrimp to massage to jewelery. In about a 2 hour time span we were approached by at least 15 people. We told the ice cream guy maybe later, which he took literal and came back 2 more times.

Pattaya has nothing special to see and is not famous for much except all the Thai ladies looking for a good time. There is one street called walking street that is full of beer gardens, bars, night clubs and go gos. It is teaming with young women looking for a rich Western husband. It is defiantly a sin city without the gambling. They are also lots of lady boyz as they call them (guys dressed as girls). Some are hard to tell, mistakes could be made, but there are lots who don't quite pull it off. I had no idea about all of this before we came. I thought it was just a nice resort town by the beach. Boy was a I surprised. Apparently the Russian, Italian, Japanese and few other countries have mobs here. Crazy place!

Yesterday I went to swim with the dolphins. AJ went diving so I decided to do that. It was really great and not too expensive. The place I went to had river dolphins so the water we were swimming in was river water and was dark. That is a bit frightening when you first get in. They had two types one of which was a pink dolphin. There were only 3 other people swimming with me so we got a lot of time with the dolphins. I got to ride on their backs, pet them, feed them. make them do tricks and even kiss them. Great experience!!! The trip also included a dolphin show at the marine park we were at. When we walked into the sort of theme park my tour guide told me not to compare it to America, good thing she didn't know I lived in the theme park capital. It was no Discovery Cove or Sea World, but the dolphins were all rescued and really well taken care of. After that we went to a waterfall that was really pretty. At the bottom of the waterfall you can swim with thousands of fish. I did not get in but I did feed them. You feed them long green beans and they go crazy over them. After that we went to a monkey temple to feed monkeys and a fruit market. Overall the day was great.

Tomorrow is our last day then it is back to Bangkok and on to Ko Tao.