Motorcycle milk man

Happy 1st of June, everyone!

I’m leaving Bangkok on Friday morning for a weekend beach trip to Ko Samet, an island about 200 km from Bangkok. Ko or Kho means “island” in Thai. I can get there in 3.5 hours away by bus and ferry. Here’s the hotel I plan to stay at, on Noi-nha Beach. You can see where Ko Samet is, indicated with an arrow on this map. Reading and getting a massage on the beach….aaaaah….

My ability to order food is rapidly improving. I had mackerel and som tum (mango salad) for dinner last night. Tonight I ate winged bean salad for dinner at Inter — my favorite restaurant.

I went to lunch today with my UNESCO friends Amanda (American), Praveena (Sri Lankan), Ahmed (Indian-Canadian), Monica (Italian) to the “Dosa King”, a bright and clean vegetarian Indian restaurant near Asok sky train station. We had dosas and lots of fun appetizers that I cannot pronounce. My favorite part of lunch was watching the “milk man” arrive and deliver big jugs of milk to the kitchen of the restaurant, wearing leather clothing from head to toe and a huge red 80s-style motorcycle helmet, which he never removed for a moment during the whole event.

New Thai phrases/words:
Mai Kao Jai: “I don’t understand,” pronounced MY COW JYE, with an upward inflection on the last syllable.
Muu: “Pork,” pronounced MOOOO.
Khun: “Miss,” pronounced KOON. (As in Miss Universe.)
Hey! I can say Miss Piggy: Khun Muu. How’s that for putting words together?!
I suppose that would be a fitting title for the recent winner of Asia’s Ms. Jumbo pageant. (You’ve gotta check that out — it’s crazy.)

Crystal’s Thailand Tip of the Day: If at first you cannot flush the toilet, try lifting UP on the handle instead!