One night in Bangkok

As I prepare to transform into a bikini clad beach bum for the next couple of months, I realize that the last time I wore a bikini on a beach was in the Maldives way back in December '10. 14 months ago. Uffda. 
I knew this would all change once I got to Thailand, and I'm itching to get into that bikini again. The first 3 months of my trip has been cold, sometimes miserably cold. Now it's time for the warm weather portion!!!
All that pizza, nutella and gelato in Italy did a number on my body, not to mention the rest of the 3 months of abuse from all those third world countries. I had to do something about this.
This had to change.....
As a backpacker, your health often involuntarily falls by the wayside. It's difficult to be healthy when you're constantly moving around.
Your sleep is often out of wack and of poor quality because of various factors such as: the other guests at the hostel are loud while coming home at 2 am, because it's hard to sleep on a bus or plane or train, because you're perpetually in a strange environment, or because your time zones change so frequently. Traveling has a funny way of aging you quickly. Yet, I still do it.
All for the love of travel.....
You're forced to eat at odd hours, sometimes even when you're not hungry. You're forced to eat the unhealthy breakfast options at the hotel, only because it's included in your stay and you're trying to save money. There are numerous factors working against you.
I was a vegan for 3 years, until I started traveling like it was going out of style, then it all fell apart. Although, I've remained a strict vegetarian through it all. However, this can sometimes severely limit my meal options overseas.
Anyone that knows me well knows that I'm a huge health nut.
When I travel, I'm not able to maintain my regular workout routine or healthy diet. But my life still entails lots of walking, some hiking, and not to mention carrying around a 40 pound backpack when moving from place to place. Sometimes I walk for miles with it on in order to reach a hotel from the train station. But still, this isn't good enough for me.
I'm extremely grateful that I'm living my dream, and I love my exotic traveling life, but I don't like the fact that I sacrifice my health for it. I mean, there's a reason why people from third world countries don't have the same life expectancy as Westerners. Today, I decided things were going to change. Time to stop the insanity!
I'm not trying to complain and I'm not saying these things to make you feel pity for me, I'm just trying to give you an accurate feel for what it's like to travel Rachel-style.

Once I arrived in Bangkok, I found my way to a local mall, which was surprisingly outragously expensive. The Nike running shoes were $130-200, on sale! I swallowed hard when I gave the Thai man a pile of Bahts in exchange for my new running shoes. I thought of it as a form of health insurance. My health is extremely important to me. As a nurse, I know all too well the importance of exercise and living a healthy life. I see the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle firsthand. It seems like nearly every patient I take care of has abused his/her body in some way or another. This is evident as they struggle to roll over in bed because they are too obese or they huff and puff after walking  only a few feet, struggling for air because they've smoked 3 packs of cigarettes a day for the last 50 years, or they swing a fist at me while going through DT's after they've pickled their puny brains with alcohol. Well, folks, I have a confession. At times like these, a little voice in my head says to these patients, "you wouldn't be in this situation if you would have taken care of your body, dummy." Please don't take that in the wrong way. I'm passionate about my work, but this is the sad truth. My job is to educate them on leading a healthier lifestyle, and take care of their ailing body in the meantime. Frustratingly, most of them are unwilling to change their toxic ways.
I don't ever want to be that kind of patient. Ever.
Here's to new beginnings!
Thailand is a perfect place to gain back my healthy lifestyle, with the warm weather and abundance of healthy food options.
After watching "The hangover 2", I was midly frightened of Bangkok. But I've found it's really not that bad. It's a lot cleaner than I imagined it to be. More importantly, the people are so sweet. Their smiles are genuine and make you feel so special. They are GOOD people. Right away I had a good feeling about Thailand. This has the potential of being my favorite country.

The weather is hot and humid. Coming from freezing Rome, this was a shock to my system, but I'm a beach/island girl at heart, so I'm loving this weather. I've come to terms with the reality of my cold intolerance. I know you're going to say, "But you grew up in Minnesota!", and "You lived in Alaska!" I'm aware of these facts, but I really hate the cold. I feel like it gets worse with each passing year. Maybe I'm becoming an old irritable bitty. Whatever the reason, I need heat! The sun and warmth makes me feel happy, and not having to wear shoes makes me feel even happier!
Lacing up my brand spanking new grey and neon pink Nike shoes, I stuff my earbuds in my ears and hit the dark nighttime streets of Bangkok. I feel light as a feather as I bounce through the avenues. Could this be from my shoes, or my mood?
I choose "One night in Bangkok" from the music selection on my iPhone.
Seems fitting.
                                     
                 ♫ ♪Bangkok, Oriental setting
        And the city don't know that the city is getting.....♫ ♪

I run past little Thai people pushing carts of freshly sliced fruit for sale. Mangoes, watermelon, papaya, pineapple, star fruit, jack fruit, mangosteen, and cantaloupe galore. I'm in fruit heaven.

I run past steaming food stalls cooking up meals of green vegetables and fish in woks. I run past a man selling fried bugs..... to eat. (Hmmm, I'll have to try those) I run past locals sitting outside the food stalls, slurping their soup at the plastic tables. Sluuurrrrrrp! Some of them are washing it down with a beer from a sweaty glass bottle.

I run past the endless shops set up along the sidewalks, selling knock-off purses, dresses and everything else under the sun. I run past elaborate temples with bright flowers and incense burning.

I run past homeless Thai people, stretching their arm out for money as they sit on top of their deformed legs. I run past tourists from several different countries, thoroughly enjoying their vacation time. I run past hot pink taxis, rickshaws and beat up local buses as they spit out wretched clouds of black smoke.

I wince as I breath this pollution into my healthy lungs. See what I mean about traveling being unhealthy?
                       
                ♫ ♪Whaddya mean? Ya seen one crowded,
                              polluted, stinking town....♫ ♪

I run past the skinny "lady boys" with fake boobs, short skirts and caked-on makeup, trying so hard to be something they will never be. I run past the nasty prostitutes..... and the old skeezer tourists negotiating a risky night of fun with them.
                    
                   ♫ ♪One night in Bangkok makes a hard man humble,
                         Not much between despair and ecstasy,
                   One night in Bangkok and the tough guys tumble,
                       Can't be too careful with your company,
                     I can feel the devil walking next to me.....♫ ♪

I run and run and run. I'm like Forest Gump. Gosh, I love that guy. I shock myself at how far I'm able to run after not exercising for so many months. I have more energy than a 3 year old that's just eaten a pound of Skittles. All these sights distract me and make the time fly.
                                    
                      ♫ ♪Time flies, doesn't seem a minute,
                   since the Tirolean spa had the chess boys in it.
        All change, don't you know that when you play at this level
                              there's no ordinary venue♫ ♪

An hour later, I slip back to my hotel, feeling like a million bucks. On cloud nine, I strut to my room for a shower. A grotesquely large cockroach scurries across my path, a sign of the warm weather. I snarl at it and keep walking. Sorry Mr. Cockroach, it's going to take more than that to gross me out. Did I mention I spent 3 months in India?
                      
                ♫ ♪Get Thai'd! You're talking to a tourist,
                    whose every move's among the purest.
           I get my kicks above the waistline, sunshine♫ ♪

I'm pretty satisfied with my sneaker investment. Just think about how much more ground I've covered and how many more things I could see from running instead of walking! This could become addicting!
                            
           ♫ ♪ One night in Bangkok and the world's your oyster,
                     The bars are temples but the pearls ain't free
                      You'll find a god in every golden cloister,
                        and if you're lucky then the god's a she,
                          I can feel an angel sliding up to me♫ ♪