Weekend Getaway in Bangkok!!

Now you may be thinking, why does Barlow need a weekend getaway? Well the answer is simple really. Backpacking is tiring, and much harder work than you would anticipate. You are constantly on the move, every night or every other, in a new place. You never get to sleep in a real bed, more like futon mats on bunk beds with sunken holes where your behind falls, worn in by the many backpackers preceding you. You constantly are meeting new people and usually bonding and sharing travel stories over several drinks. Then you are up early in the morning, fighting the hangover, to do a tour of that town/city/island, and the next day you are up early to catch the bus/boat to the next place of interest. It is exhausting!!! Tons of fun, but absolutely exhausting. In any case, my friend Michelle, whom I met and traveled with in Borneo, decided to come with me to Bangkok for this weekend getaway.

We were enticed to go to Bangkok for 2 reasons. First, and most important, was that a favorite band of ours was playing a free outdoor gig there on Sunday night. The second reason was that we both have been wanting to get a little taste of Thailand forever and knew we could get that, the band and much needed R&R time in a real home because I am lucking enough to have a cousin who lives there, Will Heuser (who by the way, was an excellent host, THANK YOU WILL!). The flight tickets from Malaysia were cheap so we thought, why not?
This band we went to see is called Ozomatli. They are an awesome band from L.A. full of life and the mixed cultures that represent America. They
play a funkadelic rap beat with Latino rhythm and even some Indian undertones. They are 7 members with lots of bongos and horns on stage. They can make anyone want to pick their feet up and start groovin! This free concert was put on because the US State Department has sponsored these guys to represent America, and our many mixed cultures, around the world. They have played across Africa, India, and now South East Asia! The US Ambassador in Thailand was even there. Not only moving and groovin with the crowd, but he actually got up and played his trombone with the band for a few songs! The band said it was better than playing with Bill Clinton, which they have also done. Haha :) It was a terrific night. We stayed out all night and met loads of new friends from all over. We finished the night off on Koah San Road, a backpackers heaven in Bangkok!

While we were there we also hit up the weekend markets and did plenty of shopping! The wardrobe I packed over 18 months ago finally got a little updated :) We also did the other famous things that Koah San Road is famous for, I got an electric blue dread lock (just one guys, in the back of my hair, no one freak out yet), and Michelle got herself a lovely tattoo!
We had an absolute freaking brilliant and A-mazing time there! And I have to say another big thanks to Will for making our stay sooo comfortable. It was awesome being inside the home of family. To walk in and see my grandmother's picture right away made me really appreciate being there and amongst family again. I miss you guys heaps!


More pictures can be seen at http://picasaweb.google.com/find.barlow/BangkokWeekendGetaway# .