 ARCHIVES
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Monday, July 12, 2004
The First In A Multiple Parts Series
A typical road in Bangkok. I am so glad to be home. Since Friday night when I stepped off that plane, I've been appreciating all the things that I love about living here, all the things that I didn't appreciate enough before I left. 1. Silence, and the sound of birds chirping. In Bangkok, Pattaya, Ho Chi Minh City and Saigon, there are unbelievable amounts of traffic. In Thailand, everyone and their dog owns a car and drives it into the already congested roads. Rush hour is every hour. In Vietnam, everyone and their dog owns 2 or 3 mopeds and drives them into the rule-free roads. It's a free for all out there. Crossing the road as a pedestrian is one of those extreme sports, wild and dangerous enough to sate the thrill seeking appetite of even the most thrill thirsty out there. All this traffic amounts to non-stop honking. I can't really understand why people honk so much when they drive. It's not like people actually get out of the driver's way; pedestrians still stand there, kids will run after their ball, and no, the car/moped in front of you will not move. Yet these people will always honk. Falling asleep at night is a task and waking up in the morning to beep-beep-beep, beeeeeeep, beep-beep, beeeeeeep-beep, or beeeeeeep-beep-beep does nothing but add to your grouchy disposition. The first thing I noticed was how quiet my neighbourhood is. And I could hear birds chirping! I've missed their song so. The only birds they have in Vietnam are the edible kind. They don't chirp. |
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