LET'S BE HONEST, IT'S PROBABLY A BAD IDEA FOR ME TO WRITE BOOK REVIEWS

Greetings,

Based off a low ball estimate, I think I have traveled well over 500 miles on foot over the last few months.  Be it running beaches, hiking mountains, or walking across South Africa.  That said, I found myself daydreaming about what exactly a pedicure was and how much my feet would enjoy one.  I decided to walk down to the oceanfront resort/spa across the way from my $8/night hostel in hopes of finding out.  There were 3 Thai women working in the spa.  I politely told them my feet needed some love.  I'm not entirely sure if we were all on the same page.  Perhaps they misunderstood me as my sheepish request probably sounded more like a question than a declarative statement. "I'd like a pedicure", with my voice rising as if asking a question that I didn't really want answered, but I wasn't.  I WANTED one… However, after the women asked to see my feet, the three of them responding with resounding NOs.  In all honesty, my feet look pretty good.  They really do.  Like, I should be modeling Crocks or something.  I don't get it.  I left the spa.   I guess I'll never know what a pedicure is all about.  That may be for the best.   Simply admitting such a desire, may result in me having to turn in my man card.  I'll acknowledge that.  Oh well.   Add that to the list of questionably unmanly decisions I have made over the years.  I won't list the others.  Many of you are aware of them.

Some have asked what I have been reading lately.  Since leaving Boston, I have knocked off

Into The Wild

Jon Krakauer

The Da Vinci Code

Angels & Demons

Dan Brown

We Need To Talk About Kevin

Lionel Shriver

Conversations With Myself

President Nelson Mandela

The Hunger Games

Suzanne Collins

127 Hours: Between A Rock And A Hard Place

Aron Rolston

West of Jesus

Steven Kotler
I only read half the book as I left it in an airport bathroom.  I think.  Sorry Pete

I wish I'd have read more, but most nights when I'm done tackling the day, I just fall asleep immediately.  However, I'd recommend all of the above.

The Hunger Games and Dan Brown's books purely for cheap and easy entertainment.  1st crack at Hunger Games and Angels & Demons.  2nd read for The Da Vinci Code

Conversations With Myself by President Nelson Mandela is an experience difficult for me to put into words,  It's almost as if while reading this book, I felt at times like I was sitting down listening to President Mandela speak to me himself.  If you have a pulse, this book will have you on the brink of tears as often as it has you fist pumping.  Mandela's endless courageous efforts in his ongoing battle for a better South Africa will blow your mind.  It's unreal.  He is why I went to South Africa.  Period.  Second time reading it.

  

We Need To Talk About Kevin  by Lionel Shriver was also fascinating.  I had to remind myself time and time again that this book is fiction.  However, it ties in endless real life stories.  Is there some category between fiction and non fiction?  I'm not a librarian.  I don't know.  It's written from a mother's point of view as she reflects on her son being the gunman in a high school shooting in the late 90s.  Was she to blame? Could she have raised her son differently??etc..  Those approximately my age, I think will find this to be a fascinating read.  It reaches deep into the culture of our adolescent stage in the late 1990s.  Dawson's Creek, Stairway To Heaven being played at school dances, emergence of NEEDing cell phones etc etc..Columbine, Jonesboro, and all the other high school shootings that seemed to never end, which coincide with the years I was in high school are also heavily discussed.  Almost every page seemed to elicit an "Oh yeah!  I remember that, moment.  Some good.  Some bad.

Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer chronicles Christopher McCandless' endless quest to find happiness and fulfillment in his life.   His journey for this takes him just as much inbetween his own ears as it does into the wild.  This is my favorite book.  I'll leave it at that.  Probably my 10th time reading it.

Between A Rock And A Hard Place by Aron Rolston is also up there on my list.  Some of you may recall that I was asked to give a speech to some school children while I was teaching in South Africa.  I was asked to talk about believing in yourself and never giving up.  Aron Ralston and President Mandela were who I anchored me speech to.  They faught very different fights but used many of the same strengths to win them.  Ralston's account of how he escaped almost certain death while trapped in a canyon in Utah, is riveting stuff.  Cutting his own arm off with a swiss army knife to survive.  Talk about the will to live.  Again, this is the man that the film 127 Hours is based on.  Read the book first if possible.

That's all I have.  I don't think the NY Times will be calling asking for me to write any reviews anytime soon.

Mark/Chops

PS.. just finished watching the Portugal-Spain EuroCup game at 4AM in the Bangkok Airport.  Thailand was great, but I am on the move!  As for the game, there was more bellyflopping than at an adolescent pool party.  Makes it so hard to watch.  Sorry for your loss Cardoso :(  I still love you.

PPS

Here is a Youtube video of me doing some pad drills at the end of one of my 2hour full contact kick boxing practices.  It isn't great, but it is something.  If you look closely, there is a guy shadow boxing in the mirror behind me.  That's Ivan Drago, the Ukranian who knocked me out.  Damn him! Thanks to the kind german woman who videotaped me secretly from her lap.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msiJPYCcQzI

Also, if you put clemsoncrewman1 into the search box in youtube, you can find a few other short clips I was able to upload. great white shark diving, hiking the himalayans etc..

PPS 

There are some experiences in life that we are truly fortunate to be a part.  This weekend, for me, is one of them.  Family and friends folks.  That's what it's all about.  Stay tuned for ridiculousness.

Thailand Farewell Dinner! 4 out of 6 of us were battling Thailand's finest stomach virus.  I was one of the 4.

The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days

GOD BLESS THE QUEEN

Evening,

Last night I shared a farewell dinner with some really great guys from the UK.  Lewis, Jamie, and Rhys. We had been sharing a room at our hostel on Ko Tao for the past few days.  These guys did a great job of reminding me that family and friends are what it's all about.  You could see how much they enjoyed each other and no doubt would offer the shirts off their backs for one another.  Safe travels gentleman and stay off the mopeds!  Don't do anything I wouldn't do!  At least, don't do it WITHOUT me.

Today, I decided to switch things up a bit and spend the day snorkeling and island hopping.   My body still needed a break from kick boxing.  As I pulled up to the pier to catch my boat, I saw a boat on the dock with 5 pretty women on it lounging in the sun.  Nobody else was aboard.  I was thinking "today's my day!  I hope this happens!  Damn it, this better happen!"  I then boarded a boat.  Not theirs.  THEN, was told to unboard the boat.  THEN, told to board the boat with the 5 pretty British gals on it!  God Bless The Queen for allowing these women to come to Thailand.  God Bless the boat for successfully departing the pier, leaving the ladies with little to no choice but to spend the day with me!  I wasn't going to try and swim home.  Turns out, neither did they.  It goes without saying, but I had a fantastic day!  Now, I just need to figure out how to bring home five girlfriends to meet mom.  Oh, I also need to figure out a way to let all five know that I am their new boyfriend.  Wish me luck!  Thanks so much for the fun day and great job trekking up that mountain ladies!!

Oh, as it turns out, there were about ten other people on our boat.  You could have fooled me.  I didn't notice anyone aside from the six of us.

Some days you are the dog.  Some days the hydrant.  Today... today, I was the dog and loved every second of it.

Mark/Chops

MRS. CONNOLLY, HERE ARE A FEW MORE SUNSETS!  ENJOY! 

ONE OF MY SNORKELING SITES WHERE I SAW A BLACK TIP SHARK BELOW ME!

AN AMAZING BEACH CONNECTING TO ISLANDS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN

HIKED UP A MINI MOUNTAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN!

PICTURE DOESN'T DO THE VIEW JUSTICE

LUCKY LADIES!  HA, YEAH RIGHT.  LUCKY, LUCKY, ME! THE GUY IN THE GRANDPA SANDALS IS DOING OK FOR HIMSELF!

FELLAS, IN CASE YOU ARE HAVING A CASE OF THE MONDAYS,  JUST PRETEND YOU ARE ME.  NOT SURE IF THAT WILL MAKE YOUR DAY BETTER OR WORSE.  SORRY!

The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days

I DON'T THINK I EVER ACTUALLY BLACKED OUT

Hello All,

Saturdays are for sparing: YEAH, NEWS TO ME TOO!

I don't think I ever actually blacked out but I got absolutely croaked today.  There were 3 of us in this afternoon's session.  Myself, a guy from Denmark, who weighed 175lbs and... Ivan Drago from Ukraine. 200+lbs.   Some of you may be familiar with him from a previous blog.  The guy looks like he eats children for breakfast  Well, I became very familiar with Ivan's fist tonight.  Before even knowing what happened, I was midflight hoping to at least land somewhere in the ring and not on the concrete 5 feet below.  Ivan caught me flush in the head and I went flying.  I wish I could tell you what kind of punch it was, but I never saw it.  Who knows, it might have been a kick.  I think I went down for about a 30 count but got back to my feet!  Yeah baby!  He was very apologetic.  It was just a matter of not knowing his own strength.  He didn't mean it.  I don't think.

I'd love for someone to come train with me that was within 20 pounds of my weight.  I feel confident I could do just fine against them.  I am just overmatched big time.  These guys are all huge.

Tonight I caught up with 3 guys from the UK that I met here on the island.  All 4 of us were a bit off our game.  A bit cloudy if you will .  Me, because I got borderline nocked out.  The three of them, because they just consumed "Mushroom Shakes".  Needless to say, we walked about a half mile past the restaurant we planned to have dinner at before any of us noticed.

I think tomorrow I'll sign up for a pedicure, a coconut with a straw in it, and maybe an MRI.

Enjoy the weekend!

Mark/Chops

The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days

SHORTLY AFTER GETTING SMOKED BY THE UKRAINIAN MONSTER.  I WAS NEVER GOOD AT MATH BUT IN THIS CANDID GRACIOUSLY PROVIDED TO ME, I THINK I'M WORKING OUT HOW TO COUNT TO 10

CURRENTLY PUTTING THE ISLAND'S ALL YOU CAN EAT PIZZA PLACE OUT OF BUSINESS!

Hi everyone,

After a week long battle with some sort of stomach disease, I stopped trying to be a tough guy and set out to find the Ko Tao Island witch doctor.  Upon finding her, I proceeded to apologize for any bad karma I may have brought to the island and kindly asked for forgiveness in the form of Immodium and some antibiotics.  So far, whatever it is she gave me, seems to be working! Thank you!!

As I write this, I am doing some serious damage at an all you can eat pizza buffet..  Slices are about half the size of an average American slice.  This is the same place as the all you can eat breakfast buffet I have been destroying.  I swear to you, they rolled their eyes at me when I walked in!  I don't get to pick the slices.  They walk by with a pizza and you either take a slice or you don't.  As of the time this blog went to print, the running tally was as follows

5 cheese
3 hamburger
2 spinach
2 "everything"
5 spicy thai chicken
1 Hawaiian
1 pepper and onion ( lets not get carried away.. I ripped off the peppers and onions and subsequently the cheese.  I ate a piece of bread)
1 buffalo chicken
1 bologna?? I think that may mean hamburger here
1 bbq chicken
1 carbonara

OK.. just threw in the towel.  I need to go home.


Bed for me.  Another early morning at the gym!

Mark/Chops

PS.. they are blasting classic tunes on the sound system here.  However, all the songs are being performed by Thai men and women!  It is pretty entertaining.  Currently playing: Billy Joel's She's Always A Woman! Oh.. now some song by Amy Winehouse.

Below are some pictures from my time on Ko Tao Island. My training center, the beach, some hiking etc...

SOME 200LB BOXER FROM THE UK DESTROYED ME IN HERE YESTERDAY.  :( 

ALL KIDDING ASIDE, I BOOKED 1ST CLASS TRANSPORTATION FROM THE ISLAND OF PHUKET TO MAINLAND THAILAND TO THE ISLAND OF KO TAO.  THIS WAS A "BUS W/ AIRCON" I WAS PUT ON.  IF I LOOK LIKE I AM DRUNK, LORD ONLY KNOWS...  I MAY HAVE BEEN AT THIS POINT.  MY BUDDY JOCA FROM BRAZIL TO MY RIGHT. APPROX 3AM IN THE BED OF A PICKUP TRUCK.

" 1ST CLASS ROOM WITH BED"  THEY FAILED TO MENTION IT WAS IN THE HULL OF THE TITANIC WITH 68 OTHER PEOPLE. I WAS BED 53.  NO BIG DEAL BEING DOWN HERE FOR AN 8 HOUR FERRY RIDE.  THE BLACK AND WHITE, FOR EFFECT!  WHO KNOWS WHAT 2ND AND 3RD CLASS ACCOMODATIONS WERE.

KO TAO ISLAND BREAKFAST TABLE!

EXPLORING THE COASTLINE

THE BEACH WHERE A RUSSIAN WOMAN TOLD ME I WAS CHARMING.  SHE HARDLY SPOKE ENGLISH.  I'M HOPING SHE DIDNT THINK CHARMING MEANT CREEPY

WAS JUST TRYING TO CATCH MY DINNER WITH MY HANDS.  I'LL LET YOU GUESS HOW THAT WENT

ROMANTIC SUNSET. TO BAD I COULDN'T FIND THAT RUSSIAN WOMAN WHO LIKED ME :( 

ANOTHER SUNSET

AND ANOTHER SUNSET.  I DON'T CATCH THE SUNRISES.  I'M AT BOXING.

The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days

My bones Are Tired. My mind is tired. I like this feeling

Hello all,

After this morning's training session, I sat down with my trainer, Surin, and he shared some news with me.  First, he said my kicks are devastating for my size.  I loved the sound of this.  Then, back to reality...  I think he was trying to tell me that my left hook couldn't knock a butterfly off a window sill.  Groan...

Also, he said that they are going to try and get me a real fight!  Not sparing, like I did in Chiang Mai, but a real fight.  I don't want to get my hopes up too high, but boy, that would be amazing.  I am going to just keep working hard and see what happens.

Oh, some new guy showed up to the gym this morning.  Immediately, he reminded me of Ivan Drago from Rocky.  He was from Ukraine.  Of course he was.  I'm pretty sure he ate a bus load of school children for breakfast this morning.  Needless to say, when his left hooks hit the punching bag,  it made a different sound than mine.

I then made it to an all  you can eat breakfast buffet.  6 waffles. 4 eggs, toast, bacon, and OJ.  American food!  The local Thais couldn't believe what they were watching me eat.  Oh man, I was hungry.  Starving for American food.

This afternoon's session was brutal.  They worked us to the bone and it had to be close to 100*  (the ring is outside) As my luck would have it, my day ended with me in the ring with my sparing partner for the day.  He is a boxer from the UK and weighed at least 200lbs.  The day I left the US, he'd of had 50lbs on me.  Now, I don't even want to think about it.  He truly could have killed me.  He didn't.  Unfortunately I felt this was a waste of both our time.  I was trying as hard as I could and wasn't doing anything to him.  He was trying as little as he could and I was getting pummeled.  Hopefully tomorrow morning they will fix this situation.

I just had two orders of Pad Thai Chicken for dinner.  I think that is what it is called.  Also something I would not have ordered back in the States if my life depended on it.  I actually like it.  Or at least I think I do.  My starving stomach and mind could simply be playing tricks on me these days.  Who knows.

Bed for me.  My bones are tired.  My mind is tired.  I like this feeling.

Mark/Chops

The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days

MY TRAINER: SURIN.  PICTURE IS FROM THE WEBSITE.  IF I ASKED TO TAKE HIS PICTURE, I'M GUESSING HE WOULD HAVE PUNCHED ME IN THE THROAT.

FIGHTING MUAY THAI KICK BOXERS AND MY STOMACH

Hello all,

I'm on the island of Ko Tao, Thailand.  To the best of my knowledge, this place is known for three things.  Scuba Diving, Cliff Diving, and like much of Thailand, Muay Thai Kick Boxing.  Seeing as I have already taken care of my scuba diving fix at the Great Barrier Reef, I felt it was time to buckle down and get going on the other two things this place is known for.

I am enrolled full time in the Muay Thai Kick Boxing Academy here on Ko Tao.  I'm absolutely thrilled to be here doing this.  I am surrounded by some of the best fighters and trainers in the world.  I know it is a privilege for me to have this chance to work with them in the ring.   That said, I won't be taking this opportunity lightly and look forward to giving them my blood, sweat, and.. well, hopefully no tears.

I am still having some serious stomach issues, so that made getting through this afternoon's training session a little interesting, but I made it!  Nothing like a good ol' bout with Giardia to add a little excitement to one's day.  If I had a choice between this stomach thing and getting kicked in the face by one of my trainers, I'd take getting kicked in the face.  Something tells me, I DON'T have a choice and will have to deal with both.

As of today, June 20th??, I still have all my teeth!

You can check out where I am training here:   http://www.thaiboxingkohtao.com/

Wish me luck and someone remind me to keep my hands up!

sorry, no pictures.  I have some good ones but the internet on Gilligan's Island isn't so hot.

Mark/Chops




The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days

JAMES BOND ISLAND

Hell all!

Too tired to write much.  Today was great.  Swam and kayaked around islands all day in the middle of the Indian Ocean.   I guess they filmed a James Bond movie out here in the 1960s.. Pretty cool.

Hope all is well.  Bed for me.  On the move again in the morning.  

Mark/Chops

UNREAL

JAMES BOND ISLAND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INDIAN OCEAN 

AGAIN, JUST WITHOUT MY UGLY MUG

TODAY'S LUNCH TABLE

MY NEW FAVORITE BEACH

BET YOU DIDN'T THINK I'D EAT THIS.  LET ALONE TWO.  WHEN YOU ARE ON AN ISLAND BETWEEN THAILAND AND MALAYSIA AND ARE HUNGRY... YOU EAT WHAT YOU CAN FIND.  

The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days

NEVER A DULL MOMENT

Hello All,

June 15th

So I made my way over to the Bangkok Airport earlier today without having booked a flight.   I put the names of three Thai Islands on pieces of paper.  Then put them in my pocket.  Then pulled one out… One ticket to Phuket please?  Phuket is located 60 miles off the west coast of Thailand down by Malaysia.  I always wondered where Malaysia was.  Under Thailand!  Who knew!?

I don't know what I will do here but my hostel is right across the street from the beach.   So, I'll start with that.  I pulled out all the stops on my accommodations and am dropping $7/Night.  High rollin'!

Oh, worth noting… sort of.. They held up my plane in Bangkok for some Thai movie star.  He was handsome.  Then I found $5.

Tomorrow, I will try and get my bearings a little bit and see what's what.  I'm hoping to enroll in a Thai Boxing Academy.  Allegedly this is where some of the sport's superstars train.  However, most of the academies have reservations on taking in short term students.  Lets all keep our fingers crossed.

Mark/Chops

PS.. It took 70 days but I finally am getting destroyed by some "it must have been something I ate" illness.   There is no place I'd rather be than on some island off the coast of Thailand doing battle with GIardia.  Sarcasm.  Ughhh.

Night

June 16th-17th

Where do I even begin? AT 8AM this morning as I was set to head out the door to run the beach, I was approached by an older Thai woman at my hostel's reception.  She was trying to tell me something and she wasn't happy.  Cutting to the chase, she was telling me that I had a lady of the evening with me in my room last night.  "Ummm what??!!  That's news to me" I said.  Making a long story short, she was looking for me to pay a $15 fine for having a prostitute in the hostel! No calling the cops.  No kicking me out.  Just a $15 fine.  Where am I??  Oh yeah, Thailand.  When I politely asked to pull up the surveillance camera from the night before to prove my innocence, I was obviously quickly set free.  There WAS a gentleman that hired a lady of the evening at my hostel.  Worth noting, he was 19, from Uruguay, bald, and his skin was twice as dark as my best tan.  I could see how I could be mistaken for him…. not.   Can't make this stuff up.  Thank goodness I dodged Thailand prison!

I'm sure most of you are aware, but I am probably one of the last humans on earth that would hire a lady of the evening.   I'm like a pilgrim on first date so don't get any ideas ladies!   For the record, last night I started the book We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver and was sound asleep by 9pm.

So yeah, that all happened.

Also, sticking with this dodgy theme, the amount of tubby white men from the western world with twenty something year old lady friends here in Thailand is scary.  Everywhere I look, I see Bob from accounting with a girl that wasn't alive until the 90s.  I lost count somewhere around 200 Bobs.

Aside from all this, I have been filling the last few days with Thai Boxing, reflection, and pounds and pounds and POUNDS of white rice.

Tomorrow, at the crack of dawn, I plan to make my way to a place called James Bond Island.  Allegedly it is OFF THE HOOK.  (are kids saying that these days?)

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DADS!  I can't say that I know of a single dad that reads my blog, but I am just making certain to  cover my bases.

Mark/Chops

THAI FOOD KIDS MEAL. POUND OF CHICKEN.  POUND OF RICE.  3X DAILY.

VIEW FROM TONIGHT'S DINNER TABLE

TRANSLATING THE THAI... IF A TSUNAMI ACTUALLY HITS, DON'T BOTHER RUNNING

The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days

BYE BYE BANGKOK

Hello All,

I did another 10 miles or so on foot today taking a look around Bangkok.  It was 97* out.  No big deal.  I started my day by buying a new camera to replace my broken one.  At a REAL store.  I'm sure it is fake and will be broken by the weekend.  I bought a new tripod too!  The woman asked for 400 Baht ($12 give or take).  I held out a 100 Baht and started to walk away.  She took it!  Everything is bartering here.  I guess everything except McDonalds.  Subsequently, the tripod broke as I attempted to use it for the very first time!  This was approximately 7 minutes after I bought it.   Anyone have a grasp on consumer protection laws in Thailand?? I had not even made it out of the mall!  $3 gone.  I'm blaming scientology and Tom Cruise.

I then went to a Museum.  Yes, you read that correctly.  The Bangkok Art & Culture Center.  That's a museum, right?  There are a few pictures below.  Not a bad effort seeing as picture taking wasn't allowed.  My apologies to The King.

I looked at the art for about an hour.   I found this somewhat enjoyable.  I really did.  I then took to just sitting and reflecting for another hour and enjoyed that as well.  I think this could work for me back in the states.  I am always so busy running from one thing to the next.   Maybe sometimes just sitting still and relaxing can be a good thing.  Today it was.

That's all I have.  Bangkok is not for me.   I have not taken in fresh air or seen a tree in 3 days.  Also, I'm finding the sheer volume of humans and the smell, dizzying.

I can't believe I spent a whole day doing the crap you will see below.  I need to get out of here.  I'm leaving on the first mode of transportation I can find that doesn't have livestock, dead or alive, sitting in 1st class with me.

Mark/Chops

PS, Last night I watched two of my roommates comb their hair for 20 minutes before going out for the night.  Worth noting, they each have about an inch of hair max.  They then went hog wild with body spray.  I'm glad they didn't ask me to go out with them.  I don't think getting caught at a middle school dance would have been good for my image... What? Where else could they have gone after those lady killer moves?

THE GUY ON THE LEFT IS TALLER, HAS BETTER HAIR, AND STRONGER CHEEKBONES.

 My favorite painting at the Bangkok Art & Culture Center:

I KNOW, I HAVE A LOT OF GROWING UP TO DO.  YET ANOTHER ESTABLISHMENT THAT LOVED MY ATTIRE. I BALANCED MY CAMERA ON A SCULPTURE THAT SAID DO NOT TOUCH.

THERE WAS A WHOLE WING OF THESE THINGS IN THE MUSEUM.

The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days

I'D PAY $100 FOR CHICKEN PARM RIGHT NOW

Sa wat de krap (very polite way of saying hello in Thai),

I set out this morning armed with 19 site seeing destinations to check out around the city of Bangkok.  I have to be honest.  Aside from about 2 of the places, I found myself incredibly bored.  I know I am not exactly a connoisseur of culture or anything, but still.  I went to the King's Palace to see if he wanted to thai box against me.  I guess he is about 100.  I felt comfortable that I could beat him.  He didn't answer the door.  OK, I didn't knock.  There were guys with riffles guarding it and staring at me.  The palace was amazing.  After that, I went to 18 other places that had me wishing I pressed the snooze button this morning.  On top of this, I am not sure how many people live in this city, but I felt like every single one of them was within two feet of me all day.  I had a feeling I wouldn't exactly love Bangkok.  My gut was right.  Too crowded amongst a few other reasons.  At the end of my day, I made one last ditch effort to save the day.  This one man wolf pack went across the city to check out the hotel where Hangover II was filmed!  Lebua @ State Tower.  This place is 5 stars all day long.  Everyone inside had on suits.  Then there was me.  I had on shorts, a sweaty soccer jersey, and my Rambo bandana. AND, I was tracking mud across the marble lobby as I had just come from some riverboat.  The staff/security rushed over to me and within 60 seconds, I was outside on the curb. 

PS.  I have been trying to force myself to eat from one of the street vendor food carts that are such a part of the culture here in Bangkok.  Seeing as they have all been making me gag over the past two days, this was going to be tough.  I finally did tonight though.  Some sort of "meat".  If I had a cell phone, I'd have called 911 for myself.  I almost died.

Mark/Chops

DOWNTOWN BANGKOK. LOOKED EXACTLY HOW I IMAGINED

I THINK I AM ALL TEMPLE'D OUT.  THEY ARE SPECTACULAR BUT I HAVE SEEN SEVERAL HUNDRED BY NOW. A FEW MORE IF ANY OF YOU HAVE ENJOYED THEM

THE KING'S HOUSE

A PRO DEMOCRACY MONUMENT IN BANGKOK.  I'M NOT VERY POLITICAL, BUT DEMOCRACY IS GOOD SO I ENJOYED THIS.  

HOTEL I WAS KICKED OUT OF TONIGHT FOR LOOKING HOMELESS.  HANGOVER II WAS FILMED HERE.  STOLE THE PICTURE FROM THE LEBUA @ STATE TOWER'S WEBSITE.

The Future Is No Place To Place To Place Your Better Days

BONJOUR FROM BANGKOK

Evening,

After a plane, train, and a few miles on foot, I have found myself in the heart of downtown Bangkok.  It took me a little longer to get to my hostel than I'd care to admit.  My map reading skills are just so so.  My map reading skills when the map in the city center is written in Thai... well, not so great.  But, I am here.

Initial thoughts after a few hours here:

1. It has got to be the hottest place on planet earth and the air smells like.. I am not sure.  I'll get back to you when I figure it out.

2. The traffic is incredible.  I walked about 10 city blocks to dinner tonight and didn't see a car move.

3. The frequency of which I'm asked out by women has multiplied 7,000,000% since arriving in Bangkok!  I know I am handsome but yikes!  I had dinner ALONE.  I'll wait until the Dutch,Swiss,Aussies, or South Africans come calling...  I won't hold my breath.

I'm going to go poke my head in at the US Embassy tomorrow.  Based off everything I have studied, unfortunately, I cannot really trust anyone here. That said, I'm going to get the lowdown from the America suits.  Maybe they will feed me too!

Bed for me.  I can touch both walls in my hostel room at once!  I'd take a picture but my camera is sorta kinda broken at the moment.  Funny, so is my right leg from Thai Boxing last night...

Mark/Chops

The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days

FIGHTING TIGER!

Good Evening!

WHAT A DAY!! AHHH!!! It was freaking awesome!!

I started my day by scouting potential Clemson Tiger Mascots!  It was incredible.   I then went to the most famous temple in Thailand where I made a new friend named Joanne (sp) from the UK!  She was great! Happy 29th Birthday Joanne!  However, I already forget the name of the temple. Doh!  I don't forget the potential mascots though!  And I certainly don't forget how my night ended!  After getting clocked in the head about 561 times by some little dude with fists of fury, I think I learned to keep my hands up in the Thai Boxing ring!  I'm very sore now.  As for tomorrow, ughh, I'm sure I'll be fine...   Tonight was beyond incredible.  Make no mistake about it, I got destroyed.  But, an 0-1 start never felt so good. AND, I did not get knocked out.  No viral YouTube videos of this American getting his clock cleaned fighting clueless in Thailand.  At least not yet.

Mark/Chops


Spent the morning with the tigers!  Ladies, I'm a package deal.  Not that any of you will even notice that I'm in these pictures.

Now for the big boys.  For the record, I have not made a final decision on how I feel about the Tiger Kingdom.  It was thrilling to be with tigers in this capacity but I'm just not sure it is right.  They swore up and down that the tigers are trained and not drugged...   They seemed to be treating the animals very well while I was there and made many points which seemed to validate their mission.  

Spent lunch time with Joanne at Temple Wat Phra That Doi Suthep.  I swear, that's the name.  Say that 5 times fast.

I LOST TRACK COUNTING THE STEPS UP TO THE TEMPLE AFTER I REACHED A BILLION

I REALLY SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED IN TEMPLES MADE OF GOLD.  NOTICE HOW EVERYONE HAS LONG PANTS ON... DIDN'T GET THAT MEMO.  EEEK.

MY NEW FRIEND JOANNE DID A GREAT JOB MAKING SURE I DIDN'T TOUCH ANYTHING!

THE GUY TO MY FAR RIGHT WAS AFRAID TO FIGHT ME.  SO I WENT AT IT WITH THIS GUY!  HIS HANDS!  THEY WERE SO FAST! STILL STANDING BABY!

WORKING ON THE ROPA DOPE AKA TRYING NOT COLLAPSE OR THROW UP AFTER 2 HOURS IN THE RING.

The Future Is No Place To Place Your Better Days