Girlfriend in Bangkok

Saturday, December 10, 2005

The travel agent I got my tickets to Siem Reap from also booked me a hotel for my return. It cost the same as the guest house I was in earlier and offered better facilities.

When I checked in, the porter who carried up my luggage showed me around the room, then said “Girlfriend in Bangkok?”

“No, no girlfriend, don’t want,” I hastily responded. It took him a moment to register. As he prepared to leave, he turned and asked again, “Should I send massage girl?”

Truth be told, I sorely wanted a massage. Having spent three hours standing in line at the border with two heavy backpacks (and having stupidly used the waist belt on the lighter one), my shoulders now ached so bad, they hurt to even touch. A shoulder massage was just what I needed.

The porter waited expectantly. “No, don’t want,” I said. I didn’t trust him. Even this hotel looked downright seedy.

It is the day after tomorrow now and having not been solicited since, I am starting to get accustomed to the place. It is located a kilometre from MBK Center. The building’s visible out my 9th floor window. Establishments around here don’t shut shop at six. I can eat dinner at a comfortable ten. It was a pretty nice deal for 600 baht.

This afternoon I encountered the porter again in the lift. He didn’t remember what floor I was on.

“Where you go today? Shopping?”
“No, stay in room. Busy today.”
“Girlfriend come back?”
“No, no girlfriend. Don’t have.”

I think I will not be staying at Tong Poon hotel again.

beerbal — Dec 10, 2005 1:24:33 PM — # ↩

I think I will not be staying at Tong Poon hotel again.

:)
Why not? Don't like people playing matchmaker?

Keep having a good time!
ga_woo — Dec 10, 2005 1:52:35 PM — # ↩

I think I will not be staying at Tong Poon hotel again.

Tong Poon is tooooo similar to Poontang to be a coincidence.
It's like you're making all of this up :P
- ga_woo — Dec 10, 2005 1:54:37 PM — # ↩
  
  s/is tooooo similar to/sounds soooo much like/
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 10, 2005 2:55:48 PM — # ↩
  
  What is Poontang? You mean Patpong? I'm really curious about that place now. It's got to be a sight.
  
  My earlier accommodation was at 238 Guesthouse. In Siem Reap, it was at Winter Guest House and Restaurant on National Highway 6. There.
  - ga_woo — Dec 10, 2005 3:48:48 PM — # ↩
    
    They were offering you poontang in that hotel.
    
    For the record, I don't use that word.
    I have more class that that :P
    - Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 11, 2005 8:35:26 AM — # ↩
      
      Aye, but poontang is Filipino. A Tong Poon hotel in Manila (which I had earlier planned to visit too) would be suspicious.
birdonthewire — Dec 10, 2005 3:52:52 PM — # ↩

:-) lol. This kind of reminds me of Pico Iyer's Video Night in Kathmandu. Have been reading it intermittently last few weeks. It's a travelogue. You might like it.

Have fun.
latelyontime — Dec 10, 2005 7:41:36 PM — # ↩

ha ha ha...I am sure they have safe massage parlours you can visit - you know, where they dont mean girlfriends.

I am sure they are listed in the guide books or something.
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Dec 11, 2005 8:28:56 AM — # ↩
  
  At Wat Pho it's quite cool, but they're only open 8am to 6pm, and it was past ten when I checked in.
  - latelyontime — Dec 11, 2005 7:00:34 PM — # ↩
    
    You do realise that these names sound like they are entirely out of Terry Pratchett novels@
    What the Pho? :))
deelight — Dec 12, 2005 10:41:42 AM — # ↩

Wow you're having such a good time!
Can't wait to see your pics esp of Cambodia.
- Anonymous — Dec 13, 2005 11:20:38 PM — # ↩
  
  mom here
  it is good to cherish the feeling of visiting again than the visit itself.i sugest u move on to Singapore.photos are superb.Iam seeing through ur eyes.your travelogue is remainding me of a great old time telugu play writer kandukuri veeresalingam's 'Barister parvateesam'.Some day I wish to get allof them published as a novel.ur literary skills are simly marvelous.Keep writing.Have a gala time.