1/2/09 Meet my new friend, Zena (aka Benjamin)

Friday, January 2, 2009 - Hong Kong to Bangkok

I have an early flight out to Bangkok and have no problems with the taxi or Airport Express train in Hong Kong or Bangkok (I am starting to think that those donations to the Buddha really might be helping me)!

I check in to my hotel and decide to venture out and get a suit made. My friend, Merrill has recommended his tailor but I have no idea where it is. So, I ask the hotel front desk and they refer me to a tailor across the street. I take the brochure and the map and look at the name. OK, I have REALLY good karma because it is Merrill's tailor. I walk in and create a suit with a very nice man, Raj (did I mention that Merrill told me to meet with Raj but I did not want to press my luck when I got to the shop but ended up working with Raj anyway). I am wondering if this has anything to do with me being an Earth Rooster and being very wise....

SO Raj and I create a suit and I walk around the downtown area. OK, I thought Hong Kong has shopping but Bangkok has malls that are seven levels high and have so many wings that I could just get lost!

I head back to my hotel around 5 and go to the restaurant for a drink. I am reading up again on Thailand and turn to the guy next to me with a "excuse me, have you ever been to Phuket?" Fast forward one hour of talking and we are heading to dinner with his wife Tik who happens to be from Bangkok. Michael lives in Canada with Tik although he is originally from Germany. He knows what it is like to travel and be by yourself in a hotel room so they immediately adopt me as their own. We have dinner at an Irish Pub that also serves traditional Thia (you gotta love Bangkok). We then head out to the streets where Tik proceeds to buy fried silk worms (see photo) and eats them - oh my! She offers me a bite and I cannot do the "when in Rome" thing on this one!

I mention that I would like to go to a Go Go Bar and that is all Michael and Tik need to hear. We head to a bar which I think is called Passions and I see the most amazingly beautiful women - although they were all born male. Michael and I decide that they would all win a beauty contest if entered. One of the women, Zena, comes over and introduces herself. Her real name in Benjamin and we chat during two of her breaks. I am in awe of her beauty and wish her the best in life but it is time to head back to the hotel and mom is due to arrive around midnight.