Two Months Off?: Same Same, But Different

...maybe that's how I'll find it in Cambodia tomorrow.

For some reason, Thai people will often say "same same" to describe two things. I think one of the reasons they like saying it twice is because it's a relatively easy(and fun) sound in English. Also, it seems to make sense. For instance, these two are the same but in different spots(who knows why?) so they are same same. I heard it a few times and realized I liked it so I began to work it in whenever appropriate and sometimes just for fun and for a little joke.

When I reached the south, I was on some trip when I first heard "same same but different".

We stopped breifly and had a quick chance to grab some food but the only item available was some sort fo bread bun filled with sweet black bean paste. A few of us, including one of the guides, bought some.

Tourist: Do you get a discount because you're Thai?
Guide: Same same, but different.

I fell in love with it and maybe a small part of me briefly thought it was first used right then. I soon came to realize that every foreigner, or 'farang', is in love with this expression. I saw a man in Ao Nang with a brown t-shirt with white lettering that siad SAME SAME, with the words one on top of the other. Foriegners used the expression and it always scored a little chuckle. What's nice is that it works very often. The next day I saw a girl with a teal t-shirt that said 'same same' on the front and 'but different' on the back. A couple days later, on Ko Lanta, I took a motorbike down to the national park at the southern tip of the island and on the way I passed Same Same But Different Resort. Oh well, if I haven't heard it, it's new to me!

I really love the Thai people. They're really terrific. Calm, friendly, laid back.

Blogmath #1 (to busy mom so she won't worry)
I'm riding the night-train from Krabi to Bangkok. If I urinate for 20 seconds on a train traveling 30 miles per hour, how long is my pee-trail on the ground? This is not a trick question, please answer in feet or miles.

_____________

It was actually a night-bus last night, and it sucked pretty bad. About 6:15pm to 6:15am. We stopped at 1am for food. I'm not sure why. All the other travellers get off the bus and light up like it's the main event of the World Series of Cigarette Smoking. Hot Bangkok today. I don't do so well with the heat, so I'm really not sure how Cambodia will be. Maybe with a little time, I'll get used to it. Applied for my visa to India today. I went there last time but I didn't have what I needed so I had to go back today. Last time, I was headed to the embassy but a nice Thai man informed me that the visa application office for India was on the 15th floor of the Glass Haus, a 17-story building just around the corner. I go in(this is the first time) and head to the directory board. One of the security guys comes up and says, 'Indian Visa, 15th floor". The whole time, I'm wondering like a madman how he knew. I wasn't holding anything. The building was full of offices for different embassies and airline companies. On the way out, I asked him, but natuarally, he had no idea what I was saying. I suppose I will really never know. Either the old Thai guy from the street called, which seems very unlikely, or he simply guessed. He sounded very sure though. Oh well.

Breaking the rules

Wave (above)

Little bar/restaurant area at Lantas Lodge. It began to get stormy and windy. I was sitting at the left table with the two little girls from the pictures. Puy, the young lady in charge, came out, pointed to the sky and said 'coconut'. We moved, and less than 2 minutes later, the crap shown fell to the Earth, including those 2 large coconuts. I was sitting in that seat to the right. Some older ladies were at the other table, and they moved after us.