Maybe I go Into Hiding

They say that if you meet the Buddha on the road you should kill him. The Buddha you meet is not the Buddha, but simply you applying your desires and longings onto a person. If you make this person your role model, you will be disappointed when you realise he is not the Buddha.

I wonder if the same is true about paradise.

First I thought, if I find paradise, don't tell anyone! This, I think, is the message of the film The Beach. Palolem Beach was a paradise once. Now it is a theme park. Any place that re-creates itself for tourists has become a package deal. 'Adventure without risk is Disneyland' (Douglas Coupland). If you can buy a mug with the place name on it, you ain't in paradise.

Now I'm thinking, if you find paradise on the road, hightail out of there. If you go into paradise you'll ruin it.

I hope this makes sense...

Makes 100 percent sense Ash, very good.

Paradise for me is different than Paradise for you, the problem for me is the tranformation of Backpacker into Tourist with Backapacks.

All places or destinations change, this is guaranteed. Therefore we need to continually explore, seek the next paradise.

Your comment:
"I also have to avoid tourist. They are exporting a nasty culture to every what used to be paradise on the planet. Travel has changed completely in the last 10 years, it is not the same."

My comment:
I couldn't agree with you more! Frankly, the area you are staying in is quite depressing to me. Friend you need to get out of that Khao San Road backpacker culture, and go to a hotel cheaper than $150USD a night, in a more "authentic Thai" area of Bangkok!

Just my humble opinion.

How does $15 a night sound? (500 baht). I've lived for five years up in Isaan (Northeast Thailand), but when I go to BKK, I always stay in a very convenient B&B about a 5-minute walk from the Thonglor stop on the BTS line. They have a convenient, quiet internet area (about 3 computers, never crowded), a coffee shop, and a great bookstore (lots of books in English). The breakfast is a simple tea/coffee/hot chocolate with toast/butter/jam. Rooms have air conditioning with TV. Small rooms. Downside: shared bathrooms (but clean), and no good window views.

Contact Information:
Buri Bed & Breakfast
58/14-15 Soi Thonglor, Klongton Nua, Wattana;
phone 02-714-1508-9;
URL www.BuriBandB.in.th
Email BuriBandB@yahoo.com

Good luck!
"Toptuan" in Isaan
toptuan@hotmail.com

I am in Bangkok to work on webpage. The Hotel I am in has 24/7 free Internet WIFI connection high speed in my room.

It is not fair to expect a person to read all 3500 post, or all 207 newsletters.

I am talking about tourist, and the need to increase the distance from them. I just spent 7 months in Africa, and trust me in compared to Togo, Ghana, etc, Thailand is the biggest Tourist Trap on the planet after France.

Go global...