Just arrived in Bangkok.
Why is it that some people insist on clapping when the airplane touches down? Some French guys behind us started clapping heartily after the pilot landed the beast. It wasn't a particularly good landing or anything, by no means was it a greaser... but still. I can't help but think the practice is a little patronizing. Do I applaud the bus driver after he safely brings me to my bus stop? Should I?... After all, there are many more physical obstacles on the ground than in the air. Elise thinks it's because people aren't used to flying, and that they think that landing a plane is dangerous or requires some extraordinary level of skill (It does, but it isn't rocket science either). I noticed that nobody applauded the ferry captain after he successfully docked at the Ko Samui pier. But he's got speed, drift, angles and all sorts of other stuff to worry about. And since people don't go on boats that often either, shouldn't they be applauding him too?
Fine I'll stop ranting. It's just that I think the practice is a little condescending.
Back to Bangkok now: some guys had set up a desk near the taxis and were trying to convince me to pay them 400 baht in advance for the taxi trip to Khao San Road. Having paid a taxi driver 600 baht 2 years ago to get us to the airport in a real hurry, I figured that 400 baht was a tad exorbitant. I was right. I ignored the touts and just arranged for a metered taxi by myself. We ended up saving about 100 baht. Hooray for me.
The Khao San Road itself hasen't changed that much in 2 years. The DnD Inn is still there (you see it in movies all the time), and the street stalls are ever present... but the Ronald McDonald is no longer frozen in a perpetual "Wai" position. I'll try to get a video of this place up soon, I think it's worth it.
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Hushhh... No ranting on landing applause, please. You and I both know that it's just a normal part of driving another form of mechanized transportation but the perception of those people who still see it as some sort of magic feat (a la Copperfield) should not be disillusioned. My salary and that of a lot of other people depends on it. On the other hand, you're right about the lack of appreciation wrt other modes of transport: I've never received applause for fighting the cross wind or cross-current and bringing the boat alongside the dock in a smooth and elegant fashion. And that's sometimes a lot toughter than bringing a Boeing back to earth. I wish you both an enjoyable stay in an old stompin' ground!
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