Leaving Bangkok

I’m back in Bangkok after my two weeks in Ko Samet. In a word Bangkok is overwhelming. It’s filthy, it’s crowded, and seeping with sin. I’ll be glad to bid it farewell tomorrow. Ko Samet on the otherhand was all I expected; white sandy beaches, luscious fruit, crystal clear water, and relative silence. But I am back to reality and slowly adjusting, though the beach buzz still lingers. Currently I am staying near Khao San road, the main tourist hub. It teems with foreign faces, but if one cares to walk two blocks in either direction the tourist crowd can be left behind. Thats exactly what I did last night for dinner. For some reason I feel more comfortable wandering down dimly lit back alleys, bronze thai faces sticky and shimmering, and watching the rabble and listening the babble. To me its not much of an experience to stick to the main touirist district. And I dont know why, but I dont feel safe there. Most tourists I believe to be trustworthy and honest but here in Bangkok I get a different vibe all together.
Tomorrow I move onto Malaysia where I was originally to meet my friend Charlie, a fellow English teacher in Korea, but for some reason his plans fell through and I am left riding solo again in a country I know very little about. But I can tell you one thing. When I arrive in Kuala Lumpar Im gonna get a nice hotel room for a couple of nights complete with hot water (a novelty) and a television (also a novelty). I’ll be there for about a week before I move on to Hong Kong on the 12th of October. Im sure Malaysia will be enjoyable but I am certainly looking forward to China, where my trip will culminate in Beijing visting Mark.
Wll, thats the update. Today Im gonna wander around the city a bit and buy some trinkets and knick-knacks.