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GLOBETROTTING
EIGHTEENTH
ISSUE - SPRING
2000 SPONSORED BY TYCO INTERNATIONAL, LTD. “THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE DEVOTION TO MOTION WORLD TOUR” DESTINATION - THAILAND
Welcome friends as we circle the globe in
search of more effective ways to improve the quality of life.
During our journey we will explore various forms of complementary
medicines and share our findings with you. We will also
address accessibility issues and investigate more convenient options
to ease the never ending pressures of traveling. In each
issue, Globetrotting will have a special section created for today's
youth with an emphasis on educating children and teens on the
historical facts of each country. Finally, each issue will
contain two trivia questions and some popular words and/or phrases
from each country. For more updated news, diary entries,
in-depth research results, and pictures from our journey, please
visit our website, www.d2motion.com.
We hope you will enjoy the path we have
chosen!!
D2M TRIVIA QUESTION #1
What is the world's fastest growing religion?
COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE
Did you know that Thailand has over 26,000
temples, commonly known as wats? While you're in Bangkok,
there are three must-see Buddhas. The Golden Buddha made of 5.5 tons
of solid gold, The Emerald Buddha, made of one piece jade. The
Emerald Buddha, located within the beautiful Grand Palace, is
the holiest and most revered of religious objects in Thailand.
Your final stop should be in Wat Po which holds the Temple of the
Reclining Buddha, the oldest and largest in Bangkok. The temple at
Wat Po was built in the 16th century by King Rama I as a spiritual
center, is even older than the city itself. Wat Po has been
known to many as an open university, focusing on meditation,
traditional medicine and the training center for ancient and
restorative massage. The latter is performed at the Thai
Traditional Medical Science School and Body Massage.
200 years ago, King Rama II strongly
encouraged the use of Thai massage and feared the practice might be
lost. As a result, he commissioned artists to carve the
techniques on slate and displayed them at Wat Po. The use of
traditional Thai massage technique is increasing in popularity, and
is now a new tourist attraction, especially in Wat Po. For a
mere 200Bhat (about 5 US Dollars), you can get a one hour massage;
what a bargain! You will be achieving the massage in a
room with a number of other people. Your massage table is
actually a small cot, where you are instructed to lay down in
pajamas provided for your comfort. The room is not very
private meaning that there are no partitions between you and the
other men and women undergoing the treatment. Ceiling fans and
massage practitioners talking among themselves provide the backdrop
for your hour-long massage. Each massage begins with the feet,
because the feet are the foundation of the body. Then each movement
is geared toward the relieving stress and pressure with the end
result being a feeling of "limpness" throughout the body.
There are no scientific studies about the
benefits of Traditional Thai massage, however, if you ask the
locals, they whole-heartedly believe that it is the answer to your
health problems. The technique is like a combination of yoga,
accupressure, and Shiatsu massage. You will be placed on your
stomach, your back and both sides, your body will be twisted,
stretched, pummeled and contorted in positions you never seemed
possible. When we spoke to people who had received a Thai
massage, the most common response was, "man, that was nothing
like I expected, kind of painful, almost torture, but afterwards I
felt so relaxed."
As mentioned earlier, there are no medical studies performed on the effectiveness of this technique, however, people suffering from ailments such as headaches, sciatica, stress and joint pain visit here regularly. After the massage, clients report a decrease in low back pain, increase in circulation, decrease in stress, relaxation of muscles and joints, and an overall sense of well being.
Just being in the energy of Wat Po provides
such a sense of peacefulness, especially if you go early in the
morning before the other tourists get there, you'll feel this energy
instantly. Sitting in front of the pagodas watching the
Buddhist monks, the flowering trees and herb garden gives you a
sense of relaxation after your massage, that makes you feel like
your entire day could be spent here at Wat Po. Finally, the
image of the reclining Buddha, representing a dying Buddha at the
moment of entering nirvana, with the mind at peace, puts the perfect
end to your day. As they say here in Thailand,
"Sawasdee," meaning "See you again."
Our thanks to our taxi drivers and to all the
people who contributed to our knowledge of Wat Po, including writer
Tom Chapman.
NOTE: If you or anyone in your circle of friends are connected with any healer or complementary/alternative medical practitioner around the world who you would like us to research or visit, please email us: chesney12@comcast.net
D2M TRIVIA QUESTION #2
What is the only country in Southeast
Asia that has never been a Western colony?
ACCESSIBILITY
Welcome to another part of the world where the
word "accessible" is not as commonly used as
"inaccessible." This is another country is Asia
which is struggling with providing the necessary care and services
to its own residential disabled folks let alone its tourists.
There is certainly a lack of awareness and education as to what is
needed and what is possible for the disabled. The government,
as is the case with many of the countries we have visited, has taken
a minimal role in funding or subsidizing any programs for the
disabled. Needless to say, this did not surprise us, rather it
concerned us. Technology for the improving the quality of life
for the disabled is just beginning to filtrate into Thailand, as
lightweight wheelchairs are in huge demand and other updated
products to assist in one's health care. Though we were
limited to the Bangkok area in our stay, we did not see one other
wheelchair user floating around town that was not a tourist.
Why?
To venture around Bangkok is extremely
difficult. In my travels, I have yet to meet up with too many
countries where I am severely limited in my maneuverability.
Don't even attempt to utilize the sidewalks because they come to an
end more times than not. While pushing in the street, you
might as well go and apply for a Thai license because you will
basically be navigating in and out of cars, motorcycles, and
bicycles. As I mentioned before, there is a serious lack of
awareness to the disabled, which would include any kind of
sensitivity while you are pushing on the streets of Bangkok.
So, you have an option. You always have options. You can
take a taxi to your given destination. Absolutely! The
challenge will still be waiting for you once you are dropped off by
the taxi. We did not find too many places which were even
"manageable." This is very difficult for me to say,
considering that every place else that I have visited, has been
manageable. Don't worry, it gets better!
One of the major tourist attractions in
Thailand is The Grand Palace in Bangkok. Once, or shall I say
if you get there (just kidding) you should have too many
difficulties in getting around. It is quite wheelchair-user
friendly, with ramps being provided in certain areas so you can get
a closer look to many of the exquisite sites. Now don't too
confident. Your journey will soon come to a halt because there
is no access to the temples there, including the Temple of the
Emerald Buddha. You will be able to see the Emerald Buddha
from a distance though and still learn that it is not as large as
you may have thought it was. Sorry to spoil that surprise!
It is still a magical site and a "must-see" while in
Bangkok. The other major site to see is the Temple of the
Golden Buddha. This is advertised as a massive site and it
certainly is, according to my wife. Yes, another place where
you are denied access unfortunately! There are close to 20
steps that I am sure someone may help you climb if you were to ask.
Considering that it was 100 degrees and crammed with tourists, I
informed our tour guide and my wife that I will wait for the photos
to have that experience! Finally, you will be able to
locate a hotel which is accessible. The majority of the 4-5
star hotels have made at least one of their rooms accessible, as was
the case with The Royal Orchid Sheraton in Bangkok. One room
out of 450 rooms was made accessible! Gee, thanks for thinking
of us!!
Well, it is not my nature to be so negative,
but the other choice I had would be lying to you. There is, as
there always is, a light at the end of the tunnel. I was
determined to locate someone or something that would improve my
outlook for the future of accessibility in Thailand. "Ask
and ye shall receive!" Enter Father Patrick Morrissy,
Director of the Redemptorist Vocational School for the Disabled.
This school located in Pattaya City is certainly making a difference
in the lives of many of Thailand's handicapped. He informed me
that there are approximately 4 million disabled individuals in
Thailand and many of these people have no formal schooling or
training. The Redemptorist Vocational School is changing that,
one day, one student at a time. The school's philosophy is
"TO ENABLE THE DISABLED TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL."
The have a very reputable success record in helping integrate the
disabled into mainstream society. A statistic which impressed
me was that it is a charity which uses less than 1% of its donations
on administration. That means that the money is going directly
to educating these children! That is very rare when charities,
anywhere, are mentioned. Currently, they are only able to
accept 1 in 7 applicants because the school has no income. The
school is entirely free. They depend solely on sponsors.
If you would like to obtain more information the school or even
visit there while touring Thailand, please send an email to: suporntum@rsvd.ac.th
.
EDUCATION...
PROPER NAME OF COUNTRY: Thailand Facts: Capital - Bangkok Political leader - H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej Time difference - 12 hours ahead of eastern standard time (USA) Political System - Constitutional Monarchy Population - 62,000,000 Currency - Baht (38 baht equivalent to US dollar at time of print) Languages - Thai and English Religion - Theravada Buddhism (State religion), Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shintoism & Animism
Historic dates:
ON A LIGHTER NOTE
Pratiksha's Guide to Bargaining...
Thus far in our travels, there have been many
places where bargaining has been a necessity. Whether it takes
place in the form of a taxi driver in Israel refusing to turn on his
meter because "it's broken" (yeah right), or with the
local vendor trying to over charge you knowing you're a tourist.
Many people might say, that it's not worth it to bargain, these
people don't have the money I have, and are only charging me a few
extra dollars, what's the harm? Actually, there is no harm,
except when you find out how much bargaining can save you and how
much you've actually been ripped off. Imagine hundreds
of people like you being over charged. What does that amount
to? I wholeheartedly believe in bargaining and negotiating for
purchases. I will not argue, or try to trick the vendor, but we'll
come to a price that is fair for both parties. How do you do
this you ask? Well, thanks to people like my mother and
Rosanna, a friend I made in Thailand, here are some tips to make
your visits to markets and vendors more enjoyable and less
stressful:
I: Visit at least three shops that sell the same thing and ask for their price. You'll be amazed at the difference in the price difference quoted. II: Do not get attached to your purchase before you have negotiated for the sale. By this I mean, do not linger too long at the object. Once the vendor sees you falling in love with it, he will sweet talk you into the purchase.
III:
Always laugh or make a facial expression as if you've just seen an
alien when the first price is quoted to you. This is obviously
the exaggerated price when they see a foreigner, and it is expected
that you will not buy at that price. They're just trying to
feel you out, and get a sense of your experience with this art form.
IV:
Depending on the quality and quantity of the product, when making a
counter offer, give a price that is about 50 percent less than the
original quote. This will almost always be followed by a laugh
or a "you're insulting me" look or statement by the
vendor. Most likely however, another offer will be made by him
lower then the first. Then it will be your turn to raise your
bid. This process will continue until one price is reached.
V: Always
be willing to walk away at any time during the bargaining process.
Even if you have spent an hour in the store, and have been haggling
for the majority of the time, be able to let go, and walk away.
You will usually be asked be in, to come up with a fair price.
Never feel obligated to buy anything! You are in control!
Always remember this because it is very easy to get caught up in the
whole process and come out buying something you don't really want.
VI: When you sense the vendor not saying anything, it means that he will take your last offer, but is too proud to say so. In this case, just hand over the cash, and he'll wrap up your purchase. VII: The more things you buy from one shop, or if you buy more than one quantity, you'll have a better chance of getting a better price. It is best that you go with friends so that you can combine your purchases.
VIII: It
is best to bring a local or a native you trust with you to go
shopping because they're great at it. They know where to go and know
what the going prices are for such items. Beware, when you
take a taxi, rickshaw or tuk-tuk, the driver will try to coax you
into "just look at a shop, no need to buy." Do not
go there, because the driver gets commission from these shops to
lure customers their way. If you buy from there, you'll end up
paying for the driver and his commission.
IX: The vendor will always ask you where you're from. This sets up a friendship and allows him to calculate how much he can quote you because, if you're from England or USA, you'll surely be quoted a higher price. The strength of your currency says a lot. Always stand your ground, stay in control and be able to say no thank you at all times. X: Enjoy the process! Although it can increase your blood pressure a bit, you'll feel satisfied with your bargaining experience. Unless there is a "fixed-price," in many countries, such as India, Thailand and Egypt, it is customary to bargain. You're not being cheap, you're just being wise with your purchase.
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED!!
We will be traveling to Portugal, Amsterdam and Rio de Janeiro in the
next few months. If you or any of your family, friends, and/or
colleagues have contacts (alternative medicine practitioners, hotels,
children, or simply friends and family) in these countries, please
email us and let them know we are coming!
Thanks for your support!
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY??
Please email us your thoughts, questions, comments, and/or
suggestions about our newsletter and world tour. In addition,
if you know people who can benefit from receiving future issues of
"Globetrotting," please forward their email addresses to
us or simply forward the newsletter to them. You can reach us at chesney12@comcast.net
NEXT ISSUE!!:
Click on that e-mail in two weeks when we re-visit Dubai, United
Arab Emirates. Did you know that the entire month of March
is catered to duty-free shopping (Dubai Shopping Festival)?
Dubai is so wealthy that they're raffling a free Mercedes or
Rolls-Royce every day for 31 days! Also, Scott has been asked
by the government of Dubai to give two presentations entitled
"Emotional Paralysis" and "Traveling with a
disability." Find out all about it in our next issue.
Until next time, keep globetrotting in your
world!!
D2M TRIVIA ANSWERS...
Trivia Answer # 1 - Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. Trivia Answer # 2 - Thailand has always been independent and has never been a Western colony.
Thank you for listening and we'll visit you
again in two weeks!
Scott & Pratiksha Chesney |
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