Recently, there has been a rise in the fish pedicure industry. However, according to Wikipedia, "The practice is banned in several of the states in the United States and Canadian provinces as cosmetology regulators believe the practice is unsanitary, with the Wall Street Journal saying that "cosmetology regulations generally mandate that tools need to be discarded or sanitized after each use. But epidermis-eating fish are too expensive to throw away". Thai safety regulations seem to be a bit more lax because these stands are everywhere, some more to regulation than others... 

It was our last day in Thailand before flying to Beijing China and I had the bright idea to try one. A quick cab ride later, we would end up in an alley at an outdoor fish spa. Appealing right? Lines of tanks were accompanied by seats that made up the numbered stations, one person per station. Behind the tanks sat racks of crocs and bikinis, imagine any tourist shop on the beach. It was a lot to take in, and not a very appealing environment, but the $1 charge and free wifi counted for something. 

The actual experience will be something that I never forget. Upon my entrance, I felt a slimy coating under my feet, red flag number one... I glance over at the tank next to me and see a dead fish floating in the corner, there goes red flag number two. A fish swims between my toes, red flag three. I’m done! As my mom and our travel friends enjoyed their pedicures, I filled my time reading the list of poorly translated health benefits, one of which being "skin smooth".

If you ever find yourself in Pattaya Thailand, the Vegas of Asia - I would not recommend this. For health safety reasons, and just overall sensation.

My Place in Thai Consumer Culture

Thai night markets, the cultivation of all of my favorite things: "designer goods", low prices, and arguing! The basis of Thai economy is the tourism industry, thus, everywhere you look there are people strategically placed waiting for you to be sucked into the wonderful deals. During the day they spread out along the streets, more concentrated as you approach major temples, monuments, or malls. During the night, they come together to turn an alley into a wonderland for every teenage girl (me) looking for a pair of Yeezy's, Cartier bracelet, maybe even some Ray Bans. 

The market for fake designer goods is high- especially for people like me who feed off the accessibility to such products at "low prices". One problem stood in my way, bartering. I had read articles on the do's and dont's but very little can prepare you for the adrenaline rush as you argue through the language barrier. Adrenaline? YES! Nothing gets your heart pumping like passing back and forth a calculator as you threaten to walk away with each new price that they throw at you.

The second night after landing in Thailand, I set my sights high on a pair of Ray Bans. I go into the interaction knowing my limit $5 USD, approximately 174 Thai Baht.  I flag down the woman in charge of the stand and show her my dream pair of glasses, a nice round turtle shell and gold frame, she begins to ponder. Seconds later she is typing the number that would determine my next move into her well worn calculator. 1200 Baht, $34, my heart sank. I immediately turn around and begin walking the other direction, magically the price plummeted to 400 Baht. I whipped around and aggressively typed 70 Baht into her calculator, I was met fervently with a sign of disgust - something that would persist through the entire trip. The exchange continued until I was the proud owner of a pair of Ray Bans breaking the bank at $4.69. I felt on top of the world as I scanned the other products surrounding me and tried to get them for the same deal, but to no avail...

I would go on to improve my tactics, and make a lot of Thai merchants very offended in the midst.

"Why would you want to go to Thailand?", people said shocked when they found out my summer travel plans. I can easily tell you why not, maybe the 30-hour travel time, the fact that I know absolutely no Thai, and I have no idea who or if there will be the promised person waiting in the welcome area of the Bangkok airport. However, I can also tell you why you would want to go to Thailand, you get to go to Thailand.

As the trip quickly approached, I was left shocked myself. Traveling in my family is often for relaxation, merely a get away from our normal lives, Thailand though seemed different. While many would argue the tropical nature of the country would be relaxing, I was worried for a different outcome. We would be completely out of our comfort zone the entire time, to the point of being taxed. Thus, when I walked into the O'Hare airport, I reminded myself that this was to be a wild adventure. Rather my mom and I would be traveling for the crazy memories, the one time experiences, but to be very honest- the food and $16 two hour massages.

I hope to share some of the wild experiences, embarrassing events, and things that we stumbled across.