DRAINO & OTHER ELUSIVE ITEMS, PLUS "THAI TIME"

Sometimes it's the simplest of things that prove elusive in Thailand.  For example, I decided a few days ago that we needed to buy some Draino or other drain-cleaning product.  We searched every aisle at Big C to no avail.  Today, we'll check Tesco-Lotus or Central Plaza (I think the Tops Supermarket in the latter will be our best bet since the products there seem especially geared towards farang shoppers).  I don't think Tim understands what I'm looking for as I've tried explaining it a few different ways but still get a confused look from her.  What do the Thai people do when they have a clogged drain?  The shower drains here aren't the greatest and most showers are not separate from the rest of the bathroom floor.

Other things that I'll eventually "need" but have yet to find in Thailand include CD markers and dual-layer (8.5 GB) recordable DVD's.  At least I can easily find the standard 4.7GB DVD-R's for very good prices all over the place (Western brand names include TDK, Sony, and Phillips).  So far, the only food products I miss that I haven't located over here are root beer and trail mix.

Whenever we go to a "true" grocery store (as opposed to the open-air markets), I am constantly surprised at some of the things I stumble across.  One of my favorite snacks in the States was butter pound cake; I used to buy a Sara Lee brand pound cake once every couple of months or so.  At Big C this week, I found a huge display case full of different flavors of pound cake in addition to the butter-flavored Sara Lees.  I never knew they made them in chocolate, strawberry, etc.  I even found green tea and mango flavors and we bought a coffee one.  It was very good and only cost 79 baht (USD $2.09).

Another thing that's difficult to get used to is the Thai concept of time.  Setting an appointment for anything here is akin to waiting for the cable man back in the States — an all-day affair at best.  It's after 4:00 in the afternoon and I'm still waiting for my train tickets to be delivered (agent in e-mail yesterday:  "Your tickets will be delivered to your home between 9 and 10 o'clock tomorrow...").  I'm dreading getting Tim to the airports and train stations on time during our upcoming trip and I'm planning a VERY EARLY departure from our house.  That being said, I'm always very impressed whenever we hire Nit to drive us anywhere because he always shows up EXACTLY at the time we agreed upon.