It was 2006, and I was an illegal immigrant, living and working in Bangkok as a spam writer, back in the dark ages of internet marketing. A coworker and I decided to make a weekend getaway out of our 90 day visa run, and hopped on a cheap bus from Kho San road to Vang Vieng, Laos. On the way back to Bangkok, our bus broke down right in front of this hotel, in another town in Laos, and lo and behold - there was Mick Jagger looking both guilty and annoyed. I've always wondered...what was he doing there?
Unfortunately, I don't remember what kind of camera this was taken on. Though I think it was whatever middle of the road Pentax would have been affordable for a backpacker in 2006 :-)
On another trip, some co workers and I traveled to the legendary Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia (via bus, always bus when you're 23 and getting paid in Thai Bhat!) We had three days off a week - so that usually meant spending two out of those three days on the road. Siem Reap was no exception and after stops and random cows blocking the road, it took about 10.5 hours - one way!
Unfortunately, I don't remember what kind of camera this was taken on. Though I think it was whatever middle of the road Pentax would have been affordable for a backpacker in 2006 :-)
I took that picture when I went back to Bangkok in 2015 to settle the affairs of my deceased birth uncle who'd lived in Thailand for 25 or 30 years. Of course, it was the height of rainy season, and that's what it looked most of the time I was there. Taken on iPhone 5.
I had a really hard time choosing pictures, because I'm a sucker for photos that tell a story - and have quite a few of those from when I travelled to Myanmar/Burma back in 2006. So, I'm just going to throw them in here, but not include them in the competition. Just think they're cool.
First is Monsoon in Bagan - 
This while riding through the countryside of Myanmar up to Inle Lake in the back of a pick up truck. What an adventure. It's admittedly cooler in color but wanted to stick to the theme, even though it's not an official entry.
![BurmeseRainbow.BWjpg.jpg]
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Wow these are great shots, you had me at Mick, but i stayed for the giant heads and cows! <3
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You had me at ...but I stayed for the giant heads and cows then how could I not follow a self described occult vagabond ! :-)
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well I followed you too, you seem like a cool human!
...you had enough spunk to make a rainbow black and white.
☮☮
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HAHA morbid right?
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I dont know, it freaked me out.,, but in a good way.
Even tho the colours were stripped away, .. to me, it lost nothing.
Quintessence of the Rainbow.
Occulting the obvious beauty- that was only distracting from the form,
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Very deep! That line, even though the colors were stripped away, to me it lost nothing - sounds like either the beginning or end to a beautiful poem.
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What an adventurous story. Please share more! followed and upvoted.
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My 20's were an adventurous time lol. Thank you - can't wait to see more of Malaysia !
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A SPAM writer? Did not know that was really a thing, but I guess someone has to write hallmark cards and someone has to tell you how to enlarge your genetalia 🍆😝 How, pray tell, did you find that gig?
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:-P I need to do a post on it. But shortish version was answering this random ad for an American company in BKK that was looking for writers. They called it a 'working vacation' and offered airfare plus accommodation - we had to commit for a min of 3 months, and then they'd evaluate us.
My family told me I was nuts because there was literally no record of this company anywhere. But the owner called me the next day, told me I had 24 hours to decide if I was gonna take the job and I said yes. He mailed my ticket, and a week later I landed in BKK - with a clean but nice basic apartment waiting (sort of like a dorm room - but with a balcony).
Anyway getting to the point - the owner told us all (he hired about 10 people from US, UK, and OZ) we were writers. Our job was to come up with websites and create content. It took me a long time to realize that the quality didn't mean anything - this was about promoting affiliate material and running early content farms (this company also had 'offices' in China, the Philippines, and Vietnam). A coworker caught on, realized it wasn't about the writing, and learned the industry - eventually going on to become a ridiculously successful marketer.
I insisted on thinking I was a 'travel writer' and took everything way too seriously, missing out on a mega opportunities in early internet marketing because I had tunnel vision (life lesson there lol). In the end - after about 10 months I got frustrated and quit (and to be fair, most everyone who answered that CL ad did the same, we just never understood what we had!)
Fast forward to a few years ago - and the now successful marketer who got his start there - told me our old boss had been missing for some time, and was wanted by the CIA (or FBI?) for international fraud and tax evasion.
Good times lol.
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I've seen a lot of those 'travel blogs' show up here, usually copypast of, "10 things not to do in Bangkok" 11 page clickthroughs condensed.
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Haha yup. I drove my bosses crazy - wanting to do in depth reporting on the Katoeys (trans women) of Pat Pong - and they wanted me to promote travel products or credit cards and just churn out stuff all day for 'newsletters' (aka spam)
It always makes me laugh when I see it on here. Those obvious spam style posts!
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Trying to cook gourmet in the back of a fast food restaurant is no good for anybody 🤔
Some times professional ideals take the back seat to free plane tickets.😄
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Hehe yes - very true. But it was such a once in a life time experience, I don't think I'd go back and do anything differently. I think back then my professional ideals were: live life for the stories :-P
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Speaking of which - just started reading your journal ! Wow!
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Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by Blunderbabe from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, and someguy123. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows and creating a social network. Please find us in the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
If you like what we're doing please upvote this comment so we can continue to build the community account that's supporting all members.
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This post received a 3.7% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @blunderbabe! For more information, click here!
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I like your black and whites. If you have more, next week think about posting to #MonochromeModay
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I didn't even know about it. Thanks for sharing! I definitely will.
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@blunderbabe These pics look super classic and very detailed! My favorite is the first pic! <3
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