Kay Sykes Jettribe Team Member's Adventure in Vietnam and Thailand

First impressions are always a lasting impression. Upon landing at the airport in Bangkok I had no idea what was waiting for me, or what experiences that waited for me. None the less, I would embrace each one as it crossed my path. The difference between Thailand and the United States is night and day. The best way to describe what I was seeing was a cultural chaotic stew. Different smells that at times seemed overwhelming and beautiful vibrant colors surrounded me. The traffic flow was not what I was used to, since everyone drove on the left side of the road. On a couple of occasions I would cross looking in the opposite direction, only to find a motor scooter, Tuk Tuk, or tour bus heading right towards me. The family unit in the Thai culture is very strong. They work together, eat together and play together. It warmed my heart so see a mother nursing her baby as she was selling her wares on the street corner as her smaller children helped or played near by. Evening time would come and families would gather on the beach or sidewalks with little cook pots and prepare their evening meal. There was no running to the nearest fast food joint for convience (mostly because there weren’t any). Meals were always healthy hot and comforting. My roll in traveling to Thailand with the Jettribe USA Racing Team was as the Team Coordinator and to chronicle the events of Thailand and Vietnam. Most of the members of the team I already knew where as a few I did not. Each and every one of them is now considered my friend.

Once the entire team assembled in Bangkok we headed out to Samutsakorn to visit Sam and his store, Motor Field, and assist him with any of his needs, getting things ready to travel to Pattaya for racing and booth set-up. Sam is a young man dedicated to his business and the sport of personal watercraft racing. Without him, the Jettribe Team, as well as others would be lost. He was the "go to" man for fuel, parts and transportation. Sam certainly is an asset to our small, world wide, community. From Sam's shop our team, now 10 members strong, boarded the pink party bus for our 3 hour trek to Pattaya. Having never traveled to Thailand, I was in awe of the landscape and countryside. Driving past rice fields and homes made of tin and scrapes of wood made me appreciate my adventure even more. Driving along the congested highways of Thailand we found comfort in the world of fast food as we stopped at McDonald's and Starbucks. Little did I know that this would be last sight of something familiar and comfortable from the United States. A few hours later we were welcomed at the beautiful seaside hotel of Furama Jomtien Thani Hotel, in Pattaya City. A circular shaped hotel the stretched 38 stories into the sky. Our family suite, on the 16th floor, which we would call home for the next six days, gave us picturesque views of the Gulf of Thailand, and beautiful sunsets that will forever be engrained into our memories. Food vendors lined the streets with their little carts offering a culinary feast full of forceful flavors of different types of dishes and delicacies. There was no time for play (just yet), as the team, now 14 strong, had to make sure that the shipped personal watercraft arrived safe and sound from the World Finals, in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. It's been a long couple of months since the watercraft had been crated and delivered. Fortunately for the Jettribe Team everything was secure. Day one at the hotel flew by quickly and we were treated to traditional Thai cuisine that evening, which consisted of rice and fried fish. We enjoyed the company of our teammates and discussed the game plan for the next few days before the actual racing began. Tired from the long trip and much to do the next day we all retired early to our rooms to make sure we were well rested for the controlled chaos that was quickly going to consume us.

My job as team coordinator was kicking into high gear. It's game on as I made sure that everyone made it through registration and tech inspection. I know this was not the first race, in Thailand, for Rick and Eric, but I still made sure that they had everything thing in order. Every team member had their own goal and purpose for racing in Thailand, but that didn't stop them from having respect for their fellow teammates. Geno was a hero, who stepped up and tuned the 800SXR watercraft for 14 year-old Jamie-Lee Spence. The ski had some issues that no one was prepared for, and he worked hard to make a good running ski for her first Kings Cup Race. Jamie's dad, Brad, could be seen red faced and sweating profusely. Me, not knowing whether it was stress from the heat or just plan nervousness and not knowing what to expect reassured him and Jamie-Lee that everything would be just fine. Opening ceremonies was just as beautiful as expected. A colorful buffet of wonderful food surrounded the outside area of the ballroom where the ceremony was to take place. Thai dancers performed a beautiful traditional dance to welcome us in true Thailand style. The next day it was time to put our game faces on. It was race day and everyone on the team was ready to go. Everyone showed up at the race site dressed in their Jettribe blue pit shirts showing everyone at the site we meant business. The next couple of days were loaded with up’s and down’s. As with any race there is always a chance that mechanical issues occur. That never stopped the team from hitting the course full throttle giving every ounce of energy they had and shoot for the podium finish. The finals race results were not exactly what everyone was looking for, but every team member was able to stand in front of the audience and receive one of the beautiful King’s Cup medals.

After the awards ceremony the Team gathered together for one last meal in Thailand. At the table that evening China, Australia and USA were one team and one family. Food and beverages were plentiful that evening as we celebrated friendship and culture. Early the next morning we loaded the bus for our drive back to Bangkok. Some would fly home and a few of us catch a flight to Vietnam for a little rest, relaxation and to be tourists.

There was fun to be had by everyone. Well, almost everyone. By the time we hit the hotel in Ho Chi Mihn City, I was hit with the worst possible flu bug anyone could get. I was not going to let that stop me from venturing off into the culture and history rich city. This was my “chance of a lifetime” event that I was not going to miss. Once again it was a chaotic cultural stew of lights, sounds, food and of course the motor scooters. Never in my life have I seen so many scooters at one time. For most people it was the family car, the work truck and the commuter vehicle all wrapped up into one little two wheeled mode of transportation. It was not uncommon to see a family of 5 riding down the business streets during rush hour. I laugh out loud when I think back to our first night in Vung Tau. After dinner the group decided it would be fun to take a short bike ride along the coast to burn off the calories we had just consumed.

John got a little lost and couldn’t find the alley where we had rented the bikes. While we waited for him to return a small group of locals invited us to sit down and drink beer with them. What a fantastic time that was to actually sit elbow to elbow with such wonderful and friendly people. They spoke a little English, but not much. Our word for the night was “CHEERS”. The entire experience from Thailand to Vietnam will forever be ingrained in my mind. I am grateful for the wonderful people that I met and appreciate the wonderful things they taught me along the way. We come from different countries, some rich, some poor, but we were put on this earth to learn from one another and be thankful for what we have. Vietnam will always be in my heart. I hope to return again someday, and breathe in more history and culture. One day I would like to sit on the sidewalk with one of the families while they eat their supper and listen to their stories. Written by Kay Sykes