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I am officially in Thailand. It's a lot like walking around in bath water.
So it turns out when you don't speak thai and plan on taking a leisurely walk by the river, you end up hiring a private boat for a 1 hour tour. Oops. It was super cool and turns out that is recommended in my guide book. I got about 2 blocks from my hostel and was already lost, which I guess was obvious because a man asked me where I was trying to go. He said a rickshaw would be "safer" and negotiated with a driver to take me to the water front. I assume this guy has a deal worked out with said driver, but as I just watched Yes Man on the plane last night and I'm traveling, I said yes! I will get in your florescent pink rickshaw! And off we went, careening through traffic with very little to protect us.
We get to the river, and it's literally the end of the road- it dead ends into a pier. And I'm the only one there. And despite the fact that I did not bring enough money to do it, the boat folks give me a discount and off I go! In a 30 foot long wooden boat. I felt simultaneously silly and like a princess. I am a silly princess!
The canals of Bangkok are in various states of disrepair, full of temples and homes and other boats. I was told I'd be dropped off at the Grand Palace, which apparently means that you are dropped off at a giant market, and if you can find your way out, the palace is across the street.
I get lunch at the market and find my way to the palace. By now temps are in the lava range, so I'm looking forward to getting inside. But alas, there is a steep ticket price that I had not planned for in my 'stroll to the river'. So I wander to a nearby museum, which is about a king from the turn of the last century. He brought schooling and hospitals to Thailand on a mass scale and ended slavery. His most recent accomplishment includes bringing air conditioning to my face, and an opportunity to remove my shoes!
People are genuinely nice here in Bangkok, and I feel very safe. It'll be great to explore more on my way out of Thailand, but for now, I gotta go! The island calls!
- comments
Sarah LOL! sounds about right. On all counts. Charlie and I did *almost* the exact same thing. The only differences are we had a cab driver, who wanted to be "our" driver all day (we negotiated a deal and let him) - Mr. "take good care of you!", and we ended up at that temple with the giant reclining Buddha. We also felt very silly in that giant boat just us two, but apparently that's the way they roll. We stood on that pier and kept saying to the guy that we would wait for the others to get on the boat (there were like 20 people standing around waiting), but our cab driver was also talking to them and "negotiating a good price (right)" but they insisted we go alone. Did the driver keep saying things to you like "You! Look! Fish.", or "You, you!! Look! Temple."? The time he said "You! Look! Floating Market!", there was a single canoe with an old lady in it, selling cans of soda out of a cooler and random resin statues. I love sillly Thailand.
Kevin Thanks for the update you silly princess.
Alee Yay! I'm so glad you're having fun. The temperature ranges you're experiencing seem to be on the opposite side of the scale from ours. Hooray! I'm excited to read about more of your adventures so keep 'em coming!
Emily Finn I love that you hit the ground running! Here's to the next chapter/adventure! Love you!
Dad I'm glad to see you are making your way about and more importantly - your way back to write about it. Carmella says 'hi' actually it sounds more like 'Ackk', but you know that...
Gracie Yay comments! Thanks guys! Sarah- my boat driver was so far behind me in that giant boat that I don't think he could've said "you! Look! " at anything and still have me hear it. Glad I'm not the only silly princess. :-)
Dawn So glad you're already enjoying great adventures! Looking forward to photos and more great stories. :-)