Leo in the Land of Smiles

Lopburi, Thailand

Jun 17, 2009

Next image Previous image Enlarge Close

Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

I've made it to Thailand!

After a 10 Hour flight from Duesseldorf to Bangkok, I arrived at the airport to see many people wearing masks - Protection against Swine Flu, I assume .. Got my luggage - Was met by a Greenway employee who took a taxi, neon pink if I may add, through the chaotic & hectic center of Bangkok with me - What a city: Damp heat, constant traffic made up mostly of brightly coloured taxis, motorcycles or rather Mopeds, on which entire families find their way home and lastly, pick-up trucks transporting people on the back in the open air - a very colourful image!

On the road sides people try their luck at selling products from stickers to grilled foods, waiting for customers to grab & pay in a matter of seconds. In reaction to being seen by any Thai people, you can expect to be met with a large smile or a thumbs-up. A special encounter was when a man stopped next to our Taxi in a queue & grinned at me widely; He didn't have any legs and moved on a wooden board with wheels.

Bangkok Architecture is as colourful as its' traffic: High, modern Skyscrapers are located right next to tiny, worn down houses and shops - shops are everywhere, as well as ruins or unfinished building sites. Wherever you look, you'll see laundry hanging out of the windows. On roundabouts, people park their cars. Huge Billboards, often empty, are all over the place and promoting beauty products and cars.

Then, we arrived at a Bus port where I was given a bus ticket and bottled water for a 2 hour journey. On the way, we pass 'Carrefour', 'Tesco' and '7 Eleven' - It's a small world! The whole trip through, the country looks similar and if I'd been told that we'd been driving in a circle I'd have believed it right away. I get off at the last stop = Singburi.

At the Singburi Bus Station, I'm met by a Greenway driver. On the back of a pick-up I see rice fields, with workers deep in the water & big straw hats - The typical image of Asia! Everything is so green, there are plantations, even of Orchids, and palm trees.

Finally, I arrived at Lemon House. The room I was given had 2 double beds in it, I was the first to arrive though, as my roommates were only going to come on Sunday. After relaxing and filling in the closet, I was shown around the area by 1 of our Co-Oridnators.

After a first Thai Meal for Dinner - Rice, Spicy Vegetables, Dried fish with Watermelon for dessert, I went to bed at an early 6 PM, I was shattered!

On Sunday, after waking up at 5 AM, I got ready for Breakfast (Luckily the Showers are very cool!) and met my Roommate Luka from Ireland soon after. After Lunch we ordered a taxi - here you give the taxi driver a time when you'd like to return and pay after having arrived at home - to go to a big Supermarket in Singburi! When we decided to return early though, we discovered how near impossible it is to communicate with the people, not knowing any Thai. Finally, we somehow managed to get a telephone nr., have it called up by a telephone store, then explained what had happened and waited for the taxi - Lost in Translation .. or Lack of it! In the evening our roommate Lisa from the Netherlands arrived as well - She'd been in Bangkok with the rest of our Group, all of which are British. In total, we're 22 people.

Monday, we went to Town with our Guide Iris, who explained the cultural and historical meaning of temples we passed on the way. We also got the opportunity to make and buy Thai bracelets. In the evening, we went to our very own "Make-Shift Bar" !

On Tuesday, we woke up early to leave at 9h30 and go to Ayutthaya City, where we first went to a museum and visited the ancient ruins after lunch. Our highlight of the day was when we arrived in Ayutthaya and rode on Elephants - A once in a lifetime experience, amazing but uncomfortable! After riding on the big fellas, we also went to Elephant Village where we could feed baby elephants. To wrap up the day we went on board of a boat where we had dinner & could see previously viewed Monuments from the river side again, in the sunset. There were many houses on the Chao Phraya River Shore - People swimming in the river, or passing in their own boats waved to us enthusiastically!

So much for now,

Greetings !

comments

Profile

Blog

Photos

Videos

Messages

Lopburi, Thailand

Map