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Last night was a disaster...
So as promised I walked from the Internet cafe (which I will put the directions for on my next page for any travellers who need a quick stop off for toilet, air-con in the heat and internet access as well as visas, trips and advice) and headed down to Khoa San road for dinner where the food I have found out is expensive at average of 2pounds per meal... yeah you better believe it. So I didnt beat my challenge of eating out under a pound, in fact i doubled it. I tried something new from the menu and it did not agree with me (a point to add to today's edition of 'who will win') so I ordered something else instead hence double the price. gutted to not have beaten my own record in two days ha! But all is not lost, today is a new day.
Okay so back to the disaster, so I decided that since I had spent extra on dinner, i would save my money and walk back to the hotel. the walk is about an hour at a slow pace but i didnt mind, the weather had cooled off and the night was clear and i set off at 8pm so i would be back in good time. But my stupid self let me down.
I set off with a general direction and the mindset of walking around london; if i need to go somewhere across the other side of london, i just head in the general direction and then side step a few roads here and there until i reach my destination. BIG MISTAKE. Bangkok is not like this and even with a map, which i checked constantly, it is a terrifying city. I took one wrong turning and ended up the OTHER SIDE of the city... All the routes look the same and repetition is a strong suit for road lay outs with criss-crossing diagonals. it is here at one of those that i think i went wrong, taking one diagonal too early and by jolly did it throw me off course. I realised this slowly and asked for directions. Word of advice, dont ask Police men, army or officials. They laugh in your face and shrug their shoulders saying 'I don't know' over and over again even when you show them a map or even ask a simple question like WHERE ARE WE NOW? nope, nothing except a laugh and blind amusement.
The sense of panic that strikes you when you realise that you are completely and utterly lost in a foreign city where no one will help you and your map is not helpful, it's all consuming. After taking 2 tuktuk's where they nod and nod say yes i know where that is and then ending up a mile off my destination, i almost sat down and waited until morning. Almost. I never thought that after 2hours of walking, in flipflops so just imagine what inbetween my toes looks like and then i swapped to sandals and they rubbed the back on my heels until they bled because of the sweat (can i say I took a picture of the blisters and bleeding toes and wanted to post it for all to see but i stopped my self because even i dont like looking at it!) after the two horrific hours i asked 3 teenage school boys who by chance were outside a closed shop talking to one of their mother's. they spoke quite good english and were able to point a direction but their mother over heard and demanded that the three 13 year olds take me to my hotel so i did not get lost. I bless this lady, and wish her good fortune. They took me for a half an hour walk, and delivered me safe and sound, tired and torn to my hotel. I went to give them each some money but they had run off before i could. I am so greatful. A long hot shower, tears of relief, a phonecall from home, and a packet of oreos later and all was good again in bed to sleep.
Traumatic but i'm alive so cant grumble. Today is a new day of course. Chin up, moved out of the hotel outside of town and in the internet cafe now searching for one nearby so i dont have to go through that again. Lesson learnt. Pay the stupid 2pounds for a tuktuk or taxi home in a city like Bangkok. Lesson well and truely learnt!!
'Who will win update'
Nikki - 1
Thai - 1
Mood: Grateful
Update for my 2 new found friends in next edition. Ciao!
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