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My original intention was to do an entry for Bangkok, before getting to Phuket, but it didn't work out that way, so now I'll have to do them both from Australia.
From the outset I should say I am not well travelled or cultured enough to review Thailand as a destination for backpacking or holiday, all I can do is write about my experiences and hopefully give you an insight into how I fared!
I landed in Bangkok at around 7-8pm I believe, a know by the time I was through immigration etc it was getting towards 8.30. I stumbled into the arrivals area, a sea of people with signs for various people being collected, none for me obviously. I was on my own, tired and suddenly extremely aware of both facts.
Where do I go? What do I do? Both questions I had no idea how to answer, where is the best place to stay, where is cheapest, how much will a taxi cost me, will they rip me off. I stumbled around not sure where to go or what to do. Eventually ending up at a travel stand where you could book a hotel. Surely this is easiest I though, I don't have to wander around looking for a hotel I can just book here then they will tell me where to go.
1400 baht lighter I had to the airport rail link station, as metro systems go, this one runs pretty smoothly, easy enough to understand, I boarded the carriage and waited to hear my stop come up. Ratchaprarop. Once at the station I left and turned right as instructed......there were however four exits.
It was raining hard that night in Bangkok and so speed was going to be of the essence, I was tired and needed to lay down. I started walking in the direction of the hotel, thanking the lucky stars at how much cover there is from the rain in Bangkok. After ten minutes of walking I began to suspect that I may be heading the wrong way, the map on the leaflet for the hotel was less than useless! Taking shelter under a restaurant porch, a Thai man struck up conversation with me, once we got the usual b******s out the way, the where you from how are you, how long you here etc, I managed to ask him about the hotel, he just laughed and said he had no idea.......oh balls.
I walked back down the road, feeling somewhat despondent and starting to get really wet I headed to the train station again. Arriving at the train station, as I sheltered and tried to understand the map, a Tuk Tuk driver pulled up, "where you go?" I showed him the leaflet fingers crossed, he nodded and gestured to the back of the cab. "How much I asked" "100 baht" his quick reply. I jumped aboard happy to be heading to the right place, a brief and bumpy two minutes later I was outside the hotel, pressed the cash into his hand and said thank you as a hotel porter opened the door for me. I have never been so happy to be in a hotel corridor in my life!
After checking in I found myself in my room a quick shower and I dropped onto the bed, my exhaustion caught up to me and I let sleep embrace me. I woke up around six hours later, cold from the air con, I grabbed my iPad to use the free wifi and let people know I had arrived, and what followed is what I can genuinely say was the lowest point of the trip. I spent some two hours telling myself I had made the wrong decision, telling myself I needed to go home, wondering how I was going to cope and nearly on the verge of tears. It was a near full on breakdown. Eventually I calmed down enough to fall back asleep.
Stumbling into the lobby the next morning to go and get breakfast, I realised actually it's not so bad here, the rain had cleared and the sun was shining....maybe this could be ok I though. First order of the day, coffee and food, then let's try find somewhere to stay for tonight.
Post breakfast I wandered outside, time to have a little look around. Down a small side street offa busy main road, it wasn't the most idyllic setting for a hotel, but it was irrefutably Bangkok! As I walked back into the hotel, one of the two Thai men sat outside started to talk to me, introducing himself as Komsant, he asked what my plans were and bid me to take a seat. I told him how long I was in Bangkok and that I planned to go Phuket, we chatted for a little while and he said we go see his sister and that she had information about Phuket. Free advice thought I, pretty cool, don't mind if I do. I jumped in his taxi, and we started to drive to his sister's house...or so I thought, when we got there....travel agency.
We sat down with Komsant's "sister" and started to discuss my trip, to my delight I was given free coffee and biscuits, so it wasn't all bad :)
After much discussion I was offered a package that would include all my accommodation for my stay in Thailand, my bus to Phuket and a boat trip to phi phi island. Not too bad a deal, I later found out I had probably overpaid, but lesson learnt there and gained some experience.
Went and checked into the next hotel, which was even closer to the train station, dumped my bags and went for a walk around. As I walked another chap struck up conversation with me. Asked me of my plans etc, I told him I was just looking around, he quickly told me there was nothing down the way that I was going and suggested if I wanted a massage I should go down this other road....Thai massage was on my list of things to do, so seemed to be a good idea, he offered to show me and given how I had been struggling to find things I though, yeah why not.
So we set off walking, chatting away, what did he do for work, what did I do etc etc, after a couple of minutes of walking, we got a very posh looking spa and he ushered me inside, I was seated and given the "menu" and looking at the prices I realised this place was far outside my budget, I could have a thai massage here if I didn't want to eat for the rest of my stay in Thailand. I decided that I should leave, much to the offence of the woman who was attending to me.....as though by saying I couldn't afford the prices I was somehow insulting the place!
As I stepped back outside my new friend was stood buying food from a street stall, upon seeing me leave he looked panicked, "you don't like?" I explained it was out of my price range and he said he knew a cheaper place, as we set off he asked "you want sex?" I nearly laughed aloud, but managed to control myself and just reply "no I'm ok thanks" I don't think I've ever had a stranger offer to get me sex before....
In any case he took me to a cheaper place, still very professional and nice looking. I went in and agreed the price, changed into the clothes given me, and waited in the room for my massage. I know a lot of people expect there to be sex or the offer of sex in a Thai massage place, but it really doesn't have to be like that. I had a brilliant massage, it did a little bit feel like she was wrestling me! I ended up so relaxed and exhausted that I didn't know what to do afterwards, I wandered back to the hotel, barely capable of thought, went straight to my room and fell asleep, at around five in the afternoon, not altogether bad going I don't think :)
The next day on the advice of my friend, I headed to Chatuchak weekend market. I recommend you google it to gauge the enormity of this market, it is over 27 acres of stalls I believe, and seriously I cannot even describe the assault on my senses as I entered, the noise, the sights and the smells were completely overwhelming. Stalls cooking all different kinds of Thai food, shops selling clothes, electronics, trinkets and antiques, people shouting to each other, chatting and pedlars yelling about products on offer. Truly was amazing, I wandered around for a good few hours, soaking it all in, eventually ending up outside a bar, which caught my attention because of the giant pots of crayfish stew cooking in front of it, but drew me in with the sound of music and the promise of cold beer. I got chatting to an Aussie at the bar and sat down with a Singha beer to talk to him and two American guys. Top blokes all three of them, have me some brilliant tips, and excellent company for my first beer in Thailand!
On Sunday, after getting up and having breakfast, I had it on me to go and watch the F1. I headed to Nana, which promised to have a fair few sports bars and at least a couple showing the F1. I very quickly found a bar showing the race and went for a wander around, findings bar whose happy hour coincided with most of their opening hours, I went straight to the bar. I asked for a beer, any beer I just need one, which amused the only other customer stood at the bar. Chatting to the bloke, turned out he was from Newcastle, lived in Thailand for near enough twenty years. A few beers later and I was in an English themed pub in the basement of a hotel, meeting his friend, their two Thai wives and his two beautiful children. Asked the German manager of the hotel to put the F1 on and drank a few Heinekens and the best company I had in Bangkok. I found out (maybe two hours after meeting him) that his name was Chris, and I can't thank him, his family and friends enough for the kindness and friendship shown to me that day. A few hours later I stumbled through my hotel door, and world spinning collapsed onto my bed and promptly passed out drunk. My last full day in Bangkok was a good one!
- comments
Mum You write like you talk Andrew and it is a wonderful experience to read. Love you miss you but am so so proud of you xx
Steve from worl Andrew, glad to hear you've got on so well mate! you really know how to paint a picture with words. wish you all the best pal good luck
Mrs Audrey Crossley Good to hear from you and know all is well, your blog reads like a good book you can't put down. We wish you all the best Love and miss you lots Nana & Pop Pop xxxx