Christmas in Bangkok/ Khoa San Road
Rebecca and I took the overnight train to Bangkok, it is about a 14 hour train ride, it's only an hour flight, but we've got time, and we took the overnight sleeper. We sat in normal seats, and it was really amazing how they come around and convert everything into these comfy, compact beds. The bed was so comfortable and cozy, without a doubt, my best night's sleep! (The bed's here seem to be either super hard or super soft).
Last time that I was in Bangkok, I purposely avoided the Khoa San Road area, this is the main backpacker's street where there are pretty much all westerners/bars/ travel agencies/ shops, but since I was with Rebecca, I decided to stay where all of the back packer's stay. We got an o.k. hostel, but for what I was paying in Chiang Mai for a really clean place with hot water, TV, and fridge, I got this semi-dirty place, really small with cold water, and no amenities!! Anyway, it wasn't too bad, the cold shower thing you can definitely get used to. Anyway, it was definitely dissorienting to say the least. Khoa San Road kinda reminds me of this rowdy, international version of Isla Vista in Santa Barbara. I enjoyed it, but I don't think I ever need to go back there!!
I indulged a couple times in Starbucks while on Khoa San Road. They charge pretty much American prices at the store, so it is quite expensive by thai standards. I've definitely started thinking in terms of baht and not dollars! Anyway, you can not meet nicer people than the people who work at Starbucks!
We also tried getting around the city, and that proved to be completely impossible by car!! Total landlocked traffic jams most of the time, and the pollution is sooo bad down there. I really started missing my little jewel of Chiang Mai right away.
Anyway, we ventured on a day-tour of Attuya, an ancient city with ruins. I am always a little weary of organized tours, and now I know why! It was comical, but it looked like they picked the tour guide up off of the street early that morning in every way. He was speaking some type of mixture of English and Thai, and no one was able to understand him. Someone on our tour started laughing, and it was contagious, I couldn't stop laughing the whole day. Poor man, but he probably shouldn't be a tour guide!!
On Christmas, Rebecca went to meet up with her boyfriend who had just arrived, and I actually took the local bus to this huge weekend market. I was the only non-thai on the bus, and they kinda grabbed me to get off the bus at my stop. Once you get out of the touristy areas, people seem to be extra-friendly. I was so proud of myself though that I was able to figure that out! I then got a call from Jamie, a high school friend who was also in Bangkok for the time being. Anyway, we set a rendez-vous point, and I decided that I better take off right away to get there in time. I gave myself about 45 minutes or so. I hadn't yet tried the motorcycle taxis, so I figured that I would give it a whirl, it is the quickest way to get around. Anyway, it seems like no one knows where anything is in Bangkok, so I took the taxi to a dfferent spot and then walked to her hotel. It was quite a fun adventure, manuvering around huge buses, and going up on the sidewalks to avoid traffic/ etc... One bad thing (getting behind the buses that seem to blow exhuast right directly into your face! It was great to catch up with Jamie. I then had a late lunch with Rebecca and her boyfriend, and then that night I went out with my friend's brother Michael and his thai/western friends who all live in Bankok. It was such a great day packed with a lot of cool people!
The next day, I took the train back to Chaing Mai. They were sold out of the sleepers, so I had to take the normal seating back and it was this time a 16 hour train ride!! I was one of the only westerners on the train, and again it is funny how everyone rallies to help you out! I bought a pre-packaged meal that turned out to be hot as fr*&$!!!! I took a couple bites and then started flipping out, and someone gave me a soda right away, and another person gave me some candy to help the burn go away. It is funny how little thai I know, yet how impressed people are when you use it!
So I arrived home (Chiang Mai) 16 hours later at 6 am... AHHH!!! I don't think you can pay me to go back to Bangkok! Actually its not too bad for less than 36 hours!
P.S. I just learned that taking the bus to bangkok is about half the price as taking the train and it takes half the amount of time! I guess you live and learn!
Last time that I was in Bangkok, I purposely avoided the Khoa San Road area, this is the main backpacker's street where there are pretty much all westerners/bars/ travel agencies/ shops, but since I was with Rebecca, I decided to stay where all of the back packer's stay. We got an o.k. hostel, but for what I was paying in Chiang Mai for a really clean place with hot water, TV, and fridge, I got this semi-dirty place, really small with cold water, and no amenities!! Anyway, it wasn't too bad, the cold shower thing you can definitely get used to. Anyway, it was definitely dissorienting to say the least. Khoa San Road kinda reminds me of this rowdy, international version of Isla Vista in Santa Barbara. I enjoyed it, but I don't think I ever need to go back there!!
I indulged a couple times in Starbucks while on Khoa San Road. They charge pretty much American prices at the store, so it is quite expensive by thai standards. I've definitely started thinking in terms of baht and not dollars! Anyway, you can not meet nicer people than the people who work at Starbucks!
We also tried getting around the city, and that proved to be completely impossible by car!! Total landlocked traffic jams most of the time, and the pollution is sooo bad down there. I really started missing my little jewel of Chiang Mai right away.
Anyway, we ventured on a day-tour of Attuya, an ancient city with ruins. I am always a little weary of organized tours, and now I know why! It was comical, but it looked like they picked the tour guide up off of the street early that morning in every way. He was speaking some type of mixture of English and Thai, and no one was able to understand him. Someone on our tour started laughing, and it was contagious, I couldn't stop laughing the whole day. Poor man, but he probably shouldn't be a tour guide!!
On Christmas, Rebecca went to meet up with her boyfriend who had just arrived, and I actually took the local bus to this huge weekend market. I was the only non-thai on the bus, and they kinda grabbed me to get off the bus at my stop. Once you get out of the touristy areas, people seem to be extra-friendly. I was so proud of myself though that I was able to figure that out! I then got a call from Jamie, a high school friend who was also in Bangkok for the time being. Anyway, we set a rendez-vous point, and I decided that I better take off right away to get there in time. I gave myself about 45 minutes or so. I hadn't yet tried the motorcycle taxis, so I figured that I would give it a whirl, it is the quickest way to get around. Anyway, it seems like no one knows where anything is in Bangkok, so I took the taxi to a dfferent spot and then walked to her hotel. It was quite a fun adventure, manuvering around huge buses, and going up on the sidewalks to avoid traffic/ etc... One bad thing (getting behind the buses that seem to blow exhuast right directly into your face! It was great to catch up with Jamie. I then had a late lunch with Rebecca and her boyfriend, and then that night I went out with my friend's brother Michael and his thai/western friends who all live in Bankok. It was such a great day packed with a lot of cool people!
The next day, I took the train back to Chaing Mai. They were sold out of the sleepers, so I had to take the normal seating back and it was this time a 16 hour train ride!! I was one of the only westerners on the train, and again it is funny how everyone rallies to help you out! I bought a pre-packaged meal that turned out to be hot as fr*&$!!!! I took a couple bites and then started flipping out, and someone gave me a soda right away, and another person gave me some candy to help the burn go away. It is funny how little thai I know, yet how impressed people are when you use it!
So I arrived home (Chiang Mai) 16 hours later at 6 am... AHHH!!! I don't think you can pay me to go back to Bangkok! Actually its not too bad for less than 36 hours!
P.S. I just learned that taking the bus to bangkok is about half the price as taking the train and it takes half the amount of time! I guess you live and learn!
posted by meagan at 9:37 PM
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