“The Khaosan Effect”

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Put together 2 flights, both pretty uncomfortable and one over night, plus a 3 hour lay over in Kuala Lumpur and the result, is 2 pretty tired young travellers. Inject that into a crazy, dirty city like Bangkok and the result is sleep deprivation.

I don’t care to feel like I felt the first day in Bangkok ever again. Sian and I are both tired and wired… and thoughts like “what the hell have we done?” and “I wanna go home” are a couple of the things we discussed. All totally irrational, and we knew it… but we couldn’t help it.

We have been staying in Khaosan Rd. For those of you who saw the Disney version of Pinoccio, it reminds me of the island that kids go to when they’ve been bad, and they all turn into Donkey’s. For those of you who haven’t seen it, I’ll try to explain.

Khaosan Rd is a strip in Bangkok which is totally set up for western travellers; mainly backpackers. For most who visit, it seems like an amazing theme park of discounted clothes, cheap alcohol and western fried food. Mix that up with 3 kinds of music simultaniously (psytrance, hard rock and pop, for example) being played at rediculous volumes through cheap speakers, and you’ve got something close to Khaosan Rd.

Cars are not allowed on the street, so it is much like a street market lined with food and rip off clothing stalls… but watch out for psycho vespa drivers trying not to collect drunk tourists stumbling all over the street. Most of the people here seem so grateful that the Thai’s have set up such a wonderful place for them to come and be western for half the price and without the laws they have at home. The joke is on us though… all the prices are inflated and the whole place is a bit of a sham. It has a very high energy, frantic feel to it. Sian and I have come to call it “The Khaosan Affect”. You can’t help but get whatever you have in you, sucked right out.

The first day we walked around bright eyed and aware of everything that was happening around us, but day two we able to stand back and see it for what it is, and look forward to leaving.

We have managed to get out and do a cheap temple tour around the city which was nice, and probably the highlight to Bangkok. Though it did make me regret booking our accommodation in Khaosan Rd, and not somewhere in the city its self, where we could see what Bangkok fo what it really like.

It is how it is though. Bring on Krabi…

(This place makes me feel like listening to: “Freakshow” - Krafty Kutz)

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Photos

Khaos
Someone was trying to be cryptic when they named this place we reckon...

Welcome to the Jungle...
Looking at this photo makes me feel tired

Couple of beers later...
Its the only way to get through it

Big Buddha
This thing is 12 meters high and 70 meters long... absolutely massive. Really beautiful too, and the room its cased in was totally hand painted on the inside

Baby Buddha
This ones not quite so big... but much older and still very beautiful

Comments

[michelle]

Bangkok Baptism of Fire!
Well there's another experience to add to the list.....now that you've done Khaosan Rd. on no sleep I'm sure you'll be feeling prepared for whatever lies ahead!! love you both, xxoo

[neeny]

holy shit!
Thanks for the insight. "Holy" shit.