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Published: April 6th 2008
Bon matin!
Quelle aventure en elle-meme que la ville de Bangkok! Si je ne vous ai pas ecrits hier, c'est que ce n'etait pas la joie! Apres un 48h aussi intense ou tout s'est deroule mille fois mieux que ce que j'esperais, l'arrivee a Bangkok a ete... disons mouvementee!
L'aeroport est immense, bonde surtout, et il y a une foule de gens qui te crient toutes sortes de trucs... Depaysant... C'etait AVANT d'en sortir, vous vous imaginez apres!
Apres une recherche approfondie pour un taxi 'avec meter', je prends place. Le chauffeur ne parle pas tres bien anglais, ce qui rend nos communications plutot difficiles. Comme je n'ai aucune idee d'ou je m'en vais, ca n'aide pas ma confiance a prendre le dessus.
Lorsque je me rends compte qu'il a arrete le meter, la 'chicane pogne'. Je vous epargnerai les details, mais disons que je me suis retrouvee sur le coin d'une rue, a avoir paye ce que je considere comme un prix trop eleve (mais au fond, qu'est-ce que j'en sais, vraiment?) et a ne pas savoir par ou aller. Genial.
J'ajoute a cela que je porte tous mes avoirs sur mon dos, que je
suis 'trempee a lavette', et je n'exagere meme pas un peu. Bangkok, c'est une image eclectique... C'est une mer de gens qui crient, de vendeurs qui harcelent, l'humidite est insoutenable et la langue m'est tout a fait etrangere, y'a pas a dire. La voila, ma premiere image de Bangkok.
Je finis par trouver le Guest House que mes amies Ann-Marie et Nicole (qui sont presentement au Vietnam) m'ont recommande. J'essaie de me faire comprendre, j'ai l'impression qu'elles sont betes avec moi... Plus de chambres disponibles, seulement une simple, avec salle de bains et lavabos communs sur l'etage, pas d'air climatise. 5$ la nuit. Je ne chigne pas, je me parle et me repete que tout va bien. Je me rends au 4e etage...
Je decouvre 'ma cellule', l'electricite et la fan ne fonctionnent meme pas. Et je retiens mes larmes. Oh, que je ravale! Je vais remplir les papiers pour mon visa, et remonte. N'en pouvant plus, j'eclate en sanglots... je m'etends... et m'endors en pleurant...
Je suis reveillee vers 17h par un tintamarre destabilisant, qui se revele etre une fanfare. Je suis tombee en plein festival, celui de la nouvelle annee Thai a la mi-avril. C'est
la que je rencontre celle qui sauvera ma premiere journee, une Francaise incroyablement rafraichissante! Elle me montre comment fonctionnent l'electricite et la fan (oups... my bad!) et nous passons la soiree ensemble; je decouvre Khao San Road, LA rue des touristes; elle me fait essayer des plats divers (mangues servies avec du riz, delicieux, et des crepes avec des bananes et de la p'tite poudre sucree). La bouffe est preparee dans la rue, c'est assourdissant mais hallucinant en meme temps.
Apres une bonne nuit de sommeil (je me suis reveillee aux deux heures... ), je suis prete a decouvrir Bangkok, mais pas trop en profondeur, tout de meme. Je vais beaucoup mieux, mais j'ai tout de meme hate de sortir de Bangkok.
Je decouvre le marche Chukachat, o combien ce fut une experience en soi... La section des animaux, que j'aurais evitee si j'avais su, m'a completement aneantie. Ils sont la, devant toi, sous cette chaleur presque humainement insupportable, et certains sont en train de crever, la, devant toi... Et je ne m'etends meme pas sur les especes en voie d'extinction que j'ai apercues...
Sur une note plus gaie (je vais essayer de vous remonter le moral, tout
de meme!), quand on a decouvert les kiosques de bouffe, j'ai goute a TOUT! Ne me demandez pas ce que je mangeais, mais la plupart des bouchees etaient excellentes! Une fois, des Thais ne cessaient de me repeter: 'Banane, banane'. Une fois le petit morceau englouti, ils se sont tous esclaffes de rire... Je peux aussi vous dire que juste le gout etait suffisant comme indication: y'avait absolument pas la moindre trace de banane la-dedans... Apres une journee de marche ou mes yeux n'etaient pas assez grands pour tout voir, j'ai passe une premiere vraie bonne nuit de sommeil. Allez savoir pourquoi, je me reveille de moi-meme a 6h... J'imagine que ca ne durera pas!
Je me promets un p'tit dimanche tranquille sous la grisaille et la pluie.
Merci de m'encourager! C'est un reel bonheur que de me reveiller et de decouvrir vos petits mots d'amour!
Les photos, je sais que je me repete, mais ca s'en vient... Disons que c'est plus facile d'ecrire que de transferer des fichiers avec ces machines... J'espere que ca vous emmerde pas trop!
A bientot!
Good morning everyone!
Bangkok... What an adventure in itself! What else to say,
really... If I didn't update anything yesterday, it wasn't because I didn't have any time, or any Internet access... No... I just wasn't in a good mood, at all! After 48h straight travelling, and an amazing one with everything going a thousand times better then what I expected, my first hours in Bangkok were a little more... bustling!
The airport is big, but mostly crowded: sooooooo many people yelling in a language I have really don't understand. Pretty exotic! That was before I got out, can you imagine after!?!
I carefully looked for a metered taxi. My driver barely spoke English, so communication was an issue, and I didn't know where I was going. I must say I didn't feel confident at all.
When I realized he had stopped the meter somewhere down the road, well, we started to fight. I won't go in any details, but I ended up by myself somewhere around a corner, feeling like I just gotten robbed (but how much do I know about taxi prices, really?), and I had no idea where to go. Great.
I had all my belongings on my back, was sweating like a pig, and I
mean it. Bangkok... it's colourful in a different way... it's an eclectic picture. A crowd that yells, harasses you, tries to sell you something, always after your money; it's so humid you just have to breathe and you're all wet, and I can't understand a word of the language. Now, you have it: my first impression of Bangkok.
I finally found my way to the Guest House Ann-Marie and Nicole (my friends who are actually in Vietnam) recommended. The 2 girls were so rude, there was nothing left... We argued for a couple of minutes; I ended up with the last room, single, with common bathrooms, for 5$ a night. I got upstairs, talking to myself all the way up there, trying not to let those tears that were fighting in my throat out.
When I discovered my 'cell', that's how I felt at the time, the fan and electricity weren't working. I so wanna cry. I went to the travel agency, instead, to get my visa for Vietnam ASAP. Got back to my room... Then, couldn't hold it anymore. I just burst into tears... layed down on the bed... and cried myself to sleep...
Around 5pm,
an astonishing noise woke me up... A parade! Here, they are celebrating their New Year next Monday, so they're having special events everywhere. I stood on the balcony, looking down... and met my savior for the day! She is French, from France, and is amazingly refreshing. She showed me how to make the electricity and the fan work (oups... my bad!) and we spent the evening together. I discovered Khao San Roa, popular backpack tourists' guest houses area. She made me try some pancakes and mangoes with rice, delicious! They prepare the food in the street, right there, in front of you.
It's loud, it's too much, but it's just incredible to see... Hard to explain, really...
After a good night sleep (I woke up every 2 hours), I'm ready to discover Bangkok, but not too deeply... I feel much better, but still can't wait to get out of Bangkok.
Chukachat Market, an impressive outdoor market that only takes place on week-ends, is the goal today. Wow! What an experience... The pet section just killed me, I'm serious. If I would have known, I would have avoided it. You just look at the, they're right in front of you,
in that humid weather that I could barely stand myself. Some are dying, right there, in front of you... and I'm not even talking about the endangered species that I saw...
On a more joyful note (I'll try to cheer you up!), when we ended up in the Food Section, I tried EVERYTHING that they would give me. Don't ask me what I was trying, but most of it was good, pretty tasty. One time, Thais were telling me 'Bananas, bananas'... Once it got in my mouth, they killed themselves laughing. I can tell you, the taste was also a good indication that there's wasn't any banana in it...
My eyes were wide open all day, but still not wide enough to see it all! I got an awsome sleep, but, don't ask me why, keep waking up at 6 in the morning... Guess you it won't last!!
Sunday... Got big plans: nothing! It's my lazy day, it's raining anyway!
Thank you so much for your messages! You don't even know how much it gives me a boost when I find them in the morning! Thanks for encouraging and supporting me!
I know, the pictures. Computers
are not THAT easy here, but I should get some help tomorrow. Sorry, you only have stories for now. Hopefully, it's not toooooo boring!
Talk to you soon!
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Tina
non-member comment
Hi Sweetie,
Hi my brave sweet step-daughter! I can totally relate to your frustrations and confusions. Asia is not an easy place to visit. When I was there with my sister I was totally dependent on her since she is used to flying there with her job and knows how to get around the airport, get to the hotels, knew what to eat, etc. I was so afraid of losing her in the huge crowds of people that were everywhere, I literally had to hold her hand... When we got to Hong Kong, we only wanted to have our pictures taken in one of those things...I forget what they are called. You know the guys that run you around in a one person woodend seat thing...gees I can't remember the word now. Well anyway, I sit in it and my sister takes a picture of me and he takes off running around the street with me sitting in and then wants me to give him $25.00!!! I said no way...here's $5.00 for the picture and took off. They are ruthless!!!! Then when we would ask people for directions they would always give us the wrong directions and we were walking everywhere on foot. My feet were sooooo sore at night I had to put bandages on every toe. It was awful... They are very rude people and their language to me just sounds like awful noise! The other frustrating thing was not being able to read ANYTHING... At least in Europe you can pretty much figure things out easier. However, you wanted an adventure and you certainly sound like you're getting on! Thank goodness you found a French friend! Oh, and the banana story made me laugh. Once when my sister and I were shopping in Korea, some guys handed us a drink telling us it was to thank us for the money we spent in their store. Oh my gosh...it was the strongest thing in the world. When we nearly passed out they were laughing so hard I thought they were going to pee in their pants! I talked to Josiane last night and she can't wait to get online to visit your blog. I will get her the computer this week for sure. She misses you very much and was happy to get your message. She is working a lot and is frustrated that they can't seem to keep a chef making it more work for Josiane. She sounded sooooo tired last night. Anyway, your dad needs me to chop vegetables for dinner tonight so I better get upstairs. I still haven't had a chance to explain to him who to visit your blog but will after my "chores" ;o) So I kiss you and thank you for your interesting stories, You are such a "colorful" writer. Have fun...stay safe. Kiss kiss, Tina