Parting ways, the mad adventures of Bangkok and border crossing

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While poor Eva was terribly sick in bed all day, I went out exploring…

I highly recommend the National Gallery to anyone with even the slightest interest in Art. I spent hours lost in the halls, working my way through traditional and historic works into the contemporary visual and audio world. I must say His Royal Highness the King of Thailand is quite a gifted contemporary artist, with many of his works on display. Some of the most illuminating works were contemporary photographs. One was a stunning collection of images of single women with their children. I never realized just how shunned single mothers were in Thai society. They are unemployable, rejected by their families and frowned upon in public, with begging often their only means of income. The series of photographs captured their dilemmas so truthfully and really gave me insight into these people’s lives.

I also really appreciated beautiful sculptures of daily Thai life that reminded me of the importance of Now, of the moment, that happiness only occurs in the present. My favourite sculpture was of a grandfather and his grandson sharing a joyous and loving moment of play. They were frozen in their joy.

Lastly, I took a particular interest in listening to some of the contemporary art music from University level artists. I must say after majoring in composition, I was astounded by the level of sophistication and technical finesse of their digital and acoustic works. In my time at Monash School of Music I rarely heard works of such level. Their fusion of Thai and Western Art Music was really something inspirational.

After my hours in the Gallery I continued to wander aimlessly around the maze of Bangkok taking happy snaps. Unfortunately, I had to race back so Eva could get to hospital yet again, the poor thing. Luckily her change in medication allowed her to head out the next day.

We walked to Wat Pho from our accommodation off Kao San Rd. WARNING: DO NOT ACCEPT FREE BIRD FEED. Yup - we got scammed. Seeds were shoved into our hands at our refusal and we were told it was free and for “good luck” to welcome the New Year. YEA RIGHT! After being overwhelmed by pigeons (for those who don’t know, I am very frightened of birds flying madly towards me!), they demanded we pay them 150B each (7AUD) - the cheek! We left them with poo change and escaped as quickly as we could.

We finally made it to Wat Pho (after being told by a tuk-tuk driver that it was closed - yet another scam) to see the Reclining Buddha and beautiful grounds. The Buddha is enormous and rather impressive. I don’t think the photos do it justice.

The following day we spent a stressful day making difficult decisions and searching for flights. I was abruptly left on my own the same evening.

What does one do alone in Bangkok, the city of scams? One walks and avoids tuk-tuks and that is what I did. I headed out on foot around 10am and caught 2 boats to Wat Arun for 21B. This was one of my favourite temples. It is more of a spire then a temple and you can climb to the top and look across the river over Bangkok. The entire Khmer style monument is covered in mosaics and is stunningly beautiful.

Next I set out to find China Town, desperately trying to follow the tiny map in my Lonely Planet. I walked for about 2Kms, beating all of the traffic and choking on pollution the whole way. I found the Thieves Market and experienced my worst shopping trip ever. I was pressed amongst the local crowd in the narrow alleyway surrounded by frantic haggling over fabric and other all sorts. I had gone past the point of no return. There was no way I could turn back for fear of being trampled by the crowds. I was paranoid about being pick-pocketed and wore my backpack tightly to my chest the whole way. When I eventually made it to the end, after about 500m, I was desperately lost and had no idea where I had come out and I sure as hell wasn’t about to go back in. After some disorientated wandering trying to head for the train station (I enjoy being lost - only so I can find my way again), I was set back on my path with some help form a local. My skills in mime were handy- I can do Thomas the Tank Engine.

From Hua Lomphong station I caught the underground right across town to the Chatuchak Weekend Market. Now this was the hugest market I have ever seen! It took me two hours to circumnavigate the place and I did once again manage to get lost. On the way back I caught the underground to the interchange and got on the sky rail. The queue for the ticket machine was worse than Flinders Street at peak hour. I stepped off the sky rail at Siam (the closest station I think to Kao San) and jumped in a metered cab home - No tuk-tuks! It was past 7pm by the time I got back and I was thoroughly rooted. What a day! I had walked at least 10kms.

The next morning I was up at the crack of dawn for yet another big day. I had to move accommodation and sadly downgrade to a dingy backpackers, oraganise my visa and travel plans for Cambodia, and attempt to get out to the Floating Markets (2hrs away).

In an attempt to miss the crowds and tourist busses at the market, I headed out in the late morning. I taxied out to the Southern Bus station (80B) and boarded the 2hr bus ride on a nice air-conditioned bus for (78B). Everything was going fine until I was dropped in the middle of nowhere at this tiny pier where a lady awaited. I had read you could hire a taxi boat for 200B but she insisted the price was 1200B. When I asked where the main pier was (the name of which I had on a piece of paper) both the bus driver and this lady agreed that it had been closed for over 10 year- what a joke! I was once again being scammed!! My options were slim and after a few disgruntled words I agreed to the boat ride for 700B. If the markets were actually worth seeing I wouldn’t have minded so much about the money, but they were crapola! Much smaller than I had expected and without the hordes of tourists the rivers looked nothing like they do in the photos I had seen. Even with the tourists, this place just wasn’t worth the time or cost. My advice: don’t bother.

In my crappy little room that night I was still bitter about being ripped off and was really starting to miss Eva’s company. I was also growing apprehensive about the border crossing into Cambodia I was to undertake the next day as there are endless tales of the scams that go on here.

I was up at 4am. Glad to be leaving this windowless place that smelt of piss (I was next door to the loo). I made it to the station in time and boarded the 5.55 train to Aranya Prathet for 48B. It was 5 and a half hours to the border town and I froze most of the way as the morning breeze was quite chilly. Once at the border town I thankfully got into a tuk-tuk with some Khmer-speaking Frenchies who ensured a scamless trip as they had done the crossing several times. Apparently the tuk-tuk drivers and their friends try a new scam every time. The latest (which we went through, but didn’t pay) is driving you off to this official looking office where you have to fill out your arrival and departure card that they provide for - 10USD! I later met some girls who paid the price and paid 5 times the price for the tuk-tuk there. I was very lucky.

We finally got to immigration, and then had to walk over the border at Poipet to the arrivals counter in a concrete hut some 300m away. Luckily I breezed through here because of my E-visa. Here lies another opportunity for the scammer - overpricing visas. Lastly, I met some British folk to share a cab with for the 4hrs into Seam Riep. Again we had to haggle and I’m sure we were over charged but we paid 500B each. At least we got to our destination. I have heard of people being dropped in the middle of nowhere over price disputes. I checked into the same place as them, Jasmine Lodge, 6USD including breakfast, private bathroom and nice people.

I had made it!

More later on the adventures in the ancient city of Angkor…

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