Comeptition Entry

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I arrive alone in Bangkok on the first day of my 'Round the World Adventure'.
I manged to get on the right bus that took me through the heart of Bangkok's CBD. It would appear that there are no bus stops in this city, the bus just stops, the doors open mid traffic jam and the driver shouts "you, here!" while pointing to what I assume is the overground station three lanes of traffic away. So I jump off in the middle of the road and mission across to my next destination. I narrowly avoid being hit by several mopeds dodging in and out of the traffic. It seems that stopping at red lights is merely a suggestion for traffic here.
Several wrong turns and sketchy road crossings later I finally arrive at KOh San Road. I slowly manage to navigate my way past shouts of "hey...where are you going? Tuk-tuk?" and "good room, good price for you." I finally arrive at my guesthouse, check in, dump bag and sleep. I thought the hard part was over. Nothing, however, could have prepared me for the chaos that was to come in the form Chatuchak market.
The biggest market in South East Asia.
I arranged to meet up with some fellow travellers that I had met online. "OK, so if anyone gets lost meet at the clock tower every hour on the hour yeah?" Yes, OK.
Ten minutes later I am lost from the others and like we arranged I head to the clock tower on the hour. No one there. I carry on browsing through stand after stand of clothes, jewelry, spices, pots, books all repeated over and over. I see a different clock tower and go there on the hour.
Still no one.
I've passed thousands of stalls and I'm sure that I am back where I started. The sun is beating down in the afternoon Thai heat and I stop for some shade and some food. There is a display of about six different dishes, none of which I have ever seen or heard of before so I point to a colourful red one. I carry on adventuring. I thought was walking in circles but I suddenly come to a new section filled with stall after stall selling exotic reptiles, kittens, husky puppies, fish (alive) and just about any animal you like really. I see a round statue ahead of me where several exhausted and lost tourists appear to be resting, so I join them before I have to start all over again.
There is nothing quite like being lost for hours on end in a giant market, in a country where you speak not a word of the language, on your own, in the blistering heat to throw you out of your comfort zone. Just before I have time to feel sorry for myself I realise that I am at another clock tower and it is now on the hour.
"Look who finally shows up!"

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