Advertisement
Published: October 23rd 2010
My god, I have made it unscathed through my first day in Bangkok.
My head is swimming with sensory data and, I can no longer deny it, the beginnings of a cold. I arrived changed planes in Mumbai, an odd little airport at the edge of a vast country. I could see the shanty houses even from the plane. I had a bit of the jitters again as we touched down, realizing that this is the farthest from home I've ever been, and also realizing that I never actually bothered to look at the visa requirements for passing through India...Fortunately, even though there were about ten checkpoints along the way, security wasn't that bad, and the flight to Bangkok got me in right on time.
My first day was devoted to arranging onward travel, and buying a few forgotten items. At the train station I heard about a window for English speakers, so I made my way there after procuring my Vietnamese visa. Before I had even entered the station, a young man in a mint green suit approached me and asked in perfected English "Can I help you with something, Miss?" I told him that I wanted to book a ticket to Chang Mai, and even thought I pronounce it incorrectly, he overlooked my mistake and beckoned me into the main building.
"Do you want overnight?"
"Yes."
"What day?"
"Tuesday."
"Air-con?
"Yes, please."
"Upper or lower berth?"
"Lower?"
"Yes. Is better, I think."
In less than a few minutes he has me booked and paid, and then disappears again before I can even say kap-kun kaa.
The major transit centers and tourist areas all seem to be catered toward the English speaking tourist. ATMs, street signs, restaurants, hotels, and of course, massage parlors are all printed in English and Thai. Nowhere is this phenomenon better illustrated than the notorious Khao San Road. A sort of heaven and hell of street food, cheap guesthouses, and stalls full of ANYTHING YOU COULD EVER WANT. Also, douche bags. A lot of them. Mostly British and Aussies out for a shopping trip and then off to the beaches. I must admit, however, that this place has a certain charm despite the mania. First, there is absolutely no way I can possibly blend in here, so the pressure is off to be a savvy and worldly traveler. I am quite happy to just be a tourist for once--Khao San is normally the place I would stay far away from, but I have to say that it's kind of comforting in a way, kind of like a landing pad. It is as far away from the real Thailand as one can get, a sort of Thai lite. Disney-Thai. It's only a matter of time before they start installing roller coasters and a house of mirrors. The streets exude a manic energy as tuk-tuk drivers, motorbikes, and taxis compete for space and customers. The sidewalks are overrun with vendors handling mysterious ingredients which are made into soups and noodle dishes. The merchants are eager to make a deal and have calculators at the ready for when the bargaining starts. At night, when some streets completely shut down, others only begin to get moving. You are never alone in this city.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.073s; Tpl: 0.01s; cc: 19; qc: 49; dbt: 0.0456s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Kathy
non-member comment
Douche bags? I guess what happens in Thailand stays in Thailand! Or lets hope it does anyway. Keep those blogs coming! Off to buy my travel book so I can track your progress. Hope you are taking photos- lots of them. Love you. Maman