Day 3

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Day 3

The day started very early again but it was a great time to work on the computer and feel that time was standing still. The air conditioning in the compact and clean room was sufficient to be comfortable as I rested on the bed.

Once the light had begun I was up and into my exercise clothes and out the door to an exercise area I had discovered, by chance, yesterday. The park was about 1 kilometre in circumference and their appeared to be an occasional exercise station that had equipment…see photo. Some people ran it and some walked; some used headphones. Dotted around the park were singular people of both sexes sleeping. One, a man in uniform was laid out on newspaper. Another, a woman who I had seen begging in the streets yesterday and who had burns over most of her body, was still sleeping using a small suitcase as her headrest and little else. A young man wearing only trousers, who had come prepared with a sleeping mat was also fast asleep. As I walked past the vans and cars on the side of the road on my way back from my walk, I saw more men sleeping in their vehicles in a variety of poses or should I say repose. Early morning is slow in Bangkok. The people seem to start late with many places not opening until 10 or 10.30 and then staying open until midnight.

Ah the power of group activities. I decided to visit Jim Thompsons’ house. I missed the tour at 1100 baht and ended up going on my own only to find that the cost of the taxi was 65 baht and entry to the museum 100 baht. WHAT A SAVING He was an American very influential in the lives of the Thai people, who came to this country after the war and made his home here. He was very involved in the silk trade and established a business in Bangkok. He built what appears to be a compound which involved constructing more than one house together to make an environment that worked for him. He could move from his bedroom to dining and kitchen without having to leave the house. This is a rare feature of accommodation in Thailand. Each room was separated with barriers requiring you to step over them just like in a large boat. The guide said this was to protect young children from leaving the room. The presentation of art and antiques was considerable and reflected Jim Thompsons’ interests in other places such as China and Burma. It seems that one of the reasons why Jim Thompson became so famous was to do with the King of Siam…or was it something to do with the movie…not sure as the guide was a bit hard to understand. Anyway, Jim Thompson mysteriously disappeared on a visit to a friend in Malaysia. He went out for a walk and never returned. He had no children but there is an organisation that has kept his business interests running since his disappearance. Certainly the place is serene, beautifully kept and well visited and a great museum for the visitors to Thailand.

There was a lovely art display upstairs at the Jim Thompson Museum called “Art on the Farm” and I thought of you Di and wondered if you would be able to use some of the ideas for your floral art. The photo of the centrepiece was just beautiful and done with silk hanks that felt hard or soft. As you can see from the photo it is uniquely stupendous. The pumpkins were amazing too and almost like a Halloween exercise in carving. As they said though that once the pumpkins were carved they no longer lasted instead withered and died.

After leaving the museum II wandered off down the street wondering what to do next and thinking where I was. I stopped in front of the sign that gave the skytrain station stops and was checking it out when a Thai lady came up and started telling me where I was…as if I didn’t now. LOL. She asked if I was interested in shopping and I said I was so she suggested I walk with her and she would take me to an amazing shopping centre. Oh yes! I had been scammed. Next thing I am being directed into a Gem Factory and Store. The assistants hovered over me whilst I travelled around the room of gems looking but reminding myself that I WOULD NOT BUY! I tried to make a quick getaway and headed out what I thought was the exit only to discover that the exit was much less assessable. I spotted the same woman later on after leaving the “real” shopping centre. She was obviously waiting for her next victim. It is amazing the lengths the Thai people go to get tourists to spend their dollar.

The shopping centre I entered was enormous and was about 7 floors high and at least 500metres long on each floor. I finally figured out where the food was and made it to the food court on the 6^th floor where there was food of every nationality waiting for me to choose. In the end I had sweet and sour chicken and although the assistant ripped be off for 20baht I still really enjoyed the meal. Actually I then decided I would try something else and opted for a spicy mince dish with beans in it only let down by the fact that it was not hot enough temperature wise. To finish off I had a banana flavoured pikeletie thing and felt so full I left some of it behind.

Now the hard part was being able to leave the building as the elevators were not always clearly marked, but eventually I managed to find the level that had the skytrain on it and the National Stadium. To get from the National Stadium station to Victory Monument station meant changing trains. This time I was a little confused and after leaving the station I could not figure out which direction to head in. I spoke to a motor bike rider and he suggested I cross the road and head in the right. Never being sure that the Thai know what you are trying to achieve I thought I should take him at his word as it would only mean a slightly longer walk if he was wrong. As I walked in the heat I saw landmarks that I had previously seen but felt I had been moving in the opposite direction at the time, but I decided to be steadfast and keep going and sure enough the All seasons Hotel appeared 100 metres down the road.

From the hotel I arranged a taxi to take me and my bags to Viengtai Hotel that turned out to be quite close to China town. The street was full of people, bars, restaurants and massage parlours.

After a beer at the bar down the road, I decided that I felt ready for a massage and had determined that this time it would be an oil massage. The cost was 250baht for an hour and some young 22 year old man/boy was delegated to look after me. I was taken into a private air conditioned room and stripped off to just my undies keeping my modesty intact. The massage and the money were definitely worth it. An hour later I felt really relaxed and ready to take part in the next stage of my journey which was the start of the Intrepid Tour.

Back at the hotel I discovered my room mate who was already lying on the bed. I had met her earlier on a quick visit to the pool and she had shared she was from NZ but we had not realised at that stage that we would be rooming together. It is such a funny world. After a further chat I headed off to the pool for a cool swim, but actually it was very warm…still the breeze helped and in the end I felt a little refreshed.

We had our first Intrepid meeting at 6.30 and met all but one of our fellow travellers. There are eight of us all together. The guide and me of course. Then there is: a rather large built Australian guy called Harold who is a farmer outside of Perth; Tracey an Australian lady of Asian descent who works in Sinapore for a big banking corporation; Emma a student from Chichester and her boyfriend Casper who works for the student union at a university in Chichester; Thomas a student who is studying history and is Swiss and his girlfriend Kathleen who is a nurse; last but not least there is Stuart a red head from Aberdeen who works on an oil rig in the middle east and who has one month on and one month off and has been doing this for about 10 years. So this is our family for the next two weeks.

We headed out to tea to get to know each other better but before we went Sar the Thai guide, gave us the run down on what we could expect to happen and what we needed to be prepared for for the next little while.

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Comments

[Robbie]

still sick
Great talking yesterday. helpss to see you on skype and make me realize that yes you are in Thailand safely. I love your blog. You will have a wonderful diary on your return. Almost good enough for a book!!! My throat is much better today but I am still sleepy. Good time for contemplation though. Working on my body too!!! Take care R

[LynnieVaughan]

Sore throat!!!
Be too. I thought it was a the maleria tablets. It is a bit better today and I have felt okay. I tried to kill it with the chillie in the food.....very hot!!!!!