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Published: December 14th 2008
The Line Forms Here
Packing into the sardine can of a plane. Final Morning On Samui
This morning we woke up and rushed to make sure we didn't miss our ride to the airport. Surprisingly, we were early and ended up sitting out beside the road with a stray dog. It was pitch black out and with every set of head lights approaching we were sure it was our taxi. None stopped and we were starting to think we may need to start walking. Finally at ten after 5:00, a taxi pulled over and asked us if we wanted a ride.
Seemed odd that a taxi we ordered would ask us that. When I asked him the price, he quoted us 500 baht. I nearly fell over. When we booked the taxi, the total cost we were told would be about 200 baht and we were balking over that. I questioned the driver and he said that price was too low and drove off. Obviously he wasn't the booked taxi or so we hoped. We wondered if we should have paid him as we were worried we now would miss our plane.
At 5:45, we were ready to go wake up the guesthouse owners wife to call for another
taxi when one quickly pulled over and grabbed our bags and threw them in the trunk telling us he would have us at the airport right away. When I asked him about the price, he hesitated and said 150 baht. Not wanting to push our luck, we got in. I really don't think this was the booked taxi either but we needed to get going or risk missing our flight. When asked why he was late, he said he just saw us standing there and stopped as he knew we would be going to the airport that early. Typical Thai entrepreneur. As we drove along, he spoke non-stop about the island and how we were going to miss it. He really seemed passionate about Koh Samui. I wish we could have spent more time with him as he really seemed like a nice guy.
The Samui airport was very busy with tourists heading to Bangkok, yet nothing seemed to be open yet and we had a tough time finding someone that could change a 1000 baht bill for us as the cab driver had no change and we had forgotten to keep some small denominations. We ended up giving
him 200 baht and he Wai'd us wishing us a great time in Bangkok!
The concept in the airport is very open to the elements and is done in natural wood tones. Quite nice. We enjoyed a free breakfast provided by the airport. It was nice to see the surprised look on everyone's face as they were able to help themselves to a free buffet of food. In Europe or North America, this would never happen. But in Thailand.....thank you for flying Bangkok Airlines.
Of course like most island airports, we were taken out to the tarmac and loaded onto the plane like one would imagine would have happened in the 40's. I could tell Candace was very excited as this was all very new for her. I had to give her my best impersonation of Bogey, telling her how I didn't give a damn. I really think the European couple behind us were totally feeling the moment.
Back in Bangkok
Our flight to BKK was uneventful and we were back in Suvarnabhumi within 1.5 hrs. The longest part of the journey was the taxiing of the plane once we landed to where we debarked
onto two long shuttle buses and traveled almost all the way back to where we landed to go into the terminal.
Our second ride to Khao San Road was made in daylight and we marveled at all the things we missed on the first ride. We snapped pictures of the road signs. Welcome to Bangkok. I found that to be pretty amazing.
Our first goal, even before having a beer, was to find a good guesthouse. Of course our goal was to get into D&D as it has a pool on the roof and a few of my friends that had stayed there before said it was reasonable and clean. Arriving on their doorstep at 9:00 in the morning, we were put 2nd on the waiting list to get a room. Check in is not until 13:00. Not wanting to risk loosing the room, I got the guy behind the desk to check us in by paying up front even though we didn't have a room. They were really good about holding everyone's bags so we decided to go site seeing and comeback in the afternoon.
While in Bangkok, we wanted to view the Grand Palace, Wat
Pho and Wat Arun so we decided that what better way to start then try and outwit a Tuk Tuk driver. Both Candace and I wanted to ride in a Tuk Tuk but were very aware of the scams that usually took place once in one. We both agreed that no matter what, we were going to go for it.
Anyone who's been on Khao San knows how hard it is to find a Tuk Tuk. We must have made two steps out of D&D before a driver called us over. We actually declined as the driver seemed kinda pushy, like he was going to scam us *wink wink*. Actually we didn't like his Tuk Tuk. We wanted one with more character. We found ours at the end of the street. All that was needed was the slightest of eye contact and we were being asked if where we wanted to go. Trying to show no fear, we mustered up the courage to suggest the Grand Palace. Expecting to be told it was closed today, we were surprised that he said 20 baht and that we would head right there. Only 5 minutes away. We climbed in.
Had we gotten a ride without the scams? How was this possible?
Candace said wait. I waited. She said hold on. I held on.
"Maybe we could stop on way to Grand Palace. I saw a sale on suits!" the tuk tuk driver said as he crossed 3 lanes of traffic while smiling back at us.
Yessssssss! The scam is on! Of course we put up a bit of an argument and finally agreed that we would stop at this wonderful sale he just happened to pass by this morning. The Grand Palace could wait for sale on suits. He very skillfully/luckily negotiated the tuk tuk down some side streets and parked in front of a large tailor shop. We were ushered inside by one of the smarmiest East Indian men I have ever met. Every iota of my being wanted to not go inside as he looked like he just might kill us for not buying something.
A bell rang when the door was open, causing everyone in the store to look over while putting on their best salespeople smiles. Of course introductions were made with everyone in the store as the Tuk Tuk driver
My Tuk Tuk
I had to buy one. was handed something and suits started being offered for us to look at. Tape measures snapped as they were pulled from around necks as the entire sales force moved in for the kill....I mean to measure a different part of me. Candace was pushed to the side as I was slowly backed into the corner of the store. Divide and conquer was their strategy. The questions were thrown at me about what I wanted, how long we were in Bangkok, where were we headed. They had divided and now they were trying to confuse me before conquering me. I jinked to the left to look at a pastel orange dress shirt, they swarmed towards me. I darted to the right, feeling the texture of some wool pinstriped pants, feigning delight at such nice material. They encircled around me. I told them
"I don't want to see anymore shirts", "of course, I like cuffed pants", "no I don't think yellow is my color", "maybe suspenders would be a great idea". They were so sure they could smell the sale, they had failed to notice Candace make her way to the door. Everything seemed to slow down at that point.
The chatter of the sales team disappeared and all I could here was my heart beating as I drew in a long deep breath.
Knowing in advance that being drawn into one of Thailand's most famous scams would require nerves of steel and a solid game plan, we had figured they would try to work on me to get the sale being it was a suit shop. This meant that Candace was our key out. She had to be able to stay close to the door. Our plan had worked. Nothing like scamming the scammers. All she had to do was open the door and say she was leaving and I would be able to make an excuse to follow her out. It was perfection at its finest. Candace turned the door knob and pushed.
Nothing happened.
She tried twisting the door knob the other way and pushed again. Nothing again.
I must have been staring at her for too long as the smarmy shop owner followed my gaze. He knew he had been had. He turned and started towards Candace who by now had realized that the door opened inward. As she turned the knob, he
reached out to try and stop the door from opening and hitting the ... bell.
Ting, Ting Ting The entire sales staff all turned on cue towards the door with their best salesperson smiles allowing me to escape around a table full of pants making my way to the door. As I passed, I noticed the confused look on their faces as they realized they had all been out witted. The owner was extremely mad as I brushed past him.
Candace and I jumped into the back of our Tuk Tuk, and held on as the driver sped off. The driver held up his fuel voucher while looking back at us and said "You two are very good!"
The Grand Palace
After being dropped off and paying our 20 baht, we followed the general flow of people towards what looked like a main entrance into the Palace. We quickly fell into step with what appeared to be a privately guided tour once we paid the entrance fee and were scrutinized to ensure that we met the dress code. We learnt quite a bit about the history regarding the GP and finally wore out our welcome
on the tour after asking several unrelated questions about Pad Thai noodle sizes. Being questioned if we had paid for the tour, I demanded an immediate refund. Funny how some people don't take to my kind of humor all to well.
Candace and I continued on through the Grand Palace, amazed at the grandiose colors and designs of all the mirrored and tiled buildings. I found the story told in mural form that flowed along the walls of the Palace yard to be quite riveting as were some of the statues. A person could have spent a week there just trying to soak it all in. Of course we made our way with everyone else around the compound. Very opulent and hot.
Wat Arun
Our next stop was to be the reclining Buddha but we somehow got turned around and went down a soi and ended up on a ferry to Wat Arun. 3 baht one way.
Wat Arun had less tourists there and we actually ran into some female monks (are they nuns here?) clad in white robes out sight seeing. We climbed up the
prang (tower) which is covered with bits of broken porcelain and
enjoyed a really nice but smoggy view of Bangkok. Candace and I got separated when she walked out one exit and I went out another. Although I swear I went back to where we last saw each other,she was convinced that I had ditched her and I had her passport and money. It was kinda nice to have her so close for the rest of the afternoon.
Wat Pho
After getting off the ferry, we lingered in a soi that appeared to be an open air warehouse. Bags of chilies, dried shrimp and tins of fresh crabs sat out with large scoops in them. A bulk store for Pad Thai carts. Very exciting to see the real Bangkok.
Being templed out but not wanting to miss out on the Reclining Buddha, we hurried to Wat Pho. We joined the long procession of people heading around the Buddha, stopping to take pictures of the inlaid mother of pearl feet and trying to get a shot of the Buddha in its entirety.
Khao San Road
After finally checking into the D&D and having a quick shower and drink we decided to explore the infamous road below.
Everything
I had ever heard or read about this backpacker's haven seems to have been true. I wasn't really surprised to see so many people of all different colors and nationalities. Nor was I surprised at the length that some of them were going to in the name of having a good time. What got me was that sooooo many of them thought that this was Thailand.
How wrong could a person be. This was a cheap albeit fun party street. Nothing more. Not that I am knocking it. I just hate hearing people talk like this is all this country is about.
We ended up doing several laps up and down the street. We stopped at every and I mean every stall to look at the same thing that last 30 had, we sat and had beers and a snack at one of the many restaurants watching people walk by.
While trying to ignore the rude European who kept blowing smoke into our faces from each one of the cigarettes he chain smoked, we were treated to several visits from Thais trying to sell everything from head wear, wicker mats, and of course that ubiquitous wooden frog with
ridges on it's back that "croaks" when you draw a wooden stick down its back. I quickly learned to despise this thing.
We were also treated to the ramblings of a dude from Australia that claimed to be a world traveler extraordinaire. Then we were audience to the rantings of some hard line Christians that were preaching fire and brimstone. We also watched some kick boxing in a soi down a few blocks.
After enjoying some house, techno and then trance at the Cave, we headed back to the D&D for some shut eye as we wanted to get an early start in the morning and head to MBK.
What a crazy city!
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