Advertisement
Published: April 13th 2009
Edit Blog Post
...And No .... We Are Not Being Shot At!!!! Over the last few days we have really realised how much the media can blow things out of proportion....
Landing in Bangkok was a lot easier than expected with dedicated lines to metered taxis and efficient baggage handlers. Leaving the airport.... no problems... finding the hostel.... still no problems. Started looking like a nice place when we found a local market selling $4 dinners just around the corner (and we weren't accosted by every suit shop on the way there.)
The first full day in Bangkok, we spent looking at Wats (or temples in english), with first stop being Wat Pho, the temple housing the Lying Buddha.
It's enormous.... probably measuring about 50m long and around 15m high. It is housed in a series of buildings with surrounding structures of equal magnificence, which we found to be the standard layout for all the Wats.
Wat Pho is right next to the Grand Palace, which is where we encountered our first scam...
Do Not Believe Anyone That Tells You Something Is Closed!!! According to this gentleman the Grand Palace was closed today and we would have to
see some different one's.... which he was quite happy to take us to if we stopped in at a local suit shop on the way. For 40 baht ($1.70) we didn't mind too much so we jumped in. About half way through the rain started to really come down, and I'm not just talking for a few minutes. By the time we got to the second Wat it was a swimming lesson to get in and see the shrine. Knee deep in water and soaked to the bone, we persevered and ended up seeing a bunch of Wats and even Parliament House (where the protests were supposed to be..... I say supposed because it was barricaded off but there was no-one in sight!!!) and the Zoo. The driver recommended a place for lunch and when we came back out he was nowhere to be seen. Now we did do the right thing and wait around for him to come back for nearly an hour before getting another tuk-tuk back to the hostel. So in actual fact we payed 0 baht (for those hard of understanding that's $0) for a full day of sightseeing!!!!
The next day dawned better, so
we were off to see more of the city and it's Wats. We also managed to purchase tickets at Thonburi train station as we needed to be there Tuesday to go to Kanchanaburi. A Bangkok version of a longtail boat ride and a couple of taxis and temples later and we were done for the day.
Today we woke to messages and emails from everywhere saying "Are we alive?" basically.... the answer "Yes...Why?" ...
And so it began.... Smart Traveller (the government website) escalated it's idea of Thailand to a high degree of caution.... something to do with the protests and evacuation of all those politicians I'd say. By the afternoon, it was saying do not go to Thailand unless absolutely necessary and if there already, stay in your hotel or hostel!! We decided
stuff it and went to Khao Sahn Rd!!!
My God... people everywhere with water, flour, and generally having a good time!! It was like an impromptu rave held on a mass scale!!! On the way home, we passed 2 burnt out buses (the first proper sign of any turmoil) but still came home grinning ear to ear!!!
So for all those worried
about us.... tomorrow we leave Bangkok for the West..... Tiger Temples, waterfalls, and the River Kwai.
Don't worry.... the media over exaggerates... and all you need to do is be vigilant (kind of like anywhere you go that's far from home).
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing." -- Helen Keller
Advertisement
Tot: 0.345s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 10; qc: 62; dbt: 0.1807s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb