WAT PO AND TAKING A BOAT RIDE IN A MONSOON

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WAT PO AND TAKING A BOAT RIDE IN A MONSOON

PART 2

WAT PO

I wasn't sure if we were getting a little templed out or we were just hot and tired but i wasn't really getting a feel for watpo thats until we came upon the ' Reclining Buddha' It was really impressive i think because of the scale of it. It was Enormous and photos doesn't give it justice of the enormity or breadth of the reclining buddha. It was well worth the visit just to see that.

We took a ferry across a river for only a couple of baht and then we explored the markets and inner streets. As we delved deeper into the market we soon realised that the people also lived their aswell. people on stools watching television with their children, smell of dinner cooking away. I wanted to back track and leave because i felt we were intruding and the stifling air was overwhelming.

As we were walking down the street a thai family sitting around a table eating and drinking invited us over. We decided to have a beer with them for a small fee. The cold beer was so refreshing and we soon realised most of the family were quite drunk especially grandpa thai. he kept dangling his stern looking newborn baby in front of me. I tried making faces at the little angel but to no avail, it just frowned at me..It eventually did smile when the thai uncle put a unlit cigarette in its mouth and teasing it.

Before we went back to the hostel we just had time to go on a hour boat ride around chao praya river. The price cost 300 baht which is about £6 in english money. In the meantime we noticed the sky getting darker and darker but we were game for anything at that point. we were joined by an outgoing Austrailan couple on holiday. However fifteen minutes into the tour it began to rain, and i don't just mean pitti-patta pitti-patta rain it was heavy as you like torrential rain. We managed to get under a bridge but by the time we got there i was drenched to the skin. Driver and us knew it wouldn't stop so we carried on hoping for the best. I would also like to point out that i was the only one drinking a beer since i bought it froma floating shop before it started hacking it down.I think the weather made the trip more interesting because there wasn't really much to see onlydead floating animals and children throwing half eaten apples at us.

The weather became more and more menacing as time went by, so the driver was keen to get himself and us back quickly. He quickened his pace with cheers of encouragement from us, the cheers
spirited him on even faster until we heard a most dreadful crunching , snapping sound
originating from the back of the boat. We came to a stand still and i think all of us had wincing faces as if to say, " oops, that didn't sound good...."
we were stranded but not very long and we were rescued fairly quickly. I have a feeling that this sort of thing probably happens fairly often as i saw other boats get stuck or were struggling to move on the tour.

I was keen to return back to my hostel as i was very wet so we paid an extortionate amount of money to a tuk-tuk driver to take us to the wrong place ( damn you old man...) We finally got back
and I said farewells to Alistair and thanked him for a wonderful day. Its a good start to
my trip and I hope and pray there will be many more.

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