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Published: October 3rd 2007
The Route
(Image courtesy of GAP Adventures), booked with
GAP Adventures.
Day 1-2 Bangkok: There are no planned activities for the arrival day except for a group meeting in the evening. Spend the day relaxing and adjusting to the frenetic pace and humid heat of Bangkok.
On Day 2, begin with a one-hour long tail boat tour of Bangkok's famous klongs, or canals. A guided visit through Wat Po will introduce you to the Thai and Buddhist culture. There will still be time for some afternooon shopping or a visit to Grand Palace and Wat Phra Keow before heading to the train station to board our overnight train to Chiang Mai. Monday 1st OK, so now is maybe the point to confess that I think I fell for the
famous Thai gem scam... Embarrassing to admit, but if this stops anyone else getting caught in the trap (I wasn't aware of it.. Just the possibility of bag snatches - this seems worse, I gave my money away)... They are very smooth and mine was textbook (see link). Fortunately not too big a transaction (can get caught with up to GBP2500), so after hiding in my hotel for the morning - trying to relax by the pool with
Marian Keyes, I headed out for the Khao San road to use the internet and find out what I could about the note I'd belatedly seen on the GAP noticeboard. I went past my Tuk-Tuk driver who greeted me happily.. Unsurprisingly, but ignored him and typed in 'thai gem scam' into Google and sure enough plenty of information on a 20 year old scam.
Didn't seem to be much that could do about it so had a good look round the Road - plenty of book exchanges, backpacker 'bargains', branch of
Boots (pretty much same prices or cheaper), found 3 sew-on badges (my big collection aim), and a brief sandwich.
Headed back to the hotel, tried ringing Kym (to be our leader) re scam and she said didn't think was much could be done. Went to room - Cassandra my Canadian roommate was there... We chatted for a couple of hours - she'd managed to shake-off the tailoring scam by a tuk-tuk driver.
7pm we headed down for group meeting. Our group consists of Kym (Australia, tour leader), Ricky & Lynn (UK), John & Noleen (Eire), Cassandra, Amanda and Vittorio (Canada), and Leese (USA). We introduced ourselves and
handed over local payments/passports for Laos visa. Received tips and timetables - only 5 passengers doing the 29 days as are also 3 smaller trips co-running.
We then headed out for dinner - total 75 Baht for meal (about GBP1.10). Option to go out for drinks but a) on antibiotics so can't drink b) tired so just head to 7/11 for some snack food and head to bed early. Unfortunately remain wide awake, so finished reading another fiction book (the one I got free with the magazine)... But finally got maybe 5-6 hours sleep.
Tuesday 2nd So, first full day GAP Adventures style! We have to be packed and in the lobby by 8.45, so alarm goes off hour earlier, have a quick shower, leave all pretty much packed and go down for breakfast - pretty average! Move stuff to room next-door to current room for storage for the day...
Our tour guide 'Tai' arrives - wearing a yellow t-shirt as many others in October in honour of the King's birthday. She gives us each a map of Bangkok, then we head out across the busy, polluted road. Walking not too far through some backstreets we come
out next to the New Siam Riverside... That 100 Baht taxi ride really was excessive! We head down to the docks where we are to board a long boat... And Tai explains the meaning of the 7 different colours of t-shirts which Thais traditionally wear.
Some inelegance later and we're on the waterways - trying to avoid the dirty water spraying into the face. Twists and turns past both nice and dilapidated buildings - seeing other boats (some more tourists, 'shop' boats, refuse boats...) and life on-going at the edge of the canals. About halfway round we stop to feed 'lucky' bread to the fish - amazing to see them churn the water - then continue past
Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) - the original symbol for Bangkok as this is what foreigners (Farang) first see as they headed in the city via the waterways. We stop outside
Wat Po, heading in to see the (3rd?) largest reclining Budda in (the world/Thailand?) - a few photos and explanations later, there's an opportunity to donate to the Monk's alm pots. Into another building, another Buddha - explained the significance of the different positions they take - dependent on history/days of the
week, etc. Asked why some can be photographed and some not - thinking would be for religious reasons, but apparently it's all about conservation! Onto another Buddha - only 1%!i(MISSING)n the world are in this pose (arms crossed) - each Buddhist would expect to visit this Wat at least once in their lifetime. There was then an option to go for a Thai massage - after seeing couple of wall-paintings/statues explaining its origins.
Couple of people went for a massage and rest of us continued to the
Grand Palace - I was told the inside was amazing and hadn't had time last time. But... You can't actually see inside. Oh well, got to do a couple of silly poses, see some things that had bene closed previously, experienced my first squat toilet (oh joy, and we have plenty to come), then found Magnum as a treat (in the heat). Had a quick look round the coins collection - not really my thing (although I know Pam's dad would love it) - so 10 minutes and a couple of postcards later I head back to the hotel dodging the girl trying to put birdseed (I think) in my arms.
Back in the hotel, 5 min chat with Leese who had her camera stolen in Ko Phi Phi on the way in. Picked up the magazine and 3 books had already read and headed for
Khao San Road. Got 300 Baht for books, towards 2 books @ 250 Baht each, then into the internet café... By this point must be something different in purposefulness of walking as don't seem to get accosted as much! Sorted out some financials - uploaded remaining pre-GAP pictures (takes a while). Checked out an Air Asia flight to Krabi - 599 Baht, but decide to check with nearby travel agent (they seemd busy which took as good sign) as coins for internet had run out. She was friendly & helpful and didn't seem to be out to TAKE... Found a flight back from Phuket which arrives in time to check in for Singapore flight (no need to go back into Bangkok which is what I was really hoping for!). Apparently Thai Airways are 'always on time' - but there's 4.5 hours so time for bit of delay... As Kym had said, Thai people always want to 'help' so will say yes even if not really - said
I had to go by 4.10pm otherwise would miss the overnight train to Chiang Mai. By 4.20 was done - ran back to hotel (so hot!), grabbed back and just in time for taxi to train station.
Flights are:
30/10/07: FD3167, Bangkok to Krabi, 1320-1440 (Air Asia)
10/11/07: TG226, Phuket to Bangkok, 0725-0850 (Thai Airways)
The taxi was on the meter (you really have to INSIST), and was only 50 Baht to the train station. We now had 1/2 hour @ train station so Kym sat with bags. Few food/book shops - found a 'Groovy Map & Guide' to Phuket - want same for Krabi so will have to keep an eye out.
After Kym had said Monday evening that street stuff was OK, identified a fast selling stall and had sausage wrapped in bacon = nice! Head for
train with allocated seats, which about 9pm will turn into beds. We settle down, order some food for 8pm (train leaves 6pm) (90 Baht for soup/Thai curry) - then have a long discussion on linguistic differences between all of us with our English languages... Lots of laughter! Food arrives 830pm, soup is disgusting, green curry OK and rice
cold. Cassandra didn't get what she ordered but the waiter swore that the rice was chicken - but no, not paying for that! He did not look impressed but their fault!I I had a 1000 Baht note but he didn't want to change it so not paid yet...
Beds were made up - quite impressed (and John said was much better than the couchettes he'd had when inter-railing in Europe. Some school type giggling as curtains drawn - tried to get to sleep but once again it's not coming - not helped by intermittently screaming child so wrote some notes.
Toilets on the train were - um - interesting! One Squat and one Western style - which stank... But for a change didn't have to remember to throw toilet paper in a bin because of the poor drains...
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Karen
non-member comment
Awesom
Thanks Bex for the journal update! Photos are grand. Good to see what you are up to. Am printing off to show other people when they ask me how you are doing! Safe travels and thinking of you xx xx