Thailand - Day 2 Travel Forum

Its 1030am here and hot, hot, hot. I woke up at 5am after falling asleep in my stinky shoebox at 630 last night. I was so tired that if I had flung myself over a clothes line, I would have slept well. I only woke up once at 1am and for a couple of seconds, didn't know where I was, then it hit me - I'm in Bangkok!

My bed is really hard - it has no bounce at all so no playing trampolines. But it was extremely comfortable. The 2 pillows are like sacks of sand but also comfy. The bed has a bottom sheet with stains on it that I don't even want to think about and there is a thin blue blanket (not needed at all!) with dozens of puncture marks from cigarette burns. The pillows also have dark, blood like stains on them but I'm telling myself they're coffee stains. I'm really not too concerned, it's all part of the adventure. Also, I can't expect much when I'm paying peanuts. I can just imagine what some of you are thinking when you're reading this! Is she crazy - probably am but I'm having a hoot of a time. Its amazing what you will tolerate away from home.

Did I mention the bathroom which was described as an ensuite? The loo has so many cracks in the seat that my bum gets pinched every time I stand up and the shower is just a short hose attached to the wall. I didn't even think there was a shower when I first looked. I stand in the middle of the bathroom after having first squished myself on top of the loo in order to shut the door, turn the tap and hope that the 3 weak trickles of water actually reach my body and get me wet. Washing my hair last night took careful planning at an advanced engineering level. The bathroom is so small that I would break my arms at the elbows if I stretched them out. All I can say is its lucky I've lost weight!

I went for brek at 7am this morning to a place I'd been walking passed yesterday that was always packed. I was surprised how many travellers were up and about that early but it was bloody hot even at that hour. Maybe that's why people were up so early - too hot in their own shoeboxes.

It is so noisy here. All the cafes along this road have music playing, most have movies playing at the same time, street stalls selling cds have music pumping, tons of people on the tiny, cramped footpaths and on the road dodging the ever present taxis, motorbikes, tuk tuks. And the smell - it's a mixture of pollution, exhaust fumes, exotic food cooking, sweaty people, humidity, rundown buildings and unroadworthy vehicles. I don't find it at all repulsive, the opposite actually. The smell confirms for me that this is real, that I'm really here and not just in a suburb of Melbourne that I've never been to. Honolulu has a distinct smell as well - tropical and humid. When I got up this morning, I opened my totally not burglar proof window and had a huge sniff of Bangkok. God knows what I actually inhaled but I don't want to shut myself away from what some may say are Bangkok's less than pleasant features. I want to experience it all.

I would like to take some photos of this road to show you what its like but they would not do it justice - it is noisy, smelly, crowded, hot - crazy. It is totally out of control and bursting at the seams. I have got to come back here one day because I don't ever want to forget what it's like and how it's made me feel. I have never been anywhere like it. I feel totally awake, alive, exhilarated, heart pounding constantly, nearly jumping out of my skin. It is so raw here - on the edge, exciting with the ever present hint of possible danger - that you don't really know what you'll find down that alley you've just entered, maybe you'll get donked on the head, sold to slave traders and end up chained to a bed in some far off country; and what is behind that person's smile, what are they really thinking; you want to be trusting but know that you shouldn't; you don't know how many hundreds of people have slept in your bed before you and just how clean is that mattress anyway! I love it this place and I'm having the time of my life!

I'm flying to Koh Phangan tomorrow morning to soak up the rays that have finally come back (skin cancer, come over here and give me a hug). Speaking of which, I bought a bottle of water yesterday and it said on it that it was ozone filtered. What does that mean? Do they shoot the bottles off into space and then when they are making their way back to earth, they get filtered through the ozone layer? Who knows - I can't be bothered thinking about it. It's too hot and the steamy street is calling me to come out and play, live and spend. So I can't disappoint.

Posted By RDownie on Friday 4th May 2007 @ 11:27:58

Updated : Monday 6th August 2007 @ 21:52:13 | Words : 890 | Views : 115 | Comments : 0

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