Buses, boats and the BTS

Bangkok, baby. I'm still waiting for my one night. At the moment, I'm trying to wait out the excess bass coming from the go go bar below. If I try to sleep now I'll just get upset. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em, right? Unfortunately, the red bull didn't work and I'm out of gas. Just too tired to give a shit. Besides, what good is it to look at these girls? Get all riled up for nothing. Hopefully it'll stop at 2am, but I have my doubts.

Instead, as my eyes fail me, I'll try to recap my day, in the smallest nutshell I can. It all began with a local bus ride. I took the number 8 bus, probably the oldest looking local bus I've seen in Bangkok, to Bang Kapi. It took about an hour. I was going to Ramkanhaang Hospital to get some moles checked out, particularly one near my hairline, which seemed to be turning black. I told the woman, the money collector on the bus, I was going to Ramkanhaang Road and didn't know where to get off.

She said something like the following. ขึ้นรถบัสจนกว่าคุณจะเห็น Happyland มันจะเกี่ยวกับสิบห้านาทีลงที่ถนนและบนซ้ายของคุณ รับออกรถที่จุดนั้นและข้ามถนนและขอให้คนอื่นสำหรับเส้นทางเพิ่มเติม. I understood that Happyland was relevant, whatever it was and hoped that it was in fact going to appear somewhere outside the bus window. A short time later we passed a Foodland. Surprised, I looked back at her in case that was what she meant. She wasn't looking at me so I assumed it wasn't.

A bit later, I saw Happyland scrawled in graffiti on the side of some building. Random I thought. Surely she wasn't telling me to look for graffiti, but again I looked back at her for reassurance. She wasn't looking in my direction. Eventually, I recognized The Mall at Bang Kapi and it seemed that nearly everyone had exited the bus by this point. And then, I saw it. Happyland. Relief. It was now my turn to get off.

I crossed the street and went over to the mall and apparently asked the right person for directions. Soon I was at the hospital on the other side of the khlong (canal). A couple hours for the procedure and a hundred bucks later it was time to get out of the overly air-conditioned hospital. Glad to get that finished. I followed the friendly information guy's overly detailed map to the khlong and immediately got on the arriving boat and was on my way just like that.

The khlong is pretty amazing, just like all of the public transport options in Bangkok. Going down the canal I know I was getting a little feces sprayed in my face, but thankfully the smell was only in the air and not on you. Anyway, nothing a little anti-bacterial wipe couldn't fix. Besides, it's public transport on the water. Cool. I'm sure after a week I'd be complaining about the hard wooden benches and the loud engine, but at the time of this writing it's still a pretty unique way to get around. It would be fun to be the driver for a day. The paycheck might not be so enjoyable to receive though.

I changed boats at Pratuman Station (Siam Square) and continued on to Pan Fah Station. Yeah, it means nothing to me as well, I was just following a roughly drawn map. From there, I ignored the tuk tuk drivers and people wanting to know Where you go? I was walking to Khao San Road for old time's sake. Just to take it in for a minute, get some street food and feel the energy.

But first I had to walk down one of the hugest streets in Bangkok. I only surmise, but with about 7 lanes in either direction, I think I might be right. On the way, I picked up an ice-blended green tea bubble tea. It was what all the schoolgirls were drinking. And then veered onto Khao San and bought a cup of boiled peanuts. I passed all the familiar sights and then passed the hotels I remembered staying in. And decided to have an early dinner. It was 4pm.

Tofu and vegetable red curry for 30 baht - a ridiculously under-priced and delicious curry with brown rice for a dollar. Incredible. I almost felt bad for spending so little so I ordered an iced coffee. Add another 20B. Fully satiated, I continued my walk to the end of the street and circled back in a different direction past new but familiar sights, starting to feel the ache in my feet and eventually finding my way back to the khlong, sweaty and tired and ready for a lie down.

The khlong took me back to Siam Square. From there, I walked in the wrong direction for five minutes and then decide to ask for directions. Where's the Sky Train? Also known as the BTS (Bangkok Mass Transit System). So I retrace my steps back to where I got off the boat and looked for the enormous concrete structure that is the Sky Train. I eventually get up on it and have to walk for what seemed like over a kilometer to get to the station. Really incredible. I'm impressed, but exhausted by Bangkok.

It is now rush hour, I'm walking behind slow people and I have to pee. I just want to get back to my hotel, take off my shoes and relax. But that takes time. Fortunately, I get on the first train despite the long lines. Imagine that Vietnam, lines!! And the people even waited for the passengers to get off before boarding. How civilized. Bangkok is a very agreeable city and I think I could live here. I think.

The train is super efficient and comfortable. A good place to watch people too. And upon arrival at Sapan Khwai, my stop, I descended the escalator and then got stuck in foot traffic on the way back to my hotel. Stuck behind numerous people, trying to get around them when I could, but also sneaking a peek at what various vendors had for sale. Always wanting to try something I haven't tried before. Of course, I also check into a 7/11 for some water and a light snack and soon enough I'm back in my room kicking off my shoes and running for the toilet. 

A fun day not really seeing anything or checking anything off a list, but that's the way I like it. Been there, seen that. Fuck that. Of course there are some things you must see, but in general I'm all about being and not doing. I'd rather sit in a coffee shop and watch the world go by or eat some street food and talk to the person preparing it. So today, I got a better feeling for this great city. Nice vibe. Immensely overwhelming at times, but I think if you had your own area to call home it would reduce the enormity to a bearable level. Anyway, dig it. Who knows, maybe I will one day call Bangkok my home.