Continuing my travel series...
Ko Chang and back to Bangkok (again!)
It's not that I love Bangkok (well I do really like it here) why I keep coming back it is as I am using it as the centre point of my trip and will keep coming back.
I decided I would go to Ko Chang as I couldn't get a train to the south and I wasn't feeling that sure about being in Bangkok as of the troubles with the red shirts and protests. It's a good job I left. The same day that I left it came to a head and ended up in riots on the KSR with 21 people dying and over 800 injured. Was speaking to a girl I met on KSR and she said it was quite scary.
Anyway, I was told it would take 7 hours to get to Ko Chang from Bangkok...pah! More like 12. It wasn't a too bad journey. I went by VIP bus and could spread out and was air conditioned. As I didn't sleep that much the night before I was able to sleep most of the way there so I didn't mind too much. Infact I was quite enjoying the bus ride as of the aircon!
So I arrive in Ko Chang at about 18.30. I find somewhere to stay and haggle with the owner. I have a cute bungalow as close to the sea as you can be. Didn't have aircon and had a stupid fan but it wasn't that bad. I didn't really do that much in Ko Chang. The first day I decided to have a walk to the beach. Had a swim in the sea and spent a couple of hours lounging around (it's what I am best at). When the shade started to go I decided to have a walk back in to the town and go to the place I spyed with a pool. Lovely!
The next day I did pretty much the same but it was the start of Thai New year celebrations. It is Songkran which is a 4 day festival. I got out the pool and decided to dry off. Mistake! I got about 10metres down the road when all these people just came at me with water guns and buckets of water. Drenched! I thought if can't beat them join them so brought myself a gun for 50p which was stollen by a little kid and she gave me the dog bowel she was using. Things started to take a more sinister turn...ice! So the water was not a refreshing splash any more but bloody freezing. I don't know how there were not any accidents on the road as motorbikes were swerving etc. It was accident waiting to happen really! Every car, taxi, motorbike and person that went by you shoot or throw water at. Taxis were most fun as you would have people cowering in the back wanting to stay dry. It was so much fun.
I then made my way back to Bangkok as have an overnight train to Krabi tonight and being as though is new year I thought the traffic would be worse so didn't want to risk not being back in time to get train. So staying on KSR again. Amazing! I thought it was pretty mad in Ko Chang. Here you are immediatly covered in flour and drenched as soon as you leave the guest house. Don't know how I am going to manage to get to train station without getting wet. I am in air con carriage and don't wanna be sitting soaking wet in it as I'll be cold!
Before I go I am going to go hang out in KSR again and get wet and wet other people. It's just one big water fight. It beats UK new year so much. I love how nice everyone is to one another and as you walk down the road you have people just throwing their arms around you giving you a hug.
So off to Krabi tonight. Not sure where I am going. Think I will have one night in Krabi itself and then move on to more beach areas.
xxxxxx
Showing posts with label Bangkok. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bangkok. Show all posts
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Sunday, 19 June 2011
I Went East 2
Continuing on from my last posts about a month ago about my travels..
Ayutthaya and back to Bangkok
Ended up only staying one night in Bangkok and a good night it was. Decided I was going to chill out and just watch everything go by and soak it all in when i was joined by 3 guys from Hungary. We got talking and the drinks started flowing. Although I only actually paid for one! Ended up in this weird Irish bar, it was air conditioned so I wasn't complaining. They had a live band on which was 5 Thai men doing indie/rock tributes. They were actually quite good and the 4 of us had a great laugh dancing around. We were joined by these Thai girls...and no it wasn't what you are thinking. They were students on a night out in Bangkok. Had a really good night but come 2am I was flagging and the music went crap (chavy city centre bar crap) and the travels were catching up on me. So off to bed I went. Considering I didn't have air conditioning I slept really well, it was probably a mixture of alcohol and being exhausted though.
So I catch the train to Ayutthaya, it is a UNESCO hertiage site. Loads of ancient Khemer ruins that were quite interesting. Basically I rented a bike and biked round the different temples. It was quite nice. Being as though I had an air conditioned room for the same as I was paying for fan room in Bangkok I decided that I would stay there for 3 nights. Ayutthaya is quite a quiet place. Well quite is an understatement. The first night I was there I decided to go to the night markets and have dinner. Cheaper than chips! Although, I did draw quite abit of a crowd as I had my dinner. I ordered something that was described as hot and spicy...and it was!. I had people looking at me and I could tell they were thinking stupid pasty white girl.But it was yummy and was about 70p with rice and a water. My lips were burning an hour later though.
After a day of sight seeing I decided I was going to go to an area that they call little Khao San Road. I was thinking that there may be a few people around. I sat my self in a restaurant...I was the only person in the place. I had looked in other places and they were also empty so I had to break my usual rule of going where is busy and went for going where is cheap and I like the look of the menu. It was quite early though but I was quite tired so I thought I would go back to the guesthouse and read for a bit...I have started reading Twilight and unfortunately I am loving it so means I am going to be having to track down the others while I am out here!
On my third day I didn't really do anything. Just went for a wander and got some supplies. Oh and I went to Tesco! Yep...they have Tesco's here also. You know how I love a good tesco shopping trip. I was thinking I would grab myself a few cold beers and some water but when I went to pay she said I couldn't have the beer until 5pm...it was about 11am. SO came out with just a bottle of water. So that evening I decided I would go back to little KSR a little later and see what it was like. It was even worse. There was hardly anyone around. I grabbed some dinner and went back to the guest house with a couple of cans and sat on the balcony and read.
I quite liked the guest house I was staying in although I had some confusion over the name of it. On my first evening there I went out and got a tad lost. I had lost the map the guesthouse guy had wrote on and found another one but I was guessing where the road I was on was. So asking people how I got back to it. Asking them if they knew where SaunBaun guesthouse was and I was getting loads of blank looks and people wondering what on earth I was on about. After about asking the 6th person he said do you mean Baun Su-an. I was like yeah that's the one. So I was asking people for directions to a place that didn't even exist. Even after this I was still struggling. I had the name although the pronunciation had nto be spot on for people to understand. In the end a moto taxi driver said I could follow him for 20BHT after he had told me the same directions over and over again. I am thinking I have biked down there about 4 times already surly he is not right! Well Yup, he was right. I was looking on the wrong side of the road. What a waste of 40p but it got me back. It was just around the corner. The only problem with the guest house was that I was woken each morning at sunrise by dogs howling. They made such a weird noise and was quite eery. Everyplace seems to have a dog that barked at me as walked past. I had one dog chase me when I was on the bike. I don't like animals over here...they may have rabies. Actually I am not keen on animals full stop never mind possible rabid ones!
So now I am back in Bangkok for the night and I am going to sort out onward travel for tomorrow. My plan was to head on down to Ko Samui on the overnight train tonight. Forgetting it is Thai new year from the 11th April so everyone is trying to get away. I was at the station in ticket office and the guy said I could get on the train at 5pm tonight. I said ok. So out I run to get a Tuk tuk and haggle with the price and said for him to step on it. And he did. So I made it back to visa place hoping my passport would be back. No it wasn't due back til 6. So another mad rush back to the train station so I can postpone my ticket rather than losing 690BHT (about 14quid). Made it with minutes to spare. I have postponed it until the 14th April to go to Ko Samui and in the interim I am going to try and arrange to get a bus to Ko Chang or Ko Samet tomorrow so I can get some beach time. They heat is just making me want to laze on the beach or by a pool and relax a little before going mad moving everywhere. So I plan to do the north when Raq leaves me on June 19th - July 1st.
So that has been my first few days...not done a lot but it has been quite interesting also. I will blog again after where I decide to go.
xxx
Ayutthaya and back to Bangkok
Ended up only staying one night in Bangkok and a good night it was. Decided I was going to chill out and just watch everything go by and soak it all in when i was joined by 3 guys from Hungary. We got talking and the drinks started flowing. Although I only actually paid for one! Ended up in this weird Irish bar, it was air conditioned so I wasn't complaining. They had a live band on which was 5 Thai men doing indie/rock tributes. They were actually quite good and the 4 of us had a great laugh dancing around. We were joined by these Thai girls...and no it wasn't what you are thinking. They were students on a night out in Bangkok. Had a really good night but come 2am I was flagging and the music went crap (chavy city centre bar crap) and the travels were catching up on me. So off to bed I went. Considering I didn't have air conditioning I slept really well, it was probably a mixture of alcohol and being exhausted though.
So I catch the train to Ayutthaya, it is a UNESCO hertiage site. Loads of ancient Khemer ruins that were quite interesting. Basically I rented a bike and biked round the different temples. It was quite nice. Being as though I had an air conditioned room for the same as I was paying for fan room in Bangkok I decided that I would stay there for 3 nights. Ayutthaya is quite a quiet place. Well quite is an understatement. The first night I was there I decided to go to the night markets and have dinner. Cheaper than chips! Although, I did draw quite abit of a crowd as I had my dinner. I ordered something that was described as hot and spicy...and it was!. I had people looking at me and I could tell they were thinking stupid pasty white girl.But it was yummy and was about 70p with rice and a water. My lips were burning an hour later though.
After a day of sight seeing I decided I was going to go to an area that they call little Khao San Road. I was thinking that there may be a few people around. I sat my self in a restaurant...I was the only person in the place. I had looked in other places and they were also empty so I had to break my usual rule of going where is busy and went for going where is cheap and I like the look of the menu. It was quite early though but I was quite tired so I thought I would go back to the guesthouse and read for a bit...I have started reading Twilight and unfortunately I am loving it so means I am going to be having to track down the others while I am out here!
On my third day I didn't really do anything. Just went for a wander and got some supplies. Oh and I went to Tesco! Yep...they have Tesco's here also. You know how I love a good tesco shopping trip. I was thinking I would grab myself a few cold beers and some water but when I went to pay she said I couldn't have the beer until 5pm...it was about 11am. SO came out with just a bottle of water. So that evening I decided I would go back to little KSR a little later and see what it was like. It was even worse. There was hardly anyone around. I grabbed some dinner and went back to the guest house with a couple of cans and sat on the balcony and read.
I quite liked the guest house I was staying in although I had some confusion over the name of it. On my first evening there I went out and got a tad lost. I had lost the map the guesthouse guy had wrote on and found another one but I was guessing where the road I was on was. So asking people how I got back to it. Asking them if they knew where SaunBaun guesthouse was and I was getting loads of blank looks and people wondering what on earth I was on about. After about asking the 6th person he said do you mean Baun Su-an. I was like yeah that's the one. So I was asking people for directions to a place that didn't even exist. Even after this I was still struggling. I had the name although the pronunciation had nto be spot on for people to understand. In the end a moto taxi driver said I could follow him for 20BHT after he had told me the same directions over and over again. I am thinking I have biked down there about 4 times already surly he is not right! Well Yup, he was right. I was looking on the wrong side of the road. What a waste of 40p but it got me back. It was just around the corner. The only problem with the guest house was that I was woken each morning at sunrise by dogs howling. They made such a weird noise and was quite eery. Everyplace seems to have a dog that barked at me as walked past. I had one dog chase me when I was on the bike. I don't like animals over here...they may have rabies. Actually I am not keen on animals full stop never mind possible rabid ones!
So now I am back in Bangkok for the night and I am going to sort out onward travel for tomorrow. My plan was to head on down to Ko Samui on the overnight train tonight. Forgetting it is Thai new year from the 11th April so everyone is trying to get away. I was at the station in ticket office and the guy said I could get on the train at 5pm tonight. I said ok. So out I run to get a Tuk tuk and haggle with the price and said for him to step on it. And he did. So I made it back to visa place hoping my passport would be back. No it wasn't due back til 6. So another mad rush back to the train station so I can postpone my ticket rather than losing 690BHT (about 14quid). Made it with minutes to spare. I have postponed it until the 14th April to go to Ko Samui and in the interim I am going to try and arrange to get a bus to Ko Chang or Ko Samet tomorrow so I can get some beach time. They heat is just making me want to laze on the beach or by a pool and relax a little before going mad moving everywhere. So I plan to do the north when Raq leaves me on June 19th - July 1st.
So that has been my first few days...not done a lot but it has been quite interesting also. I will blog again after where I decide to go.
xxx
Saturday, 4 June 2011
I Went East
Transferring my blog over to here a bit at a time...
Nearly Packed...
I have nearly packed. I didn't realise how hard it would be to get 3 months in to one bag. Obviously I plan on doing washing and not taking 3 months worth of new clothes. But those who know me will know I can not travel light. It is a near possibility. I take a suitcase when I go for one night somewhere, so then tell me I have to get a variety of clothes in a bag that I need to carry for 3 months and we have a slight problem. Those who have ever been anywhere with me then they will also know before going anywhere I change outfits about 3-4 times.
I have reluctantly given up on the hairdryer...big frizzy hair here I come! But I really can not think of things I can cut down on. My mum said she will help me cut down on things. I am not giving up shoes, and I need my 3 pairs of trousers, 3 pairs of leggings. Is 10 t-shirts excessive? Maybe I don't need all the dresses/tunics, and the purple silk dress? But dam it. I have brought them I will dam well wear them! Arghhhh!!!! I don't like this whole packing malarky!!!!! I have a weight limit to be under though. And I would like some space just incase I buy anything. Unlikely as money will be tight!
Anyone fancy being my own personal porter? No money paid but you will get the pleasure of my company. Maybe the odd moan.
How the hell am I going to manage?
5th Apr 2010
Made it and cor blimey it is rather warm!
I made it. After over 24 hours of travel I made it to Bangkok. My body clock is really messed up and trying to stay up til later and go to bed at a normal time so that I can get used to it quickly. It will mean though that I have not slept since Saturday night and that was only for 4 hours, Think I am running on excitement of being here though. Staying in the main backpacker area of the Khao San Road. Loads of tourists but it has a really nice vibe to the area. The flight was pretty uneventful apart from when checking in the guy asked where my Visa was as return is not until 1st July and to stay here 3 months you need to apply in advance apparentely. Anyway after nearly having a heart attack and getting worried I'd be back in Nottingham by Sunday night I remembered that I had printed off my internal flight confirmations for the flight to Vietnam. Luckily it was all ok. Then I was worried at this end the Thai authorities would be a bit questionning of my plans etc, but there was nothing. He stamped my passport and waved me through.
We were delayed slightly. We were put on the plane and were told there was technical problems which would take about 50 mins to sort out. So sat there with nothing to do. Then from Abu Dhabi were also delayed as another flight we were waiting on was also delayed. So hit Bangkok rush hour traffic! Oh joy!
I can't get over how quiet this place seems. I remember it being really noisy and awful. But comparing it to Mumbai and Delhi it's country driving. They don't incestently beep their horns and they just sit out the traffic jam. Seems so peaceful compared to India.
Spent about an hour looking for a room that was not extortionate or really horrible. Paying about 6pounds a night for a fan room which is more than I want to be paying but it is Bangkok so is slightly more expensive than everywhere else. It's ok though. Sharing a bathroom but it's a massive bed in a spacious clean room. The bathrooms are really clean also. One I looked at was gross. It was a single bed in the tiniest darkest room. Imagine the film The Beach at the beginning where he was in Bangkok and that was basically it. It's quite weird being back here. It's 6 years since I was here last but I remember where I stayed and how things were.
It is sooooooo hot! According to this is is 36c and cloudy....it's not. It is nearer to 40c and sunny. The cold shower was lovely. Don't need hot water when it is like this. I am a shiny freak at the moment. Need to get used to the heat.
So far being on my own is ok. Ok, I know I have only been here 7 hours but I've met some people already. Although they did seem to only talk about how wasted they have been getting and how off their faces on mushrooms and other stuff that could put you in a nice Thai prison for eternity. Seemed rather young in their approach to things.
Just went for a really nice lunch. Thai green curry with loads of veg in. With 2 drinks and the curry and rice it was just over 2pounds. Nom nom nom!
Not sure what I am going to do next whether or not I am leaving tomorrow and going further north or hanging around here. I need to leave my passport with the embassy while they process my visa which takes about 3-4 working days. I need to find out if I can leave bangkok really. If not I will probably move away from KSR area as is quite over priced. Want to visit a few places near by but also want to go to the north. I suppose I could always do that once Rach has returned home.
Will blog again soon when I have actually done something of interest!
xxxx
Nearly Packed...
I have nearly packed. I didn't realise how hard it would be to get 3 months in to one bag. Obviously I plan on doing washing and not taking 3 months worth of new clothes. But those who know me will know I can not travel light. It is a near possibility. I take a suitcase when I go for one night somewhere, so then tell me I have to get a variety of clothes in a bag that I need to carry for 3 months and we have a slight problem. Those who have ever been anywhere with me then they will also know before going anywhere I change outfits about 3-4 times.
I have reluctantly given up on the hairdryer...big frizzy hair here I come! But I really can not think of things I can cut down on. My mum said she will help me cut down on things. I am not giving up shoes, and I need my 3 pairs of trousers, 3 pairs of leggings. Is 10 t-shirts excessive? Maybe I don't need all the dresses/tunics, and the purple silk dress? But dam it. I have brought them I will dam well wear them! Arghhhh!!!! I don't like this whole packing malarky!!!!! I have a weight limit to be under though. And I would like some space just incase I buy anything. Unlikely as money will be tight!
Anyone fancy being my own personal porter? No money paid but you will get the pleasure of my company. Maybe the odd moan.
How the hell am I going to manage?
5th Apr 2010
Made it and cor blimey it is rather warm!
I made it. After over 24 hours of travel I made it to Bangkok. My body clock is really messed up and trying to stay up til later and go to bed at a normal time so that I can get used to it quickly. It will mean though that I have not slept since Saturday night and that was only for 4 hours, Think I am running on excitement of being here though. Staying in the main backpacker area of the Khao San Road. Loads of tourists but it has a really nice vibe to the area. The flight was pretty uneventful apart from when checking in the guy asked where my Visa was as return is not until 1st July and to stay here 3 months you need to apply in advance apparentely. Anyway after nearly having a heart attack and getting worried I'd be back in Nottingham by Sunday night I remembered that I had printed off my internal flight confirmations for the flight to Vietnam. Luckily it was all ok. Then I was worried at this end the Thai authorities would be a bit questionning of my plans etc, but there was nothing. He stamped my passport and waved me through.
We were delayed slightly. We were put on the plane and were told there was technical problems which would take about 50 mins to sort out. So sat there with nothing to do. Then from Abu Dhabi were also delayed as another flight we were waiting on was also delayed. So hit Bangkok rush hour traffic! Oh joy!
I can't get over how quiet this place seems. I remember it being really noisy and awful. But comparing it to Mumbai and Delhi it's country driving. They don't incestently beep their horns and they just sit out the traffic jam. Seems so peaceful compared to India.
Spent about an hour looking for a room that was not extortionate or really horrible. Paying about 6pounds a night for a fan room which is more than I want to be paying but it is Bangkok so is slightly more expensive than everywhere else. It's ok though. Sharing a bathroom but it's a massive bed in a spacious clean room. The bathrooms are really clean also. One I looked at was gross. It was a single bed in the tiniest darkest room. Imagine the film The Beach at the beginning where he was in Bangkok and that was basically it. It's quite weird being back here. It's 6 years since I was here last but I remember where I stayed and how things were.
It is sooooooo hot! According to this is is 36c and cloudy....it's not. It is nearer to 40c and sunny. The cold shower was lovely. Don't need hot water when it is like this. I am a shiny freak at the moment. Need to get used to the heat.
So far being on my own is ok. Ok, I know I have only been here 7 hours but I've met some people already. Although they did seem to only talk about how wasted they have been getting and how off their faces on mushrooms and other stuff that could put you in a nice Thai prison for eternity. Seemed rather young in their approach to things.
Just went for a really nice lunch. Thai green curry with loads of veg in. With 2 drinks and the curry and rice it was just over 2pounds. Nom nom nom!
Not sure what I am going to do next whether or not I am leaving tomorrow and going further north or hanging around here. I need to leave my passport with the embassy while they process my visa which takes about 3-4 working days. I need to find out if I can leave bangkok really. If not I will probably move away from KSR area as is quite over priced. Want to visit a few places near by but also want to go to the north. I suppose I could always do that once Rach has returned home.
Will blog again soon when I have actually done something of interest!
xxxx
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