Travelman's first 24 hours in Bangkok: the good, the bad, and the lady man. (Part one)

I'm in Thailand. It's, um... A bit balmy. Blinking works up a sweat. It's also fantastically exciting, especially when you don't have a map, GPS, or a phone to find your way around.

After 38 hours of airports and airplanes, I finally arrived in Bangkok! (My ankles became edematous for the first time in my life from sitting on a plane for 14 hours) I've never felt so much like a stranger in a strange land.

I couldn't find the bus that was recommended to get to Khao San Road, so I took the airport link (above ground subway).

Here's a pic I took of a crazy skyscraper on the ride with my dying iPhone. I wish I got a better shot of it before it was obscured.

Someone sneezed next to me on the train and no one said "God bless you." It caused me to reflect for a minute on the oddity of the historical artifact of the American custom of blessing someone after they sneeze. It seemed so normal because it's what I've always known, but we bless someone as though they're going to die for sneezing and are in need of a blessing from god. So much so that it seems rude not to say it.

The link dropped me off in the victory monument area. I had no idea where I was, or which direction to go. I had planned on being able to look at a map or buy a guide book once I made it to the neighborhood where I'd booked a hostel bed. That was revealing itself as a bad plan. Yet I had faith that I'd find my way and enjoy the adventure.

I was carrying both my backpacks and sweating up a storm. I was dehydrated from the plane ride and looking for a seven eleven to buy some water. I'd exchanged 10 US dollars at the airport, fully aware that I was probably getting a bad exchange rate, but I wanted to make sure I had THB in my pocket. I used it to buy my airport link token (the token works like a swipe card when you get on the train. You place it on top of a scanner when you enter, and drop it in a coin slot when you exit. This was one of the many little things I figured out along the way by watching the people in front of me.)

I found a Seven Eleven at a roundabout and bought some water. When paying, I looked at the coins I had and realized I had no idea how much they were worth without inspecting them closely. I handed the cashier one of the smallest bills I had and was given change.

I walked outside, leaving the oh so wonderful comfort of the Seven Eleven air conditioning and began walking again. I walked past three teenage girls in school uniforms interviewing an old Caucasian man. I thought about asking them for directions but figured I'd wait for the next person I saw that looked like they may speak English.

As I passed them, the young ladies flagged me down and asked in broken English if they could ask me questions. They were apparently practicing their English on school assignment. The old Caucasian man also approached me and explained in fluent English What they wanted. He was British. I told him it was great because I was lost and had questions for them as well. They ended up leading me to the bus stop and telling me in horrible English, and a lot of gesturing, what bus to take. The British man had followed us as well. He was concerned I would get bad information. He could speak Thai, later I found out he had retired in Thailand from his life in Britain eight years ago. He married a woman from Thailand and had been studying the language since he'd moved here. He asked the attendant at the stop (this stop luckily had a booth with an attendant) what bus to take. The girls had given me wrong information. The British man said that he would stay with me until the bus came, he wanted to make sure I found my way.

While we waited for what ended up being forty minutes, I told him it was very kind of him but he was free to leave, especially as time dragged on. But he stayed. His name was Allister something. He'd been a business man who'd sold sporting goods and his job used to take him to the USA multiple times a year. We talked about the challenges of studying the Thai language. He said it was a very tonal language. I asked if it was similar to learning a song and he said it was. He told me that Kariokee in Thai was good practice.

Finally a bus came, the attendant got our attention and instructed Allister that although this bus had a different number it was going to my area. Allister told me to get off when I see the democracy monument. "You can't miss it."

The bus was an open air bus and it was free to ride. Everyone that got on the bus was dresssed in black. As I boarded Allister told me that they were going to mourn the king. He had told me earlier that the King died last year, was beloved, and was going to be burned in a national ceremony in December. Much of the country has been dressing in black since his passing.

Here's me and my temporary guardian angel, Allister with the Victory Monument in the background...

Once on the bus, there were no seats left. I stood, holding onto a pole, holding my two back packs. After about five minutes a gentleman approached from behind and offered me his empty seat. I thought he was about to exit the bus so I took the seat. It turned out, he simply gave me his seat! He stood the entire ride. I thought about offering it back but was afraid I'd commit a cultural snafu against Thai hospitality and remained seated, happily. It was hot and I was exhausted.

Here's the kind gentleman...

And the bus full of mourners to the king...

Okay, one guy's in white.

The bus ride seemed endless, but I didnt' mind. Everything I passed was fascinating. The motorcyclist and scooter riders were daredevils, weaving in and out of traffic in large groups as though they were invincible. An overweight mother passed the bus with a child not more than two in her lap. Later I saw a family of four on a motorcycle, the dad driving with a toddler in front of him, his wife behind him, and a girl of about seven behind her.

After forty minutes, the bus made its first stop and all the mourners got up at once to exit. I figured this was the place and exited with them. I wandered around, became lost again, bought more water, and finally decided to rent a Tuk Tuk to take me to the hostel. I knew I was going to overpay, but after 38 hours on the plane and walking around in the heat, I just wanted to get to the hostel. I did overpay, but by Dollar standards it wasn't too bad. He didn't even drop me off in front of the hostel, he dropped me off in the general area and pointed.

Here's a 10 second clip of my ride...

It took me asking three people and twenty more minutes of walking before I found it, but I did. I took a shower, walked around a bit, ate Thai food at a very american restaurant because I knew they had internet and outlets that I desperately needed, and then I went to bed at 730 pm Bangkok time and woke up at 430 am.

So on my first day schoolgirls, Allister, and a local mourner on the bus showed me great kindness in the infancy of my world adventure; it was a good sign indeed.

It would take until the next morning to encounter some bad. I'll explain that and the lady man in part two.