Date: 2008-01-22
To: Bangkok
Miles today: 0.0

I arrived in Sydney the plane was a little late getting in. The plane seats are just wide enough for my rear end, and the belts have to be let right out to fit around me, I sure am a big boy. Went to the transit lounge at Sydney Airport to get shuttled to the International departures, but then the whole airport was shut down. They had an electrical storm and lots of rain. I was so worried that the plane would leave without me, but it was only delayed by an hour, and finally I got onto the plane. We are all set for take off when they tested the PA on the plane and it did not work. We had to taxi around to another terminal, and waited there for a further 2 hours whilst they tried to fix the PA. Finally after a delay of 3.5 hours the plane took off. Got to Bangkok at 3am, the airport is huge. Had to wait in a line, someone stamped my arrival form, took my picture, and that was it. Collected my bags, and no security, they just waved us through, Thailand is such a different place. Meet up with a Pommy and we decided to catch a cab together. It was 450 Baht, no seat belts, and the average speed of the driver was 130 km/hr, I was terrified as he weaved from one side of the road to the other. He dropped me off at the wrong hotel, so I had to walk about 1km along dirty streets until I found my place. There was a sign pointing down a dingy lane, I was a bit worried. This small laneway looked like such a mean place, so I took a deep breathe and headed off, finally I found the hotel. It is not too bad. I layed on my bed, but could not sleep, so I thought I would go for a walk. The streets are filthy, and the smell is toxic. It was really intimidating, so many men grab hold of you and demand you to get on their tuk tuk, or taxi. Two prostitutes, I think one might have been a man, grabbed hold of each arm and would not let go. So the good thing about weighing 105 kilograms is that when I decide I am walking in a certain direction, then there is not much they can do to stop me, the people are so small. For the first time in my life I feel tall. I walked off with two pros hanging from each arm, it was like a small anchor trying to hold the Queen Mary. Finally I made it back to my hotel room safe and sound. Mental note, do not go walking around Bangkok at 4am.I could not sleep and at 7am I got up, I know why the people here are so small, it is so they can fit in the bathrooms, more of my rear end seems to be hanging over the toilet seat. It is a simple manner of standing to attention after your morning constitution and you can have a shower, not a whole lot of space in this country. I went for a walk, no map, just went with the crowds. All of my sense were under attack, my eyes could not beleive what I was seeing, my ears were being abused by all the noise, and my nose was so disgusted by the smell. I must have stood out, cause I had the feeling I was being stared at. I was approached by a young man, who told me the Royal Palace was shut as it was a public holiday (he was lieing to me, but at this early stage I did not know, I was a bit naive and took everything at face value). He wrote down a list of things for me to do, and then handed it to a tuk tuk driver and told me to go. So I thought why not, go with the flow. Each time you get driven around in this city, you put your life in others hands. Things like traffic signals, what side of the street you should drive on, and indicators are just a rough guide. Pushing in, tooting your horn and cutting each other off seems to be the main rules. Trying to cross the road by foot is so dangerous, the green man says go, but 100 motor bikes are streamingpast you, eventually you just have to walk out and hope they go around you, or you will be left standing on a street corner all afternoon, there is no let up in the traffic.Most of the hotels seemed to be fully booked, and I wanted to get out of the city, so I got the tuk tuk driver to take me to a travel agent. I think he took me to a dodgy one, it says TAT, but I don't think it was an official one. For a 7 day trip down to Pattaya, where Aron Giles recommended me to go, has ened up costing me 412AUS dollars. My only defence was that I had no sleep on the plane, I had no sleep in my room, and I was just overwhelmed by Bangkok, and wanted to book somewhere out of the city. A mini bus is suppose to come pick me up at 11am, so if nothing turns up then I guess I may have been scammed, see what happens. Either way I have certainly paid far too much.For the next few hours the tuk tuk driver drove me to stores selling jewellery, temples that were probably fake, tailor shops and at each place I was given the hard sell. They work in teams and phone ahead, look out for the fat australian, but I only found all this out after lunch, at this stage I was just happy to be driven around, being thrown from one side of the tuk tuk to the other as he swereved left and right dodging and weaving between traffic. I demanded he took me to some place and instead he just took me to another jewellery store, he was at least polite. Although I knew i was getting scammed, it was a bit of an adventure. I refused to buy anything. Finally I yelled at him and told him to take me to the river. It was another tourist trap, and for 1000 baht, which is about 30 australian dollars, I had my own long boat take me up some cannals. Saw some amasing stuff. He dropped me back off and once agian I was surrounded by people wanting to sell me things, trinkets and all types of shit. The mistakes I had been making was that I was being polite, and saying no thank you, but they just keep coming at you. The best method is just to ignore them and walk right past them. At this stage I was a bit grumpy, I had about 5 woman run at me, all old and skanky. So I quickened my pace, dropped the shoulder and piled straight through the middle of them. Like I said they are only little people, one woman took the brunt of my shoulder and went flying (all those years of football training had paid off), with all her post cards going everywhere. She was sprawled out on the ground, I had no time to help her up, as there were other people running at me trying to sell me more stuff, I just walked off. I decided to travel around this city by my own steam, and rode the river ferries for a few hours, it was wonderful, the shantines along the rivers edge, and the massive barges down the middle of the river are incredible. I rode the sky rail for a bit, that was Nathan's suggestion, it was a good tip. I decided to walk home from the city back to Khao San, I was tired of dealing with tuk tuk, and taxis. I walked down so many narrow roads, the footpaths no longer exist because the shops have been built out over them. Crossed a canal, and a railway line. I was away from the touristy stuff and got a great feel for the people and the city. Arrived back at the hotel at about 8pm after a few hours of walking. I had only had breakfast and nothing else, was not hungry, not much of what I have seen is very appetising. I think I am getting enough calories from the polution that I am breathing in, it sure does make your throat and eyes sore. I hoped straight into bed and slept like a baby. It sure has been an adventure and an interesting experience. I am bit tired of all the hassling and bargaining, but now I am an expert. I feel like I have learnt more about traveling in a day, than I would in a month around Europe. The people are so poor here, and they see us as ATM's, and will do anything to get your money,but you can't blame them. Well I am now going to pack my things, and head off to Pattaya I hope, Hopefully I have not booked some phantom trip. I am in good spirits, Bangkok has been a real shock to the system. Hope you all keep wellBen