It’s only my third day here, I’m really hungry sat in traffic in a tuk tuk, and for the briefest of moments I find myself deliberating why I chose to come for so long. Then I remind myself that I haven’t actually met any other back packers yet as I chose not to stay bang in backpackerville (Koh San Road). Instead I’m close to the hustle and bustle of the markets and copious amount of street food.. Mmm food.
This fifteen minute journey the tuk tuk should have taken to the shopping plaza is looking more like half an hour to forty five. It would have taken me that long to walk there. But I don’t mind, there’s a first time for everything and I’ll know that for next time. For now as I sit back on the pink and green seat of this beautifully decorated tuk tuk, I am at peace and that’s a great feeling.
The smell of shrubbery and fried rice fills the air and the whizzes of car engines are in full flow. Motorbikes are weaving in and out of the traffic like there’s no tomorrow; none of the passengers on the back seem to wear helmets (except that lady). Maybe I’ll get on a motorbike taxi tomorrow (joking mum. Keep your wig on.. *crotchet). The heat is quite intense at the moment even though it’s 5 minutes to 18:00. The sun is beginning to set and the vroom of my tuk tuk engine caught me off guard as the traffic began to move. (Thank God, I can feel the breeze!!).. Spoke too soon.. We’re at a stand still again. Annnnd now my driver has turned off his engine. Wonderful. Did I mention that I was hungry?
Ooh, there goes 4 million more motorbikes zooming past with engines that sound like that of a Ferrari. And I aaaaaam still stuck in traffic. Lool I can not complain, I agreed on the tuk tuk price before we set off so it’s all gravy for me moneywise. The driver asked that I do him a favour, “please could we stop at my company, you look around for five minutes, they stamp my card, I get free petrol and I’ll charge 50baht”. We did just that, I brought a nice little silk dress supposedly priced at 500baht. When I picked it up I said “oh gosh no, that’s too expensive, 300 baht”. The Indian gentleman serving said, “no I can do 400 no less.”
I replied “okay I will look for something cheaper” (knowing I didn’t want anything else). I fingered a silk scarf but it didn’t take my fancy. Walking back over to the silk dresses I chose one in the colour I liked. Walked over to the gentleman serving and said, “so that’s 300baht, yes?”
he replied “no minimum 400 help me out”.
“Okay thank you, I don’t want it” I said, handing him back the dress and pretending to proceed walking out of the shop. Of course he called me back. To which I retorted “250THB”.
He said “290THB”
I said “275”
he said “280” and we dealt. Remember, I was happy to pay 300. Win win win :).
This journey took me to the the ‘Siam Paragon” shopping mall, it reminded me of the huge malls in Dubai. With whole floors dedicated to designer stores and far more food and drink choice than Westfield could imagine. England just isnt comparable when it comes to shopping.. And almost everything else to be honest. As for Bangkok I’m loving it but more than three days at a time in the capital is more than enough at one time.
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It’s Friday morning and my fourth day, I’m running on very little sleep but my tour pick up was scheduled for 6:30am. So a girl gotta do what she got to do. But tell me why it reached 6:55 and I was still waiting outside like I have no friends. “why is black people time occurring in Thailand I thought to myself?” I mean I know they’re of African decent but come on now. As my tourguide approached, he apologised and said “Indian make late”. I thought he meant the bus driver was Indian and made the bus late. But as I jumped up the steep step to the leather seat in the front of the bus, and I looked back to say good morning to my fellow tour mates, I soon realised that it was this bus full of Indian friends that had made us late. The melanin, just doesn’t like time. I know that now. This morning I committed my first cardinal sin in this beautiful Buddhist country. As I got in the seat of my tour bus. I felt something touch my skin on my left shoulder. I thought to myself, “I have not seen a mosquito since i arrived, so why now must this brave insect want to do the “candy” dance on my shoulder”? So I killed it. (sorry Tanya, I know you’re reading). My tourguide, said “oh you kill animals?”
I said “Yes” with confidence and then slowly sunk in to my seat until I felt I’d disappeared after realising this is not common practice. Only to look out my window and see a woman crouched down feeding Street dogs, which had missing limbs on her way to work. (glad they don’t have RSPCA for insects) When my guide realised it was a mosquito however, he said whilst laughing, “oh he just wanted to come on your tour with you”.
Ooh, one bump in the road and I’ve discovered we have a baby on the tour bus. A brief stint and poor attempt of crying later, we are back to silence. It’s been silence since I got on the tour bus, minus instructions of course. When I got on and turned back, said “good morning.” Noone responded even though they all spoke fluent English, so I waved and I got one smile out of fifteen or so. Each to their own, I’m blessed to have woken up this morning and have another chance at perfection.
It’s 7:40am now and we’ve just driven past an overturned lorry which has smashed clean through the motorway railings. It’s contents are spilling out the top like an overflowing rubbish truck. And several people were helping to transfer the content. More community spirit than is in my bus thank God.
We however, continued silently chugging towards our destination. First stop, the floating market “Damnoen Saduak” here, myself and a few members of my group boarded a slow boat, which proceeded to take us through the river filled with brightly coloured stalls selling all manner of things, from funky tea lights and coconut ice cream, to bottle holders and the traveller trousers everyone secretly wants to occupy. I myself picked up a pair of these trousers which of course the lady told me were 1000THB(£22 appx), “sorry?” I exclaimed.
“I said 450THB I can do for you” she responded.
I answered, “no sorry that’s too expensive, ive seen them elsewhere for 250THB.” (I hadn’t) but they love a good price bump on the old tourist, just like in Jamaica. “hmm” she pondered “okay, I can do for you” *surreptitiously rolls eyes, but respects the hustle*.
From here we visited a small elephant village, where people took pictures with and rode on elephants. I just watched from the sweaty shade of a bar, instead taking pictures of the greenery and elephants. We went to go for a buffet at our next destination. I can confirm it was completely and utterly disgusting. After this we watched an elephant show, followed by crocodile wrestling… But I’d previously read reviews that some elephants were abused from early childhood to be able to do tricks. So the show wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as it might have been had I not known. However all the people who are telling me not to ride an elephant because of this. I still want to, I can’t lie. It was one of my top reasons for coming. So if you don’t want to ride one that’s great. Hats of to you, I value your discipline. I really may still do it. (no offence) call me weak. I don’t care. I may not. Who knows? Keep reading, you’ll find out. Peace, love and pad thai
Big hugs,
Tesni xx
Originally published at tesnithetastebudtraveller.blogspot.com on May 17th, 2017.
