Being propositioned on the the train to Chiang Mai
Trip Start
Oct 11, 2002
1
11
20
Trip End
Nov 04, 2002
Chiang Mai,
Thailand
Friday, October 25, 2002
Although our flight wasn't to leave for another two hours we waited at the airport. The airport was beautiful, open thatched roof buildings with lots of greenery. After we had checked in we went to the boarding gate which served complimentary pineapple juice and biscuits.
We were led to buses which drove us to the plane further down the tarmac. The flight to Bangkok only lasted about 50 minutes - it was very speedy - but we were served a lunch of lasagne in that time.
At the airport we collected our bags and caught the airport bus to Lumphini Park and then a taxi to the train station. I think I've finally got the pronunciation of Hualumphong correct! The A4 bus had been cancelled but I don't know whether it was only due to a public holiday.
At the train station we booked our tickets for the 10pm sleeper train to Chiang Mai and then set off to explore some more of Bangkok. We headed to the Chinatown district which was very quiet due to the public hbliday. All the shops seemed to sell either coffins - the normal Western coffin or a yellow flower looking one or baby chickens.
We decided to check out a movie so we walked to Siam Square. On the way I stopped at a phone and finally figured out how to use my phone card!!
Siam Square was so different to the rest of Bangkok that we had seen. It was filled with shopping centres and was much closer to what it's like at home. Many of the prices for things were equivalent to in Australia. For example, in the Siam Discovery Centre there were lots of surf shops and all the prices translated to the same as in Australia - as did a lot of shoes in the stores.
Nicoia was starving for a steak so we went to a place called Outback Sraˇuk;7ouse where the prices were exhorbitant. The staff seemed rather excited to have some Australians in their outback themed restaurant. We were offered some onion rings which the chef was trialling and they stood back and waited for our verdict. They were quite good so we shared this feedback with them. Nicole paid almost $30 for a steak and mashed potato called the Rockhampton Rib Eye. I ordered the Alice Springs Chicken and we both had bottomless soft drinks - which were truly bottomless - sometimes they would even replenish them before we had finished! Anyway, we were thirsty after traipsing all over Bangkok so the bottomless Coke was welcome relief! It had been so long since I'd eaten a big meal that I was full bursting. Such a big Western meal was not very welcome either, according to the protests coming from my digestive system.
We decided against seeing a movie at the EGV as there wasn't anything very appealing on. I did pick up a program for the Bangkok Film Festival and will try to go see something when I'm back in Bangkok at the end of my trip.
We went back to the train station, collected our backpacks and boarded the train. I had a terrible sleep. It was so hot and the train kept jerking and stopping which also made it difficult to sleep. It wasn't a patch on the smooth, comfortable ride to Surat Thani.
During the morning when we were still ages away from Chiang Mai, a Thai guy came up and introduced himself as Aniseh and stood next to us for ages, not really saying anything while Nicole read her book and I looked out the window. He eventually went away but came back later offering me a stick of gum which I refused. He then came up with a note and said "I love you". And went back to his seat, turning around to watch me read the note. The note had 'I love you' written on the front and back. I took it back to him and shook my head and said "sorry". He kept watching me from his seat, continually walking past and later offered me a water which I again refused. I was very uncomfortable and was glad to lose him at the train station.
