Caught the vip bus to bangkok i stressed to ...
Trip Start
Oct 25, 2001
1
32
56
Trip End
Ongoing
Bangkok,
Thailand
Sunday, February 10, 2002
And i was very impressed with the service. Almost new government bus, with a happy looking hostess that served my every whim! She spent most her time wandering down the isle handing out vegetable samosas, cups of coke, and refresher towels!!
Journey time to Bangkok (260kms away) was 2 half hours (journey time would have taken about 8 hours on a 'cowboy bus').
So here iam Bangkok. Hot, sweaty, humid, noisy, and crowded...God i love it here!!!
I caught 2 local busses to Banglampoo (backpacker area) and went in search of a room that had a bit more than the usual. I had my work cut out, because nearly all accommodation around here are packed in tightly with plasterboard walls that swayed when someone a few doors down opened and slammed their door. (usually in the early hours)
I wanted a room that had walls made of concerete. I was fed up with the 'swaying walls' and sleepness nights in town.
I wandered over a km north of Koh San Rd where there is a small cluser of hostels.
Most were 'full' and by the time i got to the 5th hostel i was covered in sweat and slightly delerious! I was optimistic by the name of the hotel 'New World Hotel'
I stumbled up the 2 flights of steps into the room and said 'i'll take it'
I was too knackered to carry on walking around. I checked into a room barely big enough to fit the hard bed, with a slow spinning ceiling fan, chipboard walls, and a outside bathroom that had 2 blocked toilets and a unsavoury smell that wofted down the corridor! I didn't realise it at the time, but shortly after checking in i noticed that 10 metres away from my room, the owner of New World Hotel (what a joke) had brought the buiders in to extend the hotel, and they spent most of the day making noise.
I walked over 2 kms and probably chose the worst hotel in Bangkok without realising it!!
Well all was meant to be, because the next morning i went out on a mission and found a hotel (not 5 mins away from New World) that had A/C, Satellite tv, fridge, big attatched bathroom...It was really nice, and couldn't resist taking it.
I had slummed around for the last few weeks, and wanted a little bit of luxury.
...And it only cost a extra $5 more than the boxed room i occupied at the New World Hotel.
Well i stay in Bangkok for a few days...Get laundry done, pics scanned.
On 12th Feb saw the celebrations in Chinatown. I headed down there with some high speed film (3,200) to catch the action in the evening.
The street was packed solid with food stalls, and with over 100,000 locals visiting the area, space was slightly limited.
Around 9pm they dragged a huge dragon down te street, being carried by around 100 Chinese boys. When it finally reached the other end of chinatown they carried the dragon up a pole around 30 metres up, then flames and smoke emerged from the dragons mouth. Overall a really good night, with no trouble from the locals.
