What is one to think his first outing into the grand city of Bangkok winds up zipping through the cities on a tuk tuk, simply hoping to get to the Skytrain? One would think wow, that's awesome, I wish I had a Skytrain and a tuk tuk, driver optional. So do I. But when the driver rips you off, demands ten times the amount you verbally agreed on, you realize just the tuk tuk itself will suffice. THEN, you instantly know you knew better from the get-go, with reading all of your Lonely Planet travel guides and travel blogs, you should've written down the price as a de facto contract. Smooth move, dumbass.
Compound that to making your way all the way to the necessary embassies, only to realize they're closed on Saturdays. Double whammy!
But hey, what can one expect when you're nervous like me? I want a tuk tuk, and hear Guns 'N' Roses in the background.
The seemingly bad start to the day, however, morphed into something grand. How often does a traveler walk the streets, exploring the alleys and seeing a real, rustic city living? How often does one walk the streets, and along side beautiful wats, friendly homeowners smile and children indiscriminately set off fireworks which echo through the real Bangkok as loud as the smell of car exhaust? How often does one walk through local markets, eat the local food from street stalls (delicious!) and simply interact with the locals on their level?
And that, compounded with meeting some of the nicest people on the planet. One man offered a wat tour recommendation and a tuk tuk to accompany. While I'm sure he gets a kick-back for it, and while the tuk tuk driver got commission for simply driving me several craft markets (many guidebooks describe this as a scam) he and the tuk tuk driver were both very honest with their intentions (including the visits to the shops), and I got to see some great lesser-visited wats in the process. One in particular, Wat Benchamabophit (forgive any misspelling) hosted a "good-luck" Buddha situated in a small temple, and offered a great sense of peace and prosperity.
It was here I met a nice fellow by the name of Andy, who was from Singapore and on his way back to his homeland, stopping off in Bangkok for some gifts. We chatted for a bit, and he even knew who the Spurs were!
And I ended the day where I started, at my guesthouse just off Khao San Rd., and will begin the night afresh. I could go for some more street food, that stuff is badass.
Until next time!
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