"I’m in a glass box of emotion!!"
Travel Location: Bangkok,Thailand
Coming home from school on Friday, I could not remember the last time I had a hot shower, did not reeeeak of mosquito repellant, was not in the constant state of sweating, slept on a bed that was not comparable to the concrete floor, or had a meal that did not consist of rice and a form of “meat”. Maybe THAT’S why I am a little edgy…
(But before starting this I must update you on the ‘Pink’ Scottish woman Angela who wandered around Bangkok by herself…she was working in an orphanage way up north, and recently decided she didn’t like her placement and took off. No one has really heard from her, because she refused to get a Thai cell phone while here (yet still phones home twice a day). ANYHOO…I was with my coordinator Masako today when she received a phone call from Angela (who was using her taxi drivers cell), saying she was going to the hospital because she thinks she has malaria. DO NOT worry, she has apparently ‘lost it’ in the past couple weeks, according to those who were around her. I can only imagine how pink she was at that point.)
SO, woke up early and got the hell out of Dodge
OK, back to my disgusting state of being on Friday. I felt very ambitious and jumped in a minivan to Bangkok at 5:30 pm. Sharp. Note to self- there is no worse time to travel to Bangkok.
The minivans here are plentiful and a fast way to travel. They are nicely air conditioned, shades on windows, low lighting, very cozy. So cozy I fell asleep, and fell asleep hard. I actually woke up without a CLUE where I was. (VERY VERY strange feeling to wake up clueless in a minivan and see oxen crossing freeway.)
So because of the 5:30pm traffic, the supposed hour and a half ride took three. I decided to be dropped off on Koh San road, which is the backpackers haven in Bangkok.
OH my goodness. This road is the closest definition of “freak show” I have ever seen in real life. I was so taken aback, I totally forgot to get out my camera.
Bright lights literally stacked on top of eachother, women offering a Thai massage with “extras” every 10 feet, an old man in bright body paint driving a parade float with crazy carnival music, live music, internet shops that never close, people selling EVERYTHING imaginable, mimes, and “falong”, or foreigners everywhere.
Total sensory overload.
All I wanted was a bed at that point. Every place was booked, until finally I stumbled upon a little “gem” of a Hostel. Ohhhh Marcopolo Hostel, I now know exactly why you were not booked.
The hall ways REAKED of b.o., which the air conditioner effectively pumped back into your room. And when I mean room, I mean a broom closet. There are many other bad memories of that little hell-on-earth that I will not rehash on. Except my almost-mental-breakdown point when I could not sleep because I was literally vibrating along with the club next door.
That is when I turned to my trusty Ambien, ohhhh thank you Dr. Hector, I love you long time!!!!
SO, woke up early and got the hell out of Dodge.
For a total freak show, Koh San Road is a GREAT place to shop. So I wandered for a while, then thought I lost my phone. (YES- I got a phone.) Oh no, not this, not now. I decided my trip to Bangkok to ‘relax’ was cursed, so hoped in a taxi to the train station.
When low and behold- there was my little cell tucked in secret compartment in my pack!!! YEAAA, all was right in the world again.
So I asked the taxi driver to take me to a Mariott. YES, a little taste of the western world, pleeeease.
Best decision of my life. Life went from stinky and uncomfortable to a king size bed, PILLOWS (not bricks!), a hot shower, air conditioning, ohhh my goodness I could go on and on. I went down to the gym to murder myself on the treadmill- seeing I wasn’t really sure what I had been eating for the past 2 weeks- then hung out by the pool. Wow. Heaven.
(Side note: A sure sign that I was supposed to be there, in that hotel, at that very moment, was the fact they played Britney Spears AND Bubba Sparks within 5 minutes of being in the gym. PS- can NO ONE inform me that my girl is getting a divorce???)
I left the hotel for just a moment to check things out- then quickly realized I was in an area that catered to “Johns”, or men that come to Thailand looking for sex, and not just any John- but the rich one. Yuk.
So I retreated back and ordered room service. SPOILED, I know. But my mental stability needed it.
Worked out the next morning, then jumped in a taxi for home. Mr. Lee, my driver, was the cutest little man EVER. He wanted to know all about me, my family, what I was doing here, and went out of his way to help me get around and helping with the language. He ended the ride with “Forget me not when you go back to Flor-e-da” Gotta love it.
Got back home- played BINGO at Come On Bar. Yes- BINGO.
Feel SOS OS SO SO SO very refreshed and loving life once again. Went to sleep back at Lopburi- woke up this morning to look at my trusty travel clock with thermostat (thank you so very much Gret), to see my room was a cozy 88 degrees. Home, sweeeet sweet home.
