March 30th – Tuk Tuk Races
A day of chilling and lazing around the pool. I don’t think my body could have taken another trip today. Both Josh and I have been suffering from colds and you forget how miserable a blocked up nose and sore throat can make you. I hope this will protect us a bit when we get off the plane back home. God it’s not long to go now and I find myself filled with excitement at the thought of seeing everyone again and then sheer dread. It is when I get back that I will need the most energy and luck. I can’t wait to get settled in a house with a job – the thought of attending business meetings again feels alien but in a strange and rather perverse way I’m looking forward to it.
We all trekked to the night market and were a bit disappointed to find stall after stall selling the same old crap. Lacoste Teeshirts, DVD’s, sunglasses and Tiffany jewellery are in abundance here. I actually treated myself to a new pair of sunglasses and look like a 80’s Top Gun reject but the detailing is actually very good. We keep trying to persuade Josh to get some but he’s just not at home with being cool, he likes to live on the wackier side of fashion – much to his sister’s annoyance.
We all squashed into a Tuk Tuk on the way back. It was just like wacky races and we did a Formula 1 style Murray commentary to ourselves. O was on my lap and at one point we raced with a group of 3 lads along a road – we won. They really are strange contraptions and I understand how Del boy felt in his van.
March 31st – Overnight Trains
Our journey back is later today so lie in and then a trip to Tesco – I know how exciting is that!! Tesco Lotus stores are everywhere here and it feels wrong that we should miss out. O gets some skinny jeans for £3 and we find my Dad an electronic fly zapper that swats and delivers an electric shock – who needs a Wii???
We managed to get spaces back on the train – although only top bunks in second class. The train looked like something out of WW2 and the fact that it moved was a pleasant surprise. The carriage is 2 long lines of bunks all the way along – they are converted into beds at night so you have 2 chairs on either side for day sitting. The very self important conductor comes round with security guard and checks you in. The security guard had been watching too many episodes of “CHIPS” and had on the tightest polyester brown trousers complete with sewn in crease, hat with huge visor and sunglasses. I pray that all that all the pomp is just for show and we don’t muck up by spilling something on the floor or snoring – I find myself being a little scared.
Each carriage has a guard and they come and make up your bed for you when you are ready – complete with sheets and blanket. It feels very Agatha Christie to sleep on the train and I am reminded of the time when I was a teenager we took the train with Mum & Dad from Rome to Paris. There were cabins instead of 1 long carriage and I remember some mix up with beds that involved us locking the door, pretending we didn’t understand and not letting anyone in. I can still remember how exciting the travel felt – I laid awake with my walkman and U2 “Joshua Tree” cassette watching the world speed by. I still feel that excitement now – it’s only when I look in the mirror and see the stranger looking back that I remember I am older now and supposedly more responsible. I wonder what the kids will remember when they are older?
Arrival in Bangkok is peaceful and it is straight back to the same hostel. How nice to see the same friendly faces but I told them ll what we thought of the hostel in Chiang Mai.
Tags: SE Asia, Travel
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