Matt and I spent 9 hours on a bus between Battanbang and Bangkok to bid our farewell to not just the crazy capital, but also to Thailand as a whole.
We have spent a large proportion of our trip in Thailand, and our final return to the capital was our fourth time there (although once we didn't actually make it out the airport!). When we first arrived, I remember being completely overwhelmed by the city and very unsure of it. When we said goodbye, I was extremely confident and comfortable there, it was even great to be back.
Our bus from Cambodia arrived at Khao San Road (THE tourist place in Bangkok), which we hadn't been to, and I will most likely never go to again! Whilst on that road you could pretty much be anywhere toursity in the world, and I far prefer the quieter parts of Bangkok. Still, it was an experience, and if we hadn't gone there we might not have had our very pleasant surprise...
Whilst online on the afternoon of our second day on Bangkok, I stumbled across a Facebook status from a friend from uni, Hannah. She was complaining about the volume of pad thai she had eaten, so I asked whereabouts in Thailand she was, and mentioned that we were in Bangkok. She quickly responded to say, I am in Bangkok too! And we soon realised we were sat only metres apart. We met Hannah that night for a drink (well, several drinks as it ended up), and then lunch the next day. It was great to see her, and I wish her good lunch with the next part of her trip in New Zealand.
It was in Bangkok that I also experienced my first angry tuk tuk driver. Having been used to the laid back nature of those in Cambodia and Laos, I was completely taken aback by this man. See, unfortunately for him it was my fourth time in Bangkok, and I had taken a number of taxis and knew how much each journey should cost. Matt and I wanted to head to the MBK shopping centre, and I guessed this should cost about 80 Baht (£1.80). He said he wanted 350 Baht. I told him a taxi would cost 80 Baht, and although I appreciated a tuk tuk would cost more, I was not paying 350 Baht. He got really angry at with me at this point, I think perhaps he was used to farang who were none the wiser, and also he probably didn't want everyone else around knowing this was the going rate. Still, we walked down the road, got in a metered cab, and what do you know? It cost 79 Baht.
Matt and I didn't do much in Bangkok, we mainly enjoyed the atmosphere and purchased the last of our Christmas presents. It was great to be back though, and I am sure this is not a final goodbye. I am determined to come back to Thailand for a few weeks in a couple of years, and I am already looking forward to it. I am pretty sure it will be completely different though, this country is moving fast!
Khaawp khoon ka Thailand; laa gawn!
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