TUK TUK GRAND PRIX
JOURNAL ENTRY NO. 3
14th JUNE 2007
Bangkok – a bustling, busy capital that's for sure!!!!
We decide to take a bus to the “centre” of town – Kosan Road. What a way to spend the day...... cruising around Bangkok.
Once our daily dose of Ecoli is complete, a brisk walk sees us back in the heart of town, where Cavey cuts a mean deal with a Thai hair artist to have his hair re-dreaded...... at 100 kms per hour of course. Dyl disappears in search of some goodies, promptly returning with armfuls of deep fried critters...... namely grubs, maggots and grasshoppers, and some icy cold beers to compliment the fine cuisine!!!! Mate...... what more could we ask for than this? A proper dinner perhaps?
After squeezing all we could out of our 24 hours or so here, our day seemed more like a week...... brilliant! A sleep induced bus ride brings us back to the airport. After a failed attempt at sleeping on the chairs inside the airport in the sub zero air con, we decide the best place is the garden outside around the corner. Aaaahhhhhh 30 degrees Celsius and a bed of solid concrete, cockroaches and frogs on the face...... BLISS!!!!
Hi Speed tour of Bangkok
Breaking away from the chaos on the roads, we take a ride on a water taxi...... which it would seem, was competing against the Tuk Tuk for the fastest crossing of Bangkok City. The ride challenged all our senses simultaneously as we soaked up the view and a showering in the less than pristine water from the sewerage laden canals of the capital...... all the while trying not to eat poo and die...... literally!!!!
With only a day to see the city we hire a Tuk Tuk that apparently had only one speed...... 100 kms per hour!!!! To our delight the manic driver nailed it around the major sites and places of interest...... the usual tourist thing. Down busy main roads, squeezing through crazy, tiny back streets, sliding around market stalls, into temples and pavilions, finally arriving back at the bottom end of Kosan Road.
Next morning we wake bleary eyed to get our gear sorted and checked by 8:30am. More excess baggage fees...... this time $1000 Aussie...... BUGGER!!!! Nothing like back in Oz with people to help shave the price. Finally flying to Moscow...... WOW three hours, or was it twelve? Can't remember...... passed out. Moscow!!!!