Today was taken up almost entirely with travel as we slowly make our way down to Bangkok from the northern parts of the country, stopping along the way to see the sights. We caught a tuk-tuk from our guesthouse at around 9:00 and headed for the bus station. The tuk-tuks in Sukhothai are a bit odd; the driver sits on a modified dirt-bike situated in back of a cart. Here's Carrie and our driver:
The bus to Phitsanulok left at 9:30 and took about an hour. The plan had been to then catch the 11:00 bus to Lopburi, which would put us in town at 3ish. Getting off public transportation can often be hairy, because there is usually a rush of people and we have our big, heavy, awkward bags which often don't fit through the skinny doors.
Now, a little information about our bus: Carrie and I were sitting in the back, with the rear door directly in front of our seat. There are 3 steps down, and they are quite shallow and steep. The middle step has a large wedge cut out of it, about 1/4 of the entire step, enabling the door to open. The door works like a phone booth doors that opens inward, and the cutout gives it room to swing open. Not like it matters, as the door was broken and held open with a bungee cord for our entire ride, but the steps were modified nonetheless.
Carrie, aka "Monday's grace," was hastily getting off the bus when her foot found the wedge-shaped space where you'd expect a stair to be. I was standing right behind her and watched as her feet slipped from under her. You know those old Loony Toons when Sylvester the Cat is running down some stairs to catch a mouse, only to have the stairs turn into a ramp, causing him to fall on his backside? Yep, that's what Carrie looked like. Her feet went flying out and she landed. Hard. On the back of her head. Don't worry, she's OK, but she is sporting 3 pretty evenly spaced bruises where she hit the edge of all 3 steps.
Carrie: Yeah, This going to Thailand isn't quite exciting enough for me, so I like to add a little drama where I can. I was seeing spots, and was startled to find myself no longer vertical, but I didn't black out at any moment. I wasn't able to talk at first which was pretty scary, and did have the sense to think it would be best if I sat down right away.
There were people with me immediately, a woman that helped me get up from the bus steps and sit down, and bus officers, and other kind people who would point sympathetically at my head or red palm and knee. Meanwhile Eric, dearest Eric, is very frantic and I remember him excitedly asking in English about getting me ice and where is there ice, but no one knew what the word meant.
Eric: Carrie was clearly woozy, and by the time I caught up with her she was already seated on the curb by the bus. I looked at the two women who were helping her and asked where I could find ice to put on her head. I tried to accomplish this by saying "ice" and then placing my cupped palm on the back of my head. The women mimicked my icing motion and scrunched their brows, agreeing with me that this was serious, and that Carrie needed ice.
I then pointed in sundry directions around, then turned up my palms and assumed a quizzical expression. I thought that this was a clever and effective way of saying I don't know what direction there was ice to be had, and that I'd appreciate directional assistance. Again, they mimicked icing and nodded in agreement that Carrie was in pain and could use some ice.
I don't recall if I first saw a small food stall/restaurant on a corner some distance away, or if a friendly bystander had interpreted my gesticulating and pointed me in the right direction, but I ran off to the food stall to get ice. That place didn't, but there was a row of them and I went to each one, finally finding some ice at the fourth.
Right when I was going to get it, two very nice strangers ran up to the store, and loudly called for me to follow them, which I did. They led me to a pharmacy, which wasn't a bad thought, just not the right one. I turned around, which I hope I didn't do rudely, and quickly went back to the place with ice. When I got back to Carrie, I noticed the bag had a hole.
Carrie: The bus station had its own medical personnel, and everyone was trying to usher me in, but I didn't like to go until Eric had come back. When he returned there was a doctor and two nurses. I was having trouble figuring out their English, but Eric seemed to be better at it. They gave me a cream and some pills to take after eating. "Immediately!" after eating. Immediately was the one word this nurse DID know in English, she used it several times. She also called my bump a lemon, which I thought was pretty funny. It's true enough. My hat sits a little off because of it.
Eric tried to pay, but they just waved him away. And after hearing that we'd missed the last bus (why the last bus for Lopburi goes at only 11AM is beyond me) they were offering to find us hotels, and eventually gave us a free ride to the train station, where we DID catch the train.
Eric: We had a couple of hours to kill before our train, so I went exploring the area for some food and gifts while Carrie nursed her wounds. I didn't find any gifts, but I did find some mango rice for Carrie. That sentence actually doesn't do justice to the profoundness of the act. Carrie's favorite Thai dish, hands down, is mango rice. It's just sticky rice and mango (which are SO fresh and SO good here) drizzled with a mixture of coconut cream, salt, and sugar. It's the most refreshing desert you'll ever eat, and Carrie has been hot, sticky, and looking desperately for this dish for a week. That I found it, on this day, just about makes me a hero. I also saw some more severed pigs heads. Pictorial evidence below:
The train was the 3rd class, "ordinary" train (the picture at the top was taken from my seat). This means that it didn't have air conditioning and was slow. In fact, in Thailand, the bus is almost always a better option than the train; quicker and more comfortable. I would be hard-pressed to think of 5 1/2 duller hours. On the plus side, the lighting was great, there were some interesting people, and I got some great pictures. Here are a few:
Carrie: Our trip was "twenty percent longer than advertised," as Eric put it. But pleasant, and I think the long hours of gentle movement prevented my back from seizing up. We didn't get to Lopburi until it was dark out, around 7:15. So dark that we fished the flashlight out of the pack, just in case. From what I'd been hearing I was fully expecting a monkey to assault us as we debarked, swiping our camera for their owner lurking in the shadows.
Eric: Carrie is pretty bruised and not up to the task of carrying her backpack. This means that I get both. I have mine on my back, and hers strapped to my chest. My pack extends above my head, and I can just see over hers. I'd guess that between the two there is about 50 pounds. I weigh just over 150. She has our small daypack. I look like Carrie's manservant, forced to bare her ladyship's excessive packs while she gallivants along looking for sweetmeats. The road to the center of town is lined with late night food stalls and are so busy that the sidewalks are packed with motor scooters and diners. They didn't even bother to stifle their laughs. Would you?
Carrie: Lopburi has a much better feel than Sukhothai. (Sorry, Samart, but it's true.) This is a party town. The people are all young, and much less modestly dressed than we've seen so far. Then again we are catching it at holiday. People here are gearing up for New Year's. Eric and I have pretty much forgotten about the holidays, being so focused on our new and strange surroundings.
This hotel is the first dump that we've stayed in. The room is above the bar and for 200 Baht, the price is right. We spend more on breakfast than this room cost. The hotel reminded me a little of a saloon in the old west. Across the street there was a band singing old rock songs, Hotel California, Black Magic Woman etc. It's the most English we've heard in a long time. The room is nearly bare and none of the three windows close. In one window, the screen doesn't even close, allowing unfettered access to our room.
Eric set up old school booby traps to catch anyone who might shimmy along the metal slant outside our windows trying to sneak in. It was supposed to make a loud rattle, but I don't know if we would have heard it over the band. For as the bed, it is by far the softest we've slept in since coming. Ironic.
