Arriving into Bangkok late enough, we went straight to where we were to get the bus into town. The ticket agent said the next bus was leaving now, so we had to pay quickly. Since we only just got money out of the pass machine, we only had big notes and aoife couldn't find her money. I said I would pay for both of us and she could get me later.
We had an idea where we wanted to stay, which was khao san road. Cause thats where everyone stays. From what we knew. When the bus stopped we had no idea where we were. In Vietnam the road name is written on every shop front so its easy to find out where you are. So far in Thailand it wasn't like that. So we followed a couple of other backpackers that were on the bus also, hoping they knew where they were going. Whether they did or not, we found khao san road and man it was like walking down a market road. It was mad busy.
We got a name of a hotel from shay that he stayed in, so we went to find it. We being stopped left right and centre and not just to ask us about accommodation. There were stalls every where and also had them asking us about getting clothes made. Been there done that. We finally found the place, rikka inn. They didn't have a twin room, just a double so we decided to go for it. I wasn't afraid to share my bed. The rooms were ok if a little small but clean which is the main thing. That's when I noticed I got short change at the airport. When we got our bus tickets I didn't check the change. So instead of it costing 300 baht it cost more like 500 baht. So that was my first lesson in Thailand always check your change especially when its a new currency. That night we had a early one since we were still wreaked from the night before.
The next day we went to talk to a few travel agents to see about getting to koh tao or koh phi phi, we weren't sure about where to start, the east coast or west coast. The first couple of travel agents weren't very helpful. We were lucky to get bus prices off them. When we went off khao san road we found a little agent that was very helpful. She told us to go the koh tao first it would be cheaper in the long run. So we bought a bus and boat ticket off her to leave the next night. It was to be an over night bus and to get the boat in the morning. We also bought a fight from phucket to Bangkok for the 29th of October as aoife was leaving the 30th so we knew we would be back on time for her to go home.
That day we didn't do to much I was still quite tired and was hoping for an early night. We went to a bar down the road from our hotel cause it seemed quite busy. I just got a sandwich but aoife decided to try the hot and sour soup. In the mean time there was a couple of German guys sitting beside us. And while we were sitting there they decided to move inside. Not sure why but they didn't stay as it didn't take them too long to realise that there was no smoking inside. So I was laughing and smiling at them as they came back out.
When aoife got her soup, she noticed that it was more hot than sour and at one stage she started coughing so hard from the hotness and her face went red. She said she could feel steam coming from her ears. I was laughing so hard the German guys were looking at us so I tried to explain to them what was happening. I think they got it. So we ended up talking to them, their names were Robert and Thomas. Not very German names and were from Bavaria. When they heard I wasn't drinking and I said I only drank vodka, they took it upon themselves to order a bottle of vodka, their treat, for all of us to share. Hey I wasn't going to turn down free drink. We told them it was our last night in Bangkok, it was only their first and were loving it. They taught how to say cheers in Bavarian which was once, sfey, dry, soufa! And we taught them how to say slainte. Needless to say we ended up being the loudest ones there and so much for an early night. Was good fun though. Also met a lovely girl from chang mai. We ended up swapping e-mail, so I hope to meet her again when I go there..
next day we had to check out early, and since our bus wasn't till late. we decided to walk to china town and have a look around. While we were walking there I think we looked a bit lost, cause a Thai guy that was sitting down on a wall with his girlfriend, stopped us. We told him we were going to china town and he was kind enough to tell us that nothing really happened in china town till after 5, so we were going to early. He then told us that we were only to take tuk tuks with yellow licences plates not white cause they were government ones not private. He tells us were to go since we only have one day. Standing Buddha, lucky Buddha, go to the TAT, which is the government travel agent and then to china town. He tells us to take a tuk tuk for all that and tells us to ask in Thai 'how much' which is tao like cah! And says that all that shouldn't cost more than 60 baht. As luck has it a tuk tuk was driving by and stops. We ask him how much, tao like cah for all those places and he says 50 baht and only cause we are talking to a Thai guy. So we jump in our tuk tuk happy out. The first place the standing Buddha was really nice. The Buddha was huge and well standing. It was really nice though. The second place the lucky Buddha, I guess we weren't lucky cause it was closed for a ceremony that was happening that night but we did meet art. Who was another lovely Thai. when we told him we were from Ireland he said he had a friend who was a living as a chef in cork and that he was just back to Thailand for holiday and taught art to say some Irish. He knew how to say hello and how are you and really well. Then he goes and says phog mo thon! Which we burst out laughing at, cause we never excepted to hear him say that. Its was really nice.
We then went to TAT, just to check it out. But we ended up buying a whole package off them. Not sure if it worked out money wise in the end but it was nice not have to worry about where we were staying or how we were getting there. So our next two weeks was set we just had to turn up.
Next we were to go to china town but our driver said it was getting close to rush hour so asked us if we wanted to take the river boat instead. We were wanting to try it out, so he brought us the boat dock and since he was such a nice driver we gave him a tip. So it was exciting enough to take the boat taxi and fun atleast aoife got to see it as we weren't going to have much time when we came back to Bangkok so she probably wouldn't see it then. We got off the stop closest to china town and walked around, it was kinda cool and all the signs were in chinese. We didn't have to long though as we had to be back by 7 to get our bus. So at about half 5 we started to walk back towards khao san.
I didn't realise how far it was. And at one stage I thought we got lost cause we couldn't find street signs and ones we did find weren't written on the map. But at one stage a guy pulled up and we were trying to figure out who he was and he pointed to his shirt that said tourist police. So he told us that we were going the right way it was just abit further and said if we had any problems to call the tourist police on 1155. and off he went. I thought it was really nice. They say things happen in three and we met three lovely Thai gentlemen that day. We arrive to our travel agent on time for our bus to koh tao. Which actually ended up being early. Cause even though she told us 7pm the bus wasn't actually leaving till 9. so we just hung around for awhile until we finally made it on the bus. Yahoo koh tao here we come.
