Bangkok is exactly as crazy as I imagined it to be. Similar
to places in Beijing, Shanghai and Hanoi, but it has this knowledge and
attitude of its own mental functioning that makes it world renowned and
notorious for this style of nightlife and freedom. I can’t imagine danger or
upheaval here as everyone is smiling, friendly, open and in the streets. Music
is blaring from clubs lined along the roadside, our dorm for the night is right
beside koh san road, the infamous street here that contains everything you might
ever need. It is less intense than I expected, probably because I’ve now lived
in crowds a lot worse in China, than I have seen here in my one evening of
walking around. Perhaps I wouldn’t mind coming back to spend longer, but
probably not this trip round.
Leaving Siem Reap was a strange feeling, excited that we now
have less than a month left of this trip, but also sad I couldn’t bathe in the
wonder of the Angkorian temples more, or climb the nearby but too far away
mountain, Phnom Kulen. Our last day there we went to Kbal Spean, a small
waterfall fed by a stream which has carved ‘lingas’ on the riverbed. These are
a collection of patterns, shapes and carvings in the rock that have been there
for over a thousand years. Mostly covered by moss but still visible, we
wandered around the area, occasionally in the stream, our toes touching the
rounded lumps and circles, photos snapped with varying success, once again the
digital machine is useless in clumsy hands.
We also visited Banteay Srei, which has intricate carvings
in pinky sandstone; this sets it apart from the thousand or so other temples
around Angkor. We noticed the detail, the carving immaculately preserved, the
walls and surrounds in ruins. The colours were captivating and the faces of
naga and statues protecting entrances all very beautiful. We had a Swedish
girl, Cat, accompanying us and it was awesome having someone to wander with, as
Josh and I tend to wander at very different paces, attracted to examining each
and every figure and monument but working through the grounds in opposite
directions.
That
evening we met up with Greg and his mates and enjoyed our last delicious Khmer
barbeque on the roadside, swarming with open air restaurants and people. This is the best
place ever, absolutely to die for bbq, and stir fried prawn in Khmer
spices-satay slash spiciness. So as to rise early and fresh, wee climbed into
dingy, stuffy, netted beds, and woke to a long long as bus ride, all the way to
Bangkok, Thailand. After a painful border crossing, waiting for hours in the
heat, it was evident the mission would take about 4 hours longer than the 8 we
were told. Watching the passing land I was unimpressed with Thai countryside,
not as serene and picturesque as Laos and Cambodia, not as ordered as China’s
and not as jungley as Vietnam’s, but slightly messy and unkempt looking. I’m
sure this is but a first impression, and I look forward to seeing more of Thai
nature at its best very soon.