Trains, Boats and Tuk Tuks

The gander from the top floor (15 stories) not at all disappointing

Wanting to get my bearings around Bangkok's colossal network of acreage, I decided to throw myself in the deep end - not literary! those waterways are dirty enough to embalm a cat! 

My 3rd morning found me keeping up with my co-worker down the busy street to catch an over crowded bus to an even more over crowded train to cut across the city to the language school he was finishing up at and I would be begin starting in a few days time. Our boss calls this 'Orientation'. 

Registration for Thai classes all done and dusted and Pieter in his final exam, by 8:30am I'm left to my own devices in a city far away, in a section of town I can't pronounce, in a heat I've not acclimatised too, with no idea which way is north and having a hard time figuring out the money. Perfect timing for sightseeing, might as well just get on with it.

First stop an overview - I snuck up to the topmost floor to take a peek.
L: Union Language School, where I will wax eloquent the Thai tongue
M: City scape with school treed compound and sky train in foreground and water canal in the distance
R: A close up of the water canal and city, they crisscross the city

Today I decided to play on as much of the transportation system Bangkok could offer me.

 Welcome to my new everyday life

This is bus # 71 I catch in the morning to the train station. In a city of 12 million people you'd think they'd put in double seats, but no, it's good to stand. The driver likes to travel about 80kms/hr, stop suddenly and impatient to leave and often is at least 30kms/hr before the passenger has fully alighted on/off the bus. Oh, and he likes to travel with the doors open! A bus driver often stops at random places and calls to a seller of flowers to add to his collection at the front of the bus, while at the lights he will pay homage to Buddha or the King, I'm not sure which or both. Then light up a smoke if he so inclined.

This is the chap who collects your money, he roams the bus speaking Thai only and holds a metal cylinder full of coins and tickets to give out. He points to seats or the back of the bus and often can be seen calling to the people on the street while stopped (for the seconds necessary to allow more people on or off). Air conditioning on this bus was the open windows and maybe an overhead fan. A ride on this will set you back 6.5BTH or $0.25cNZ

Pretty snazzy view. This bus takes me the 2.3km to the train station. I've taken to walking it in the mornings, there is only so much over crowing one can handle. This bus wasn't very crowded.

This is a typical morning or afternoon train ride on the BTS: Bangkok Mass Transit System

This morning wasn't that bad, but usually at 7am expect to have between 4-6 bodies pressed against you. Personal space? Oh that's whats going on between your ears not the bubble about your body. This is the sky train (mono-rail) with proper air-con. My train takes about 15min to arrive to school. Riding this baby cost me a month pass for 840BTH (40 rides) $33.15NZ. It takes 2 rides off you at a time, so on a given day going to and from school it loves eating 4 rides equaling to 84BTH a day $3.31NZ

Pulling out my trusty tourist map and throwing caution to the wind I boarded the next available train. I now rode in another direction to further places unpronounceable. It was loads of fun, viewing the city from a giants perceptive in the skytrain. Taking mental notes of the parks, shopping centers and temples for later perusal we soon crossed a bridge and a whim took me to get off and see about a boat traveling upriver. 

It seemed every other foreigner visiting the city thought just like me and now I was being pressed into a line and being pressured to by a 100BTH/$4NZ all day pass. But I only wanted to go one way and I was disappointed it wasn't one of those fast zippy express boats I was looking for. I had my wits about me to ask what the cost of a one way trip and was told 30BTH/$1.20NZ so I took that. It was a great tour to get an overview and something I'll return to should family and friends visit.

The Chao Phraya River cruse with all it's sights which I'll go back to another day, great to see them in 'real life'

The one way boat ride was really long and enjoyable, even though the water was not inviting, it was fantastic to be on the water nonetheless.

Can you guess what my next ride was? rottuktuk - in phassaathay (Thai language) I've since learned. This is where I started really enjoying  the adventure. But in fact I was totally sucked into a tourist scam which I got the better end off. I'll try and make it brief... I wanted to make my way to the express boat on a canal and as I was reading my map - totally tourist - I, with a few other tourists, was 'helped' to understand the map. I was told that the express boat doesn't operate till 2pm, and as it was now 12noon I was offered a TukTuk ride for only 10BTH/NZ$0.40. That appealed to me, but I also caught something about visiting a tailors and gem shop along the way. It was totally missed on me that this was a set up. So I happily boarded my ride, as you can see.

Even had a bit of excitement when a car cut us off and this poor bloke went straight into the back of us - well me actually. Man the tuktuks are sturdy wee things. The offending car had his license number taken down as he sped off and this army guy came on over to assist, it was all over in a few minutes with just a few scraps on both bike and person. Wow my first accident in Thailand.

So I was dropped off at before mentioned tailors, then gem shop and went in and enjoyed 5 min at both to appease my driver - "Oh you didn't buy anything." he said, "no I wasn't interested in spending" says I, then happily continued enjoying the sights, not at all bothered we had to stop, I also was given a free cold water in the gem shop where dozens of other sucked-in tourists were sending big. We drove round for an hour and he was about to take me to some other place "I must see" when I said, "no, it's OK thanks, I'll get off now" as I thought I'd walk round a bit till the boats started working. I thought it strange his countenance changed as soon as I said this but he stopped where I wanted to go and before I could pay him he was off! Weird. I turned about and found that the express boats fast at work, then it dawned on me what had happened - totally given a 'line'. I was pretty thrilled I got the better end of the stick and enjoyed an hour touring round at no cost and had a refreshing cup of water to boot!

Now my next ride awaited me immediately so I boarded and enjoyed a thrill ride down the canal, or chong (ch pronounced as 'ka'). When you board, you board with HASTE, and I mean HASTE! Same with docking... phew this country make you work to get on board anything! This ride took me back to where I began in the journey, a 10/15min ride for 10BTH.

A little eating place beside the canal, you can see the dock on the opposite side

Inside the boat - hang on, as he motors. The blue tarp is hoisted up as passengers tend to get water sprayed, not an ideal desire, pretty grimy water.

The 'conductors' on held on and walked round the side of the boat gathering money, at least they were waring helmets

Tis myself thoroughly enjoying the ride

Docked and about to take off at high speed

 

Sky train knot - great way to travel

My ride home

The express boat crisscrosses all over the city and it's amazing to get off that and then onto this (skytrain) in the matter of a few minutes.

Once at my homeward-bound stop I caught a motorcycle taxi. I couldn't take photos as I was busy trying not to get my knees swiped against a bus while hanging on... they weave... what an adventure!

So that covers most of what I see on any given day while living in Bangkok, lots of fun and variety.

My first day of sight seeing was satisfactory and I have a better mental image of direction and where I was meant to be. The adventure continues as I go through my 'Orientation' and will only stop when I leave this country, so I'm told.

So far enjoying the ride(s)  ;o)