AIM House, Bangkok, Day 6

So this is the day that I have been dreading. I aren't a huge fan of markets as they are often far too busy and far too hot, but the opprtunity to go to the Chatuchak market is one that we can't pass up on. It is one of the biggest markets in the World and sells everything you could ever want to buy.
We jump on the skytrain at around 10 to 9 (it opens at 9) and we manage to get a seat on the pretty empty carriage which is a surprise. When we arrive at the market, which is the same spot we jumped on with our big rucksacks when we first got into Bangkok, we make our way towards the entrance. As we get closer to the gate, you can already sense the scenario you are walking into. A large crowd moves forward and some stalls are already up outside as people try and sell some stuff while shoppers minds are still eager to buy and wallets are still full.
The first section we find ourselves in is the used clothes bit. It is packed with stalls selling levis of all shapes, sizes and colours. There are stalls for jumpers, shoes, coats, everything. As it is so early we have a bit of room to look around and buy some things that we want before it gets to crazy.
Amy finally gets hold of some coconut ice cream. It is something she has been hunting ever since arriving in Bangkok, and it doesn't dissapoint. She has to eat it quickly though as the heat soon turns it into a gooey puddle inside half a coconut shell.
We spend five long hours getting lost in the maze that is Chatuchak market. It is truly huge. There is a huge section for handicrafts that have been handmade, and a large plants bit. We try to avoid the pets and accessories bit but stumble into it a few times as we don't have a clue where we are going. We do have a map but it is almost impossible to work out what bit is where and which way to head. It is one of them places where you leave a stall and walk for ten minutes only to find that you are back at the same place you started. In 33 degrees heat it soon gets rather stressful.
The clothes section is cool. When we leave the used clothes and head into the new, we find ourselves outside and walking past stalls run by local designers. Some of the stuff is really nice and for about 3 or 4 quid a top, it is a shoppers dream. As the day goes on the heat ramps up and the alleyways get more and more busy. We deicde to call it a day at around half 2 as our legs are aching and our backpacks are full.
We hop back onto the skytrain which is a complete opposite to the way in. It is packed out to the point that we could barely squeeze one more person on. As we go through the stations it feels just as hot and sweaty as the market, and it is a big relief when we get to Krong Thonburi and jump off.
We rest our tired legs and chill out in the coolness of the room for a bit. It has been a very long day and is very hard to drag ourselves up to get food. We are back on the skytrain again, heading to Saphan Taksin which is only one stop away, and the scene of the 500 baht ferry ride yesterday. We head back to the food court and eat.
After eating we take a walk around a small market that is up as it is a Saturday, but we see nothing that catches our eyes and so we head back and get some rest. It is odd to know this is our last full sleep. Tomorrow night we are up at around 3AM to go to the airport. It is our last lie in of the journey and we plan to make the most of it.Baca lagi