Bangkok
June 4, 2022 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C
Coming straight from Cambodia, we got to Bangkok and scrambled to the exit to find us a cab. Jasper booked one via Grab and after a scuffle or two of finding the right meeting place, we were off to our 5-star hotel. It was such a lucky deal to find a 5-star hotel that was dirt cheap. Sure, it was quite old but the facilities and the room we were staying in were definitely of a higher caliber. We had a nice city view from the top floor with very comfortable beds and a bathtub to boot! The swimming pool was way bigger than the one we had in Cambodia but it also gave us a nice view of Bangkok. We were a bit pressed for time though since we already arrived in the afternoon so we were in and out of the hotel quite quickly and started to walk towards our first stop of the day: Wat Saket.
The walk to Wat Saket was not too long but not too short either. It was a good time to absorb much of the city's atmosphere. Definitely very different from the provincial Siem Reap. We walked along the river, spotting an iguana crawling and going into someone's home. Maybe not so different from Siem Reap after all? Wat Saket turned out to be that one temple high above the hill that we had to climb. I had initially wanted to back out but Jasper was the one who convinced me to go this time around. There were a lot of stairs but it was worth it as the Buddhist temples in Thailand were really intricate and made with so much reverence. It seemed like they spared no expense at making them as grand as possible. Wat Saket itself was known as the Golden Mount. The way down was much easier and we were soon rushing off to the next temple Wat Ratchanatdaram. This temple's unique trait was its symmetrical center. It was all white and gold which was a prevalent color in the temples, having arched gates and golden roofs extending in all four directions forming a square. We also stopped by Wat Thepthidaram and Wat Suthat. The former being the first time we saw these unique white thin stupa and the latter having the famous red torii gate-like swing. We also saw Wat Ratchabophit, it had a giant golden stupa surrounded by a dome with a blue roof. All of these temples were very huge in size and area but our last stop, Wat Pho, makes them all pale in comparison.
Wat Pho was one of the few temples aside from Wat Saket that required an entrance fee. The temple grounds were a mix of royalty and spirituality. It was one of the most lavished temples I have seen so far. There was a lot to see and we were quickly overwhelmed on where to go first so we started to just walk around aimlessly. Being one of the most popular temples in Thailand, it was pretty crazy that it wasl empty. We saw a lot of these tiny pyramid like structures with antennas pointing upwards, stupas and temples housing different idols. There were a lot of art and sculptures around the temple. The most popular one here was the giant reclining Buddha. I had seen one before in Myanmar and that one was much bigger but this Buddha also didn't disappoint as it was enshrined in a very large temple. It's walls had art depicting the heavens and there in lied the Buddha. All the way down the hall, Buddha's feet also had inscriptures on them, similar to Yangon's reclining Buddha as well. We stopped by at the final temple, housing a giant golden meditating Buddha. We had to take our shoes off before going in the temple and the guard gave me a mask so I could enter. Inside the temple, the monks sat at the elevated platform as they chanted while we sat on the carpet. I took the time to meditate here, letting myself drown in the chorus of chants. When we decided that it was time to go back, the temple was completely empty. Seemed like everyone had already went home so we found ourselves just walking in the silence on the way out.
My final itinerary of the day was to have dinner somewhere near the river to watch the sunset with a view of Wat Arun. We were supposed to visit both Wat Arun and Wat Pho but there wasn't enough time so I decided to just go there again the next day. We were having troubles finding a place to eat so we instead went to Vivi the Coffeeplace. I remember reading about this cafe and that it had pretty nice views of Wat Arun. I ordered a fruit shake while we just chilled and watched as the sunset behind the clouds. Unfortunately, no sunset again today but it was still pretty nice and to think we were in Cambodia just a while ago. It was now time for dinner so we started to look around for food and found a restaurant not too far from the cafe that had a rooftop. I ordered my favorite Thai food, green curry. I was quite excited to taste an authentic one. The overall ambience was perfect, a nice aerial view of the river and Wat Arun, the live music, the refreshing breeze and the onset of dusk made for one of the best meals one could wish for. Albeit the price was a bit expensive, I would say it was worth it for one night. The green curry was a bit more spicy than I expected but it had that classic taste that I really love. Satisfied with a fulfilling day, Jasper booked us a Grab to go back to the hotel. Upon arrival, we were off to the pool which was very cold under the night sky but that Bangkok skyline made me feel like a rich guy on vacation. I was just genuinely extremely happy and internalizing it all as I floated on the water. After swimming, I made good use of our bath tub and took a hot bath before plopping on my super dope mattress.Read more
Bangkok II
June 5, 2022 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C
Waking up after such a rejuvenating night at a high-class hotel gave me the much needed rest I needed to take on a brand new day. We called a Grab to Wat Arun since we had missed it yesterday and the ride was pretty smooth. We had to take a ferry to the other side of the river. Wat Arun is one of the primary symbols of Bangkok and its sheer size and intricate design proves that it deserves that title. The main and central temple towered above us in the form of a pyramid like stupa. The whole temple was predominantly white but upon closer inspection, each tile, each corner and each layer of the entire area had a wide array of designs and imprints. It was still so early in the morning and we were once again lucky enough to have the whole temple all to ourselves, not even the monks were around yet.
We took the ferry back to the other side of the river to make our way to the Royal Grand Palace and the supposed Emerald Buddha in Wat Phra Kaew. A short walk turned into a long detour as they changed the entrance and we had to go on through a lot of twists and turns, even doubting if we were heading in the right direction a couple of times. We finally go to the entrance where there was a Covid checkpoint, they gave me a mask and we were able to go in to take a peek but only a peek since the entrance fees were too expensive for us. I ended up just making use of the royal toilets and we used their wi-fi to book a cab all the way to Wat Ben, the marble temple. I chose to skip the other temples as we had already had enough and we still had to go to Maeklong and Amphawan on the same day. Booking a cab has always been no problem, but getting there always seemed to work against us. We had trouble finding the exit of the palace and we were under a time pressure as our cab could leave us if we made him wait for too long. We were going around in circles and being told by the guards to go from one place to the next and the language barrier was't helping at all. We somehow found our way out to the meeting place but the taxi wasn't there anymore. Fearing the worse and resigning to our fate, I sat down and pondered what the possible course of actions were next. Jasper was very bummed to have missed the ride as it was already paid with his card and we were stuck for a while contemplating if we should just take another cab. A pink cab at the distance was grabbing our attention every once in a while and Jasper was thinking that it could possibly be the cab that we booked and went over to check. Turns out it really was the cab and the driver had patiently waited for us all this time, talk about lucky.
Wat Ben was the final stop in Bangkok. It was known as the marble temple and the outside gardens and bridges made for nice photos. The inside provided a lot of opportunities for symmetrical shots as well. After doing about two rounds around the temple, it was time to go to Maeklong. Unfortunately, we didn't have any access to the internet so we set off on a journey to find a cafe. It was Sunday and it seemed like most of the restaurants were closed so we had to venture further and further until we found a cafe that we could use as a base. We ordered some brunch and drinks and booked a cab straight to Maeklong. We were so far from the supposed van terminal and too pooped to try and find it. The journey to Maeklong was pretty long and it was a good time to wind down and just let the scenery of the country side unfold.Read more
Amphawa
June 5, 2022 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C
Arriving at the Maeklong Railway Market, we were greeted with a strong heat wave. This place was way hotter than the city. The markets were quite busy despite the sun baring down on everyone. It seems like we had already missed the famous train crossing. Maeklong is known as one of the most dangerous markets in the world since a train runs right in the middle of it. The markets were built on and around the train tracks and the vendors would supposedly scramble to remove their stuff as the train comes at specific times. Since it was quite hot and it doesn't seem like the train would be coming back anytime soon, we opted to go to Amphawan to see the floating markets next. We asked around to find the Songthaew, a public transportation in the form of a jeep. We had to wait a long time until ours was full before our driver decided to go on.
Our songthaew went on for a while but I honestly didn't know when to get off, I kept my eye on the maps and when we did pass the supposed market, I prompted the driver to stop but the old lady, who was one of first passengers waiting with us, told me that this wasn't the floating markets yet. I guess being foreigners gave it away that we were heading there. Amphawan was much more lively than Maeklong, maybe too much as the crowds were pretty overwhelming and I had no idea where to start or where to go. I knew that we definitely were going to ride the boat to cruise around so when I saw a lone boat at the other side of the river, I took the chance to ask about the rates. The guy gave us an exorbitant rate to which I was quite tempted to take but Jasper convinced me otherwise and we went back to the other side to a boat that had much more tourists going in. The price was literally 10 times cheaper than what we were quoted with so I was glad we went with this local tour. The boat tour was actually more than what we bargained for in terms of the length. It took us to so many places around the river but they were honestly nothing special. A lot of them were temples, some of them had really cool features like a golden crocodile as a temple guardian, the others were nothing to write home about. On one of the stops, I was able to try some local leaf-wrapped banana that filled me up pretty well. The only spot I was interested in was Wat Bang Kung, a temple built inside a tree. Whether we were going there or not remained a mystery for me as our guides couldn't even speak English but it turned out to be the final stop of the day. After the not so eventful day, it was time to find a way back to Bangkok. We had to find a way to the mini-van terminals but were left with not much choice between a motorcycle driver and a tuktuk. A tour guide that was helping another group helped us out but his directions didn't prove to be of much help. The motorcycle was much more expensive than the tuktuk so in the end we came crawling back to him after turning him down once. He took us to the terminal where we paid a few more bahts for a ride to Bangkok. After a couple of hours, we were dropped in Mo Chi Vit.
We were once again in the middle of nowhere with no wi-fi. My idea was once again to try and find a cafe and I saw that there were a couple of them nearby. We somehow ended up in the middle of a night market instead which was all fine and dandy but turns out most of the cafes were just stalls and had no wi-fi. Suddenly, out in the corner of my eye, I saw a familiar symbol that seemed to attract my attention. A friggin' cannabis popshop in the middle of the market. No way, up until this time I thought it was illegal in Thailand but I was told that they had recently made it legal. They were selling edibles and I managed to convince myself to buy their chocolate bars, trying out their free samples as well. Jasper and I wandered around for a long time, him leading the way for the latter half which took us to who knows where. We were supposed to head into the nearby mall when I saw some motorcycles parked outside but they had some sort of ID's on that made me think they could be public transportation. Lady Luck was on my side as it turns out they were! Here's me, saving the day again as I started to feel the effects of the edibles even more. Next thing I know, I'm sitting on a motorcycle feeling the wind on my face and watching the lights of Bangkok blur around me. It was an amazing night ride. When we got to the hotel, I was so relaxed but still wanted to make the most of the night so we jumped right in the swimming pool again. With the water completely refreshing my body and mind, we ordered with GrabFood and I once again had green curry for the second day in a row.Read more
Chiang Rai
June 6, 2022 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C
Taking a cab to the airport, we found ourselves eating brunch while waiting for our flight. My last meal in Bangkok once again being green curry, perhaps I was eating too much of this even though the airport's curry was the least delicious and most expensive one so far. The flight was pretty relaxed and Chiang Rai was much more laid back than Bangkok, it gave off that provincial vibe and what was great is that Grab was still quite viable here. We got on a cab that took us to Pimaninn, a four-star hotel that still had an awesome pool. On the way, I spied with my eye more cannabis shops. Thailand was definitely going in the right location. We checked in at the empty hotel and left our things before booking another cab to Wat Rong Kun, also known as the White Temple.
On the way, the rain started to pour hard, like the heaviest rain we've seen so far throughout our whole trip. The sky turned dark and the surroundings fogged up. I was hoping for the rain to stop but we arrived at the temple and it was dumping even harder. We sat by the benches outside, watching the downpour and water creep up to us as it started to overflow the streets. It was somehow still quite a zen moment as we sat by wondering what we were doing all the way out here in the middle of this storm, without wi-fi to go back. I felt that it wouldn't last long though as I reassured Jasper. It would be gone in a few more minutes and just like that, the rain dissipated to just a light drizzle. We went inside to check out the temple but we couldn't enter yet because of the rain so we went around the perimeter taking whatever photos we could. The pictures definitely do give this temple justice as it was truly a work of art in a very modern take of Buddhism. As the name suggests, the whole temple complex was coated in white, a lot of its design resembled white fire with a lot of sharp points to it. There were several art installations all around but the most popular one was the Bridge of Samsara, surrounding it were hundreds of hands that were supposed to symbolize the earthly desires. We were soon allowed to enter the temple and I had definitely wanted to get some photos taken with the bridge. Luckily enough, there wasn't anyone at all so I was able to get a lot of cool shots. We continued our tour around the temple, stopping by the main hall were the Buddha was enshrined. Proceeding out back and stopping by a cafe that had wi-fi, we plotted our next move while Jasper bought some refreshments. Soon, the sun finally came out to play and bedazzled everyone by showing just how beautiful the White Temple could be with proper lighting. I didn't want to pass this opportunity up so I pestered Jasper to go in for another round with me to take a photo at the bridge for good lighting after I took some of his photos too, of course. Back at the cafe, we managed to find a cab after waiting for a while and were soon ready to be picked up but I realized that I had somehow lost my umbrella. This was crucial for me as I still had the whole trip ahead and I can't afford to lose it since it was given to me by my mom too and it had some pretty cool anti-UV tech. I urged Jasper to go on without me as I went back in to try and find it. Jasper begrudgingly cancelled the booking. Luckily, the ladies manning the counter had my umbrella with me so I was very relieved and ready to leave but we couldn't find another cab and had to wait for much longer.
Our next stop was Wat Huay Pla Kang. The main features of this temple was that it had a giant Guan Yin at the top as well as giant white dragons adorning the stairs leading up to it. We took our time going up and taking photos as we admired the sheer beauty eminating from the statue. The top provided us a mountain top view of Chiang Rai while temple music played at the background. I really enjoyed just sitting there and taking in the atmosphere, best of all it was all free! I was down to go to the next temple but Jasper didn't want to risk it anymore and decided to just go back to the hotel. I was fine with it but we still had to find a way back, Jasper asked one of the vendors for the wi-fi and he graciously agreed to share his hotspot. Jasper bought something as thanks even though the vendor told him it wasn't needed. I got the password from him and we both made bookings but it was hard to find any nearby drivers as we were in the middle of nowhere. I managed to snag a cab after a while on my phone and as we were on our way down, I lost the signal and forgot the plate number as I had closed the app accidentally. It was so funny, I ended up laughing pretty hard, I told Jasper it was fine and that we can find it by using our intuition and reverse-engineering the location from the photo the driver sent us. In the parking lot, it was pretty hard to see which cab was ours but one of the cars started to move and ended up bumping into the fence which was another funny surprise. Turns out, it was our ride.
At the hotel, I happily got ready to try out the pool which was even larger than the one we had in Bangkok. Swimming always made the fatigue go away, the realization that Jasper was leaving the next day also made me a bit sad as it was actually really fun to travel with a friend. I still had one more thing to check off the bucket list in Thailand and that is to get an authentic Thai massage. There was one near our place so after eating dinner, I made my way there. I passed by an abandoned airplane landing zone which at late afternoon turned into a sports park for the locals. I found the place based on Google Maps and booked a 2-hour session to get the most out of every single Baht. The whole session was overall pretty good, it wasn't the first time I had a Thai massage but it was still up to par with the one I had in Tokyo. After the massage, I had tea with my masseuse. Back at the room, I took a shower and had some final conversations with Jasper before getting a very rejuvenating sleep.Read more
Chiang Rai II
June 7, 2022 in Thailand ⋅ 🌧 28 °C
Jasper left around 5AM-ish and I gave him a sheepish sleepy good bye as I tried to get some more sleep. I remember waking up and feeling this sort of emptiness as my travel buddy for the past 2 weeks or so is now gone and I'm left all alone. It definitely does take time to adjust and get used to not having anyone to talk to so I decided to go out for a morning swim to go into a bit of a meditative state. As I floated and stared at the passing clouds, I reflected on the journey so far and what was still coming. I had traveled with Frida before but it was my first time really sticking with someone for so long and I realized just how fun it was compared to going solo. I prayed to the Universe with the hopes that I may meet good people along the way. Either way, the show must go on and after much introspection, I went back to the room to fix my things and take a shower after ordering some food from Grab. I was contemplating whether it was still worth it to go out or not as I might miss my flight back to Bangkok since I didn't have any wi-fi but I still had the whole day ahead of me and I decided to at least try going to the Wat Rong Suea Ten, the Blue Temple. Quite similar to the White Temple, this one was coated in blue and also functioned as an exemplary artistic temple.
I once again used Grab after checking out and got to the Blue Temple. This time around, I had to carry all my stuff with me so after making the rounds around the temple exterior, I made my way inside to just sit in the presence of Buddha. I meditated and prayed and let the time pass by. People were coming and going and at one point, I had the whole temple to myself which was always a blessing for me. I decided to get rid of my coins by putting them all in the donation box and decided that it was time to go out and try to find a place with wi-fi. On the way out of the temple grounds, a girl who I recognized from the temple approached me with a question asking if I was a solo traveler. I told her I wasn't until recently but I am now, and she asked if I was interested in splitting a cab going to the Black Houses of Baan Dam which was actually also on my list. I was a bit worried about missing my flight but what the heck, I just went with the flow as spontaneity was one of the best traits I can attribute to being a solo traveler. It was a good opportunity to make a new friend as well.
Inside the car, we started to introduce ourselves. Her name was Lina from Lithuania but now living in Germany. She was surprised that I knew about her country. I counted my lucky stars as I wasn't expecting to get to explore the Black Houses as well. The ticket pretty much cost everything I had and Lina even had to lend me 1 baht just so I can purchase one. There was also this random dude who was trying to ask some donations from us but he also ended up singing some random Japanese song when I told him I came from Tokyo and he added us both on Instagram. Lina and I exchanged a lot of jokes as the Baan Dam museum was definitely not a place for the faint-hearted. It seemed to have an obsession with phallic artwork and didn't hold back in putting it on pretty much everywhere from the toilet signs to these impish looking creatures. The overall vibe of the place was macabre but the music in the main house tried to portray itself as some spiritual place. Truly one of the stranger locales in Chiang Rai. Lina and I sat down and really started to get to know each other some more, sharing bits and pieces about our lives and our beliefs, sharing information about scams and cultures of other countries. I also found out that she was a spiritual person, so I was pretty sure this was the Universe at work with my manifestations this morning. I told her about my thoughts on our serendipitous meeting to which she made comments that she does manifestations as well. Our vibes were definitely on point. I soon decided that it was really time to go and she helped me by sharing her hotspot so I could call a Grab scooter to the airport. In the end, everything turned out perfectly on a supposedly otherwise mopey day. I said good bye and left in high spirits as I cruised across Chiang Rai and taking one last look at it before getting dropped at the airport with plenty of time to spare.Read more
Bangkok III
June 8, 2022 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C
Coming back to Bangkok, it was late afternoon but I had a lot of trouble getting a Grab for some reason as I keep on getting the same driver that was changing his tires and expected me to wait half an hour. It was quite frustrating for me as it was hot and I ended up having to wait for more than an hour or so. It was alright though since I got to see a beautiful sunset on the way. My hotel was quite near and it was also another five-star hotel with a swimming pool that I planned to take full advantage of. My room was definitely modern featuring hexagonal designs and a photo of Hallstat above the bed. It was surreal to think that I was just there last year. I settled down and ordered dinner and went to swim under the night sky. I remember a family was dining outside and there was a special needs kid with them that kept on staring at me but I paid him no mind and continued to swim back and forth. I went back shortly after to take a shower and head to bed.
The next day, I woke up extra early to catch that sweet free breakfast and booked my last cab in Bangkok that took me to the airport to catch my flight to Sri Lanka.Read more
Bangkok IV
October 11, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ⛅ 31 °C
I arrived in Bangkok close to midnight, making my way to the Grab pick-up point where a bunch of other travelers were all waiting for their Grab cars. After sticking there for a while, my cab finally arrived and took me to my hotel,
The Krungkasem Srikrung.
I checked in and got to my room pass midnight. I took a shower and went to bed hoping to get some sleep before the biking journey around Ayutthaya tomorrow.Read more
Ayutthaya
October 12, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 32 °C
In the morning, I went to the Bangkok Train Station to catch a ride to Ayutthaya only to find out that the first train was still pass 9 AM. I opted to get a taxi instead so I would have enough time to explore the ancient city.
I arrived and walked over to rent a bike for 60 baht. My first stop was Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon, a bit on the opposite side of the main sites across the river but it was well worth it and a good way to start the day. I was greeted by giant Buddha statues and walking around the ancient ruins gave me a sense of peace as I chanted the Shakyamuni mantra. The second spot I went to was Wat Mahathat, one of the most famous temples in Ayutthaya due to a Buddha head lodged into a banyan tree. The surrounding temple was also huge with plenty of overgrowth that made it look like an ancient temple reminiscent of Ta Prohm in Cambodia.
The nearby Wat Rachaburana could be seen even from here with its stupa protruding up the trees. I made my way there to find the tower perfectly framed by the giant archway. I walked clockwise around the temple grounds, admiring the amazing architecture and intricate facade. On the way out, I ended up getting talked into donating some stuff for the children which was fine for me.
It seemed like I still had a lot of time so I went up towards Wat Phra Ngam, known as the Portal of Time. This place was devoid of people and I was able to really meditate and introspect about life here. I then cycled beside the river and visited Wat Choeng Tha and Wat Na Phra Meru Rachikaram. The former being a smaller temple; and the latter, a much more modern temple with plenty of devotees. I also visited Wat Tammikarat which was a peculiar temple with plenty of rooster statues. One of the main highlights was a giant banyan tree growing on the temple structure.
I was getting really hungry as I didn't have anything for breakfast, and stopped by Busaba Ayutthaya Cuisine which thankfully had air-condition and amazing food. I got some shrimp paste fried rice and fried garlic tofu along with dessert. I waited for a long time here until 1PM before I decided it was time to hit the road again.
After lunch, I went to Wat Phra Si Sanphet, one of the more impressive temples out there with giant stupas with spiraling tips beside it was Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit, a much more modern temple that I had visited prior.
I then visited Wat Phra Ram, quite similar to Wat Rachaburana but this time there were plenty of elephants around its road. It made me sad to look at how they were being used, even more so when I passed by the stables. From there was Wat Lokkayasutha, where the biggest reclining Buddha in Ayutthaya was resting, and right beside it was Wat Worachettharam, a much more humble stupa with a singular Buddha statue in front.
After, I went to Wat Kasattrathirat Worawihan, another modern temple where I took a rest for a few hours or so as the heat was getting too much I was getting a bit lightheaded. I then went to Wat Chaiwatthanaram to finally end the day as I couldn't bring myself to wait til sunset. It was already crowded even before that time yet it was the most impressive and magnificent temple in the entire area. The towering structures covered in greenery that seem to meld effortlessly with nature were outstanding. The dual Buddhas that stood watch over the temple grounds were another striking feature. I walked around the entire complex before tapping out. I bought some cold water from a vendor before completely drinking it down.
I stopped by Wat Phuttaisawan on the way back to the bike rental place. It was time to head back. The day so far went extremely well and not a single incident even as I rode around the traffic.
The route took me to an earthen path inside a forest. I was a bit doubtful if this was the right one but it checked out on Google Maps so I continued, at one point the path was a bit too muddy and rugged and it caused my bike's chains to pop off. Great. I knew the day was going a bit too well. Hauling the bike with an hour walk wasn't a fun idea and I was already thinking if I could repair it or find a tuk-tuk but first I had to get out of the woods.
And it looked like it wasn't going to be easy. Three dogs over yonder, looks like they already saw me. I hoped they were friendly. They started to bark at me, maybe not so friendly. I was telling them "Sorry, I just need to pass." I passed the three dogs only to find two more dogs in front of them. I also noticed the three dogs started to tail me and continue barking. "Just let me pass."
Every dog I passed tailed me, their barks growing louder and getting a bit too close for comfort. I don't know when it happened but I realized that I was now completely surrounded, I couldn't count how many they were any more or where they even came from. I tried to shout a them bit, banging the seat on my bike and while it made them move backwards a bit, they started to move closer after that with much more aggressiveness. They had the numbers.
I felt panic, it was getting a bit overwhelming, the barking from all around was so loud now. My legs kept getting caught on branches and roots while hauling the bike, sometimes I thought they already started to bite. I tried to look around for anyone for help but looks like I was alone. I felt fear now, and I was afraid they'd smell it. I couldn't run cuz that would make them chase me if they saw me as "prey" but standing my ground was getting a bit difficult. When I saw that there were still 3 more dogs at the front of the road, and they had already started to bark and move towards me, I realized I was in dire straits.
At that point, I called Hanuman. The moment the name slipped out from my mouth, there was total silence, not a single bark and all the dogs turned around on their own. I quickly skedaddled out of there while I had the chance, still worried about the bike but once I had some distance from the dogs, a single gear change popped the chain back, luckily. It was only while I was biking back at the road that it dawned on me what just happened and I got goosebumps.
I then stopped by Wat Phanan Choeng Worawihan on the other side of the river, trying to look for the giant golden Buddha statue shown on Google Maps but I ended up just sitting down in the middle of chanting by the monks and laypeople which was an experience in itself. From there, I finally returned the bike and went to the train station to catch a train back to Bangkok.
Back in Bangkok, I was able to reconnect with Chinatsu where we had dinner together despite the late hour and her being sick. I was thankful she took the time to show up. She even had a private driver due to her work and I was dropped by my hotel.Read more
Bangkok V
October 13, 2024 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C
Today is the day I depart from Bangkok to fly to Paro, Bhutan. I took my last Grab for the trip to the airport and handed him all the money I had left. Some that I got from Chinatsu as we split the bill for dinner last night.
Everything went pretty smooth from immigration to security to boarding and soon enough I was on Druk Air's airplane and off to Bhutan.Read more
