Living in Thailand |
“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.”
— Robert Louis Stevenson |
Living in Thailand |
“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.”
— Robert Louis Stevenson |
My first solo Thailand adventure: Get from my condo in Pak Kret to Wat Arun (in central Bangkok) via ferry (Chao Phraya River).
8:15am -Bus from Chaengwattana Central Plaza (the mall) to Pak Kret Pier (15 mins/8 baht/~25 cents) 8:45am -Despite what Google maps says, there is no ferry from Pak Kret to Wat Arun. In order to get to Wat Arun, one must take a taxi or a bus to Nonthaburi Pier. So noted. 9am -Taxi to Nonthaburi Pier (35 mins/181 baht/~$5 by the meter). 10am -Orange flag boat from Nonthaburi Pier to Wat Arun (45mins/16 baht/~50 cents) …I meant to take blue flag (tourist boat that stops at all tourist attractions) but glad I didn’t, that would’ve taken much longer. 10:45am -Arrive @ Wat Arun, also known as The Temple of Dawn. According to the interwebs, Wat Arun was built in memory of King Taksin, the 41st king and national hero of Thailand, and is known for its 79-meter-high (~260 feet) central prang. Arun (to my ear it is pronounced “aloon” by Thais) comes from a Hindu God "Aruna" which personified as the radiation of the rising sun. Anyway, it seems these days, the thing to do for the “twenty-somethings” at Wat Arun, is to purchase a traditional Thai costume from one of the nearby shops, and do a photo shoot with one of the many photographers. I regret not taking pictures of the photographers taking pictures. 1:30pm -Ferry left back to Nonthaburi pier. 2:30pm -Shopping at Nonthaburi market. I bought a couple shirts ($300 baht /~$10USD) and proceeded to get a bit lost. 4:30pm -Two buses back to Chaengwattana Central Plaza. On the way I bought dinner from a street vendor. The Thai lady in front of me bought something that looked good, so I copied her. I ate it when I got home. I am pretty sure it included chicken feet. For the record, chicken feet aren’t bad, but I’m not sure I’m gonna eat them again on purpose. Total steps: 14,310 (~7miles) What I learned: (1) When using cellular mobile data, google maps may or may not be accurate (it seems it can be off by a few thousand meters). To be successful, one must combine Google maps with context clues. I probably knew this at one point. (2) Buses here don’t necessarily display the numbers that Google maps gives you. Sometimes you just have to jump on and pray. (3) I will always help a lost foreigner, ALWAYS. (4) In Bangkok, when a bus or boat stop at your destination, YOU MUST ACT QUICKLY…and if you are the only one disembarking, the vehicle may not make a full stop. It’s really quite a thrill. (5) As much nervous energy as I had, at the end of the day, there is something invigorating about successfully finding your way around with completely inadequate language skills.
2 Comments
Richard Skoonberg
7/5/2023 08:09:18 am
Wow, what an adventure. I am enjoying your blog and being transported virtually to Bangkok. The pictures have been a great addition.
Reply
Cat Batchelor
7/6/2023 06:23:39 am
Thanks Richard, I really appreciate the feedback.
Reply
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