Mystery in Bangkok

This moment caught on video is full of mystery. With my friend Tom, in Bangkok, I stopped in a temple we couldn't find on any map. We still don't know to this day the name of that place. Near some wax statues, these little coins machines probably have a reason to be. We are still searching. Hoping Tom brought himself some good luck with this coin he invested...

If someone can tell us about it...

Stress in Bangkok

My last day in Bangkok wasn't as calm as I expected. First because I hardly slept the night before, when I got in town really late. My hostel was in Silom, an area, I must admit, not too advisable. But it is worth it to stay there to look at the "fauna". 

The neon signs are plenty. In the street, Thai girls are aligned on the sidewalk waiting for some "work". Lots of them.

Thai men all come to offer "ping pong shows", "banana shows" and other massages. "One minute free trial", they sometimes offer.

"Fauna", we can see it even more near the aerial metro (BTS) Asok, in Soi Cowboy. Depressing I must say.

In that street of pubs, the same lines of young women. If you sit on a corner of the street for a drink, there is always one of those "ladies" who will look at you, just in case you ask for something. But most of all, you can see western men walk around. Big belly, they all have the same profile, with a haircut just out of the 80's, a dirty mustache that goes with it, and often, an hawaian shirt. They offer a drink to the young women who pretend they're having fun. And they leave, hand in hand, when there is a little tenderness...

I went it that area with my friend Stéphane, just to see. Because I wouldn't have gone alone. But after talking with another Québécois for too long, I had to run a little to get my luggage before I left for the airport. The BTS going there is efficient, but a little slow when you're in a hurry.

Going to Jordan

I got to Royal Jordanian counter two hours before my flight. No other passenger there. Little stressed since I'm used to arrive in the airport three hours ahead of time. I still needed to go through immigration and security. Stressful when the woman says : do you have a ticket out of Jordan?

No!

Déjà-vu!

I checked on the canadian governement website. Saw nothing about that. No time to buy another ticket.

BUT... thank god for credit cards. Even more when they are gold or platine. They seem to be proving out of any doubt that you have sufficient funds to get in the country.

And surprise : I was the first one at the boarding gate. Stressed for no reason.

Health

For those interested, I saw a second doctor in Bangkok. This time, they made a great bandage and made sure my hand would heal properly. I will be taking pills for another week. But the infection seems to be gone and I got my mobility back.

One hour has 19 minutes

Chiang Mai

One of the main activities travelers do going to Chiang Mai, in the north of Thailand, is a trek in a forest near the city.

There are tens of them offered in hotels (some of them will require you book the trek with them, otherwise, they will limit the lenght of your stay), all of them being similar.

The prices varie, which doesn't mean the experience is gonna be better. It is recommended to book directly in Chiang Mai because the prices are higher in Bangkok.

I took a chance with the Travel Hub Chiang Mai agency. Professionnal website, convincing pictures, seven years of experience and best price guaranteed.

I chose three days for 1600 bahts. From the moment they picked me up, I understood I didn't get an unbeatable price. My trek partners got a price of 1300 or 1400 for three days and two nights.

According to the schedule, the first day was about stopping at the market to collect food for dinner, than a one hour elephant ride and a difficult three hours walk to get to the village of Lahu, on top of a mountain. 

Each time we would ask how long it would take to get somewhere, our guide would say "19 minutes". But too many activities lasted only 19 minutes instead of one hour like it was listed on the schedule. Like that elephant tour... too short.

In the end though, we all had enough of these elephants, especially since they were not treated well. A man sits on their head to control them and hits them with a big hook. Chains link their leg to their neck...

The meal, a little bit of rice with tofu, looked too little for the two (not three) hours of walking uphill we had to do.

Sleeping in the mountains is charming. Toilets and showers are basic as we expected. Mattresses on the bamboo floor were basic too. But the covers with humidity and mold smell were a surprise. Nobody really slept, but we had a lot of fun.

The second day went according to plan, which was a couple of hours of walking and swimming near some falls. Same type of room, with mosquito nets full of holes.

For the third day, a short walk should have brought us to a mindblowing rafting experience, followed by 15 minutes on a bamboo raft.

I couldn't take part in those activities because of my health situation. I could at least find out the guide didn't have a first aid kit. Surprising when you bring a groupe of newbies in a forest for three days, when the ground is slipplery all the time and when we need to cross rivers in very acrobatic ways. That was the goal of the adventure, I must say. But the risks are real.

In the same order of business, I was told I would have to wait for the end of the third day to see a doctor, which meant to wait for the departure time established for the group. What would happen if someone was to hurt themselves to the point they can't even walk?

And they made me pay for the transport to the hospital, even if the price of the trek included an insurance.

That said, back to the waves, the lucky ones who took part in the rafting experience were not wet at all, floating on top of a very calm water stream... for about 19 minutes.

So, don't believe those who are trying to sell you an expedition. Even if the landscape is wonderful, expect less than what they promised you.

Tuk-tuk, Sir?

Wat Pho, Bangkok, Thailand

Maybe you know the song. But I will tell (sing?) the story anyway...

In south-east Asia, one must accept to be harassed all the time. The sellers try to make us buy stuff all more worthless one than another. In restaurants, they always try to get you to enter. And of course, there are the famous tuk-tuk drivers. 

Tuk-tuk Sir? You say no to the first one and the next one asks the same question. The circus goes on and on.

Problem is, at some point, you don't have a choice but to hire one of those drivers. And you need to bargain. Because they will try to get the highest price possible.

In Vietnam and Cambodia, it was easy. In Thailand, the tuk-tuk drivers are real pests. Not only they don't speak or understand english, (which is fine), but they are dishonest. 

This morning, while I was trying to get to the nearest train station to buy a ticket, two of them tried to get me as a client. I said no. "Where are you going?" they ask.

Train station, I said. "Oh! It's so far. At least 3 km", they try to trick me. I try to make them understand I'm not stupid and I keep on walking.

But since I lost a lot of time in the morning, I end up agreeing with another driver, a little bit further. We agree on 30 bahts, which is about 1 $. Of course, as soon as I'm in, the man asks : "Boom boom?". No! No boom boom... (which means sex)

The station was, in fact, very close.

While stepping down, I ask where the ticket counter is. He says I have to hop back in the tuk-tuk. In the end, he had no problem driving me away from the station where I could have got the lowest price, to a travel agency where he takes a commission. I refused to step down and I asked him to drive me back to the station.

From there, since I took the most expensive mean of transportation, i asked him to stay and drive me back in exchange for 30 more bahts.

When comes the time to pay, he wanted more money. Sorry buddy, but I don't feel like playing. I gave him 60 bahts and I turned around before he could say anything.

Later in the day, as I was half lost, knowing where I was, which is far from my hostel, but not sure exactly where I was standing, I chose a tuk-tuk again. Knowing I paid 200 bahts from a place around there to my hostel, I tell myself that I'm not gonna pay more than that.

From the start, the guy asks for 200. Didn't feel like negociating. I say it's ok. He was so surprised, the guy, that I accepted to pay that amount of money.

But on the way, like all of his colleagues, the driver stopped for an impromptu pit stop. In exchange for some gaz coupons from the owner, the "tuk-tukers" bring tourists in their stores. I knew the trick. I accepted to play if there was no more stop on the way.

Problem was I got in a store where they make suits. And of course, all the tourist pretend they are interested and must find a way to get out of there despite some insisting sellers.

On the way back, the driver asked "You, alone?" Yes! "Boom boom?" No, not boom boom!

Not short on tricks, he asked where I was going after that. "Ayutthaya, Lopburi, Chiang Mai..."

"Do you have your tickets?"

TRAP!!!! (with big neon signs flashing and at least four exclamation points) NEVER answer no to that question. He will bring you to a travel agency.

Other scam

New scam I saw coming hundreds of kilometres in advance, near a park in Bangkok. But I ended up paying anyway.

A woman was throwing corn at pigeons. When I walked by, she tried to give me food bags. I refused, but she forced me to take them saying it's for Buddah's luck.

I started walking with the bags but I refused to open them. The woman started following me and she repeated that it was for Buddah's luck. She ended up tearing the bags and pouring the corn in my hands. What was I supposed to do at that point? Threw it all on the ground. And then? "Pay money!"

Of course! It was inevitable... How much? 150 bahts (5 $)!

Pffft! I gave 30 bahts while the women where asking for some "notes". Ask as much as you want, I'm not very flexible with scammers.

I left, and when I turned around, the two women where laughing. So as bitter as I am, I'll say that one of them, if it was really a woman, looked like the half-dog, half man (!) character in Spaceballs, that 1987 success movie. If I'm right, the "animal" was played by John Candy. Take that! No more mister Nice Guy... (And that probably means bad karma coming my way.)