Trains + a new friend

Ok, first things first...apologies for the terrible photo quality of this post. Most of the pictures were taken in the dark or while moving. iPads, as lovely as they are for travel, do not take the best pictures in those conditions.

After about a week in Bangkok, Colin and I decided to take a trip south. It was time for some ocean fun. There are three main options people use to travel long distances: plane, bus, or train. The plane options is the most expensive (yet still relatively cheap compared to other places) and the faster and most comfortable. The bus option is the slowest and the cheapest. It is also the most uncomfortable. We decided to go with the train. 

Bangkok's central station.

Our goal was to get to Phuket, the large city that is halfway down the country's southern strip. In order to get there we would have to take the train, about a 13 hour trip, to a town called Surat Thani, then take a bus about 6 hours. 

We have done 30+ hour trips on buses in South America. So we weren't too worried about the length of the journey. We were mostly just excited about a new mode of transportation to try here. 

We boarded the train and found our second class seats. We chatted with a gentleman from Connecticut for a while as we waited for one of the train employees to come by and transform seats and overhead areas into beds.

We purchased our tickets rather late, so only the top bunks were available. No problem for my 5'2'' frame. Colin was a bit more cramped for space.

I highly recommend this way of travel...especially of you are on a tight budget. It is almost as cheap as the bus, and as it is an overnight trip, you save the cost of a hostel. You travel during the night and are, hopefully, rested to explore the next morning when you arrive at the destination.

Some sights from the train and following bus ride.

Few things bring more relief and happiness than seeing this after a long day and a half of travel. :)

Once we arrived in Phuket we needed to get to the accomodation we had arranged - more on that later. The problem was that the bus station we arrived at was pretty far from the town center. This meant that our initial hour in Phuket was spent trying to find the best way into town. Colin and I try to avoid taking taxis whenever possible. We prefer taking the public buses. This gives us a more authentic experience and helps save money...those taxi fares really add up!

As we were trying to figure out what public bus to take, a car pulled up to the side of the road we were standing by. The driver probably saw our confused faces and took pity on us. She asked us where we were trying to get to and the before we knew it, she had rearranged her family to make space, threw our bags in the back, and pulled back into traffic with two stinky, very grateful backpackers on board.

Ann, we found out to our delight, was her name. She has two young sons. Her parents were visiting her at the time and we were able to smile our hellos and thanks. Ann had taught herself english from a book. She was generous, warm and kind. 

She was not sure of the location of the place we were staying, so she drove us to her home first to drop off her sons. We were invited inside, given a cold glass of water, and then entertained by her sons who had suddenly lost their shyness now that we were on their turf. :) We met her partner, a friendly man from Norway, and the two of them figured out the directions and drove us to our accomodation. We were given a card with phone numbers and emails and had to promise to call her if we had any problems at all.

We often hear horror stories from fellow travelers about scams and frustrating interactions. Hey, we have experienced quite a few ourselves. But it is moments like this that remind us that there is love and kindness in so many people. We feel so blessed to have made a friend like Ann.

The dentist that wasn't so bad.

One thing about me: I hate going to the dentist. I had an experience when I was younger...and let's just say it has stayed with me to this day. A few years ago I had to have some work done on a tooth and I was so visibly anxious that the dentist prescribed a rather lovely sedative that resulted in all sorts of hilarity. (Something with a candy store and a bag of jelly beans. Colin can tell you about it someday.)

Because of this fear, I often wait way too long between visits to the dentist.  Colin had experienced some dental tourism (a form of travel that is becoming more and more popular) in Ecuador a couple of years ago and it turned out just fine, so we thought we would give it a try in Thailand. 

We did a huge amount of research, reading reviews on different dental clinics in Thailand. We read some of the horror stories and warnings to stay away from small, "hole in the wall" places, but there was one place that kept coming up positive. BIDC.

The Bangkok International Dental Center. So many positive reviews and high ratings that we felt like it was the place to go. People come to Thailand just to get work done there. It is the same quality of care by dentist that have the same quality of training as dentists in the US or the UK. And at a fraction of the price. BIDC is also approved by www.medigo.com. 

We took a subway ride across town and made our way to the huge building. It is seven stories and filled with qualified dentist, dental hygienists, and nurses.

We checked in, filled out paperwork, and then a registered nurse took our blood pressure and other vitals before asking us to sit in the comfortable lobby. Everyone spoke English quite well and the whole place was very clean. 

From there we were split up. I went to the 4th floor and Colin to the 3rd. We both had consultations and cleanings. Everything was done in the exact maner that we are used to back home. Colin was given a pat on the back and a clean bill of...teeth. Everything looked good. I, on the other hand, had a cavity. This is why it is important to go regularly! Shame on me. Sigh.

Anyway, as a quasi dental phobic, this was dreaded, even if expected, news. The upside was that they were ready to fix it immediately. No rescheduling. "Let's do it," I shakily said, probably sounding like I was talking about an execution. 

From there it was all pretty standard. Everything was professional and sterile and exactly what one comes to expect from the standard of dental work in the US. The problem was fixed quickly, and even as I write this post, there have been no problems at all. The staff were professional and kind, making sure their patients were comfortable and at ease. 

Overall, it was one of the least terrifying dental experiences I have had. That, in itself, make Thailand even more marvolous for me. So if you are in need of some serious dental work or are heading to this part of the world, check them out. They're alright. And coming from me, that is a big deal.

Walking Bangkok

We took a walk through the city we have heard so much about. The capiltol of Thailand is as diverse as the people who reside in it. We saw many beautiful things, tasted many flavors, and got stuck in our first Thai traffic jam.

After a bus ride we made a tour of Wat Pho, a large and beautiful budist temple. There were many buildings with statues inside, but the most remarkable was the reclining Budda. It is coverd in gold leaf and is the largest of its kind in all of Thailand. (Colin says, "anyone wanna plan a heist?")

It seemed that everywhere we looked there was ornate, very detailed art. On the walls, doors, roofs, even floor, the sight was overwhelming at times. Colin kept saying, "it almost hurts my eyes!" It was amazing.

We walked the city for a few hours after the temple, exploring Khao San Road, the backpackers "slum" and moving on to a few more city highlights. 

         Nothing like a massage while you shop, eh?

       The Bangkok Democracy Monument 

         Sao Ching Cha - an old religious monument  

   Wat Suthat Thepwararam Ratchawaoramahawihan

We were able to test a good number of different foods. They say that if you can't peel it, cook it, or boil it, don't eat it....well, it's a lot more fun the other way. :)

It made for a great day of exploring and seeing just a bit of what the city has to offer its visitors.

Up next:

We just experienced a bit of dental care and our first Thai massage...oh my goodness! :)

Food, friendliness, and water buses

สวัสดี  (sa wat dee!) Hello and welcome!

It has been awhile since my last blog post...months, actually. In light of that, and along with the fact that Colin and I have started a new and exciting journey, the posts will be coming more frequently.

The journey we have embarked on is exploring and experience a beautiful part of Southeast Asia. And we start in Bangkok, Thailand.

Being in a warm to hot climate has allowed us to pack much lighter than we have in the past. Instead of carrying a combined 200+ liters of space (including camping and climbing and cold weather gear), we have downsized to 92 liters....much of it unused at this point. What a difference it makes!

We have been in Bangkok for three days now and we have had some wonderful first impressions and experiences. One of these fun new experiences is a mode of transport that we used: a water bus.

These long, thin boats travel up and down the main canal that runs through most of the city. We sardined ourselves into one of them with over 200 others and, while praying the boat wouldn't sink, were transported across town.

Another great part of our time so far has been the food! Thai food has always been one of my favorite types of food - the same goes for Colin. And the real thing does not disappoint. Delicious, full of spice, and served with a smile, the food has been better than we were hoping. Little restaurants and street vendors are found just about everywhere we walk. So much food and so little time! :) An easy and inexpensive lunch and diner that costs us between 1 and 3 dollars.

Bangkok dogs are either stray or, well...see below.

Finally, the nicest first impression we have had is the people we have interacted with. From restaraunt staff to bus drivers. From people on the street helping us with directions to the security guard who tracked down an English speaker for us, the Thai people have been some of the friendliest people we have met in our travels. They seem always happy to help, even going out of their way at times. 

We can't wait to see and share more.