Bangkok, Day 2 & 3

Day two could accurately be described as “Lacking Momentum”. Took me a long-ass time to transition from ‘bed’ to ‘outside’ states, and I just couldn’t quite get enough forward momentum to do much with the day.

That’s OK, I think; It’s something I expected to happen at some point, and this is over a month into a fairly challenging trip, so it’s not unreasonable that I’d start to slow down.

That said, I still did things on that day.

Put in some laundry to be done at a place right across the alley from the hostel. I have no idea how they do drying in bad weather, but in the current situation it’s on drying racks in the street, because I recognised some of my socks.

Wandered a different way, and found a bridge over the canal that wasn’t full of traffic, and didn’t have bundles of utility wires at head-height that I can’t entirely convince myself are telecommunications lines.

Got a breakfast at the place with the cat pictures on the counter, but because their downstairs seating was full, I sat upstairs, having to dodge the cat in question which was sleeping on the stairs because of course it would. In fairness, it was right where the AC was blowing cool air, so it had a good spot, and everyone going past would pet it, so the cat was very much living it’s best life.

Day two wasn’t bad, just very quiet. I spent a bunch of time in places where I could sit quietly and read, which was what I needed to do, I think.

I booked my travel to Chiang Mai; Taking the overnight bus. This may turn out to be a horrible mistake, but time will tell on that score.

I’ve also booked some accommodation for the first three days in CM; I have a booking in a hotel over the Christmas period, but I’m getting there a little before that, so I’ve got three nights in a well-reviewed hostel. Staying in a dorm this time, because I’ve been thinking back on the trip so far, and while the dorms do introduce an extra level of background annoyance, they’re also more sociable, and I’ve been feeling a bit antisocial recently with the private rooms & homestays, so a few days in a dorm (with great reviews & privacy curtains) seems like a good idea.

If I like it, I can go back there after the Christmas Hotel booking. If not, I can go somewhere else.

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Something I’ve spotted here, both in the hostel and elsewhere, is the Cocktail Bucket, which is more or less what it sounds like. At the hostel, at least, the bucket isn’t ridiculous in size, probably not more than 800ml; It’s not a paint bucket or mop bucket or anything. But I’m starting to think that the whole structure of this area isn’t trying to promote safe drinking practices.

Having wandered along Khaosan Road a few times at various times of day; It’s a lot. “Wall Of Noise” doesn’t quite cover it, it’s more “Frenetic Activity Everywhere You Look”. Small stalls in a style that’s increasingly familiar at this point, but also people hyping the places in the actual buildings, mostly bars or restaurants, except for that one guy trying to sell you on a custom suit, which seems like a weird impulse buy. Some of them are trying to herd you into the place that’s right there, others have the harder job of steering you through a wall of t-shirt &  elephant print trouser vendors to the restaurant behind them.

Oh, and the one stall selling fried or maybe grilled nightmare fuel on a stick. Scorpions. Snakes. Roach-looking things. Centipedes. They have a sign charging 10THB for a photo, and I suspect that’s where the bulk of the custom comes from, at least early in the evening. I can see the drunken kebab crowd getting themselves worked up enough to try something horrifying when they were sufficiently hammered.