A Most Interesting Day

So leaving Tao I opt for the 10am ferry with bus transfer that arrives in Bangkok at about 830p depending on traffic. Since my flight wasnt until 2am i thought it plenty of time. Come to find out that the people of Thailand really love their king. Perhaps more than any other king in the world according to the only English channel in Beijing, CCTV-9. Many international dignitaries came to Bangkok to celebrate his 60th year of rule, the bank made a 60 Baht note, and everyone in the country wore yellow shirts.

The boat ride wasnt bad except for the fact that i had just left Jo and was now on my own and that there was one of the worst Martin Short movies ever on - National Security. Luckily i have traveled before and seen this monstrosity so i didnt need a repeat but got pulled in nonetheless. It was easy to pull away in the middle though seeing as how i hadnt gotten as far into Crime and Punishment as I had wanted and the fact that you couldnt hear anything at all. Well we made it to land and boarded what was probably the nicest bus i have ever been on and I took up downstairs for a good sleep since last night was a pretty late one. Slept/read/listened to music for a solid 3 hours and we had our first stop where i purchased some sort of curry with what i thought was chicken and was just a part of the bird i had never seen before with several hollow bones sticking out of each side. Was ok and i got a wheat flavored green tea which was horrid but also some sesame cookie things that Court had introduced me to long ago. Made the bus ride pleasant and repeated the process for another 3 or so hours to the next stop where i had some sweet corn bread cooked in palm leaves and some sour mango. Seems like when on a bus all you do is sleep and eat. Hmm.

After some time there was only one person left on the bottom level of the bus, Jen, and myself. We talked all the way into Bangkok and was in a fairly good mood considering when we hit a wall of traffic. At first just thought that there was a wreck or rush hour but it was Saturday so that was quickly ruled out. I became familiar with where we were from my previous walk from the bus station when i met the elephant on the sidewalk and thought we were almost to Ko San Rd where the bus was to drop us off. After sitting for another 20 minutes and being almost 930 the bus driver turns around and drops us on the sidewalk. I say no prob since I have made this walk before and turn down a cab ride with my new friend and start off. Heading toward the bridge there are more and more people and they are all wearing the same thing. The traffic looks to be stopped and i am sweating like a crazy american wearing pants and a backpack. Make it to the bridge to encounter gridlock of people standing on idle cars and buses. Thinking there is a caved in bridge, sinking boat, alien landing or somethign of the sort i find a police man and ask who tells me i can go ahead and cross. I try again and become frustrated and turn back to find a water taxi or regular one. Asking the cop again he says there is nothing on the river for 2 hours. I stop a cab and he and 2 others say they arent/can't go to the airport. Getting some nerve and being hot/mad/frustrated/confused i go for it and head up to the bridge again and start pushing the Thai people aside to make my way across. I talk to one who finally tells me there is to be a firework show later and thats what everyone is waiting on. I get in a line going across (or to better position) and start pushing with them. Miniscule Thai people go flying this way and that at my hand. Having no regard for age or gender I make it across in a little less than an hour and see that at this time it is about 1030.

I know where to head for a cheap bus to the airport and go straight there forgoing the beer Chang, No Money, No Honey, and Same Same shirts that i so desperately wanted. They tell me the mini bus leaves at 11 and i sign up for not so cheap a price. 11 comes and goes and a few Japanese girls show up to ride with me. The proprietor of the travel agency finally after becoming frustrated with my asking about the bus tells us to follow her to find the bus. We wander for another 30 minutes and reach the cab which is stuck in post firework traffic. Get in and make it to the airport around 1. Check in and the flight is delayed until 230 so everything is fine and i have a dip cone at KFC to celebrate. Deciding not to check my bag since i was hoping to get an earlier flight out of Shanghai i put it through the xray and forget my knife is in there and they find it (although it had made it through in the US and Korea). I try to send it home but it is too expensive and i had no Baht left.

Writing this i suppose it doesnt sound bad and it really wasnt since i made my flight and got to see one of the largest street celebrations i have ever seen but on the way i thought there was no way i would make it and if i did then i would have a fake ticket. Everything always works out and this is why we travel. The experience makes you laugh in the end.