ryochiji (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} ryochiji) wrote,@ 2008-12-27 00:14:00 |
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on transportation (and mangoes) in Bangkok
One of the things I'm enjoying about Thailand is the transportation. So far, I've taken the cab, a tuk-tuk, modern rail, not so modern rail, subway, and boats to get around. My favorite, so far, is the river taxi, which is actually more like a river bus. It goes up and down the river, making stops on piers along the way. There's something oddly tranquil and exciting about riding a boat on the river. The boats have roofs, but no sides, so you get a nice breeze as well as the occasional waft of diesel exhaust. Occasionally, the wake from a passing boat or barge crashes against the hull and gently rocks the boat. When stopping at a pier, they don't really tie the boat to let passengers on and off. They secure one line, then the driver(?) backs the boat up until the rope pivots the back into the pier. The boat smashing into the pier is the signal for passengers to hop on or off.
Today, I took an old fashioned train up to an ancient city called Ayutthaya, located about 50 miles north of Bangkok. I bought a 3rd class seat, which only costs 15 baht (less than 50 cents), but all you get is a flat, hard, wooden bench. I sat by the window, for maximum effect. The effect was, indeed, maximal. I saw slums, rows of huts and shacks made of random pieces of lumber and corrugated tin material, just feet away from the tracks. Some of them, though, had electricity, and even a TV which I glimpsed through gaps in the roofing. In the city, I couldn't help but notice the smell of burning garbage. I don't know why people burn garbage, but they do, and they do so feet away from the rails. Out in the countryside, the electric stench of burning garbage was replaced with a more natural burning smell, from random unattended grass fires, also within feet of the rail road tracks. At some point, I realized I was covered in ashes, and my hair felt gritty to the touch. But it felt good to feel the wind on my face, and the jolts and bumps, and to hear the rumbling of the train as it rolled through the countryside.
Inside Bangkok, the SkyTrain and subways are clean, and convenient, but somewhat expensive. Depending on where you're going, the SkyTrain can cost 40 baht, which is the price of a Pad Thai. More than half the cars here are taxis, but they're less useful to someone who can't speak the language, or even pronounce many of the place names. Compared to other countries, the taxis here are cheap (about $10 for a 30 minute ride from the airport), but given the low cost of everything else, it feels relatively expensive (if you think $10 = 10 pad thais). Tuk-tuks are cheaper, but lacking a sealed enclosure, leaves you exposed to the heat and pollution. On the other hand, they're great fun to ride in. For the true thrill seeker, you could also hop (or rather cling) on the back of a dude's moped; helmets optional. Their ability to weave through traffic make them effective transportation options during rush hour, but is probably only for the bravest of travelers (or Thai school girls --who apparently have bigger balls than I do).
In a completely unrelated note, I learned today that there are at least 10 different kinds of mangos. Cee got a couple of different kinds for me to try, and I must say, I don't think I'll ever be satisfied with the mangos we get in the US...
One of the things I'm enjoying about Thailand is the transportation. So far, I've taken the cab, a tuk-tuk, modern rail, not so modern rail, subway, and boats to get around. My favorite, so far, is the river taxi, which is actually more like a river bus. It goes up and down the river, making stops on piers along the way. There's something oddly tranquil and exciting about riding a boat on the river. The boats have roofs, but no sides, so you get a nice breeze as well as the occasional waft of diesel exhaust. Occasionally, the wake from a passing boat or barge crashes against the hull and gently rocks the boat. When stopping at a pier, they don't really tie the boat to let passengers on and off. They secure one line, then the driver(?) backs the boat up until the rope pivots the back into the pier. The boat smashing into the pier is the signal for passengers to hop on or off.
Today, I took an old fashioned train up to an ancient city called Ayutthaya, located about 50 miles north of Bangkok. I bought a 3rd class seat, which only costs 15 baht (less than 50 cents), but all you get is a flat, hard, wooden bench. I sat by the window, for maximum effect. The effect was, indeed, maximal. I saw slums, rows of huts and shacks made of random pieces of lumber and corrugated tin material, just feet away from the tracks. Some of them, though, had electricity, and even a TV which I glimpsed through gaps in the roofing. In the city, I couldn't help but notice the smell of burning garbage. I don't know why people burn garbage, but they do, and they do so feet away from the rails. Out in the countryside, the electric stench of burning garbage was replaced with a more natural burning smell, from random unattended grass fires, also within feet of the rail road tracks. At some point, I realized I was covered in ashes, and my hair felt gritty to the touch. But it felt good to feel the wind on my face, and the jolts and bumps, and to hear the rumbling of the train as it rolled through the countryside.
Inside Bangkok, the SkyTrain and subways are clean, and convenient, but somewhat expensive. Depending on where you're going, the SkyTrain can cost 40 baht, which is the price of a Pad Thai. More than half the cars here are taxis, but they're less useful to someone who can't speak the language, or even pronounce many of the place names. Compared to other countries, the taxis here are cheap (about $10 for a 30 minute ride from the airport), but given the low cost of everything else, it feels relatively expensive (if you think $10 = 10 pad thais). Tuk-tuks are cheaper, but lacking a sealed enclosure, leaves you exposed to the heat and pollution. On the other hand, they're great fun to ride in. For the true thrill seeker, you could also hop (or rather cling) on the back of a dude's moped; helmets optional. Their ability to weave through traffic make them effective transportation options during rush hour, but is probably only for the bravest of travelers (or Thai school girls --who apparently have bigger balls than I do).
In a completely unrelated note, I learned today that there are at least 10 different kinds of mangos. Cee got a couple of different kinds for me to try, and I must say, I don't think I'll ever be satisfied with the mangos we get in the US...
