CNY

I'm beginning to feel that my New Years are doomed and that travel problems are just going to be part and parcel of them in the future. It is Chinese New Year and we have yet another long weekend. You won't hear me complaining, oh no, although it would be nice if they told us more than one day in advance so that we could make proper plans and book a hotel etc, but you know, it's a school, why should they have their academic calendar prepared more than two days in advance? that's just crazy talk.

Our friends were heading off to Khao Sam Roi national park somewhere in the south. Didn't know anything about it and neither did they so we thought it would be fun to join. When they asked if I thought traffic would be bad I had a clear lapse of stupididty and said, "well, traffic is always abd in Bangkok why try and predict it?".

It wasn't until Friday morning that J reminded me the hell that was Chinese New year in Korea when a normal 30 min ride home turned into a 2 and a half hour nightmare. But, you now, there were six of us going you think one of us would have thought tha far ahead if it was going to be a problem.... mmmm.

We left school bright eyed and bushy tailed on Friday and immediately hit nauseatingly slow traffic. The greenhouse effect is awful. The air con int he car works but the sun is hitting you so hard it makes you want to puke. We had to stop off in BKK to get some things and we were an hour ahead of the other to make it to the bus station so we didn't have any worries. We even stopped off for a coffee and a snack once we got into the centre because we thought we had time to kill.

Well, not a single taxi would take us to the bus station and even tuk-tuks refused. When a tuk-tuk says no you know you are in serious doo doo. Our only option was to make it as close by public transport adn then try again for a taxi. The others were still stuck in traffic in their own taxi.

We made it to the river and tried in vain again to get a taxi. We then waited in the hugest queue ever for a boat to take us up river to get to the other side and then try and get a txi up there. Finally we were within a couple of miles from the bus station but still no taxis. The others got there and we told them to leave without us as there was no ope of us making the bus. It took us over four hours and them 3 and a half solid hours in a taxi and then there was a 5 hour bus ride ahead of them and we thought it would be best to hang out in BKK instead. We were exhausted with all that trundling around, hadn't had any dinner and were in desperate need of a beer.

We made it into Khao San road and found a nice hotel. We didn't bother shopping round too much as we just wanted to get rid of the rucksack.

We decided to check out things we hadn't seen in BKK yet. We might leave, so now is as good a time as any.

Here is the photographic evidence:

This is Wat Arun. One of the most famous Wats in Bangkok. It means temple of the dawn thus named because that is when the King showed up in BKK to turn it into the capital. It is decorated with pottery.
















Now, I've seen some signs in my time and I've ad some warnings but "don't dangle your doll" what does that mean??

















It is believed that evil spirits can only travel in straight lines. Many corridors and walkways are built in a zig zag to stop them from being able to travel.
























These monkeys also protect the temple.














Here is a classical example of life along the river in Thailand. Houses on stilts and there are always loads of clothes hanging out to dry...













Now, I have often encountered some stupid toursits, but really. They are at a national monument and not content with taking a photo of the cat they are videoing it for good measure!!!










Feel like you learned something today??