I needed to get a Lao visa yesterday whilst still in Bangkok as the one available at the border is only valid for 15 days and cannot be extended, whilst the embassy one is valid for 30 days and can be extended. Used a bus to get to the train station (6 pence), a train to get to the right district (4 pence) and a taxi for the last bit (a quid). Took a long time but as I found in Samoa using the local public transport (taxis don’t count) shows you a how the the people live and gives you a good boost in confidence. Stupidly forgot to book a train to Chang Mai whilst at the station so have to return there today.
Drank too much last night in a small road not far from the Khao San. A guy sets up a small stall with a few chairs outside one of the shops on the Khao San Road selling draft beer. Its a great spot to people watch and whilst doing this I got chatting to a Manc guys called Paul. He had just come back from Laos and remembered the baggy period in Manchester so we had a load to chat about. He recommended a few other good places for a drink where he was hoping to meet up with a friend. One of these is a Beatle Bus turned into a cocktail bar at the start of the alley which then has a whole series of bars and food stalls up its length. It had a good atmosphere and was unlike anywhere I’ve been before.
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I reread this post today as I wandered down the Khao San Road trying to work out where I stayed on that first visit. I realise that there is so much left out of that post. Along with Paul there was a wee gang of four of us (I think, names now forgotten). We decided on a meal out in Chinatown. All missed from the blog and now mostly forgotten. Also no pictures of that because the camera wouldn’t have come on a typical night out.
And I can’t work out where I stayed… Perhaps above the 7-eleven… I remember it was close.
All the details of using the 53 bus to get to the train station. Non air conditioned it still rattles along. Half way to the station the bus stops and you have to transfer to the one in front. Also the fact that at the station I could not find it’s counterpart running the reverse route, so caught the 53 for the long remainder of it’s circular route back home.