The invisible traveller

 In my head when I’m travelling, I’m still in my mid 20s. My rucksack now has wheels for ease, but I still bound around with relentless enthusiasm to discover new places in a new things.

The hilarious reality is that now and a middle-aged woman sitting at the back of the bus, not jostling in the centre with the other young travellers anymore, who look at me like their mum has just come on holiday. 

Really guys you know idea  - I’ve been doing this for decades and will continue to do so, however now it’s just at a slightly slower pace. My arch supports in my shoes are much needed and I’m embracing the gentrification of the High Street here and nipping into airconditioned coffee shops for a well earned break from the 32 degree humid heat that supposed to be winter.

Street food

 Is it becomes just as important in Thailand what you see, where your destination is but more importantly, what are you going to eat when you get there. 

There is a mind-boggling array of street food with endless choices to be made on every level. I must admit my stomach was slightly out of practice from eating a continuous array of hot, spicy delicacies, but it has been an absolute highlight to just contemplate every morning what different food can I choose today?

And I’ve had the greatest pleasure of trying these different tastes with my friends who have been wonderful culinary guides. 

It’s absolutely overwhelming to arrive at an enormous street food night market and just decide what you want when the choice is so huge, so if I’m with my friends the fabulous thing is to do is choose a dish take a table and just share. 

The Risky Market

 I’ve seen pictures of the risky market on the outskirts of Bangkok, and decide it was a destination that had to be visited. There’s market stalls and shops fronts on both sides of the tiny gauged railway track and four times a day a train comes through and all of the canopies have to be brought in and all of the goods wheeled in or kept at a low level so that the train just goes over them. 

Here the risk is quite surprising as you all jostle to get a good view and a good picture of the oncoming train and then it becomes surprisingly apparent how snug the fit is between the sides of the buildings and the width of the train. I’m not proud to say I had slightly push a tiny child so that I could shelter on a a disused shop table, whilst the train trundled through. Don’t be alarmed, the tiny child was already on the table and I was keen to make room for me! 

Getting around Bangkok

 My lonely planet guide book to Bangkok, has a tuk tuk on the cover and of course this was the first mode of transport I wanted to take. It just feels so exotic and yet absolutely completely terrifying to be clinging on to the tuk tuk as it at travels at breakneck speed wending its way through the chaotic traffic, as if it could never put on its break. 

In absolute contrast, you then have the cool and calm skytrain, looking down on the hectic busy streets, as you travel in the most air-conditioned carriage to your next destination. On each block of seats, there is one special chair with a number of images on it to show who it’s reserved for. So number one, a monk an elderly person, unless abled person or a pregnant lady or in my case a sweaty Farang who just needed to sit down. 

Getting the bus was fun and at least I was with my fantastic local Bangkok friend Ou to guide me through and lastly, there is the wonderful Metro system, taking us deep underground under the streets of Bangkok. 

Didn’t have time to take a motorbike taxi, I’ll save that for next time but above all I do love a crazy tuk tuk ride!!! 

Finally someone helps me with my rucksack

 I love the nonchalance of tuk tuk  drivers, hotel, staff, taxi drivers, who beckon me to follow them without lifting a finger to help. Perhaps I have just become a spoiled traveller as my experience in India is that people really want to help and of course people really want to tip. And so I’m now three weeks into my journey and last getting off the train in the early morning a tuk tuk driver helped me with my bag after we had  negotiated the price, such a small gesture, such a relief as I followed him through the chaos of Hualumpong train station.

No drink on board

 I was hoping to sneak a cheeky beer on board with my night train from Chiang Mai to Bangkok. Perhaps the trolley would miraculously wend its way through the different carriages, selling all sorts of snacks and drinks, but no. 

We had a free bottle of water and I was lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of the train as we made our way down south.