Back in the Big Smoke - Bangkok, Thailand

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Bangkok, Thailand

Spent all day on a bus to Vientiane, then dashed over the border to thailand at the last minute, with some company, thankfully. i met a canadian fellow on the jumbo into vientiane proper who was in a hurry to get to bangkok too, don't think i would have risked the trip that late on my own, didn't fancy sleeping at the border. we really did cross in the nick of time, on one of the last shuttle buses. the change in country was instantly obvious, even in the dark of night. the shuttle bus was strangely decorated with red, heart shaped seats, and an almost mirror like surface around the rest of the bus, it was a bit kinky/disco and so not laotian. We again were lucky enough to make it on to the last night bus to Bangkok. hardly a relaxing experience we were right near the bus driver and his thai/country music blaring all night long. it was all worth it. made it into bangkok in the early hours of the morning, was able to check into the hotel and have a sleep before nik arrived. over the next few days we took in khao san road and a few of the more famous sites. we couldn't get into the palace, as we discovered the country was still in a state of mourning for the kings sister who's recently passed away, and she was apparently lying in state there. the reclining buddha was amazing, as were the surrounding grounds and chedis and temples etc. on our way back up to see the standing 50m buddha we met someone who layed the groundwork to get us caught in another scam. it was a tuk tuk scam that they claimed was a government initiative to improve tourism (duh, how did i fall for this crap). it was an exceptionally cheap tour around some of the city sights but the catch was we had to go to certain places "to have a look" at their products. presumably the idea was we'd buy something and the driver would get a commision. at the second place we were taken to i walked in and out while nik waited in the tuk tuk. well, i managed to piss the driver off so much that he left us at the next temple without even taking payment. i knew as soon as i'd walked out of the shop (it was a travel agents) that he was pissed, but he wasn't saying anything. when we'd already left he told us off, and we said we'd go back and do as he'd asked, that is go in and "talk" for 5 minutes. he wouldn't take us back but he took us to another travel agents to do the same thing, we assumed this'd accomplish the same thing as we hadn't quite figured out the scam. but no. he was still pissed off, and he copped a ticket from the police as he was driving us around too, so it really wasn't his day. we got some back though. in the second travel agents we sat down to gather some information about potential destinations over the next few days, and the travel agent was an absolute galah. we were of course asking about the cheapest options. she tried to sell us a train ticket, sleeper, air-con, but it was way too much money, so we asked about 2nd class sleeper, and she got angry and said "well if you wanted cheap than why not go by bus!?". we said we'd like to if it's cheaper, so she went through the process of telling us about the bus, then when we asked the price it was more expensive than the train! we asked her what that was all about and that's when she tried it on. "are you 100% australian?" what... "are you sure you're 100% australian? because i know australians and they are all very friendly, open people, they are all willing to talk and be honest but every time i say some thing to you you shut me down. you are very rude for australians." i stood up and walked out. nik, of all people, was apologising to her for not buying a ticket with her. i still don't understand what she was trying to accomplish... we left for krabi the following morning, on a bus ticket that was a quarter of the price she was showing us.