Trip without a plan

In fact, I have to admit it took me a really long time to get into writing this blog. Writing is an opportunity to express myself and to reveal my own feelings, thoughts, ideas. But the time we are currently in, has made a small dent in me. I am “programmed” like this – more things I need to do in my life, more productive I am. I admit, I was a little bit lazy. But … there is no other way than to find a will and tell you everything that lies on my soul.

Let’s move exactly one year back. March 2019. For the third time in three months I have been strolling the streets of the Thai capital. Bangkok. And here we go again. The idea behind the layover was simple – take skyline to Siam, which is the centre of shopping in Bangkok. Shopping centres like MBK Centre, Siam Discovery Centre, Siam Centre and Siam Paragon provide everything you want. To be sure, I’m not a traditional “shopping girl”. My goal is not to spend layovers in malls. But when it comes to the capital of Thailand, I try to avoid the old city as much as possible. Why? While exploring Thailand two years ago, my boyfriend and I spent a few days in Bangkok. Don’t get me wrong. Thailand is a popular destination for people because of its food and beautiful beaches. But for us, few days In Bangkok were totally enough.

As always, we (cabin crew) talked about our plans in Bangkok. Most were convinced of two things – massages and dinner. I was convinced of the latter. We landed around one in the afternoon. We came to the hotel around three in the afternoon. This is a rush hour in Bangkok, when there are an unthinkable number of vehicles on the streets. During this long ride, I had time to enjoy a quick nap. That’s why the ride itself didn’t feel that long. When we arrived at the Holiday Inn hotel, we agreed to meet at the hotel lobby at six in the evening. For the next two hours I had time to take a shower, talk with my loved ones and dress myself for the “town.”

We met at the lobby and walked to one of the street restaurants. How they look? Placed plastic tables and chairs in the middle of the streets. Kitchen in a small house. But the food – the food is top notch. This kind of pad thai, rice with vegetables or baked fish you do not get anywhere in the world. I didn’t find out yet where is the secret. I feel that for them it is almost impossible to prepare a tasteless meal. In addition to fried rice with vegetables and chicken, I also enjoyed natural orange, mango and coconut juice. With full stomach and smiling face I headed back towards the hotel. I was joined on the way by another girl who wanted to see the city the next day. After a short conversation, we decided to take a trip outside Bangkok. I wanted to see the “floating” market and the train market. Idea was very tempting, so we booked a trip with one of the agencies online. Many agencies across Bangkok offer such trips, just be careful which one you choose. A higher price does not mean better organization of the trip. It is best to arrange a live appointment (many agencies on Khao San Road) where you can also arrange the course of the day. We didn’t have time for that, so we took the risk online. In the end, it turned out to be a good decision.

I got up at five in the morning, as our chauffeur picked us up in front of the hotel at six in the morning. Don’t take everything for granted. Although the pick-up was agreed at six in the morning, the guide came half an hour later. We were the first two in the so-called mini van. Throughout downtown Bangkok, we picked up the rest of the people who took part in the trip and the adventure began. There was an hour and a half long drive to the first stop.

The Maeklong Train Market is actually a rail market. It has been around since 1905. It is located near the Samut Songkhram province, located along the Gulf of Thailand. Fishing was (and still is) one of the main livelihoods of the people who lived and still live here, and the marketplace was another way of selling their goods. Officials decided to build a railway to manage delivery of these goods to the provinces around Thailand, including the capital. Despite the construction of the railway, the market remained in its original place. Today it is also called Talat Rom Hoop, which in translation means the Umbrella Market. Vendors take off their umbrellas upon arrival of the train and pack their goods so they can get to the oncoming train. Incredibly, right?

We arrived at the market around half past ten. We had exactly half an hour to walk across this unique “railway market” before seeing the train. The possibilities of what you can do and what you can buy in the marketplace are enormous. In fact, it is worth mentioning that a great deal of patience is required when walking on the railway tracks, as all visitors and locals walk along them. Stalls offer everything and a little bit more. From fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables to traditional Thai desserts. The only one I know is still Mango Sticky Rice. If that doesn’t smell right, you can grab fresh juice, ice cream or a small meal at one of the nearby restaurants. As a true “tourist” (I still think I’m not a proper tourist), I bought a fruit smoothie. Of course, I had big eyes so I chose size L. In all this chaos, I completely forgot about time. The clock counted down eleven. From the distance you could hear loud sound of grunting and roaring, which meant the train was approaching the market. Instantly, all the vendors folded their stalls and pushed them against the wall. The market was no longer market, but it actually turned into rails. We waited another minute until we could see the huge yellow-red train in the distance. Cameras, cell phones and tablets were in the air and everyone was filming this unimaginable event. The SRT train (as they actually call it) takes you past a minimum distance of maybe 5 cm. Baskets of vegetables and fruits are moved just enough so that the wheels of the train do not cut them. Clothes and awnings float. Next moment when the train leaves so-called Maeklong Market, the vendors put up stalls in their seats. And the marketplace again becomes a marketplace. It was as nothing changed. Life goes on.

If you have more time, you can board one of the trains running on the Mae Klong route and go straight to the market with it. This avoids organized tours, traffic jams in Bangkok and cramped minibus seating. The train departs from Maeklong Station at the following hours – 6.20, 9.00, 11.30, 15.30 and returns to the station at the following hours – 8.30, 11.10, 14.30, 17.40. They say the experience is well worth the effort. Maybe I’ll have time next time.

It was time for our group to head to the next and last point of the trip. Damnoen Saduak Floating Market. The drive from the railway market to here took us a good half hour. The floating market is located in Damnoen Saduak district of Ratchaburi province, about 100 km southwest of Bangkok. It is a tourist attraction that attracts both domestic and foreign tourists and is considered the most famous floating market in Thailand. The 32 km long canal link between the Mae Klong and Tha Chin River was built between 1866 and 1868. 100 years later, the market was transformed into a modern floating market, which is more of a tourist attraction than an additional industry.

When we arrived at the Damnoen Saduak Market, we immediately made our way to the labyrinth of narrow channels called Khlongs. There we boarded the small wooden boats called Sampans and the half-hour canal ride began. Our boatman was an older man with a wrinkled face but a smile on his cheeks. He led us to small wooden houses on the outskirts of the canal. The driver slowed down the boat and reduced engine power at each house so we could see those living by the river. But most of all, we were able to see all the products that they were trying to sell. Dealers sell whatever you want. Travel shirts, toys, headgear, even spices and musical instruments. There is no shortage of food and refreshments. Since most people in the marketplace are actually tourists, all these products are sold as honey. As well to me. I bought the traditional hat. Why? I wanted a picture with this headgear for a very long time. And I got it too. While driving through the canals, locals used to sell Thai beer, coconut water, energy chocolates and Thai snacks. Everything on wooden boats. I felt like I was on a short vacation in an exotic country. Although the drive around the floating market took more than 30 minutes, it passed like a blink. After disembarking we still had some time to stroll around the outskirts of the canal and enjoy a short lunch. I was still full of fruity juice so I refrained from eating. My colleague, however, took the traditional Tom Yum soup, which was okey. After the meal we took a look at the nearby stands (we bought some magnets for friends) and a stone bridge. From here, we took some more pictures of the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market and slowly headed back to our tour guide. The last ride along the river followed. We went from the floating market to our transportation with a “long-rail” boat. Among the green forest, tall grass and sunlight, we could observe the locals in their daily chores. Maybe nothing special, but a sense of authenticity was present. What else you can wish for the perfect day.

Maybe I should mention that the floating market is full of tourists and is often considered a “small trap”. Also, products are often overestimated. Bargaining is common practice, though souvenir and food prices are generally set at a few pistons. However, it is also noted that the marketplace lacks cultural identity, although it remains a popular destination.

There was only one ride left back to the city. One hour and a half long ride. We had lunch at Khao San Road and headed to the hotel with our full stomachs. As a real tourist, we took Tuk Tuk. Upon arriving at the room, the clock announced four in the afternoon. Only four hours left to the Wake-up Call. As I lay down in bed and closed my eyes, my last thought faltered. Although I didn’t have big layover plans, it turned out that sometimes it’s better not to plan anything. Let life surprise you.