I planned to get to Wat Arun before it was too hot.
By about 8.00 am it was too hot.
I had about a 10 minute walk before i reached the nearest pier (oriental). From here I caught the ferryboat up the river for 15 minutes or so until jumping off opposite Wat Arun and then hopping straight on another to cross over to the temple side. It has to be noted that the ferry boat system here is wonderful. Its regular, cheap and effective so people use it, much like the BTS train system.
Nothing here is run by First Group who run expensive, infrequent and Aaaaaaaand ineffective system in the UK, which people are rarely thrilled by having to use.
Wat Arun itself costs 50 baht to access and when you get to it's base you realise that whilst it may not be the biggest of structures, it looks incredibly steep. It also seems to be constructed from a mishmash of concrete, tiles and plates you often see mounted on walls of people who collect............plates, but it all adds to it's charm.
Climbing the 2 sections wasn't as hard as I had thought it was going go be, but people coming down from the top section in particular seemed to be finding it hard going. By this point I was drinking plenty of fluids as the morning sun was starting to cook all in it's gaze, but the view from the top section was definately worth the small effort and price it takes to get there. You are treated to a good view across the river towards the Grand Palace and can see old and new structures that make up current day Bangkok often in the same line of sight.
At the top of the steps to come down a young Japanese girl with her father looked nervously over the edge working out the best method for her to descend. She looked at my feet in my garish walking trainers, then looked, pointed and laughed at her own. She was in pink flip flops. No wonder she was nervous. Descending in pink was just asking for trouble.
This is the one and only time I have found my height to be beneficial whilst I have been here, I decended those steps looking like big foot wandering off into the trees in that infamous wobbly footage, and just like that I was down and gone.
After having quick walk around the parameter of the grounds I was back on the ferry boat to cross the river back to the main side again. The young girl in pink flip flops and her father who was not dressed in similair attire, smiled and sat next to me on the boat, I think the smile was more relief to be out of the direct heat and appreciation of the breeze as much as anything.
With my feet and the rest of me safely back across the water, I decided that I would wander around the outside of the grand palace and head towards Khao San Road as this was to be my last day wandering and it was an area I was yet to explore. The tuk tuk scammers were in full effect here, they seem to work in pairs with an official looking one often drawing sites, prices and destinations on map before it just so happens a tuk tuk driver will pull up to become available. I just tell them I like walking, they hate that.
I wandered up through the market stalls that ran along the road before I reached the next pier, where I caught the boat up the river for another 4 stops. Each trip on the river boat cost 15 baht, be that 1 stop or 10.
The boats are never empty. #firstgroup
After dissembarking, a short walk and I was at the Khao San road area. All cafes, street food, jewlery vendors and tailors. There is also an abundance of tour operators here which makes me think that maybe this would have been a better place to start my journey a couple of weeks ago, but respectively I think that after a ropey start I've actually done ok here. Apparently at night it gets very loud in three parts, I guess I will find out tomorrow night as my final night in Bangkok is in the New World City Hotel just around the corner. I wasn't aware of this at the time of visiting.
Back at the hostel I had a nervy few hours trying to get information about itinerary and meeting points for my tour through Cambodia to Vietnam. We should be meeting tomorrow and at a group meeting get more information, then depart from Bangkok Monday for the 12 day tour. Long time coming
I have also ditched several items to make room in my bag for lighter shorts and t-shirts, bulkier tolietary items will be left today also to be replaced by more travel friendly sized items.
shouldn't be an issue getting little things here.
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