Lady, Tuk-Tuk
January 25th, 2006 | Published in glbt, travel | 2 Comments
Exactly a year ago today, I was rather taken aback when a lady asked me: “How do I get to Bangkok from here without flying?”
“Why don’t you fly?” I replied. It had never occurred to me this was possible or even desirable. “And there’s that problem in the South.”
She went ahead anyway, though not before asking if I wanted to go along. Without money but with plenty of school work, I had to refuse. A year later, after a few trips like that, here I am, still ignoring my school work, but now working myself into a sweat with this lust, this incurable fetish for trains and buses, trying to piece together the logistical puzzle of Nepali India, Nepal, and Bhutan (without flying).
It’s people like that who come into your life by chance, even if for a few days, and inspire you to change your world views, challenge your conception of possibilities. While I haven’t quite taken a year off to travel, unlike her, it’s people like that you return to meet in Khao San, Psar Tuol Tom Pong, maybe San Francisco eventually, and speak of the good old days of alleyways behind multi-coloured buildings, magaritas and motodops.
January 25th, 2006 at 9:12 pm (#)
Yes, the over land to Bangkok is great. 2 whole days of travel and when you step onto the platform at Hualamphong, it is funny how we are all so similar … and then there is of course, Singapore. Is it still bus, what was it? 5-something to Khao San?
January 26th, 2006 at 6:14 am (#)
Nepal -> India -> Bhutan is possible. Just remember to do your Visa formalities before you leave. Things can get pretty rough out there. And travel by bus in that area, trains are a real bummer. :)