| Username |
Post |
| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 11-Mar-03 11:07 PM
Nepal bhitra ka yatra kaa bayaan haru ta maile pahile pani post gareko thie. Annapurna region ko trekking haru baray ma dherai nai lekhiyo, kasailai thaha nadeekana Kathmandu bata Hetauda samma cycle ma gaeko ani beer ra macha khana Dolalghat gaeko bayaan pani gariyo. Yespaali chahi bidesh tira ko pani yeso experience share garu bhani yo thread suru gardai chu.
This story is from May 29, 1997 when I was on my way home from the US. I had taken an extra day off at Bangkok. If you remember from my previous thread “Dolalghat ko Macha”, I had described how I got the hell out of the bar and made it back to my hotel saying "no thanks" numerous times. So the next morning, I was out to explore the real attractions of Bangkok. Based on the photocopied pages of the Lonely Planet from my college library as well as a map I had picked up at the airport, I decided to visit the recommended architectural gems of Wat Saket (danda ko mandir), Wat Phra Kiew (Grand Palace), and Wat Po (Sleeping Buddha) as well as Chinatown, leaving Wat Arun (temple of dawn) for the next morning before heading back to the airport. After exiting the soi (galli) to the busy Sukumvit Road, my first task was to worship my holy belly. Ignoring the paschimay looking establishments of McDonalds and Burger King, I opted for a small local eatery to start my morning. After having some extra hot chicken curry and rice, I crossed the Sukumvit by an overhead bridge looking at the congested Bangkok traffic. Shortly after that I was in a bus that moved in a snail's pace struggling with the traffic Bangkok is notorious for.
My first stop was Wat Saket. It was a very tall structure on a slightly elevated location and offered views of the surrounding area. The architecture was simply marvelous. On the sadder side though, I could see the slum area as well. There were little huts along a very polluted canal. Bangkok ko garmi ta ho, tesmathi ma murkha le jeans lagaeko, pasina ko poko bhaieko thiyo. After descending from the temple, I stopped at a store to quench my thirst by trying one of the exotic fruit juices available there.
Tyo pasal ma there was a neatly dressed Thai man armed with a cell phone who started talking to me shortly after I began drinking the juice. His English was much better than that of average Thais. He pulled out a pack of Marlboros and offered me one while he lit one for himself. Although I was a smoker then, I refused his offer telling him that I was not a smoker. The true reason for this rejection though was my fear of being drugged as warned by Lonely Planet. He asked me where I was from, what I was doing etc and started complimenting me that I was a “smart tourist.” I started becoming suspicious then. He then asked me if I was interested on visiting the “Export-Import Center” where I could buy some gems and make good money selling them overseas. That rang the bell. Once again thanks to Lonely Planet, I was sure enough that he was one of the “gem scam” agents that have victimized many tourists. I politely declined his offer, finished my juice in a rush and got the hell out of there.
My next stops were the Grand Palace and the Sleeping Buddha temple. Excellent works of architecture that were so well maintained..aru ta ke nai bhanu haina? For those who have not been there yet, I strongly urge you to take a day or two off at Bangkok (most likely it is on your way to Nepal anyway haina?) and check out those two places.
Kramasa
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| isolated freak |
Posted
on 11-Mar-03 11:16 PM
hahah
ramailo cha, ramro cha.. aarko part kahile? aaru "bhitri" kura ni lekh na.. :-)))))
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 11-Mar-03 11:17 PM
My next destination was Chinatown. It was also where my real adventure in Bangkok started. After wandering through the narrow allies lined with small shops and Chinese style temples, I decided to go back to the Sukumbhit area for dinner and some shopping for the items requested by my parents. Well, I was in one of the alleys that I had been randomly wandering around. I had a map with me but that was of almost no help, as I could not figure out where I was. All the signs were in Thai (at least I knew I was not in Chinatown anymore) and nobody that I approached for directions spoke English. I just kept walking in random directions hoping to reach the main street. Among all the establishments with Thai signs, I saw one that was read “Ice cream and Juice Shop” in English. Hoping to find an English speaking person to give me directions, I entered the store.
It was staffed by a beautiful young girl. My plan before entering the store was to get the directions and get out of there but my plan changed as I saw her. English bolne rahicha bhane ekai chin guff pani garna parla bhanne sochay. Fortunately she did speak English. So after a short conversation with the pretty and friendly young girl (who was a student at Mahidol University) as I sipped yet another variety of tropical fruit juice, I got the directions and started walking again. I don’t know where I made a mistake again but found myself close to the river. I should have been walking further away from the river according to the map. At least I was on one of the main streets so I was hoping to reach a bus station soon. Before I saw one, I ended up outside a restaurant that advertised Pepsi and Singha Beer with huge signs in Thai. Outside the restaurant, several Mercedez cars as well as some Honda Civics and Toyota Crowns and numerous motorbikes were parked. Since it looked like a decent place catering to the locals and I was pretty hungry and tired after about 9 hours of continuous strolling in the heat, I decided to have my dinner there.
The restaurant was staffed with very good-looking girls (after all, the name Bangkok is derived after “city of angels” haina ra?). It was set up on a wooden deck perched over the river. A pretty large mosque could be seen across the river. As lovely looking as those girls were, language became a problem again (forget about flirting and guff gaff, I could not even order my food!!). The menu was printed entirely in Thai and none of the sundaris there spoke English. A middle-aged couple seating next to my table must have felt very sorry seeing my plight. Yes, both the husband and wife spoke English. They started pointing me some of their favorite items and their corresponding prices.
As you might have guessed, I opted for one of the fish (Dolalghat ko macha hoina Bangkok ko paryo) entrees they recommended. I waited for my order sipping cold Singha Beer watching the sunset over the river. Soon my I order was on the table. It was a large piece of marinated fish served over a hot and sour bed of salad. Needless to say, it was the best Thai food I have ever had to this date.
Khaeko paisa ta tirnai paryo. That helpful Thai couple had already left. I should have asked them for directions before they left but oh well it was too late then. The waitress brought my check along with two of her colleagues. Calculator ma total dekhai. 200 Baht (about $8 at the then exchange rate, just a little over a month before the Asian crisis started) jati ko bill aeko rahicha. I paid the due amount and an extra 25 Bahts (about $1). Ek chin tyo mori twalla pari, I said “for you”, ani one of her colleagues le yeso ishara gari. Musukka haasera “thank you” bhani mori le, the only English word I heard from the restaurant staff. Aba direction ta chahiyo pheri tyaha bata farkine, tara sodhne kaslai. I just decided to follow the main road away from the river until I arrived at a bus station. Soon I saw an overhead bridge and decided to cross it guessing that it would take me to the correct side of the road to wait for my bus. Right after crossing it, I saw a policeman. Yo bajjiya le ta English alikati bolla ki bhanera maile bhane “Excuse me. Can you please…” Before I could finish, he pointed me to the street that split from the main street about hundred meters further and said “Indian market that way.”
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| isolated freak |
Posted
on 11-Mar-03 11:18 PM
harako kura garda yaad aayo yaar.. ta chahi ghumdai harayeechas.. ma chahi sachikkkai haraye Yoshomite ma ra Shanghai ma.. jhannai marya yaar ekchoti ta.. tero pahila herau ani mero share garne ta gari halchu ni..
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| isolated freak |
Posted
on 11-Mar-03 11:22 PM
haqhaahahha...
ketr herna gako ki khana gako ta.. tyo duitai store ma? :-)
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 11-Mar-03 11:23 PM
Malai ta jhanakkai ris uthyo. South Asian face hudai ma sabai Indian nai hunchan jasto. Tesmathi Thailand jasto Buddhist desh ko manche le Buddha janmeko desh ko manche ko anuhar kasto huncha bhanne pani sochna nasakeko? Despite of the language barrier, until then I was very thrilled about my one day stop in Thailand. The land of great architecture, good food and chwank chwank keti pugeko ma dangdaas thie. All of a sudden my thoughts took a 180-degree turn. I silently cursed that hawaldar, ASI whatever with all the words I knew. I started cursing the heat and pollution and even the language barrier with which I was having some fun despite the inconveniences. Regardless, at least I knew I was not that far from Pahurat, and kept walking that way.
Soon I was in a better mood. I started laughing at myself for being so upset, and shortly after that I arrived Pahurat, the South Asian enclave of Bangkok. Needless to say, seeing people and stores vending merchandise primarily from the region, and hearing loud Hindi music blaring from some stores, I felt as if I were in South Asia. I was thinking of getting directions there since I could at least communicate in my broken Hindi if not in English but somehow a crazy idea popped in my mind. “If I am in Thailand, why should I ask for it to someone other than a Thai?” So I kept walking until I was out of Pahurat. It was about 8 pm and I had been on the road for about 11 hours, mostly walking. I entered a store and asked for directions. Fortunately, the sahuji did speak English and he directed me to the bus stop which was not more than two or three minutes away. I could catch a direct bus that would drop me near my hotel. Soon the bus arrived and I was finally on the way back to my hotel.
Let me also add a brief note on Bangkok ma bus ko bhada tirne system. Unlike in the US and Singapore (and perhaps in most developed countries), magnetic cards and the compulsion of paying exact change upon boarding were not introduced in Bangkok as of 1997. However, compared to Nepal (hatkelaa ma chaanchun paisa chyai chyai bajaune, and holding notes of different denominations between fingers), the conductors were using a somehow more advanced system. Just like in Nepal and India, they would start collecting fares after boarding but instead of holding all the money on one hand, they used to carry a small metal container that had small compartments to hold different denominations of coins and bills. They kind of resembled the cash register drawers but were much smaller in size.
Anyway finally I got off at Sukumbhit road near the overhead bridge where I had boarded the bus that morning. After a quick shower in the hotel, I felt much better being relieved of the sweat that I had “earned” the whole day. I walked to the Robinson’s Shopping Center that was located a few blocks away and purchased a few petty items my parents had requested. On the way back, I bought a few postcards and an embroidered t-shirt as a souvenir for myself from one of the numerous roadside vendors (Nepal ko footpath pasal haru jastai bhanu na). Tyaha fake Rolex ghadi, CK jeans etc etc je je kinne bhae pani paincha. Oh, I had to say “no thanks” a few more times before I reached my hotel :)
Kotha ma pugeko ekai chin pachi thakeko jiu lai ochhyaan ma bisae. Looking forward to visiting the Wat Arun the next morning, and landing at Kathmandu later that afternoon, thahai paaina kun bela bhusukka nidaechu.
Please stay tuned for the next episode :)
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| isolated freak |
Posted
on 11-Mar-03 11:31 PM
k yaar yo.. we'll be back after a short break..sabai lekh na ekai choti..
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 11-Mar-03 11:56 PM
IF, aba tyo pahilo store ma ta direction lina gaeko ho, restaurant ma chahi khana. Bujh napachaa na. Malai matrai ke bhanchas, talai pani ramri taruni dekhe pachi yeso herna, kura garna man lagdaina jasto. Ani tyo kt haru lai maile bahira bata dekheko hoina, bhitra gae pachi matrai dekheko ho. Ani kura garda ta "eye contact" maintain garnai paryo ni, teso garda anuhar yesai pani dekhine nai bho, tauko arko tira farkaera kura garna pani ta bhaena, kaso?
Aba arko bhaag ko lagi chahi kehi din kur. Ahile sutne bela bho mero. Yahi ta kati din lagaera tukra tukra parera lekheko. Baru tero haraeko katha sunaa na, ma yesko banki bhaag bistarai lekhdai garula.
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| isolated freak |
Posted
on 12-Mar-03 12:24 AM
harako katha:
one upon a time i used to be in shape k.. my freshman year at school.. gaye yoshomite ghumna ..4 deen hike garam bhanera.. fall break ma..arko "on the loose" saathi haroo sita.
Ghumdai ghumdai yoshomite pugiyo..but we couldn't get a campgroud.. upper pine, lower pine all camp grounds were ocupied.. and the ranger of the upper pine wasn't letting us stay.. we were a bunch of college kids.. i proposed we sleep in the van .. khaires were like.. let's see.. there's got to be some space.. so we drove around and finally arrived at a camp ground..which had no one.. so we decided to camp there..we all took out our tents and slept.. at almost midnight, i had a terrible tyemptation to smoke.. so, i woke up.. everyone was sleeping.. and went a litle farther to smoke.and after finishing my churot.. i just couldn't figure out my way back raati jungle ko bich ma.. i forgort the direction.. jata here ni ustai..feri bich bich ma thulo signboard.. "BEAR AREA KEEP OUT" aaba aaja ma marey.. bhalu ko dinner bhaye jasto lagera..daar le churot salkaudai kata pugey kata.. aani.. k bhaye ch bhane.. ma ekai thauy 3-4 choti ghume chu.. ghumi fri rumjataar bhanya jasto.. jata bata gaye ni.. jaha gaye ni.. euta twat khara jhyapp bha khaire ra taysko swasni basira tent ma aai pugne.. malai dherai choti ghumeko dekhera.. they asked me..what was wrong.. i told them, i was trying to find my tent.. they offered me a glass of wine.. gave me a flashlight and wished me luck.. aani i again embarked on my mission "find-tent".. again after 20 mins or so, i was in front of that couple's tent.. mero sato-putlo udya anuhar dekhera hola.. the wife offered me to spend that night on their car.. the husband who was drunk offered me to drive around and see if we could find my tent.. i opted for the latter because i was to leave for the mourning cavern early next morning..the wife was.. then, wife uthi.. who was less drunk and drove me around.. finally after making 3 rounds of upper pine's ko tyatti area.. i saw my tent...i thanked the nice couple from San Franciso in Nepali.. and translated that into English.. they laughed and told me you can keep the flashlight.. i had a new super ncie flashlight!!when i approached my tent area, all students were waiting for me there.. k bhayecha bhane.. arko euta lai ni churot khana maan lagecha..so he had come to my tent.. karayecha.. kehi nabole pachi bhitra herecha.. nadekhera.. aaula ni bhanera kurecha..aani 20 min jati kure pachi arko sathi lai uthayecha ra 1 ghanta samma na-aaye pachi ta sabai lai uthayera.. ma harayo bhanecha.. tyaha ma pugda ta sabai jana khojna lai ready bhara basya rahechan..malai dekhera ra mero katha sunera ta sabai students.. oh shoot, i should have been lost.. re..
arko choti shnghai ma haraye,... kuro ke bhane bhakkar chinese bolna thalya.. "san xi lu" janu parne ma ta "shan xi lu pugechu.." apat paryo..aani i called my program director,.. kaha chau bhancha..maile bahnekjo nabujh pachi.. amile finally "i am at this street.. the first character is of mountain. the second charactyer is the WEST aani thjird chai Street" bhane pachi program director ko ghaito ma gham lagyo ra she gave me the directions to San Xi Lu...
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| ??! |
Posted
on 14-Mar-03 09:14 AM
Chipleji,
Ramailo lagyo barnan sunera.... hami pani hareyko chhaun Chiang Mai ko galli haru ma.... Mauka pare kunai din lekhanunla
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 14-Mar-03 11:31 PM
IF, jhandai jyaanai gaecha ta tero churot khana niskinda. Radio ma sunyaa theenas "dhumrapaan le lincha jyaan" bhaneko?
Gunaraj ji, tapai pani Bangkok ko uttar tira haraunu bhaeko rahicha, lau waiting for your story hai.
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| Prem Charo |
Posted
on 15-Mar-03 12:02 AM
hahahaha!! funny chipledhunga:)
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 16-Mar-03 08:30 PM
La yesko banki bhaag pani lekhidiu hai. I think I had written part of it in my purano thread "Nepal Farkinda ko Kura", kasai le dohoryaera padhnu pareko bhae sorry hai.
As per my initial plan, I checked out of the hotel the next morning. I went back to the same little eatery I had visited the previous morning. This time I opted for some piro piro rice noodle. I tried the Thai way of eating from the spoon (supposedly it is considered very barbaric to eat using the fork) but I gave up. I followed the conventional western way. Since I was a "farang" (bideshi) in the area, I guess it was ok. Chamcha le kasari chauchau khana saknu ta.
Once again I crossed the overhead bridge to the bus stop. My destination was Wat Arun. As I waited for the bus, I realized that the traffic looked worse than it did the previous morning. Once I boarded the bus, it again started moving at a snail's pace. I started becoming concerned that if the traffic were to continue that way, then I would miss my flight. Since the Hulampong Station was on the way (that was where I was planning to return to catch the train to the airport after visiting the Wat), I simply decided to abandon my original plan and go straight towards the airport.
Without too much difficulty, I found the train that I was to take. Although I was disappointed for not being able to visit Wat Arun, I was at least relieved to be on my way to the airport without having to worry about the traffic jam. It was a local train with lightly padded seats. An elderly Buddhist monk started chanting as the train pulled away from the station. The initial part of the trip passed through the slum area with little huts lined parallel to the track. Later on, it passed through the industrial area before reaching the township of Don Muang, from which the airport is named Don Muang International. The next stop was right across the street from the airport terminal. There were many sano tino pasals on the platform. After crossing yet another overhead bridge, I was inside the air-conditioned terminal building. I had about three hours before departure. I immediately checked one of the overhead monitors, and to my relief the RNAC flight was listed as on time.
(Flashback: When I was booking my ticket two months earlier, the travel agent had asked me about my choice of airline advising that both RNAC and Thai operated flights that day. Although I was aware of the jet leasing chaos and the unreliability of RNAC, I still decided to give it a try. I had made that choice partly also because of the fact the RA flight left 4 hours later than the TG flight which allowed me to spend additional time in Bangkok. Tespachi po I started panicking about my decision. I feared that RNAC may be left without a leased aircraft and therefore my flight would be affected. I also started fearing that due to some flaw in the computer system, my reservation may be cancelled. I was also praying that “aru je sukai hos tara tyo din samma chahi RA bankrupt bhaera banda nahos.” Every week or so I called the RNAC office (1-800-26-NEPAL) to make sure the schedule had not changed and my reservation was still intact. My last call was prior to boarding from O’Hare Airport, approximately 53 hours before the scheduled departure. Fortunately everything looked ok then.)
After reclaiming my baggage at the luggage hold area, I walked towards the RNAC check-in counter. Unlike other airlines counters that were staffed with good-looking staff, a kaali fat Thai lady who was working at a kachuwa pace staffed the RA counter. One Nepali guy right behind me on the line requested me to carry some of his items because of overweight; I politely refused it stating that my baggage itself was close to being overweight. Check-in was done manually and an oversized boarding pass with a handwritten seat number was handed to me. I still had a little over two hours time. I decided to have some lunch at the Rajthanee Food Mall, on the 3rd floor of the terminal building.
It was a fancy looking place and many pilots in their uniforms seemed to be patronizing it. I ordered a Thai style seafood meal. The service was slow and the food was not as good as I had the previous evening. My seat overlooked the runway and it was nice watching the aircraft movements. Just before I was ready to leave, I saw an RNAC jet land with its red and blue stripes across the fuselage up to its tail. Filled with the excitement of boarding that jet to land at gauchar, I impatiently cleared the immigration and security to reach the boarding gate.
I was curious to know whether I would be flying on Karnali or Gandaki. Karnali parecha. The Boeing 757 aircraft, which used to look so grand in gauchar beside the older 727s of RNAC and 737s of Indian Airlines looked dwarfed because of the 747s and other large aircraft parked on adjacent gates. After impatiently waiting for the boarding announcement, I was finally on my way inside the Karnali.
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 16-Mar-03 08:36 PM
RNAC ko airhostess ko baray ma ta ke kura garnu, sabai budhi budhi. Some were dressed in blue khaddar ko dhoti with laligurans imprints. A few were wearing the Sherpa ko jasto chuppa. Nobody was seated beside me. The interior had light imprints of pagoda roofs. Due to inadequate cleaning, it had a light yellow tinge. As the stewardess started distributing newspapers, I secured myself a Gorkhapatra. Ramailo lagyo Nepali patrika padhna paunda ani Nepali ma announcement haru sunna paunda. There were no video screens, so the safety demo had to be done manually. There was not any audio entertainment either. The flight left right on time and was soon over the hazy skies of Bangkok. I started talking to a young Japanese couple seated behind me. It was their first visit to Nepal. As the beverage service began, the Japanese lady requested some wine but the stewardess refused it stating that it would be served only with the main meal. Kyaa thees lagyo. I opted for beer. Carlesberg serve garyo, paani jastai po rahicha. It was the only time I had that beer. The menu card was already in the seat pocket. “Turkey linu huncha ki fish linuhuncha” bhanera sodhdai budhi mau haru auna thalay. I chose the fish. It was cooked in Thai style with coconut milk gravy. It turned out to be one of the best airline meals I have ever had. Macha sanga alikati wine khana paryo bhanera I requested some red wine, the stewardess came with the glass about one-third full and apologized saying “sorry hai yeti banki rahicha hernus na.” Kasto laazai lagyo bhandekhi tyo bela.
Later during the flight, paikhana janu paryo. I walked towards the rear of the aircraft. One Indian looking dude was munching on what looked like several packets of peanuts poured over the cover of the in-flight Shangri-La magazine. Out of the two toilets, one was blocked by a steel bar apparently due to being out of order. As I was waiting for my turn, I noticed in the galley that the cabin crew was packing some beverage containers into their bags. I wondered if that included any red wine. Toilet ma pani haluka Nepal ko jasto gandha audo rahicha. I also noticed a sign in fading red “kripaya flush garnu hola.”
It was not long before the approach to Kathmandu began. Soon the mountainous terrain came in sight. The Himalayan peaks were obstructed by the clouds. As the aircraft descended, I started becoming more and more charged by excitement. Pretty soon it became evident that we were over the valley, marked by haphazardly constructed houses lined along narrow unpaved roads that penetrated khetbaris. Considering the approach path via Bhattedanda, it must have been the scene of rural Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. The only landmark I could identify was the brick factory at Jagate. Within a minute or so, the aircraft touched down at gauchar. Part of the landing announcement was “the local time is 36 min after 4 pm in the afternoon and the outside temperature is 26 degree Celsius.” I wondered why didn’t she simply say 4:36 pm.
Aba bharyang bata orlinu paryo haina, air-bridge hamro kaha hunu. Kasto sheetal feel bhayo dhoka bata niskinda. Right below the cockpit there was a Visit Nepal 98 logo. I was overjoyed as I stepped on the tarmac. While waiting to board the Sajha ko neelo Mitsubishi bus, I turned my eyes towards the hills of Phulchowki, Chandragiri and Shivapuri. The Japanese lady commented, “It’s so beautiful..so much cooler than Bangkok.” After an impatient series for waiting and queuing for about an hour, I was finally outside the terminal with my family.
Lau iti sree Bangkokum RNACum puraanam..swahaaa.
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 16-Mar-03 10:09 PM
La ek dui wota photo haru pani taasidiu hai. La yo chahi RNAC ko Karnali in Bangkok.
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 16-Mar-03 10:12 PM
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 16-Mar-03 10:26 PM
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 16-Mar-03 11:22 PM
Gauchar jharne bela:
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 18-Mar-03 09:04 PM
Hyaa upload gareko image jati sabai choos bhaecha :(
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| arnico |
Posted
on 19-Mar-03 10:17 PM
Hey sathi haru.
Greatly enjoyed your travel descriptions. I've got to start posting some of my own too.
Chiple, one small correction: Bangkok does not mean "city of angels" any more than the word Swayambhu means "monkey temple"....
Actually the Thai name for Bangkok starts with Krungthep Mahanakhon... and goes on fora few more words that almost noone remembers... (Krungthep Mahanakhon is the only thing that appears on Bangkok license plates).
The English name Bangkok actually has a funny history. Baan means village. Kok is a type of tree. Across the river from Thammasat university (just north of the emerald Buddha temple) , near Siriraj hospital... that there really was a village named Baan Kok. The first Englishmen to visit (or perhaps it was some other Europeans)... sailed up the Chao Phraya river and landed on the shores of Baan Kok. They asked where they were... "Baan Kok". Well... they distorted the pronounciation, and noted that down as the name of the entire area that would subsequently grow to become a mega city...
Actually the whole city is fairly new... barely 200 years old... and even that is only a small area on the river, mostly on the far shore (Thonburi side, across from the main city today). The Sukhumvit area grew in the 70s, 80s, and 90s. As late as the early 1980s, getting from the city to the airport involved a ride through rice fields...
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 21-Mar-03 07:47 PM
Arnico, thank you for your correction. I thought Bangkok was at least a couple centuries older than you mentioned. Where was the previous capital? Ani have you been to Ayuthaya? I really wanted to go there, khoi haat khutta chalna chodna aghi ek choti jana paiela ki bhanchu. Arko choti Nepal janda via Bangkok paryo bhane janu parla.
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 30-Mar-03 09:20 AM
Hatterika..ke lekhchu bhanera jhassa samjheko thie ahile bhusukkai birsay. Budheskaal laagecha ki ke ho :(:(:(
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| isolated freak |
Posted
on 31-Mar-03 06:25 AM
budhsekal hoina, tyo rangi changi bottle ko jhol lagya hola ! ***$#@%$#!
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 31-Mar-03 06:33 PM
Hyaa IF, khaeko bhae po lagnu ta tyo rangi changi jhol. Tero jasto bhagya chaina hamro tyo raato, kaalo, hariyo, sunaulo, neelo sabai thari rang ko patta beryaa jhol khana. Baru sunaa na guff suff.
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| nepalibitch |
Posted
on 07-Apr-03 06:17 PM
bbk is really a cool place, if u haven't check out MBK mall,patpong, the grand palace, kausang road( for backpackers, must see if u wanna get dreadlock).......there's so much to see there, it's the best country i've been to so far....amazing thailand.....
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 08-Apr-03 04:29 PM
MBK Mall bhaneko ta suneko theena. Patpong night market is an interesting place to stroll around, a good place to stock up on cheap but faked brandname merchandise. Aba testai interest hune lai ta jhan Mecca nai bhaihalyo haina :) Khao San Rd ta ma pugeko chaina but I would imagine it would be a magnified version of Thamel ,kaso?
Time and money permitting, I would like to visit Chiang Mai, Phuket and some islands such as KOh Phi Phi, Koh Samui etc. Heru purporo kasto cha kunni afno. Ek choti sutukka Angkor Wat pani jaana pae hunhtyo Mekong ko pari patti.
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| czar |
Posted
on 08-Apr-03 05:23 PM
The Ayutthaya dynasty ruled from their island-city redoubt till the late 1700's. Their capital, named Ayutthaya is about 60 miles north of the present day capital on the confluences of the 3 major rivers of the Thai central plains. This kingdom successfully conducted commerce with all dominant regional and colonial powers be it the French, Dutch or the Chinese.
Given the fertile plains of centrail Thailand were its domain, this dynasty flourished in agriculture, trade and the arts. The party came to an end when their traditional nemesis, the Burmese, sacked their city in the late 1700's and laid waste to its beauty. That ended both the dynasty and its power. The former capital of Thailand.
The ruins still stand as a worthy place to visit. One has the choice of catching a package tour consisting of a leisurely ride upstream on a ferry to arrive in the ancient capital, suitably well fed on Thai cuisine along the way. The conducted tour gives one a few hours to wander about as well, with the return trip on a bus. One can also choose to do the first leg of the trip on a bus and return back to the present capital by boat.
As for the southern coastal towns, you may want to consider the smaller resorts of Trang and Krabi, on either coast, unless you prefer to head for the more touristy Koh Samui. To get there to Koh Samui, you can catch an overnight bus that takes you to the southern coastal city of Surat Thani and thereon by ferry to Koh Samui (about $40 now). The bus ride includes the ferry ride, its a ro-ro system (vehicle roll-on roll-off), and the subsequent bus ride on the island to the small island town. Here you can you can then find a cab or hire a bike/car/jeep to drive to your final destination and your sunsets from heaven.
The heavenly bodies that litter the beaches are likely to be Thai or other Asians, the tubs of lard roasting to a bright red are most likely European. The smattering of blokes going completely berserk over the babes will be of middle eastern origin.
An extension to your trip could be for you to then catch, from Surath Thani, the Butterworth Express train (about $60) that takes you, in aircon splendour, through the steamy jungles of Malaysia to the ultra-modern Singapore. You can get off the train at any place that strikes your fancy to try the Malaysian resorts as well. The're less of frenzied, and the asure blue waters beckon skin divers galore. If gambling is your thing, the Genting Higlands resort will fit in right into your plans. Ay, Caramba !
End the trip in Singapore and go shopping on Orchard Road and Serangoon. Just make sure your better half doesn't wander into any of those upscale hair salons on Orchard Road; one newspaper story told of a tearful secretary presented with a US$ 680 bill !
Finally, worn out with carrying all those shopping bags, dine on Indian and Chinese cuisine till you bust a gut. Then pray your airline doesn't charge too much for excess baggage!
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| surya |
Posted
on 08-Apr-03 07:37 PM
Chipledhunga - Patpong is supposed to be really raunchy hoina bhanya? I have never been there though been through Bangkok a lot, but if what I have heard so far about it is true to the reality, a walk through Patpong must indeed be an "interesting" stroll.
I have always found South East Asia a very interesting place to visit. I have been to Thailand of course and also Singaporee, Phillipines, Hong Kong, and Japan, the last one just at the airport though (..and is Japan south east asia or east asia?)
Anyhow, each one is so different. Growing up, I always felt there was some affinity between Nepal and these other Asisan Countries. Stepping foot in their soil though made me also realize our differences. Though culturally there are many things we share, in terms of traditional values and sort of the whole eastern mysticism and buddhism nexus, the differences in recent political histories, the pace at which some of these coutries have moved into the new century, commercialism, their domestic dynamics of race, gender and difference, are significant.
As a female traveller, often on my own, I felt generally safe, but also felt vulnerable because it seemed being female added to the disadvantage of being a foreigner who did not speak the language. In all of these places I visited, there was always that subterranean world, always right under the surface of where the travellers, immigrants, migrant workers, packpackers hung out. Sort of sleazy and bordering on criminal as in the case of a place like Bangkok with underage prostitution and the drugs and what not.
It also seemed though that being Asian gave me certain insight into the "inner workings" of the places I visited, as sometimes I caught the locals let their "host" masks slip when they though I was a local. Which were of course very instructive to me as a naive "orientalist" who thought these South East Asians were all cool/self-effacing/polite/buddhist types.
One wierd experience I had was in Singapore where unwittingly I walked into a stretch of neighborhood which was like their version of a "red light" district. It was so creepy and the most I could do to not turn around and run away was to keep telling myself that I did not want to appear freaked out. It turned out to be a short gully so I was out of there by no time, but not before a snaggle-toothed, slimey pasty Chinese guy in a siglet made some comment, that I did not understand, and sniggered at my by then frantic pace. When I got out of the gully I realized it deadended onto a major roadway without side walks! I was too chicken to turn back, so instead braved walking on the side of the highway with cars zipping by.
Also I have always marvelled at how differently Thailand and Nepal have experienced the 2oth century. I remember a time when Thailand and Nepali currency were of equal value, they too seemed to be just discovering technology/consumerism, Bangkok did not seem so absolutely crazy!! It is sad that we have suffered so and continue to lag behind Thailand in ways. Not to say Thailand might not have suffered or have problems. Not at all. The abuse of young people, I think is just a symptom of thier nation's corrupt system and failure to negotiate globalization/modernization. But still.
anyhoooooooo.........
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| SITARA |
Posted
on 08-Apr-03 08:04 PM
I fell in love with Thailand when I was a pre-teen; it must have been the food, bootleg music, the shopping (clothes made of beautiful cotton and silk) and the friendliest, warmest smiles. However, I have detested going to the commercial beaches of Pattaya; beneath the smiles one can sense a desperate commercial exploitation by rich tourists foraging for sex-capades with men, women, transvestites and children. An opium den of slave labour and fleshpots, Pattaya and similar beaches portray the rape of innocence. What is the "norm" in those areas? What is deviant behaviour? The definition changes shape and sequence.
Further down, an hour's flight away from Bangkok is Phuket island...beautiful, breathtakingly so! I heard tell that the flesh industry is not so rife in Phuket although there are pockets that cater to the pleasures of the senses.... where anything goes.
Last year, I went island hopping from Phuket Island to the surrounding islands in the Andaman sea. Breathtaking scenary all the way to James Bond Island [ from the James Bond fame, "Man with the Golden Gun"]. The islands are made of limestone where the lower parts of the island have eroded to form the most amazing shapes, caves, crevasses and cliffs. The boat was a 20 seater and the ride was incredible. Almost surrealistic in its flow, motion surrounded by a deep sea green water; the ride was certainly meditative. Suddenly, the skies darkened and we were caught in a sea storm of strong winds and torrential rain....but the rain was warm! We were all drenched to the skin by the spray of the sea and the merciless pounding of the rain. Eight hours of rain was surely something to remember... But the best thing of all for me was... being atop the deck of the boat, alone (while others took cover in the rooms below)... undisturbed, unperturbed and unabashedly revelling in the fury of nature..... far away from the fleshpots of Pattaya.
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| surya |
Posted
on 08-Apr-03 08:47 PM
My experiences of sudden rainstorms in the gulf of Thailand was not so mystical unfortunately. One time I was caught in a crowded boat, passengers without life vests, drenched like rats, clinging to whatever they could and one passenger actually being really really sea sickness just next to me. Another time, the boat just stopped in the middle of the water and we had to wait for hours for a rescue boat.
Nonetheless, Thailand is a great place to visit.
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| Arnico |
Posted
on 13-Apr-03 01:08 AM
No description of Bangkok is complete without at least an image of its traffic jams... hoina ra, sathi haru?
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| SimpleGal |
Posted
on 13-Apr-03 06:47 AM
Nice to read of the descriptions of Bkk. I was only a child when my family lived there, so the memories are kind of faded. I remember dreading to take the steamer across the Chao Phraya river for fear of falling off of it! And the tuk-tuks were so much fun for me. :) I loved the way the bus conductors collected the tickets--they had this tube-like thing that jingled with all the loose change in it and from which they also dispensed tickets. As a child I found it so "cool" and would imitate it at home. :)
We weren't allowed to enter Grand Palace when we first got to Thailand since my family looked too Gorey and therefore like foreigners. Only the local people were permitted inside. In later years, however, this policy changed.
Nice thread!!
Happy New Year to all.
In peace.
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| isolated freak |
Posted
on 13-Apr-03 11:23 AM
"Time and money permitting, I would like to visit Chiang Mai, Phuket and some islands such as KOh Phi Phi, Koh Samui etc."
tan ta sarai nai bigris ni chipleeeeee! :-)
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| chipledhunga |
Posted
on 20-Apr-03 07:46 PM
IF, hoina tero gidi ma testai kura bahek kehi chaina ki kyaa ho? Maile ta tyaha ko yeso prakritik ani sanskritik anubhav linay po kura garyaa ta :)
Arnico, thanks for contributing that picture. The tall building on the left with the DTAC ad looks very familiar. Ke ho tyo? Is this from Sukumvit or Silom/Surinwong area?
Surya, Patpong bhaneko khali tyahi matrai hoina ke. It is an interesting place for shopping and dining also ke.
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| Maahili |
Posted
on 21-Apr-03 08:16 AM
Chiple dai,
Tyo tall building with the DTAC(that's a mobile phone company largely advertised in Thailand) ad is Baiyoke SKy hotel, the tallest hotel in Thailand and if I'm not mistaken the second-tallest tower in Asia(the tallest is in Malaysia I think hai).The view of Bangkok city from the top (82nd or 83rd floor) of Baiyoke SKy hotel is simply amazing. There is a revolving deck as well on the topmost floor from where you can enjoy the beautiful scenario of Bangkok especially in the night. The area is called Pratunam. To give you a rough idea of where it is, it's within walking distance(about 15 minutes) from World Trade Centre.
Phuket is a MUST!!! James Bond Island, Patong Beach, Phi Phi Island sab ta pugnai parcha. And yup you can say KhaoSan Road is a magnified version of Thamel!
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| Aliciaa |
Posted
on 21-Apr-03 08:39 AM
oh goodness never seen such a traffic
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