The train ride from Bangkok to Trang

We've arrived in Trang and only a couple hours behind schedule. Poor Jenny's train was delayed numerous hours on her way UP from Trang to Bangkok to meet us when we arrived. One of the train cars had derailed slightly and she was stuck on that thing for a long time.

Our train ride together was wonderful and I slept fairly well considering all the noise the train was making. Thankfully I have pretty hefty earplugs that come in handy for situations like that. Our car was a 4-person sleeper car (2 bunk beds on either side). It was much nicer than I anticipated. However, our car was the only one in the entire train that reeked of urine from the time we stepped on board. Ha. It figures. We're talking f-o-u-l! Honestly though, the stink didn't get overwhelming until a few hours before we arrived.

I woke up around 3:30 AM hoping to catch the sunrise but fell back asleep around 5:30 and missed it. However, I did wake up very shortly after the sun peeked over the amazingly green landscape. I was the first one up and took my camera and sat outside of our room, watching everything go by. The population became very sparse, only a few very modest houses/bungalows every 15 minutes of train ride. I quickly realized I couldn't get any decent shots being behind the glass of our train car so I headed to the front of the train- about 10 cars ahead. Each section of the train was a different price, the lowest in price being wooden benches with an open car and no air conditioning. I found it interesting to note that as I walked through the car, the skin of the passengers became noticeably darker. Jenny has mentioned that Thai culture puts the whiter skinned people on a higher pedestal and that many women use skin whiteners to make themselves more "beautiful." There are commercials for skin whiteners on the TV with a color scale showing how much whiter you'll become if you use their product.

I personally hope to develop an even nicer tan while being here! :)

The food car was an open car, and the only place on the train I could sit and get good shots, as well as be in the cool humid breeze of the early AM. The countryside in this area is amazing. Lush jungles with trees I've never seen before and rice fields with cows grazing and roosters roaming. I sat on that car by myself for about 40 minutes, drinking the traditional Thai coffee consisting of instant coffee, which isn't that bad when it's the only thing you've got.

I'm still blown away that we're actually here. I'm very happy to not be in Bangkok anymore and actually away from all the touristy crap of that city. There were about 5:1 white people to anyone else in a very large radius from where we were staying. Eric said on the last day it made him feel like he was on Spring Break. haha It was starting to feel like that...a bunch of college kids from Europe, Canada, and the US all out to party their asses off in Thailand. Also, I found it quite disturbing that most every white woman was wearing a low cut tank top, or worse- halter top with a mini skirt showing off all of her legs. Although we were in our own little touristy world of Bangkok where most of the residents are tourists, I made absolutely certain to NOT wear anything even slightly revealing, and to keep my knees covered at all times. Anyone who reads up on Thailand, even the slightest bit, could tell you that wearing loose fitted clothing (for women) and pants or capri's is not only respectful of the culture, it gains you much more respect and better service. I would just think that if you're going to take the time to travel all that distance to a foreign land, you'd make damn certain of the cultural nuances before heading out. I suppose that's too much to ask of us stupid Westerners.

I used a squat toilet for the first time on the train. If you don't know what that is, you should google it for pictures. I'm too lazy to post a picture right now. In any case, it was quite an interesting experience trying to squat on that thing while the train was in full motion trying my hardest not to gag from the stink. The gagging was inevitable though.

The first thing I noticed was how the toilets go straight down to the train tracks. It's just an open hole where everything exits the train. When you realize how many squatters live on the sides of the train tracks and walk the train tracks, you are able to start painting the picture of how disease can easily spread. That really blew my mind for a good couple of hours.

Until next time,
Julie

Ciao Bangkok, Hello Trang...

In less than 1.5 hours I will be on a train heading south to Trang, Thailand... a 16hr train trip. I'm definitely ready for some relaxing beaches, a direct contrast to the madness here.

Yesterday I got my first Thai Massage (I know the question and the answer is "no".)... $3. Can't beat that. It was fantastic. I think I will make that a daily event. It was much different than I had anticipated, sort of a cross between partner yoga, deep tissue massage, and wrestling.. haha.

This morning I went to see the Royal Palace... Julie and Jenny stayed behind. All I can say is "wow". The place looks unreal and straight out of a fairy tale... and this is 2008. Imagine how people felt viewing this place 100's of years ago.


Oh, and I totally got hit on by a Thai cougar today while I was relaxing in the park... she bought me a soda. More on that later, I have a train to catch!