Day 109 - BKK to Delhi, India

Spent the day getting everything settled before heading to India. Spent the morning deciding what to bring with me and what to ship home. I ended up shaving 5kg from my backpack but it cost an arm and a leg to ship stuff back! Afterwards, went to a pharmacy to get some more malaria pills for the rest of my travels in the less developed areas.

I would arrive in India at 10:30pm so I booked a hostel and airport pickup beforehand so I wouldn't have to deal with it when I arrived. The flight ended up taking about 4.5 hours, which was more than I expected, but it was due to the 1.5 hour time difference that I didn't account for when I looked at my itinerary. It's interesting how India and Myanmar have times that are 30 minutes off from the rest of the world on the minute-hand.

The flight was probably 50% booked, and I managed to get a whole row to myself. It also kind of smelled like baby poo at the beginning and end of the flight.

Going through immigration at the Delhi airport was quick and painless, and there weren't too many people there at night. People have told me that it would be a culture shock, and I braced myself. The ride from the airport to the hotel was interesting. It just seemed really dangerous and chaotic driving through the city. There didn't seem to be any method to any of the driving, and I saw many instances that could have potentially ended in an accident (i.e. cars parked on the side lanes, that could easily get hit by oncoming traffic) This was at night too, when I suspect the traffic is less congested.

I arrived in the neighborhood where the hostel was and I could see the sheer poverty of the country already, with many, many people sleeping on the floor and in the streets. Dogs and even cows were also scattered around the roads. Garbage was littered everywhere. I don't know why, but it just reminded me somewhat of what my perception of a warzone would look like in a city. Definitely the worst place I've seen so far in my travels, and this was the area where tourists were! I was scared to leave the taxi, since there were scarcely any streetlights, and I had to walk through dark and narrow alleys to get to the hostel.

There was an earthquake when I was in the taxi on my way to the hostel measuring 6.6, but I didn't feel it. People were talking about it at the hostel though, and it was covered on the news, showing footage of all the locals congregating outside. The hostel ended up transferring me due to some sort of “earthquake” issue to another guesthouse. It was basically a room that I suspect used to be the kitchen. Pretty shitty conditions for my first night in India.

I met an Indian couple who was on their honeymoon at the guesthouse and we talked for a little bit. They informed me that there was a bomb that went off in Delhi earlier today killing around 70 people. I'll have to check the news later to see what that was all about...Hopefully India gets better...People have told me to get out of Delhi and into some of the other parts to really have a pleasant experience. I should follow their advice..

Indira Ghandi International Airport (Delhi, India)

Last meal in BKK

First night's accommodations in Delhi...

Day 108 - Pratunam Market

Spend my last full day in Bangkok just preparing for India, researching on hotels, transportation around Delhi, and the things I could see when I arrive. I'm excited but at the same time, a little more worried than usual due to the things that I have heard from other travelers. Some people said it took them over a week to acclimate themselves to the big city. Some people just didn't like it at all because it was such a culture shock for them. Hopefully my 3 months of traveling will have conditioned me to enjoy it immediately!

I spent a couple of hours at the Pratunam Market, which is another wholesale market similar to Chatuchak to purchase any last minute items before saying a final goodbye to Bangkok for this journey. You can literally almost find every item you've ever thought of purchasing on your SE Asia Adventure here in Bangkok... I saw things I thought were unique to certain regions and remote villages for sale here! I wonder how much of this stuff is mass produced in China...

One thing I'll miss in Bangkok - 20 baht Thai Milk Teas on every corner!

Got a dim sum fix before leaving BKK

Day 107 - Sky Bar in Bangkok and Eating Roaches and Crickets

We spent the last half day in Ayutthaya at the Elephant Village and Floating Market. I showed the tuk-tuk driver the location of where I wanted to get dropped off, and he agreed, but ended up taking us to a different elephant village. Good thing I was already here before, or else I would have just accepted it, but I wasn't going to be fooled this time around!

After shopping and eating some of the local delicacies, we headed back to bangkok on a charter bus. It took about 2 hours to get back and it was already dark. We checked into our hotel and got ready to visit one of the highest bars in the world, and I believe the second highest in all of Bangkok – the Sky Bar at the State Tower of Lebua. This was the bar that was featured in the The Hangover 2, and I'd been wanting to visit it for a while now because the pictures of it looked stunning.

The drinks were around $15/usd, but I think it was worth it for the experience, views, and pictures I was able to take. It was located on the 64^th floor of the hotel, and luckily it wasn't raining when we arrived, although it was sprinkling while we were standing around the circular bar. We went on a Monday, so it wasn't as crowded as I thought it would be, and the douchiness factor was low that night as well.

Afterwards, we headed back to Silom in search of some insects to devour. It was one thing Maco wanted to try, and I wanted to redeem myself after chickening out the first time I came across it the last time I was here. We found the street vendor selling a variety of these crispy snacks, and she even offered us a free cricket to try! The last time I was here with my friend Quang, the vendor offered a bag for 30 baht, or a single cricket for 20 baht. Feeling cheated, we declined the offer. This time around, I took the free cricket like it was my last meal...OK not really, but a free cricket tastes better than one that costs 20 baht right? It didn't taste too bad, and I actually ended up swallowing the piece I bit into. We tipped the vendor 10 baht for the free snack and asked how much the huge cockroaches were...10 baht each. This would be the true test, as I have a deep fear of cockroaches whenever I see them crawling around the streets or on the walls... And this cockroach was no ordinary cockroach found in the United States... these were GIANT cockroaches, as you can see by the pictures below. They were probably bigger than the length of my middle finger!

Holding the cockroach in my hand was enough to make me squirm, but I kept my composure and bit the head off...held it in my mouth, and everything was ok until I actually tried to chew and taste the insect. It was DISGUSTING and I immediately spit it out. If ever you are faced with a food shortage and you only had the choice of eating crickets or cockroaches, choose the crickets...

Bangkok at Night

Ayutthaya Elephant Village

My favorite coconut ice cream in Ayutthaya

Look at the size of that thing!

Reaction Shot

Day 106 - Bangkok to Ayutthaya

I headed back to Ayutthaya for a second time because I loved the city the first time around. There's so much freedom to explore the city on your own terms. Again, we took the commuter train there for only 15 baht each. Since I already had somewhat of an idea of how far the guest house would be and how to get there, I had much more negotiation power with the tuk-tuk drivers, instead of having to walk in the heat like my first time in the city.

We rented bikes from the guest house and explored some of the Wats in the city again, including the mavelous Wat Phra Si Sanphet, which was in need of some major restoration. There were signs all around telling us not to climb certain areas of the temple grounds. After dusk, the lights went on, and there was an eerie feeling around the temples as they glowed in the light. Stray dogs roamed around and the winds and clouds came, signalling the coming of the rains.

We rode our bikes back to the guesthouse, but stumbled upon a street night market, where we got some of the best Thai food that I'd had so far. We managed to order all the food to go, but right when we were about to retreat, the rains came and we were stuck at the market, eating our dinner under the tarps that shielded us. Luckily, the restaurant owner allowed us to eat the food we bought from other street vendors... Of course, we ordered some beer and another plate from them. 

Hualomphong Train Station

Wat Phra Si Sanphet

Day 105 - Chatuchak Weekend Market

I've been wanting to buy souvenirs and some new clothing while in Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, but have held off until today since I'd gotten advice from different people to come to Chatuchak on the weekends to find the best deals.

The entire place is way too large to navigate in a single weekend, especially in the heat. Maco and I managed to peruse through some of the clothing stalls in the afternoon before calling it a day when we got tired from the humidity and heat. The deals were there, but we didn't really have as much purchasing power because we weren't buying in bulk. I think many of the vendors on the streets of Silom and Sukhumvit may have purchased from this market?

It was funny because we tried really hard to bargain down as much as we could, but I couldn't keep a poker face on when I saw something I liked. We were supposed to pretend like we were indifferent at everything, and then balk at the price offered, but I would always forget! I've been traveling for over 3 months and I couldn't even follow these simple rules!

Day 104 - Wat Pho and Churches

In a country known for its heavy presence of the Buddhist religion and numerous temples sprawling throughout its cities, it was nice to step away from it and see something else – a church! Maco had to go to church today, so we found one along the Chao Phraya river – the beautiful Holy Rosary Church right next to a schoolyard. It makes me wonder how these students and their families came to Christianity. Were they converted amongst all the Buddhists in the city, or was it already their religion to begin with?

We stayed for a short while, before heading along the Chao Phraya river again to Wat Pho. This would be another day spent almost entirely getting from one place to another on the river. The roof of the structure housing the reclining Buddha was being renovated, and with a donation, tourists could write their wishes on a roof tile, which would then be included in the new roof.

Wat Pho is not only a famous temple, but is also known for its massage school. I got a dose of the massage skills on my first visit here with family, but this time around, I went to a massage place just outside of the temple grounds with graduates from the school. It was probably the most painful, but also the best massage I'd ever received. These women really know how to apply pressure on your tense muscles to relax them. I think I was on the brink of tears a couple of moments during the hour long session from the pain. If you could only get one massage while in Bangkok, I'd really recommend getting a Wat Pho massage, as it is the best value – only 250 baht for one hour.

Refreshed and ready to explore some more, we took a tuk-tuk to Khao San Road so that Maco could get a dose of the backpacker scene. Still crowded like the other times I visited, and still full of foreigners, I sought out a Lonely Planet – India guidebook for my future travels. I managed to find a used 2007 version for a very good discount. I was reluctant to purchase it because it's literally bigger than the size of a brick, but thought I would really need it to navigate such a huge country.

The sun set soon after and we quickly headed back to the commuter boats to get a ride back to our hotel, since I didn't know when the boats stopped operating at night each day.

Holy Rosary Church

Plinking Coins into the Alms Bowls at Wat Pho

Grilled Pork

Day 103 - Wat Arun and the Cabaret Show

My friend Maco and I stayed at a hotel near the airport yesterday since he arrived at around midnight. Today, we checked into a hotel on Silom Road since it was closer to everything, including the subway, sky trains, and commuter boats along the Chao Phraya River.

The hotel was a little farther away from the main Silom area and infamous Patpong area, which was both good and bad. It was more peaceful with less street peddlers, but it also meant we'd probably have to take tuk-tuks to get to the market areas.

It rained most of the afternoon, so we stopped by some of the stores near the hotel, including some Afghan jewelry stores, which had some really cool rings that I'd never seen before on my travels. Usually, you'd see the same touristy souvenirs in multiple countries. Maybe I'll see them again the closer I get to Afghanistan.

Once the rain stopped, we took a boat towards Wat Arun, which I had already visited with my family at the beginning of my trip. I figure I'd play tourguide again since Maco hadn't visited Bangkok in a long time. We made it to the temple 10 minutes before closing, and luckily, we didn't have to pay the entrance fee, which definitely made Maco's day after he bought an expensive ring earlier in the day.

At the end of the night, we headed to the Caberet show that I went to about a month ago with my other friend from Vietnam. This time, we got front row seats, but even close up, many of the ladyboys looked genuinely like women!

Wat Arun

Ladyboy Cabaret

Day 102 - Meeting an Old College Friend in Bangkok

The train arrived at the Hualomphong Station in Bangkok at around 11am and I waited there to meet up with an old college friend who I hadn't spoken to since we graduated from UCLA! She got in touch with me after seeing my blogposts and was planning her own trip around southeast Asia, starting in Bangkok. We were lucky to catch each other since she just started her trip a couple days before my arrival.

We spent most of the afternoon chatting and catching up over lunch and tea, reminiscing on the good days in undergrad, when we had a couple of economics classes together and shared mutual friends. She had just graduated from Yale Law, where she received her Juris Doctorate and finished the California Bar Exam, waiting for her results and starting her career in Los Angeles as a lawyer in October. All sorts of exhausted, she needed a break and made the choice to travel southeast Asia for the short time she had before starting her career. We talked relationships, romance, UCLA life, law school experiences, and my experiences travelling so far. I gave her some advice on some of the routes to take, and encouraged her to go to Vietnam, despite what other people had told her! I wished we could travel together some more, but she was headed to Chiang Mai tonight, and I was headed to India in about a week.

After saying our goodbyes, I checked into my hotel and headed to the airport to pick up my friend from the Philippines, who I'd be travelling with for another week in Bangkok.

Carel and Me

Day 101 - Overnight Train to Bangkok

I booked an overnight sleeper train from Butterworth (Penang) to Bangkok. The entire journey would take around 21 hours, due mostly to the long stops at each station heading north.

I was awoken at night in the hostel to firecrackers, probably signaling the start of Aidilfitri for the Muslim community in the city.

In the morning, I took a ferry across the island of Penang to Butterworth. The ferry took around 10 minutes and was free for people leaving the island. You only have to pay when you take the ferry in the other direction.

There was very little activity across Malaysia due to the holiday. When I boarded the train at around 2PM, I was told that we wouldn't be able to find any food until we reached Thailand around 7PM since most of the restarants were closed and the food vendors were probably celebrating the holiday.

The train was not very clean, but I liked the way it was easily converted from seats during the day to wide (the bottom bed) and comfortable beds at night! It was a fun experience to sleep on the train, while the movement rocked me to sleep

Butterworth Train Station

Ferry from Georgetown to Butterworth

My train to Bangkok

Cozy Sleepers

Day 96 – Another Lazy Day in KL

These lazy days are great, when I don't feel the pressure to get all
my sightseeing done. Some people say there isn't anything to do in KL
except eat and shop, and I gladly will take the opportunity to just
chill out for a while, take a break from “traveling.”

I spent the majority of the day in Bukit Bintang, and planned the rest
of my KL trip. I had fears that I would not be able to get out of the
city during the Eid ul-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, since everyone would
be traveling out of KL to their hometowns to celebrate with their
families, but luckily, I managed to book a couple buses and a sleeper
train headed to Bangkok. I would take a bus to Malacca for one night
of sightseeing, and then head on another bus from Malacca to Penang
Island for another night of culinary paradise. Then I would take a
sleeper bus from Penang to Bangkok, just in time to meet with a friend
I met in the Philippines!

Tomorrow, I will be a real tourist and take one of those “hop on hop
off” open buses to all the major tourist locations throughout the
city.

Bukit Bintang

Penang Loh-Mee

Day 70 - Temples of Ayutthaya

Quang and I rented bicycles again today to ride around the city and check out the ancient temples that remain so close to the daily activity of the city. We only had to ride one block before reaching one of the most famous temples - Wat Ratchaburana. I could already tell by my first impression that I would very much enjoy the sightseeing today, as it would be filled with walks and climbs atop ancient temples with lots of grassy areas to walk and contemplate peacefully.

It was amazing how easily accessible and close these ancient structures were to the locals. You could walk in the park and come across small Wats idly sitting in the same spot for the last 600 years! My country isn't even old enough to house many structures that old, and here they are, outside and across the street from some hotels, homes, and restaurants!

We spend the rest of the day enjoying the city, before having to leave by minivan back to Bangkok. One of the tour agencies notified us that there was a bomb threat on the train tracks earlier today and that the train schedules might be backed up, so it was only wisest to take a bus or taxi back. We took her advice, sadly, and left this beautiful town much earlier than anticipated, heading back to Bangkok and to the airport to sleep for the night before each of our respective flights out the country.