If you grew up in the 80's and played Pole Position in the old arcades, or grew up in Eric Lum's living room, you'll know what I mean.
Up at 7am again, .... and Supertramp's old song is back in my mind. But not a downpour, just there. A long, long, boring day that must be done, no point complaining. Wait for the truck taxi to the pier, hop on the ferry, only to find out we travel to a different pier nearby, so I'm very,very, very glad I didn't buy the return ticket the lady wanted me to buy four days prior. She would not have been there, and I would have felt stupid once again. I win ... sort of.
The boat was just 20 minutes, only to wait almost a hour and a half for the mini-bus back to Bangkok. A long 6 hours weaving from lane to lane, stop here, stop there for gasoline yet again. Then weave around traffic dangerously close until I realize life is easier if I simply close my eyes. There! Much better .... ignorance is bliss.
By 5pm we sort of enter the urban perimeter, drop off someone at the airport, then inch ourselves closer and closer to the center. You think traffic is bad at home ... it doesn't touch a candle to this. Then the funniest thing happens, I ponder [like so many other Asian cities] that each intersection looks so much like the next, over and over. They're all interchangeable. No point of reference over, and over, and over again. But maybe any Asian coming to any North American city might say the same thing? I'll have to ask a few friends ...
But then the driver drops us off ... "Khao San Road!!" he sort of says to us; I think in 7 hours, we couldn't understand a word he said, or vice versa, but it all worked out in the end. So I think ... "Khao San Road ... really?? I don't see it at all ... I've only been there countless times"?? Then someone else in broken English points and says, "And Soi Rambutti is over there". Really ?? I felt so stupid, and walk in the general direction, and ponder where on earth I am. Then it hits me like a sack of hammers ... "Oh THAT's where I am, even closer than I though"! I thought he was dropping us off at the eastern end, like I usually am. But we are at the western end, exactly where I've walked past at least 10 times. Oh well ... problem solved.
After checking into to home, and shower for the first time in what seems like forever, I realize in 3 times being here, I've never taken any pictures of Khao San Road. I guess now is the time .... the infamous street full of crap I don't need to buy, and too much food I could. Fresh mangoes are calling, but they could have been better. That's the job of the next half a hour .... then dinner. I have no idea how prevalent Pad Thai will be in the streets of Yangon, so I'll have it from the street vendors just once more. Just in case ... if you know what I mean.
Tomorrow .... a new stamp in the old passport, a new world. No Burger King, or McD's, or KFC. Let's hope that's a good thing. Fingers crossed once more.
Up at 7am again, .... and Supertramp's old song is back in my mind. But not a downpour, just there. A long, long, boring day that must be done, no point complaining. Wait for the truck taxi to the pier, hop on the ferry, only to find out we travel to a different pier nearby, so I'm very,very, very glad I didn't buy the return ticket the lady wanted me to buy four days prior. She would not have been there, and I would have felt stupid once again. I win ... sort of.
The boat was just 20 minutes, only to wait almost a hour and a half for the mini-bus back to Bangkok. A long 6 hours weaving from lane to lane, stop here, stop there for gasoline yet again. Then weave around traffic dangerously close until I realize life is easier if I simply close my eyes. There! Much better .... ignorance is bliss.
By 5pm we sort of enter the urban perimeter, drop off someone at the airport, then inch ourselves closer and closer to the center. You think traffic is bad at home ... it doesn't touch a candle to this. Then the funniest thing happens, I ponder [like so many other Asian cities] that each intersection looks so much like the next, over and over. They're all interchangeable. No point of reference over, and over, and over again. But maybe any Asian coming to any North American city might say the same thing? I'll have to ask a few friends ...
But then the driver drops us off ... "Khao San Road!!" he sort of says to us; I think in 7 hours, we couldn't understand a word he said, or vice versa, but it all worked out in the end. So I think ... "Khao San Road ... really?? I don't see it at all ... I've only been there countless times"?? Then someone else in broken English points and says, "And Soi Rambutti is over there". Really ?? I felt so stupid, and walk in the general direction, and ponder where on earth I am. Then it hits me like a sack of hammers ... "Oh THAT's where I am, even closer than I though"! I thought he was dropping us off at the eastern end, like I usually am. But we are at the western end, exactly where I've walked past at least 10 times. Oh well ... problem solved.
After checking into to home, and shower for the first time in what seems like forever, I realize in 3 times being here, I've never taken any pictures of Khao San Road. I guess now is the time .... the infamous street full of crap I don't need to buy, and too much food I could. Fresh mangoes are calling, but they could have been better. That's the job of the next half a hour .... then dinner. I have no idea how prevalent Pad Thai will be in the streets of Yangon, so I'll have it from the street vendors just once more. Just in case ... if you know what I mean.
Tomorrow .... a new stamp in the old passport, a new world. No Burger King, or McD's, or KFC. Let's hope that's a good thing. Fingers crossed once more.
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