Thailand Tag 2 & 3: BANGKOK, JETLAG & TRAIN JOURNEYS

Good morning, world. Good morning, Lat Krabang – a district of Bangkok.

I slept surprisingly well. And I am surprisingly awake early. Damn jetlag.

I can already hear noises from the neighboring room. Martin seems to be experiencing something similar. After a quick WhatsApp chat, we arrange to meet for coffee in my room – an improvised breakfast, international style.

The plan for today is actually simple: We need to go to 12Go at Chatuchak Station to pick up our tickets for the night train to Chiang Mai. A bit of Googling, a bit of Maps – that should work out.
(Did I already mention that Thai Maps sometimes have a very unique understanding of what “should work” means?)

On the way to the station, we first end up ... in a brewery. Only to realize shortly after that we have walked completely in the wrong direction. But hey – at least we saw quite a bit of Lat Krabang. A district heavily shaped by industry, intersected by canals with small promenades. In between, peaceful mini-temples in front gardens, traditional wooden houses on stilts, and an everyday life that seems surprisingly calm.

At some point, we actually find the SRT Station. And we just stand there. Overwhelmed.
It’s up – why? Where do you buy tickets? Which platform? Which direction? Which floor even? Google just says: Platform 2. But it doesn't say that anywhere here.
Wait a moment ... down there, behind the wall – there are also tracks. And indeed it says: Platform 2. Ding.

So we go out of the building, around the wall, and to the ticket counter. We tell the nice young man where we need to go, and he issues us a ticket to Makkasan. From there, we need to take the Blue Line. Then he sends us to the opposite platform. Great. We’ve managed that too.

The train arrives. Off to Makkasan – four stops.

Already after the second stop, I notice how we are getting closer to the center of Bangkok. It’s getting busier. Louder. More colorful. More people, more sounds, more movement.

Once we arrive at Makkasan, we search for the Blue Line, the subway. Everything here is surprisingly relaxed as well. At the ticket counter, I say I want to go to Chatuchak Station, pay, receive a small coin for the turnstile – and then we have to search for the right train again briefly. But eventually, we sit in the right direction, towards Tha Phra. Eight stations later, we’ve arrived.

The 12Go ticket counter is somewhat hidden in the subway shopping area. But we find it. Tickets in hand – very good.
Our train departs at 20:05 from Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal Station. So we have some time.

Slowly, the backpacks are getting heavy. First, let’s grab something to eat. Breakfast will be at 12:00: Martin chooses a tomato pho soup, and I have kimchi with rice. God, I love kimchi.

Afterward, we retreat to the nearby park. Chatuchak Park is one of the oldest public parks in Bangkok – beautifully designed, with wide paths, lots of greenery, and a lake. We even see a monitor lizard gliding through the water completely relaxed.

While we’re admiring a white squirrel, a park employee suddenly calls out: “Water! Water!”
I still think he means the lizard – and don’t give it any more thought. Right until the moment the lawn sprinkler catches us fully. Then I understand very clearly what he actually meant.

Once we're somewhat dry again, we make our way back to the Blue Line. Destination: Bang Sue Grand Station. More precisely: Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal Station.

It’s only two stations – and what should I say: the station lives up to its name. Huge. Futuristic. And almost empty. Plus, the air conditioner is set to a feels-like temperature of 17 degrees. Brrrr …

Boarding begins on time. We take the elevator one level up. Car 8.
“Long walk,” says the conductor, pointing back. Our car is a sleeper – conveniently located right next to the toilet and dining car. Perfect symbiosis.

We settle into our beds – I’m in number 1, Martin is in number 3 – and receive a few instructions from the conductor. Tomorrow, we will be woken about an hour before arrival.

Good night and see you soon, Bangkok.