Part 1 D - Rude Awakening

Towards the end of the flight, I went over plan B again in my mind. I looked at the address again. Hmmm... it doesn't say Bangkok anywhere, and this is the full address. Chiang Mai? Is it possible that I got the wrong one? Would there really be more than one embassy? Do I want the embassy or the consulate? I guess I need to find a way to get to Chiang Mai.

Upon arrival, I changed money right away, about 200 dollars worth, from yen to baht. I asked at a counter how I might be able to get to Chiang Mai, and she recommended taking the express bus, and to look on the internet for more information. I got my picture taken.

I spent a long time searching for internet access. One that I tried didn't seem to work, so I thought maybe that wasn't what I needed after all. Sometimes men would stop me and ask which flight I was getting on, since I was searching in the area around the ticket counters, as I was told that's where all the internet access spots were. Finally, someone showed me how to use the machine and I searched for a way to get to Chiang Mai. I found information about an overnight train and thought that looked nice. But it said something about the ticket office closing at 4pm, and it was nearly that.

So, I took a taxi to Bangkok station. I was able to get the last ticket in a first class sleeper car for the 14 hour journey to Chiang Mai. I found internet access and updated everyone. I got some dinner, and sat around waiting for the 7:30 train departure. At 6:00, everyone stood and faced the portrait of the King of Thailand that is over the station entrance while what I assume to be the Thai national anthem, was played over the loudspeakers. I used the pay toilet once... a bit disgusting, but functional. Around 7 I got on the train and waited for it to leave. I was looking out the window at the next platform and saw several people, among them a mom with a little girl about 3 years old, possibly 4. At one point, they went near the empty tracks, the mom pulled down the girls pants, held her feet out towards the rails with her daughter's back against her chest and bare bottom pointing down to the track so that she could poop there! Talk about culture shock! I kept waiting, and the train finally departed.