Day 7 - Bangkok
Today we reluctantly boarded our bus for the last time knowing our journeys end was nigh and there was nothing we could do about it. It would also be a long, and more than likely boring trip into Thailand so we slid into our Feng Shui appropriate seat configurations and began a “battle of phones” airdropping to each other any pictures that perhaps had been missed so far. The first leg was a 3hr stretch through to the border crossing point of Poipet. We’d spent many hours on these buses by now, and on reflection, the actual trip can’t be remembered for any notable reason. We talked of course, had some last minute chats with Toneth, and sat back in the knowledge we were only a third of the way through.
At the border we said goodbye to the bus and removed our bags which were piled precariously onto a single wheelbarrow type trolley and hauled effortlessly by a middle aged Thai lady whom we followed for the short walk to the immigration building to formalise our passage. On the other side another “no-mans land” stood autonomously and this is where we said our final goodbyes to Toneth.
Cambodia / Thailand border
Toneth was a veritable ball of energy with constant surprises and masterful talents. As a guide he was outstanding and took on every request we threw at him with a beaming smile and can do attitude. The knowledge of his homeland was interminable and his pride for it clearly evident. For the week or so under his command, Toneth ensured our Cambodian experience was indelible and peppered with little specialties like tarantula, rat and snake sampling and riverboat cruises with his family and friends. New to the industry after spending time with cycling tour companies, Toneth was a real asset to Intrepid’s Human Resources and even now back home, he responds immediately to this writer’s frequent questions about some technicalities of our trip forgotten.
Moving onto a much larger bus for the final stretch through to Bangkok, we also picked up another tour guide. While her name currently alludes, she was a pest. With only 18hrs as our chaperone it was evident she was trying to squeeze in 7 days worth of guidance. Annoyingly.
Bangkok is a sprawling metropolis of 9 million people and a greater metropolitan population closer to 17.5 million. With its history dating back to the early 15th century as a village on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, its strategic location near the mouth of the river saw the town gradually increase in importance. Serving as a customs outpost with forts on both sides of the waterway, it was the site of a siege in 1688 ultimately expelling the French from Siam. Once again, it was those pesky Frenchmen. After its fall to the Burmese in 1767 the newly crowned King established his capital at the town which then became the base of the Kingdom. The City Pillar was erected in April 1782 which is now widely regarded as the date of foundation of Bangkok as the capital. Today though, through the tinted blue bus windows, the endless concrete and high-rise structures gave the city an almost dystopian look with scenes reminiscent of Blade Runner or any number of futuristic movies.
Our new digs were bang in the centre of Chinatown and only a stones throw from most things capable of getting us into trouble. We checked in, showered and met in the lobby under the dictatorial insistence of the aforementioned unnamed new tour guide. With nightfall Bangkok, comes to life and as our offical last night together we all just wanted to have some dinner, and maybe, perhaps just maybe, if in the right mood, a few final drinks. But Kim Jong Un had other ideas. Taking us on a walking tour literally around the block the hotel stood on, she pointed out various things that in absolute honesty we paid little to no attention to. Politely we all feigned interest while secretly plotting our escape and choosing an appropriate restaurant to dine.
And dine we did, inevitably on Pad Thai and Singha beer before popping across the road to a very fancy bar called the Shanghai Mansion to secure a table large enough to hold the 97 cocktails we planned on consuming. With a live band playing all the favourites, and interactive cocktail list displayed on a much used iPad, by nights end we pretty much ordered every cocktail available in some capacity and laughed ourselves stupid knowing this would be the last chance we got to do it together.
Last Drinks, Bangkok, Thailand
After settling our largest bill of the trip we headed home and respectively vanished to our rooms. Well, so Fatpap tried. With an electronic swipe key devoid of words or room number, and homogenised hallways giving no clue to present location, he swiped every room on the floor without success. A trip to the lobby solved the problem. Hotel staff politely advised the room number, which of course was on an entirely different floor to the one he was on. But after 8 hotel rooms and one overnight train, it was bound to happen at some point.