Flying Home

I guess they don't want to encourage people to sleep on the chairs in the waiting area of the departure hall, but they know very well that many people do, so it seems like they would be a little kinder in having chairs without gaps in between them to make it slightly more comfortable.  Oh well.  I arranged my bags around in the seat next to me and made a pillow of sorts out of a jackets and a couple of scarves.  I had intended to use my inflatable neck pillow, but it inopportunely sprung a leak.  I couldn't find any comfortable way to recline, but made myself somewhat comfortable sitting up leaning on my bags.  I used on of the sarongs I bought in Ubud as a blanket, and actually slept fairly well, all things considered.  I probably got four hours or so of sleep all together, although I'd have to wake up every forty-five minutes or so to unkink all my muscles that were going to sleep.  

About a quarter to five I rearranged my stuff back into flying order and went to brush my teeth and freshen up.  I planned to put on shoes at this point, but I just couldn't bring myself to just yet.  I may end up being cold for a few minutes once I land in Wuhan, but it's worth it for a few more hours in flip-flops.  

Check-in and security went as usual, and I headed in search of breakfast on the way to the gate.  I had been disappointed, as the Krispy Kreme I had been to on my last trip through the Don Mueng airport was on the domestic departure side, and there wasn't one listed on the international departure side.  Fortunately, the signs were wrong...there it was, tucked in the corner right next to the Subway and McDonalds.  I had a subway sandwich for breakfast (yes, I know that's rather an odd breakfast, but I wanted something solid and non-greasy), sitting in a small waiting area balancing it on my lap, since all the tables were full.  I bought a couple of donuts, of course--I ate one for dessert after I finished my sandwich.  I wasn't in the least bit hungry for it, and sadly it was cold (what kind of Krispy Kreme doesn't have warm donuts at 6:30 in the morning??), but after I'd waited all night for it I wasn't going to turn it down.  I saved the other for later, though, as it was cold anyhow.  

I finally wandered down to the gate.  After sitting for a few minutes, I stood up and surveyed my belongings, considering whether I needed to go bad enough to schlep it all to the bathroom or not, when someone three rows back stood up to and called my name.   

Kristin, who works at the university-next-door where we go on Sundays, had been travelling in Thailand and had booked the same flight back to Wuhan.  Later on, we saw another teacher from Wuhan also on the same flight, but neither of us was close enough to talk to him. What are the odds?

We finally landed in Wuhan around lunch time.  Other was one of those landings where they pull the stairs up to the plane, you disembark onto the runway, and then they bus you to the arrival gate. As I was still wearing flip-flops bad it was supposed to be only 43 (although sunny) in Wuhan, I was prepared to freeze, but I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't seem too cold at all.  Maybe it was the sunshine. I did, however, put on shoes after collecting my bag from baggage claim.  

One of the great things about running into Kristin was that we could split the fare of the rather expensive taxi home, since our campuses are so close. It was a good trip, but coming home is nice, too.

Passing the Time in Bangkok

The things we do to save money...when buying plane tickets for this trip, I found that getting a flight from Bali to Wuhan, which involves a connection in the middle, usually in Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur or occasionally Guangzhou, would cost more than four hundred dollars if I bought it from cheapoair or kayak, my current go-to sites.  The flights would be at convenient times and have a reasonable layover that would get me home in a day...but I really didn't want to spend that much.  I looked at Air Asia, the local discount airline, but it's primarily a point-to-point airline--there are only a few routes on which you can book connecting flights.  However, I could buy a ticket from Bali to Bangkok, and then a separate ticket from Bangkok on to Wuhan.  Together, they would be well under three hundred.  

Unfortunately, the times didn't line up too well.  The flight from Bali arrived in Bangkok at 3:00 in the afternoon, and the afternoon flight to Wuhan left at 3:50.  As I had to go through customs, and especially once I decided to check a bag that I would have to collect from baggage claim and recheck, the time was just too tight.  There's no way to make that flight.  However, there is also a morning flight, at 7:30...

So here I am.  I've spent the night in an airport before, and this probably won't be the last.   It ends up being about a sixteen hour layover; I've had worse.  And after all, I'm saving money...

I've been to this airport before, last summer for my flight down to Phuket.  I know there's a Subway and Krispy Kreme in here...but they are after security, on the way to the gates.  Sigh.  Why do they put the good stuff in there where you don't have too much time, and out here where I'm spending hours, it's nothing but fried and greasy versions of local food?  Oh well, something to look forward to.  I had dinner at one of the restaurants up on the balcony overlooking the check-in area.  Feeling a bit nostalgic for the Thai food I ate down south on Ko Phi Phi last summer, I ordered Shrimp with fried rice, and some spring rolls.  Now usually Thai food is good, but as I said this was the greasy version.  The shrimp weren't bad, really, but still one of those things that you know as you're eating it that you'll probably regret it.  

After eating (and before the dodgy shrimp took effect) I followed signs to an "observation deck."  It turned out to be an leftover hallway with some scattered seats, but it did have windows that overlooked one of the runways, and it was quieter up there than down in the main seating area. It was also a bit cold up there, with the air conditioning working a bit too well for once, but I figured that was probably good for me to start adjusting back to winter.  I sat and played games on my kindle and watched the planes take off until the sky turned pink and then black and the moon rose. 

Friendliness

I've been impressed with the taxi drivers and Tuk Tuk drivers here.  Well, they aren't all perfect.  There  are some who don't want to use the meter, so they can charge a bit extra. And there was that one who talked to himself and made weird noises. 

But when you walk by a tuk tuk, they ask if you need a ride.  When you say no thank you, they accept no for an answer and don't hassle. And a couple of times, I've told a driver no, and then he added where I was going anyways.  I was expecting then to hear a spiel about how. it was a long way, and I really should hire him.  But no-he just wanted yo help. He ggave me good directions, in English, on how to walk there.  Wow, usually drivers lose all interest in you once they realize they aren't getting a fare out of you.

Taxi drivers in China haven't been like that, although to be fair they might be if my Chinese was better.  Very few there speak any English at all, but many here do.  

Mile Map Hostel

So far on this trip, I have stayed in private rooms, because they seemed to be easier to find. However, I know I'd be staying in dorms at least part of the time to save money. 

I stayed in the dorm in the Mile Map Hostel in Bangkok. I knew I'd be there several nights, and the dorm was only about nine dollars a night. 

It's fun to stay in the dorm sometimes, especially when you've been traveling alone a while. People in dorms often introduce themselves and chat. 

I don't mind staying in the dorm;  it's just like camp growing up.  For those of you who haven't stayed in a hostel dorm, here's a couple of pictures from the Mile Map Hostel. 

Sky Train and Subway

Probably the fastest way to get around Bangkok is the Sky Train.  Two elevated lines run on concrete overpasses, intersecting at Siam Square. The Surasak station wasn't too far of a walk from my hostel, so I took it a few times.  Trains whizzing along the two layers of tracks, with the upscale shopping center below, seem to be in the city of the future.

There is also a subway system in Bangkok, also with two lines.  However, it didn't run anywhere near my hostel, so it wasn't of much use to me.

I did take the subway for a couple of stops, after taking the sky train to it, when I went looking for China Town.  I mostly just wanted to see what it was like and add it to my mental list of subway systems.  I love subways, and it may seem cheesy, but I enjoy checking things off my mental bucket lists: countries visited, subway systems, Hard Rocks, etc. 

I didn't take the subway again, though. And the bonus of the sky train is really speed, not price.  By the time I took both the sky train and the subway, it was cheaper to take a taxi back.  It's just that there are no traffic jams when you're above or below everything. 

Sunday with the Family 2

Although the church has such a good system of translation set up, we didn't need it for the sermon.  There was a visiting preacher that day-a man who works with the South Pacific Bible College in New Zealand, David Nelson.  The regular preacher, Glome, translated into Thai.  His English is very good.  The Somprasong church is making use of technology, so you can even see a video of the service here.

http://m.ustream.tv/recorded/37372967?rmalang=en_SG

In fact, there were people from all over there. I met a family who are refugees from Pakistan, an American who's lived in Thailand for twenty years, people from Nigeria,Kenya, and Malawi, and a nice preacher and his wife from the Philippines.  And of course, several friendly Thai people. 

After the service, there was a short ceremony to give roses to all the mothers, since mother's day was the next day here (always held on the Queen's birthday). Then, Bible class; there are enough foreigners that they have one class in English. 

Finally, we went out onto the covered patio for lunch.  They may Sunday dinner together every week, and nearly everyone stays.  Usually after that they have various things going on in the afternoon which some stay for, too, but those were cancelled that day because the teachers were among those gone to the retreat. 

I spent lunch-which was a typical Thai meal of rice, with a spicy vegetable soup to pour over it, along with marinated boiled eggs-getting to know a Wichitra.  We got along quite well as we had several things in common to talk about; she is a retired English professor.  She taught for many years at one of the universities in Bangkok.  Now she teaches a Bible class for the children at church, and does the church's facebook page, and generally keeps up with everyone. That's her with me in the picture below. 

It was so nice to be part of such a big gathering.  It's the largest I've seen in over a year.  It was nice, too, to be with a mature congregation, with elders and all.  Trust me, I didn't appreciate what a blessing good elders can be until I no longer had them.  This congregation was even getting their teams ready for Bible Bowl!

Sunday with the Family

One thing that is often difficult or impossible to find while travelling is a church to meet with on Sunday. Since so many people have been gone from Wuhan over the summer, there wasn't even anyone to meet with these on the Sundays I was home. 

However, I was talking to a friend who traveled extensively in southeast Asia, and he gave me directions and information about the Somprasong congregation in Bangkok. 

I knew the service began at nine, and I didn't know how long the taxi would take, so I left the hostel about ten till eight.  You know I was excited if I got moving that early! I shouldn't have worried, though.  I was there by eight fifteen, and had to wait around a while for others to show up.

The Somprasong congregation has about 150 members, although some were gone to a family retreat that weekend, and some were traveling since it was Mother's Day weekend here in Thailand (held on the Queen's birthday, which was Monday).  They were very friendly, and were used to having foreign visitors. 

They put the words to songs on the overhead in both Thai and English, although the singing was lead all in Thai.  They had headphone jacks on the backs of the pews on the right side of the auditorium, and they provided headphones for all those who don't speak Thai, both travelers as well as a few members there who are new to Thailand. The daughter of one of the elders, who speaks excellent English and works for an international company, sits in the sound booth and translates everything.  

Hard Rock Bangkok

Years ago, when I was studying abroad in Belgium, my friends and I started a tradition of trying to go to Hard Rock whenever we could.  We would eat baguettes and drink water for several other meals to afford it.  It was, for most of us, our first time living outside the US and Hard Rock was a little trip home, at least through our stomachs.

Looking back now, it seems very silly that we found European food so exotic.  Now it's all lumped together in my mind as "western food" and I can't imagine how we had any difficulty finding familiar food. We were sheltered for sure.

However, all these years I've still kept the tradition on my own, when I could.  I almost always get the same thing-a barbecue pork sandwich with onion rings.  I guess that's the closest I can get to Tennessee food.

It's still fun to go, especially if they play good music.  I found the one in Bangkok, off of Siam Square, easily.  I enjoyed the usual-although the buns here are too sweet-while reading the (thus far) soporific Swann's Way by Proust.  Just to say, I tried twice to put that title in italics, but my phone doesn't like italics.  It keeps autocorrecting it away and I give up.  Anyway, all this to say, I splurged on Hard Rock for old time's sake, but it was a lot more fun with a crowd of noisy friends. 

Jim Thompson House

After leaving the museum, I made one more sight-seeing stop for the day.  Down a nondescript side street was a place I'd never heard of before arriving in Bangkok, but Lonely Planet spoke highly of it, and besides, it was on the way to dinner. 

Jim Thompson, born in 1906, was an architect in New York until World War II. During the war, he joined the military and was eventually sent to Asia towards the end of the war. He fell in love with Thailand, and was impressed by the cottage industry of weaving silk.  He saw the commercial possibilities of the beautiful cloth, and took samples back to New York designers. He returned to Thailand and became a successful entrepreneur, creating many jobs as he built up the silk industry. 

In the 1950s, he moved six traditional Thai stilt houses to a lot alongside a canal in Bangkok and combined them to create a beautiful home to showcase Thai architecture and his collection of Thai antiques. 

A few years later, Mr. Thompson was vacationing with friends in Malaysia when he went for a walk into the jungle by himself.  They searched for days, but never found a trace of him again. 

His home was opened to tours, and many people come to appreciate his house and furnishings.

Friendly Swarm of Children

Before I left the museum, I sat on a shady bench along the walkway just inside the fence to rest my feet a moment and to check the map to get my bearings before heading to the next place on my mental list.  Suddenly, I was surrounded.  A group of curious twelve-year-olds, most dressed in matching hot pink t-shirts, were gathered around.  The most outgoing proffered a gift of one of those coins put through a press and stamped with a scene of Bangkok, the type you see at most tourist traps.

When I didn't immediately run away (I couldn't have anyway, I was surrounded), they concluded I must be friendly.  I smiled at them and they began searching their brains for English words learned in school to question me with. 

They were excited to hear that it am American, and that I am a teacher, and were surprised that I have no children.  I answered questions until they were called by the adults in their group for a group picture. 

National Museum

After I left the palace, I made my way through the tuk tuk drivers and drink stands to the nearby national museum.  I was rather expecting a Louvre-like behemoth as the guidebook said it was the largest in southeast Asia, but it turned out to be a gated collection of several small to moderately sized buildings. Apparently there's not a lot of competition in the large museum category in this part of Asia. 

The first small building by the gate held a reasonably modern display giving an overview of Thai history, information that will be useful as I travel north to Sukhothai, the original Thai capital. 

When I stepped into the next building, I stepped into the 1960s. There was no air conditioning, so fans pushed the musty air around the high-ceiling rooms. Cabinets that seemed they ought to be covered in dust (but weren't) were crammed with collections of interesting items: Chinese puppets, crowns, Buddha figurines, swords, porcelain dishes.  One of the largest rooms had old pallets used for carrying members of the royal family in processions, in varying degrees of luxury. There weren't many explanatory signs; those that there were were mostly type-written, with a few even hand-written. 

I wandered around the central buildings for about an hour; there were more rooms in side buildings as well, but I had seen enough to get the idea. 

The Grand Palace

In the same complex with the Wat Phra Keaw is the Grand Palace.  The beautiful palace was built, in part, to show the legitimacy of the Thai kingdom. In an era when European powers were conquering and colonizing the "backward" southeast Asian peoples, the king of Siam reacted not by fighting, but by setting out to show that his kingdom was not backward and uncivilized.  He adopted many Victorian customs and fashions, and worked to show western leaders that he was an educated equal.  He hired tutors to teach his children English and European customs so that they could be diplomatic with the new powers in the region.  You might have seen the fictionalized version in the movie The King and I . 

I suppose it worked; Thailand is the only southeast Asian country that was never colonized by any foreign power, which they are quite proud of.
The palace was beautiful and the weather perfect; there's not much else to say about it since the inside is not open to visitors.  It's still used for coronations and some other state ceremonies, but the royal family have long since moved to a modern palace in a quieter area in the north part of the city. 

Wat Phra Keaw

My second full day in Bangkok, which happened to be a Saturday, I had every intention of getting up early and being a model productive tourist. Yeah. I left the hostel at eleven again.  In the end, I had more than enough time to do everything I meant to do for the day, so I'm glad I didn't rush. 

I walked back down to the river and caught a ferry down to the golden palace.  More about the palace in my next post-first, the temple in the same complex, Wat Phra Keaw. 

The first thing I saw as I neared the temple grounds was a shiny golden stupa.  Various temple buildings were crowded into the walled area; the biggest and most ornate is tiled in blue with gold columns; huge golden snakes form the bannisters on each set of steps. 

This largest temple houses the Emerald Buddha, one of the most famous Buddha statues in Thailand.  The Buddha is actually carved of a large piece of jasper.  At some point in its history, it was covered in stucco to conceal its worth and protect it from theft, and then it was forgotten. It was in a temple in northern Thailand; one day a monk bumped it and knocked a chunk of plaster from the nose. To his surprise, a green stone glittered underneath.

His first thought was emerald, and the name Emerald Buddha has stuck although it was later found to be jasper when it was completely uncovered.

Still covered in stucco, the Buddha was sent on a journey to the new capital city, Bangkok.  Along the way it was captured by Lao forces, but the Thais eventually recaptured it.

The buddha now is the crowning piece of a huge, intricately carved gilded throne taking up nearly the whole back wall of the temple. Frankly, the green buddha seemed rather dwarfed by all the surrounding opulence.  In such a large setting, it was a bit underwhelming.  Then again, after the reclining buddha the day before, it would take a lot to impress me.  Being carved of a solid piece of a precious stone, though, it's very large and I'm sure it's priceless. 

I read that the Emerald Buddha's ornaments are changed three times of year so that he is appropriately dressed for each season: hot, rainy, and cool.  This is done in a ceremony presided over by the king. 

Unfortunately, pictures aren't allowed in the room with the buddha, but there was so much to take pictures of outside that I didn't mind.  Besides the buildings, there were life-sized shiny gold half-bird half-human statues, and a large model of Angkor Wat in Cambodia.