Dear son,
in NYC, USA
Friday December 25, 2009.
6:00 am I woke up and start watching TV, not much focus on any programs.
Yesterday, Mom went to Chiangmai (or Chiang Mai) on a mission, I drove her to Suvarnabhumi Airport for the local flight. She would stay a night and worked till evening and took the plane back home on Friday. And on Saturday, she would go to visit a real estate project at Khao Yai, a mountainous resort area in Saraburi Province. Palm would be the driver and they could learn something from the real estate business.
Notes: Mom and I both got PhDs, but in new business like real estate, both of us including your sister would be just novices or new students. However, continuously learning something new makes our lives more refreshing. My writing to you in fact, designed to be educational for someone learning English, sharing information in the network, while following me curiously to wherever I go.
9:00 am -I started getting down from my bedroom for breakfast - as usual with sunnyside-up egg, a cup of coffee with milk, and then walked back upstairs to my bedroom to finish some work.
Picture - 2 bags packed into one,
with the elastic robe
I looked at my watch; the time was 11:30 am. I had to hurry up and to pack my traveling bag, took a bath, dressed up, and also packed my computer bag.
Picture - Taxis waiting for unloading
at the Mo Chit Bus Terminal, Bangkok
At 12:10 hrs, everything was ready and I got a taxi from home, quite later than usual. The traffic today was quite heavy. So I got to the Mo chit Bus Terminal at 12:40 hrs. I was late indeed, I saw the last passenger booked to the 13:00 hrs bus, the last seat. Oh dear, I had to take the next bus leaving at 15:30 hrs, which was 2 and a half hours later than I planned. I was a little bit too complacent, I complained to my self.
Looked at the brighter side, I had more time to do some other things, like drafting an e-mail to you via my iPhone, with 2 thumb typing practice, and took some pictures around the Terminal.
Picture - At the waiting hall
at the Mo Chit, Bangkok
Picture - At the waiting hall
at the Mo Chit, Bangkok
I bought the bus ticket to Surin at the usual price of 320 baht, first class, air-conditioned, the bus like the one in the picture.
2:00 hrs of waiting time, I planned to write and present my pictorial stories using my iPhone as well as to take pictures in the manner no body could notice. They just thought I use it for a call.
The late bus might make getting to the final station at Muang Surin (Surin City) around 23:00 hrs. It was ok, not too late.
My iPhone might make me a little bit less bored during the 7 hour trip. I had to thank Pi Palm for buying me and Mom the effective tools for time Killing, like the iPhones.
13:00 hrs I moved to the food service area, or food court you may called.
and the food coupons
The food I ordered was a plate of rice with fried chili ground pork, and an egg, sunnyside-up. It was quite hot for me, and definitely too hot for Americans and Europeans to be called delicious. I paid 35 baht. The price was quite normal, but you may get the same food and quality at 25 baht at most college cafeterias, which may taste better and more nutritious.
Picture - Ice coffee at 15 baht
I also ordered a cup of ice coffee, I think they made it with instant coffee, may be the Nest Coffee Red Cup. It was 15 baht. All together, I paid 50 baht a meal in coupons.
Picture - At the Food Hall, Mo Chit Station, Bangkok
At 13:30 hrs - I moved to the waiting areas to really feel the atmosphere of the Bus Terminal, as the matter of fact Mo Chit Bus Terminal is the biggest and busiest bus terminal in Thailand. I also took some photographs for your viewing.
Mostly people here were from all walks of life, for example - low ranked soldiers, low ranked government officers, factory workers, and few foreigners (farangs). Noticeably, I saw more farangs at the bus terminal today than usual days. "Farang" or most foreign tourists do not use much of the buses of any kinds for traveling in Thailand. They preferred trains. However I prefer buses for mostly I do no need bookings. If the one you expect is full, wait for the next one.
The atmosphere here seemed busy, but from my assessment, it was safe - there are many girls traveling by bus alone. However, it will even be better to travel in pair or in group.
I also saw some male farangs (white westerners) of around 50-55 years of age with their Thai wives, going back home in the villages. I learned and realized their (aged male farangs) needs for companions. In Thailand, though we are much poorer than Americans or Europeans, we have some compensation. One of Americans or average Europeans may earn equal to 5-6 Thais. But what the Thais always have is natural warmth, concerns in their homes and villages. The meaning of family means much larger than father, mother and children. A family may mean the whole villages, composing of a lot of relatives and close friends.
To be old in Thailand you are less likely to be left alone than westerners. I hoped that our trying to pursue economic growth and materialism, we should not lose our fundamental values; gratitude or gratefulness, sense of obligation, respect for the elders, hospitality, friendliness, fun in life, and “Sabai Saibai way of life” or looking life at the brighter side.
At 14:30 hrs- Among 100 people I saw less than one wore the masks protecting H1N1, Flu 2009. Hopefully we should say good bye to it in most parts of Thailand.
15:20 hrs, I went to the public restroom, 3 baht for the usage fee. It is wise to unload at the urinal, before sitting in the bus till the next stop which will take 3 and a half hours. The restroom in the coach usually is ok and clean, but I am annoyed to urinate while the bus is moving, for it may be splashing around. For a tall Thai like me (183 cm.), too tall for using the toilet (urinate) while standing.
Mo Chit Bus Terminal, Bangkok
15:30 hrs, It is the time to leave the Mo Chit Bus Terminal, in Bangkok. The seat in the bus was wide, and had enough leg room for me or anyone weighs at 100 kg or lower. The outside of the bus temperature was at 32 c, which was ok, and the inside was 26-27 c which was bearable. The bus would arrive at Muang Surin around 10:30-11:00 hrs. I should have enough sleeping time after that.
Picture - The bus at the Nakhon Ratchasima
19:00 hrs, the bus arrived at the Bus Terminal (Station), Nakhon Ratchasima City (or locally called “Korat”), it was the time for dinner, so I went to the Terminal Cafeteria. I used a supplementary food coupon as a part of the bus fare of 20 baht worth, and I paid 12 baht more for a plate of rice, with chicken curry, and an egg – “sunnyside-up egg” as usual. Many years back, when you went to the US as a new foreign student and at a restaurant, you tried to order “Star Eggs” (in Thai we called “Kai Dao”, Kai = egg, eggs, Dao = star), so the restaurant staff did not understand what you did want. The American, instead of seeing the fried egg and the egg yoke like a star, they see it as a sun. The food at the cafeteria at Korat Bus Terminal is usually served hot, and generally better than at the Mo Chit Bus Terminal in Bangkok.
Picture - Petchkasem Hotel,
Muang Surin, Surin Province
23:00 hrs, I arrived at the Surin City Bus Terminal, I called a Tuk Tuk (motor tricycle taxi) and with the service of 20 baht to go to the Petchkasem Hotel, just 200 meters from the Bus Terminal. I was ready to go to bed.
Good Night in Surin.
Dad at Home
Aree Samphan
Phaholyothin Rd
Bangkok, Thailand
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