Our day started quite early with a 5am alarm. Getting out of bed is an even bigger challenge today than previous days & the bags under my eyes are only getting worse.
We've had such big exciting days, followed by small nights & definitely not enough sleep.
Today will be no different & it's our last day in Bangkok together.
Once we struggle out of bed, we've got enough time to shower, pack our bags, check out & eat our pre ordered breakfast before being picked up by the tour company. They arrive 30 minutes late to pick us up, Tom & I are worried that it will be another situation like Chichen Itza, but thankfully it is not. The mini van is full once we take our seats which is the reason for the delay.
Once on the mini van our guide introduces himself to us as T & gives us information on the surrounding suburbs & architecture as we drive through Bangkok. It will take 1 hour to get to the train station, where we will board a local train & ride it till the last stop, which is where the Maeklong Railway markets are.
The train station is very under developed, for a tourist attraction & is just a small cement platform with 3 sets of wooden steps & no safety boundaries at all. It's beneath an underpass, so the roar of trucks can be heard & the smell of the ocean is in the air.
The ocean is 4km's away & the initial sights out of the train windows is the salt farms.
Our train arrives at 8am & T assigns us seats. The 4 carriages are fairly empty & there's lots of choice. Tom & I sit together & enjoy the early morning scenery & sun. Before too long we arrive at the Maeklong station, where the markets are.
Bangkok's Maeklong railway market's was an experience, for sure! It's a traditional Thai market selling fresh produce, that is nestled between houses & the train tracks. We approached the market already on board the train & looking out the window, there is mere millimetres between the good's, people, awning's & the train. This is the perfect experience if you dont want to visit a touristy market & experience something more local & off the beaten track. It was really interesting to walk around & see all the fresh produce being sold & the locals going about their daily lives. I cringed a few times watching tourists accidentally stand on vegetables or knock things off tables. I honestly don't know how the locals are so patient & tolerant. Thai people are so lovely, Bless their souls!
We've had such big exciting days, followed by small nights & definitely not enough sleep.
Today will be no different & it's our last day in Bangkok together.
Once we struggle out of bed, we've got enough time to shower, pack our bags, check out & eat our pre ordered breakfast before being picked up by the tour company. They arrive 30 minutes late to pick us up, Tom & I are worried that it will be another situation like Chichen Itza, but thankfully it is not. The mini van is full once we take our seats which is the reason for the delay.
Once on the mini van our guide introduces himself to us as T & gives us information on the surrounding suburbs & architecture as we drive through Bangkok. It will take 1 hour to get to the train station, where we will board a local train & ride it till the last stop, which is where the Maeklong Railway markets are.
The train station is very under developed, for a tourist attraction & is just a small cement platform with 3 sets of wooden steps & no safety boundaries at all. It's beneath an underpass, so the roar of trucks can be heard & the smell of the ocean is in the air.
The ocean is 4km's away & the initial sights out of the train windows is the salt farms.
Our train arrives at 8am & T assigns us seats. The 4 carriages are fairly empty & there's lots of choice. Tom & I sit together & enjoy the early morning scenery & sun. Before too long we arrive at the Maeklong station, where the markets are.
Bangkok's Maeklong railway market's was an experience, for sure! It's a traditional Thai market selling fresh produce, that is nestled between houses & the train tracks. We approached the market already on board the train & looking out the window, there is mere millimetres between the good's, people, awning's & the train. This is the perfect experience if you dont want to visit a touristy market & experience something more local & off the beaten track. It was really interesting to walk around & see all the fresh produce being sold & the locals going about their daily lives. I cringed a few times watching tourists accidentally stand on vegetables or knock things off tables. I honestly don't know how the locals are so patient & tolerant. Thai people are so lovely, Bless their souls!
After Maeklong, we leave by private mini van & drive another hour to reach the docks for the 'James Bond boats'. Named after their use in a James bond movie.
They are a long skinny boat that seats people single file or in groups of 2, depending o how did you are. These boats are very thin! Their is a car engine on the back with a propellor on a very long shaft, that would be about 3- 4 metres long. We see the propeller come out of the water at times & lift into the air.
At times, the boat tips very dramatically to each side & it feels like were going to rip over. I honestly don't know how they are able to keep control of the boat at such high speeds while navigating through the tight canals that make up the floating suburb of Damnoen Saduek.
Damnoen Saduek Floating markets is one of Bangkok's oldest & biggest floating markets.
On weekends it is a lot quieter without the heavy local Thai presence, however it also lacks the flowers & fruits that are sold here in abundance, making it less colourful & fragrant.
Even without these elements it's still a really cool place to spend a few hours shopping & eating.
If there's one thing the Thai people do really really well; it's markets.
Tom buys a nice white & blue button up, cotton shirt & I buy a taxidermy Atacus moth in a frame.
I've been interested in moth & butterfly taxidermy for a little while & think it will be something I'll look into more closely once were home.
Nat & Dom spot a local artist who has done a Bob Marley painting on canvas & go back 3 times to barter, trying to find that fair number for both buyer & seller. They return victorious!
Tom & I are really happy for them. Art is something we both appreciate & a good reminder of a certain place or time in your life. Not to mention, Nat & Dom have worked so hard renovating their house, it's time to make it truly individual & theirs, instead of just making it livable.
After the markets, we head back to the mini van & drive back to Bangkok. Tom & I are both way too good at sleeping on the move & instantly fall asleep.
Once back at Isanook hotel we begin preparations for leaving Bangkok & arriving at our next destination, Rayong. We end up with a private car, thankfully a 4wd, that can take the 4 of us & all our luggage the 3 hours to Rayong. We have an Air BnB booked at a beach front resort here.
We arrive just after 8pm & after some initial problems gaining access, security come to our rescue & we are in. The view & the pool are to die for & we are all excited to see the beach.
We decided to go here as opposed to the islands for a few reasons.
Price being a good reason this time of year heading into peak tourist season. Not being organised enough to take advantage of good deals on accommodation, avoiding locations too touristy & it was heading north instead of South, which was more ideal for Tom & I. We had also read a lot about how bad the pollution & rubbish is surrounding some of these islands & that a few famous beaches had been shut to tourism so that nature can recover.
We knew Rayong wouldn't have any rubbish on its beach's & were hopeful the nearby islands will have good snorkelling & diving options.
We have our own small unit on the 7th floor with 2 bedrooms & a kitchen.
After checking in, we walk to a local Thai restaurant called fresh start & have an amazing dinner.
I order a green curry, that is absolutely amazing! Its one of the best curries I've ever had!
I order this curry another 4 times while we are here in Rayong.
There are some elderly western people at the restaurant who live in the resort complex & have retired here in Thailand. Among them is Neal, who part owns the restaurant with his wife Da, who is the amazing cook behind the green curry. It's interesting to meet them & hear about their stories & what brought them to Thailand. Over the next few days we would all return to Fresh Start to drink beers & chat with Neal & his wife Da, many times.
After dinner, we have a few drinks & go to bed.
- Alli
At times, the boat tips very dramatically to each side & it feels like were going to rip over. I honestly don't know how they are able to keep control of the boat at such high speeds while navigating through the tight canals that make up the floating suburb of Damnoen Saduek.
Damnoen Saduek Floating markets is one of Bangkok's oldest & biggest floating markets.
On weekends it is a lot quieter without the heavy local Thai presence, however it also lacks the flowers & fruits that are sold here in abundance, making it less colourful & fragrant.
Even without these elements it's still a really cool place to spend a few hours shopping & eating.
If there's one thing the Thai people do really really well; it's markets.
Tom buys a nice white & blue button up, cotton shirt & I buy a taxidermy Atacus moth in a frame.
I've been interested in moth & butterfly taxidermy for a little while & think it will be something I'll look into more closely once were home.
Nat & Dom spot a local artist who has done a Bob Marley painting on canvas & go back 3 times to barter, trying to find that fair number for both buyer & seller. They return victorious!
Tom & I are really happy for them. Art is something we both appreciate & a good reminder of a certain place or time in your life. Not to mention, Nat & Dom have worked so hard renovating their house, it's time to make it truly individual & theirs, instead of just making it livable.
After the markets, we head back to the mini van & drive back to Bangkok. Tom & I are both way too good at sleeping on the move & instantly fall asleep.
Once back at Isanook hotel we begin preparations for leaving Bangkok & arriving at our next destination, Rayong. We end up with a private car, thankfully a 4wd, that can take the 4 of us & all our luggage the 3 hours to Rayong. We have an Air BnB booked at a beach front resort here.
We arrive just after 8pm & after some initial problems gaining access, security come to our rescue & we are in. The view & the pool are to die for & we are all excited to see the beach.
We decided to go here as opposed to the islands for a few reasons.
Price being a good reason this time of year heading into peak tourist season. Not being organised enough to take advantage of good deals on accommodation, avoiding locations too touristy & it was heading north instead of South, which was more ideal for Tom & I. We had also read a lot about how bad the pollution & rubbish is surrounding some of these islands & that a few famous beaches had been shut to tourism so that nature can recover.
We knew Rayong wouldn't have any rubbish on its beach's & were hopeful the nearby islands will have good snorkelling & diving options.
We have our own small unit on the 7th floor with 2 bedrooms & a kitchen.
After checking in, we walk to a local Thai restaurant called fresh start & have an amazing dinner.
I order a green curry, that is absolutely amazing! Its one of the best curries I've ever had!
I order this curry another 4 times while we are here in Rayong.
There are some elderly western people at the restaurant who live in the resort complex & have retired here in Thailand. Among them is Neal, who part owns the restaurant with his wife Da, who is the amazing cook behind the green curry. It's interesting to meet them & hear about their stories & what brought them to Thailand. Over the next few days we would all return to Fresh Start to drink beers & chat with Neal & his wife Da, many times.
After dinner, we have a few drinks & go to bed.
- Alli
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