February 3, 2010
Feb. 3, Bangkok - Chiangmai: To the train station by bike for a train ride to the north
We have a day in Bangkok before we board the night train to Chiangmai. We're packed and ready, the day passes slowly. Bangkok at noon is hot, hot, hot. And finally it's time to mount our bikes for the ride to the train station. This has loomed high on my list of things to worry about for some time. It goes surprisingly well. The traffic moves slowly and we bake in the afternoon sun as we weave our way through the congested lanes of buses, taxis, tuk-tuks, vendor carts and autos. It's only a five kilometer ride, but I am relieved to arrive at the station safely.
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The 14-hour train ride passes quickly. We order a meal, have Dutch cyclists in the seats next to us for a bit of conversation, and a very entertaining board steward(ess). He, or I should say she since his aura is much more feminine than masculine, is a perfectly groomed and made up transvestite who clowns charmingly every time he, or she, comes through the car. We have seen many transvestites in Thailand and it seems they are accepted without prejudice in the Thai society. The beds are comfortable enough but the train doesn't rock us to sleep gently but rather heaves us back and forth on our second-class bunks and the clacking of the ties makes for a boisterous lullaby.
We arrive in Chiangmai to a cool, clear morning. The ride to the hotel is literally no sweat. We are using our GPS and quickly find the way to the hotel we stayed at last time we were here, Na Inn. We are pleased they have room for us, as a matter of fact we are in the same room we had two years ago.
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