The Great Train Adventure

Saturday March 9^th 2013

My departure from the condo did not go unnoticed and it couldn’t have been timelier. I was handed an electric bill on my way out the door. The bill was for sixteen thousand five hundred baht. Though I don’t speak Thai I got the impression they were going to turn off my power on Wednesday. I heard a heated discussion in the manager’s office on Wednesday and thought it was about me. As it turns out it was about me and my bill. Someone wanted it turned off (the power company) and someone wanted it kept on. Who could it have been arguing in defense of keeping the power on? Who had the power to override the power company? The manager filled me in on my way out the door. He went from speaking no English to being able to convey the situation with the

Some of my neighbors looked to be in a panic over my departure. Panic. Over little old me. It’s flattering but why? Why is that?. I bought my train ticket to Bangkok on March 3^rd. I bought it at the train station and I bought a new suitcase a few days prior to my departure. I wheeled the giant suitcase in to the building in front of all. How could my departure have come as a surprise to anyone? This is the mystery.

The security deposit I left of twenty two thousand baht will see to the outstanding electric bill. It all comes out more or less even Steven, I may have a lost a thousand baht or so but I don’t care.

I hopped in a songthaew and headed to the train station. I got there an hour earl but that didn‘t matter. The train broke down. We were told we needed to board a bus bound for Lompach which is a ninety minute drive.

We wait and wait and wait. First we are told the bus would be arriving at 4:30pm. Then we were told 4:45pm. Then we were told 5:30pm. It would be 5:35pm when the buses arrived, four buses in all.

During the wait I enjoyed a nice conversation with someone named Ben. He is an art dealer or art appraiser. Interesting guy. He was from Germany and he’d s lived and worked in the art world in new York, japan, and Europe. He’s traveled the world. Worldly. The opposite of me. I’m going to become worldly. I am going to see the world and I’m going to write about it.

Four buses showed up. People were overly rude when it came to getting on board. I did not think it mattered if I got on bus one, two three or four. One of my bags made it onto bus one. Another bag made it on to bus two and I made it on to bus three.

The ride to lampach was nothing short of terrifying. I could not sleep. Our driver drove as if we were in the Indy 500. I’d read about bus travel in Thailand. It’s not the safest way to go. I understood why as I road from Chiang Mai to Lampach.

I assumed when we got to Lampach the train would be waiting. That was not the case. We waited for about an hour before the train eased into the station, it was about 7:30pm.

I could not have been more pleased with the accommodations on board the train. I did not have just a seat and a bed, I had a room to myself. I had a nice bed to sleep in with comfortable mattress. I got room service, for a price and the food was not too bad.

The train is definitely a nice way to get from chiang Mai to Bangkok if you are in no rush. First class accommodations cost 1,950 baht (about $65 US dollars). The train ride has it has its own feel, a subtle rocking motion and the sounds. There’s the steady sound of the train on the track and that’s combined with the occasional stopping to unload and load passengers and supplies. It’s a twelve hour train ride and most of the time it was dark so it’s not too scenic and that’s just fine by me. I’m giddy with delight as I lay back on my bunk alone, quiet and secure.