Bouncing around in Bangkok

Unfortunately this update will have to be really brief because I'm totally swamped organizing buses, planes, boats, trains and hotels for the next 3 weeks. I'm staying on Khao San Road here in Bangkok and it's easily the most polluted city I've ever been to. What looks like heavy rain clouds is actually a giant floating mess of compressed gas saturating the citysphere. Basically, I spent the majority of this day blasting all over the city by taxi, train, and tuk tuk. The objective - to get a Vietnamese visa from the embassy on the other side of Bangkok. After a taxi, 2 train rides and 2 tuk tuk "adventures" today (the last one taking me to a sapphire dealer and a suit shop before abandoning me at a buddhist temple on the northside - luckily I had a map to walk with), I'm pretty much depleted physically and mentally. I actually really like Bangkok though. Once you get over the constant barrage of swindlers looking to milk your wallet dry you start having a good time. As with all major cities, you have to watch your back, but you also learn to take things with a smile and not be crestfallen when something hits you from left field. There is only so much I am able to control and sometimes the grimey things enrich the experience. Travelling just tests the nerves a bit.

Tomorrow will be a long day. Before I check out at 11:45 I want to visit the Sleeping Buddha temple located just south of this road. After that, back across the city with my bags to the sterile Vietnamese embassy for my visa, ready around 3 they said. Then, kill 4 hours before catching a bus to Chiang Mai in northern Thailand at 8:30 PM. I tried booking a train today on my way back but everything is full so I'll be sleeping on the bus and arriving in CM at 6 in the morning December 31st. The idea is to spend New Years plus a day or two there before taking a bus to the Thai-Laos border where I board a 2 day slowboat ride on the Mekong River to Luang Prabang in Laos. If all goes well, I hope to make it to the wonderful communist sanctuary of Vietnam by January 8th or 9th. I have no idea how this will ride out but it'll be the most adventurous and gruelling part of the trip. I will have an opportunity in Chiang Mai to update with more details. When I get to Vietnam, I'm taking the Reunification Express from Hanoi to Saigon with stops along the way. After Saigon it's off to Phnom Penh and Siem Riep/Angkor Wat temple in Cambodia before winding up in Bangkok again. That is my general itinerary for the next month and quite frankly it's rather daunting, but I'm looking forward to this test. There will be long stretches and sleepless nights but I'm bound to meet some other like minded people and see some beautiful scenery along the way, so that will make it worthwhile I'm sure.

Anyways, I'm drained so I might go out and grab a pineapple shake and a swim on the rooftop pool, then off to bed. I'll update from Chiang Mai in a few days. Until then, have happy New Years everybody!