‘Shit, shit, shit…’ I repeated over and over looking at the clock on my computer. My train to Chiang Mai was leaving in 30 minutes and I had still had a bunch of things to do. With a snap I shut my laptop leaving it to power down by itself but then realized with a start that I had forgotten to check where my hostel in the next city was. With another explosive ‘shit!’ I opened my computer again and waited impatiently for it to go through its time consuming start up process. ‘Bloody internet games’ I thought to myself. How many months had I gone without playing one yet here on the eve of me leaving town I had gotten sucked in again…’shit.’
A few minutes later I had the information I needed and quickly packed my laptop away deep in Alice (my backpack). Still shaking my head from my stupidity I said a few hasty ‘goodbyes’ to the people I knew who were hanging around @Hua Lamphong’s lobby and jetted out the door.
The hostel wasn’t far from the station, about a 3 minute walk using the underground passages for the metro, but there was still the necessity of purchasing food for the trip. Long distance trains in Thailand have a restaurant car but the prices are astronomical. Where you would normally pay 40 – 60 baht ($1.15 – $1.65) for a food from a mom and pop restaurant or street vendor the prices on the train started at 150 baht and went up from there. On my way into Bangkok I had had to make use of their menu and it wasn’t too bad but when you can get better for less why settle?
….
Wait, some of you are probably saying, $3 for dinner, why would you complain about that? Well, the term ‘expensive’ is relative and when you’re traveling for a long time things like the difference between $1 and $3 matter, a lot. If any of you out there would like to make that difference matter less I’m always willing to take donations.
…
Hua Lamphong station at night is a treat. For those of you who love atmosphere thick with life it’s a place for you to visit. The building looks like an old aircraft hanger with half partitioned for waiting travelers and the other half housing the train platforms. At night things get noisy as people wait for their overnight trains, some stretching out wherever there is flat space to catch some sleep before heading out. The air is thick with the smell of sweat and diesel and it feels like you could almost cut it with a knife, especially during the rainy season when humidity climbs to unbelievable levels.
With a sigh of relief I finally settled down in the bench/seat with fifteen minutes to spare. Ten minutes of rushing around to vendors had set me up pretty well for the night and as the cabin attendant came by with the menu I was able to say ‘no’ with a smile.
The car was brightly lit giving the dark blue, silver, and grey décor a very sci-fi feeling. Air conditioning, set at somewhere below zero, kept things at a nicer than outside temperature. The sounds of subdued conversation as people got to know their neighbors and seatmates could barely be heard over the angry growl of the diesel engines getting ready to send the train into the dark night. The whole car vibrated with a pent up energy that brought a ragged smile to my face. ‘Once again off into the unknown’ I chuckled to myself.
I was lucky to have the section to myself and my neighbor to the right seemed intent on her book so instead I turned to the people behind me, a nice English couple, and struck up a conversation.
Let me just say that the people you meet on journeys like this always have interesting stories and hey were no different. We exchanged lessons learned, crazy events, and advice for about an hour before their dinner came and the conversation ended.
I then indulged in one of my vices, which thanks to the abundance of book shops in Bangkok, I was able to do.
The books name was ‘The man who never misses’ by Steve Perry and about three or four hours later when I finally came up for air it was finished. The story had been simple but intriguing and had sated my need for fun reading. Reality is all around and sometimes my mind just needs a little break.
It was late by this point and the cabin attendant had already lowered all the bunks. The subdued conversations had all but disappeared and the angry growl of the diesels now sounded more like a satisfied purr. The air conditioner had been turned to a less bone chilling temperature making things a bit more conducive for sleep.
With the curtains to my bunk closed I could see clearly out into the night and it caused me to pause my usual routine of constant motion. Outside my window (lower berths get use of the window and are about 1 meter wide while upper bunks are half the widths and have no window) an occasional flash of lightning illuminated the quickly passing landscape, soft rumbles of thunder mixing smoothly into the background noise.
I took a deep breath and let it out, then in again.
Another flash of lightning, a soft rumble of thunder, a deep breath.
It was one of those ‘moments in between’ that I have talked about before. One of those instances where the world slows down and your mind becomes crystal clear. The feelings you have, your surroundings, what you are doing, all come together in an instant to form a realization.
Our minds are so muddled by everyday things. Worries about this and that lay a thick fog over our thinking, preventing us from truly understanding, appreciating, and realizing those things around us.
‘I am in Thailand. I am taking an overnight train to Chiang Mai. I am on a journey,’ the list of I am’s continued to scroll through my head. The only response I was capable of was the feeling of, wow. That, and a giant grin.
And then it was over.
‘Moments in between’ are just that. They begin and end where they will, fleeting by like birds taking to wing on a chill fall morning at the sight of a hunter.
I shook my head trying to regain some of what I had just felt but it was impossible. Outside the lightning still flashed, the thunder still rumbled, and the scenery still rolled by but it was just that and nothing more. A yawn stretched my jaw to the max and I realized that it was time to grab some sleep.
Tomorrow, Chiang Mai.
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Hi Mike…hey kid, watch your language, you never know who is reading your travelogue. I’m enjoying your travels and am able to understand your frustrations. I’m glad we’re able to be taken for a trip as you travel. Question…When you were here last, did I show/give you a 35mm camera from Brian? Have you any idea where it is? Shelly is creating some issues regarding things we took out of the condo. Just let me know. Thanks. All is well here. Looking forward to your next blog. Love…dad