Hardly surprisingly, I woke with a hangover. But I couldn’t languish – there was still work to be done before we flew out this evening. Most pressing was preparing a parcel for sending home – I conducted my usual search for a box. The problem was the violins, which were just too long, but by breaking down one end of the box, + refashioning it into something like the prow of a none too graceful landing craft, we managed to squeeze it in, then pack everything else around it. We hadn’t anticipated having a very big parcel to send, but somehow it had turned into a monster. When we got it to the Post Office, we discovered it was just a fraction under 10 kgs, the max weight.
But just to load our pack up a little, we indulged in a new toy, an $11 Walkman. At that price, we felt we could hardly lose. Those transactions took up the whole morning, + then it was back to the Indian embassy, the 3rd consecutive day. We couldn’t afford any mess-ups here, but they weren’t going to make things easy for us – collect our passports at 4 o’clock. We went together to AmEx – there was no more mail for us, but we left instructions for anything that came to be forwarded to Calcutta. Handy, but we paid handsomely for the privilege. Then, time being short, Val returned to the embassy while I went back to Kowloon to finish packing, as well as the final chores. I’d managed virtually all that when Val came in, visas obtained, tho’ not without a degree of panic. They’d handed my passport over all right, but told Val that was all – for her own, she would have to return tomorrow. It was sorted out eventually, + the only thing left to do was buy some Indian money, at a favourable rate, + then catch the airport bus.
Hong Kong’s 201 is one of the best airport buses there is – easy, cheap + convenient. Formalities passed thro’ very easily, + on to the flight. Air Lanka this time – comfortable + courteous, + a good meal provided, tho’ Val complained hers was cold.
Entry into Thailand as simple as exit from Hong Kong had been, ignoring the taxi touts, + just in time to catch a 39 bus to Kaosan Rd. It was a long, long journey, but we didn’t find it as hard as one of the other 2 Westerners on it, who wished he’d taken the taxi, he told us. We went straight to Mr Paiboon’s at 215, +, as the others had not been to Bangkok before, they followed our lead + joined us. Mr Paiboon seemed pleased to see us, but as that is his almost constant attitude, we weren’t sure if he’d recognised us or not. He had, he assured us.
Once settled in, we joined the other 2 for a drink + a chat. We were all 4 English, but a disparate crew. Robert was a teacher in a private school, + rather effete, but for all that a radical + vocal socialist. He is in the middle of an Around the World in 80 Days expedition, + obviously not short of a bob or two. The other had the extraordinary name of Icabro, son of an Englishman + Dutch lady, but having lived most of his life in Portugal + France, + now returning to Europe having completed a Business Studies work project in the Far East. We chatted amicably, tho’ Robert tended to dominate things – drank milk + coke + coffee. Pleasant + inconsequential.
Back in Bangkok, and with the wonderful Mr Paiboon. And one of those chats one seems to have all the time when on the road, with a collection of people all heading in different directions.
