An evening of architecture

Yesterday I got invited out to an opening of an architecture exhibit. Many of Mai's friends study it and their work was going on display at the Bangkok Art and Culture Center. I finished work a little earlier then usual (around 3:45) and headed home. I got showered, changed and grabbed a bit of food before heading back out. I was going to meet her at the National Stadium BTS Station.

So I jumped on the 134. It was right at the beginning of rush hour. The journey should take, with no traffic, about twenty minutes, maybe half an hour. Last night it took two hours. Somewhere I heard or read that Bangkok is the most congested city in Asia, it's not hard to see why. There are a lot of huge road work projects, building highways above the city to alleviate the problems, but just how much of an effect they will have isn't really known. The city has a great public transport system with it's buses and vans. People here don't walk very far, just to the nearest bus station. The pavements aren't really pedestrian friendly in a lot of areas and buses are so cheap is makes sense to hop on a bus that's going to cost 3p to get a mile down the road.

I finally got the Mochit BTS, the 'end of the line' or 'beginning of the line' station, depending on how you look at it. I got the sky train to Siam, where I changed over to the next line, and rode it just a single stop of National Stadium. Like everywhere at that time of day,the train was rammed with people. Both of them. I got of the train, went through the barrier and called Mai. Again a fair bit of "Erm I am.... I don't know, I'm by a big red sign that say's 'Tokto'. Okay I'm downstairs and by a giant head!" we eventually found each other. I was a few hours late, but the exhibit hadn't opened yet.

A busy BTS station

When it did open, I had a look around, got some free food that was insanely spicy and then just did what I enjoy doing when I'm out in Thailand, talked to people. Of the three hours or so I was there, I spent maybe half an hour looking around. The rest of the time I was just chatting with people, showing off my three Thai phrases, then after they say they speak "a little English" it turns out they are damn near fluent and have better grammar then the majority of people who went to my old secondary school (This isn't that difficult. The 8 year olds I'm teaching how to ask and answer questions have better grammar then the majority of people who went to my old secondary school).

The name of the exhibit

I didn't touch a drop

One of the people I was talking to, but I can't remember her name :/

Honest to god I didn't touch a drop!

I passed on the FREE alcohol. Very proud of myself for that. Stuck with water thank you very much. The evening ended very suddenly with the security moving people out to close the place, and I jumped back on the various trains and buses and got home in about forty minutes (as appose to two and a half hours it took to get there).

Check out the vlog for this here; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzdBwZhM3-M

And suddenly it clicked

I've been trying to my hardest to learn more Thai. When I first arrived I picked up a couple new words, I got numbers down, but then I stalled. Try as I did, nothing really stuck. I carried with me a piece of paper that can only be described as 'well loved' that includes many phrases, as well as what to say on buses, boats and cabs. I went out yesterday evening and came back at the height of rush hour. The area itself wasn't too busy and the roads were not jammed. Waiting for the bus home I realised I didn't have my paper. The one with what to say. Dammit. What do I say again? Something 'glow' or 'glaw'? The 134 pulled up. It was rammed. Completely rammed. I got on though and leaned against the edge of the open door. It was too crowded to close the door. The ticket person squeezed through and asked me where I was going.

It just came to me, no idea where from, no idea how I remembered, suddenly it was there. "Sa pan pra nang Glowe" "Sip et Baht." I pulld my change out of my pocket and picket out two fives and a one. I handed to it her. "Cob-coon-ka".

Since then, I'm remembering more and more. Words and phrases I've only ever heard once or twice I'm just remembering straight away. Today one of the teachers felt ill, I offered to get him some more water, he said "No, no, Thank you." I replied 'Mai Ben Rai." Wait. What? What... does that mean again, I don't know why I said it. It just... felt right. Oh it means 'never mind' and is used for 'you're welcome' and 'no worries'. This morning it started raining, I knew 'fon-took'. I've been told that word once or twice before.

Maybe my brain is starting to re-wire itself for the new language. Here's hoping!

Travelling Woes

So yesterday (Sunday May 1st) I left my home for London, a jumping block for Thailand. Those of you who followed me on Twitter and Facebook would have read about the entire motorway coming to a halt. It was frustrating! We were there for some two hours. Thanks to the internet on my phone and not being in to bad of a black spot I was able to get the latest news on what was going on from the BBC.

I'm hoping this is all the delays I will suffer on my journey. Anyhow, here are the pictures from that event. People just chilling on the motorway.

At first people were not sure what was going on

The queue stretched back for miles and miles

This is a smooth opportunist!

You shall not pass!!

Motorcyclists would speed past, thinking they could just ride on. But they too were stopped