Headlong for the beach
After what seems like a near eternity in China I've finally escaped, doing so even more quickly than I had expected. The day began in Tibet, briefly saw China around lunchtime and welcomed Thailand by night. I can now say what I like, surf what I like and generally enjoy myself away from the noisy, inconsiderate, personal-space-unaware Chinese. What a joy. Sorry, did that sound a touch negative? It is certainly true to say that China and the Chinese that so successfully populate the country do wear you down. One traveller I spoke to estimated that an experience in China puts about 50% of Western visitors off from ever coming back. I can see that, although I'd hopefully not place myself in that group. I've certainly had my fill for now, but I could theoretically see call to return, although it might require some mates, a lot of alcohol and a nice all-encompassing tour to stave off the ravages of negotiating what is China. Seriously though in the time I've had I reckon I've done a reasonable job of getting around the sights and its therefore difficult to gauge whether I'd have much call to come back again or not. Post-2008 it's likely to be all the more pricey too; the country is making much of it already, goodness knows what it will be like after the event. You can be sure they'll not do a low-key and modest job of the Olympics.
However for about ten days I'd been far from this mainland madness and in Tibet. It hadn't proven to be quite the escape I had hoped for with the Tibetans if anything more set on accumulating money off the tourists than the Chinese, which is fairly saying something. I'm not entirely sure where Communism plays a part in all of this. It seems to be the case that the government are happy to let the cash grabbing go on so long as no-one questions their legitimacy to rule. Well you'd be a brave soul to do that in Tibet or so I've been told. Yet both the experience of mainland China and the Tibet province grind you down and I finally reached the point where, irrespective of how fascinating the monasteries I have yet to visit are, my enthusiasm for any more of it had evaporated. I'd had good times with the people I'd met both in China and Tibet and I had seen some great sights, but on those grounds alone I could do the same in a place that's far more welcoming and accommodating.
And thus we come to Thailand. Having awoken at 6am two mornings ago in order to pack and breakfast before my flight to Chengdu it wouldn't be until 4am that I would finally be done travelling for the day. I'd arrived mid-afternoon at the hostel in Chengdu, checked in and gone straight to the travel agency there. After some calling and looking up flights and prices it transpired that by far the cheapest option for me would be to fly for the second time that day, from Chengdu to Bangkok. Well what was I to do? Back to the airport at 9.30pm, making some 6 hours use of the hostel room I'd paid for, and away.
Having slept for a good deal of yesterday, managing only to drag myself up and down Khao San a couple of times before the rains came, I've finally achieved somewhat more on the sightseeing itinerary today. I must say I currently have little energy for any sightseeing of any variety, however the museum and the palace I visited were worthy of my reduced attention-span nonetheless. My real target however is undoubtedly the beach (that is to say any decent beach, not necessarily the one from the film of the same name) and fortunately reaching the sandy shores and hopefully warm waters doesn't appear to be a difficult proposition with daily runs by buses from hostel town to the various beach areas. The sole thing I wish to get done in the meantime is visit the Bridge over the River Kwai, which although possible as a DIY trip sounds so much easier on a day-long tour, especially when it only costs a few quid. I'm not entirely sure what to expect but having seen the film with Alec Guiness film not long ago it can't be overlooked!
So far Thailand has felt such a good deal more welcoming and warm than China, helped no doubt by the language skills of the locals who for the most part can say a good deal more than just "hello money" and whether or not that's what's on their mind they prove friendly and helpful without an attached charge. As far as I've seen so far staff seem to know what they're doing too and can think for themselves, which is much more than can be said for China where much of the population seem to be allocated a job, perhaps at random for all I know, with scant regard of whether they have the first clue of what they're doing, and woe betide if you ask anything out of the ordinary. There are exceptions of course, but alas not very many. In comparison to the rigidness of the Chinese system, on arriving at 4am to the hostel in Bangkok I was all but stunned into silence when told that my charge for the room would actually cover the following night and that I wouldn't have to pay for what remained of that night. What a welcome - and one that would never happen in a million years in China I'm sure who like the colour of the yuan far more than providing good customer service. That did a lot to sell me to Thailand, and so far things are continuing to look good.
And finally, after around 6 weeks I can once again access BBC News Online in full and unhindered. That's worth defecting from China in itself!
However for about ten days I'd been far from this mainland madness and in Tibet. It hadn't proven to be quite the escape I had hoped for with the Tibetans if anything more set on accumulating money off the tourists than the Chinese, which is fairly saying something. I'm not entirely sure where Communism plays a part in all of this. It seems to be the case that the government are happy to let the cash grabbing go on so long as no-one questions their legitimacy to rule. Well you'd be a brave soul to do that in Tibet or so I've been told. Yet both the experience of mainland China and the Tibet province grind you down and I finally reached the point where, irrespective of how fascinating the monasteries I have yet to visit are, my enthusiasm for any more of it had evaporated. I'd had good times with the people I'd met both in China and Tibet and I had seen some great sights, but on those grounds alone I could do the same in a place that's far more welcoming and accommodating.
And thus we come to Thailand. Having awoken at 6am two mornings ago in order to pack and breakfast before my flight to Chengdu it wouldn't be until 4am that I would finally be done travelling for the day. I'd arrived mid-afternoon at the hostel in Chengdu, checked in and gone straight to the travel agency there. After some calling and looking up flights and prices it transpired that by far the cheapest option for me would be to fly for the second time that day, from Chengdu to Bangkok. Well what was I to do? Back to the airport at 9.30pm, making some 6 hours use of the hostel room I'd paid for, and away.
Having slept for a good deal of yesterday, managing only to drag myself up and down Khao San a couple of times before the rains came, I've finally achieved somewhat more on the sightseeing itinerary today. I must say I currently have little energy for any sightseeing of any variety, however the museum and the palace I visited were worthy of my reduced attention-span nonetheless. My real target however is undoubtedly the beach (that is to say any decent beach, not necessarily the one from the film of the same name) and fortunately reaching the sandy shores and hopefully warm waters doesn't appear to be a difficult proposition with daily runs by buses from hostel town to the various beach areas. The sole thing I wish to get done in the meantime is visit the Bridge over the River Kwai, which although possible as a DIY trip sounds so much easier on a day-long tour, especially when it only costs a few quid. I'm not entirely sure what to expect but having seen the film with Alec Guiness film not long ago it can't be overlooked!
So far Thailand has felt such a good deal more welcoming and warm than China, helped no doubt by the language skills of the locals who for the most part can say a good deal more than just "hello money" and whether or not that's what's on their mind they prove friendly and helpful without an attached charge. As far as I've seen so far staff seem to know what they're doing too and can think for themselves, which is much more than can be said for China where much of the population seem to be allocated a job, perhaps at random for all I know, with scant regard of whether they have the first clue of what they're doing, and woe betide if you ask anything out of the ordinary. There are exceptions of course, but alas not very many. In comparison to the rigidness of the Chinese system, on arriving at 4am to the hostel in Bangkok I was all but stunned into silence when told that my charge for the room would actually cover the following night and that I wouldn't have to pay for what remained of that night. What a welcome - and one that would never happen in a million years in China I'm sure who like the colour of the yuan far more than providing good customer service. That did a lot to sell me to Thailand, and so far things are continuing to look good.
And finally, after around 6 weeks I can once again access BBC News Online in full and unhindered. That's worth defecting from China in itself!
posted by Daniel at 9:29 am
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