Day 127
The lack of wi-fi at our expensive love motel put a strain on our traveling today. Having no specific destination to aim for in Bangkok, we felt like we were cycling into the city blindfolded. Ideally we wanted to stay at a place near the visa run bus which departs at 5am, but we didn’t have the foresight to even note down the area. Luckily, thanks to Thai people’s love for coffee and wi-fi, we found a gas station cafe with the wi-fi password written on the menu, before we reached the heart of the city. With the almighty Google Maps back at our finger tips, we quickly planned our route cutting across Bangkok to reach Sukhumvit.
Riding through Bangkok was probably the most scary cycling experience so far. With no shoulders or bike lane, weaving in and out of the heavy traffic while keeping a sense of direction was overwhelming. Surprisingly the Thai drivers were exceptionally patient and we made it to the destination in one piece.
As we were cruising down the narrow streets in Sukhumvit searching for a cheap hotel, the culture backdrops changes even just one alley away. While western tourists found their comfort in Burger King and Starbucks, we peddled through the thick aroma of shisha in the Soi Arab or the Little Middle East, as we headed towards Korean Town. It was hard to remember we were still in the heart of Thailand.
After finding many hotels for more than 1000 baht per night, we located our budget hotel – PB (i.e. Play Boy) Hotel in a back alley. For 800 Baht, we could have a room furnished with a sex chair, a round bed with heart-shaped pillows, mirrored ceiling and carpeted floor, without a window. However, we went for a boring room without any kinks for 860 Baht. We also considered a hostel but even a dormitory style room would have cost 350 per person.
All of our research for a Bangkok visa run directed us to Jack’s Total Golf Tour, which was supposed to be on the 3rd floor in Sukhumvit Plaza. When we arrived at the location, we could not find Jack. Much puzzled, we decided to check off the other items on our Bangkok to do list first. I found my much craved-for fried chicken, and Chopper his burger at a McDonald’s. We were both amazed at how much it cost, which proved that we really are now a couple of country bumpkins.
We later we found out that Jack, the owner of the Jack Total Golf Tour, allegedly gambled his money away and didn’t pay his employees for 2 months and fled to his home country, South Korea. Upon his disappearance, his employees took over the business and carried on under the name of Bangkok Buddy, providing essentially the same services. After a phone call with the now owner Tanya, our visa run trip was booked and we were ready to go.