Lost and found in Bangkok.

It was 26 July 2006, I woke up very early in the morning by the sound of the traffic. You see, I stayed in a room which is just next to the main road. So, around 9am, I went downstairs to pay for my room and request to move to another room but the receptionist told me that there was no single room available that day. I could move to another room maybe the following day.

On my way to Banglumphu pier,I saw this street vendor selling roasted semi-riped bananas. This is my all time fave peasant snack. It was like manna from heaven, so I bought a few pieces. I munched on the banana while walking my way to Banglumphu pier. I got off at Tha Tien Pier and started strolling around. The old shophouses with folding doors looked very charming. There were all sorts local produces on display such as the dried salted fish, herbal medicines and so on. Of course, the pavement was lined with street vendor selling snacks and breakfast. I stopped by at the street vendor to have prawn porridge.

After that,I did the walking again. I walked past Wat Pho and went in to have a quick look. Then, continued exploring the neighbourhood and found myself at the Amulet market. Amulet sellers were sitting on the pavement selling all sort of forms of amulets. You see, Thais believe that wearing an amulet can ward off the evil spirits. Some Thais even wear 3 to 4 amulets at one go. I used to be an amulet wearer too cos my father is Thai and he wanted us to wear it.

O.K, back to the story, so I found myself at Tha Chang Pier. It was very crowded and happening. Tourists come to Tha Chang Pier to take the river taxi to the other side of the river bank to visit Wat Arun. The territory of the amulet sellers did not end just there. As I continued walking, I saw the pavement outside the shophouses was once again dotted with amulet sellers. I stopped by at one vendor to buy a print of the King and his family. Yeah I love the King as much as the Thai do. The King is a man with great love. The King has been hospitalized. So, please pray for him.

Considering the amount of amulets available in the market, I guess Bangkok should be free from all forms of evil spirits. The Amulet market continued its territory outside Wat Mahatat, I guess I had enough of seeing amulets in a day. So, I caught a bus back to Banglumphu.

After lunch, I called Pastor Wu Chen Wen of True Jesus Church. I told him that the visiting Pastor Siau from Taiwan wanted me to see him. He told me that he has been based in Chiang Mai but would be coming to Bangkok the following day. I asked him whether there would be a worship service that night cos I wanted to go.

So, I went back to my room to take a nap to reenergize myself. In the late afternoon, I went to Santichaiprakarn park to join other jugglers to practise poi and juggle balls too. The thai couple who can juggle clubs very well were there too together with their lovely little daughter. The husband is a graphic designer and the wife is a homemaker. They normally go to the park almost every late afternoon. Tosh, the Japanese guy was really surprised when he saw me practising. He said that I must be an expert. Well, after all, I used to perform 2 shows at Zouk, Kuala Lumpur but I won't call myself an expert though. See, how humble I am.

I was so caught up in the games that I overstayed longer than I should. So, I rushed back to take a shower and get myself ready to go to the church. I asked the receptionist to write the address in Thai for me. Then, she told me to take bus 68 outside Wat Bowen. So, I walked to Wat Bowen but wasn't sure which bus stop to take the bus. So, I asked a lady who was walking in front of me to help me out. She turned out to be able to speak English. Without hesitation, she held my hand and walked with me to the bus stop.

So, I got on to a mini bus 68 and showed the bus conductor the address. Then, she said something in Thai. Then, the lady who sat behind me explained to me in English. She told me that I had to get off at the bus stop at Democracy Monument and caught the big bus 68. So, I got on to bus 68 heading towards Bangkhuntien. The exhaust fume was almost unbearable. Someone should invent a disposeble oxygen tank. You see, many buses in Bangkok are non air-con and burping out hazardous exhaust fume. Only God knows why these buses are still allowed to hit the roads. According to a survey, many Bangkokians are suffering from air pollution related sickeneses.

I remember few years ago, the authority released a statistic saying that the air pollution in Bangkok was under control. I guess these people must have never taken a bus in ther lives. After all, who really cares about the marginalized common peoples? Do you care? Let's not talk about Bangkok, just look around the city you live in, how many vehicles with single occupant are moving on the roads?

O.K, let's get back to the story, along the journey, I saw many 'red light' clubs with skimpily clad young women hanging outside. Of course, in Malaysia, we have such establishments too, the only difference is that we do it 'underground', that's the main problem.

Finally, the never ending bus journey had come to an end when the bus conductor asked me to get off the bus and cross the overhead bridge to the other side of the road. I saw a private hospital and a bus stop. I was like in the middle of no where and it was dark. I approached this guy but we couldn't communicate. So, I walked up the road heading to the hospital and saw a woman. Then again, I showed her the address. I walked with her til we saw a songthew (a pick-up truck taxi). She asked me to get on to the songthew. So, there I was, sitting next to the driver while that women was sitting behind the pick-up truck with other passengers. Once again, I showed the address to the driver. He then dropped me off in a busy street and asked me to cross the street to take another songthew. O.K, O.K. So, I did.

Finally, I saw the road sign written in Thai and English: Ekachai 36. Yeah, I found Ekachai 36, I was coming close. Ekachai 36 is a long road. So, I flagged down a taxi and showed the driver the address. He didn't know how to get there.Phew, so off walking again til I reached a bunch of motrcycle taxi drivers. They passed the address around among them but no one knew how to get there either. How could that be?

You see, I hadn't given up yet, I walked to Ekachai 36/3 to keep on seaching. O.K, it was time to give up cos it was almost 9 o'clock. The worship service would have finished by the time I found it. I walked back to the main road feeling disappointed. I saw a lady and told her I wanted to take bus 68. Thank God she could speak English. She flagged down a songthew and told the driver something. Yes, I managed to make it back to Banglumphu. I didn't find the church that night but I met many angels along that journey.

P/S; After two days, I managed to find the church in the afternoon and meet up with Pastor Wu and other fellow christians.