The Time to Wander
Thailand – Bangkok Take One
From the moment we landed, it was immediately evident that we had left Indonesia behind us. Our taxi sailed along at high speeds along an 8 lane highway with hardly a scooter to be seen.
Upon arrival at the Marriott in the Sukhumvitneighborhood of Bangkok, we felt at home and eagerly looking forward to soft beds and fast, reliable internet for the next few days. Arriving on a Friday evening,
we decided to jump right into things and took the sky train and metro across town to a popular night market with the BKK hipster crowd. Selecting and ordering among the bountiful food options was a bit daunting but we managed to procure a meal of satay, tom yum soup and some macaroons for dessert. While detouring to a nearby mall to use the restroom, we happened upon a lip sync completion. Dozens of local youth dance teams were performing choreographed routines to the delight of hundreds of screaming fans – screaming akin to fans at a One Direction concert. Well, one of Gunnar’s secret talents is his ability is to produce an impressive, high pitched scream. Gunnar had found his people. We enjoyed several routines with Gunnar adding his voice to the cacophony of the other teenage girls that night.
The following morning was Easter Sunday and to our delight the Easter Bunny managed to locate us even up on the 38th floor to leave some baskets behind. It wasn’t exactly like being home, but after a delicious brunch, it was a close second. Later we ventured out to spend a few hours exploring the grounds around Wat Pho, a 16th century Buddhist temple
that contains a 43 meter long statue of recumbent Buddha as he prepares to enter nirvana. Procuring a knowledgeable local guide was once again helpful making the history come alive during our time there.
Our first big lesson of the trip was soon to follow. Returning from the temple that afternoon our cab driver offered to take us 1.5 hour each way to a floating market outside of Bangkok for the US equivalent of around $15. This low price should have triggered our internal alarms, but we failed to pick up the signals…
The photographs in his cab looked like it would be an authentic adventure and we agreed to meet again early the next morning to travel to the market. Upon arrival, the long boat tour operators were asking the shocking equivalent of $200 for a 1.5 hour tour through the canals of the market. For just $50 we could add on an elephant ride at the adjacent elephant farm, but we couldn’t even bear thinking about the horrible conditions those animals must be subjected too as part of such a shady operation. The market tour alone was such an outrageous price that we were prepared to leave, eat the cab fare and the 3 hours of car travel.
Seeking council from our driver, he told us that $135 would be the best we could do, advice that in retrospect was being fueled by the commission that he was no doubt receiving for bringing us out to such a racket. Rather than even try to bargain, we conferred as a family and decided to offer them a single firm price that we were willing to pay for the floating market. We were in unanimous agreement if they wouldn’t accept, we were leaving. Our offer of ~$63 USD was accepted in the end – still a ridiculous sum, but what we felt the experience would be worth to us. The market operator told us as we were boarding the boat that this was the “best price ever” and not to share this information with the other guests milling about in similar sticker shock. 
Once upon a time, I am sure the market served many of the residents of the surrounding mangrove islands and resembled the pictures we were shown the day before. Today, the Damneon Saduak Market serves nearly exclusively to sell overpriced trinkets and food items to gullible tourists. Upon returning home and reading the Trip Advisor comments that evening, something we will ALWAYS DO in advance in the future, we were appalled to learn how many tourist pay the full asking price. In the end, our lesson wasn’t too painfully expensive and we are much the wiser for it…
We left Bangkok ready for new adventures on the Island of Koh Tao.