Otsustasin Chennaiga mitte tutvuda ning 12 tundi enne lendu lennujaama minna, sest India viskas selleks korraks kopa ette ning mul oli vaja kiiresti kuskile neutraalsesse ja puhtasse kohta saada. Suure osa mu tüdimusest põhjustas väga masendav rongisõit Chennaisse Sleeper klassis ehk mitte kõige puhtam, rahulikum ja mugavam variant üleöö reisiks. Pärast pikka nälgimist Chennai lennujaamas, kus ainult Tax Free pood aktsepteerib kaardimakseid (!!!?) tundus pakitäis šokolaadi õhtusöögiks hea mõttena isegi kui hea enesetunne enne kestis vaid 10 minutit. Peale väsitavat hilisõhtust lendu läksin kergema vastupanu teed ning leidsin end backpackerite lemmiktänavalt Khao Sanilt, mis on pakitud üsna odavate hostelite ja külalistemajadega. Ehk oli see lennureisi- ja öine väsimus või pidevast 25-aastastega tšillimisest tulnud küpsus, aga esmamulje backpackerite "Mekast" oli küll väga odav ja labane. Lisaks ebakindlale poliitilisele olukorrale otsustasin seetõttu järgmisel päeval minna mu tai sõpradega nende kodukohta Ida-Tais ehk Isanis, mis üldiselt jääb tavaturisti teelt välja.
Instead of looking around I went to the airport in Chennai 12 hours before the flight 'cause I got fed up by India for this time and needed to be in a clean and neutral place prolly because of a very depressive Chennai express in Sleeper class aka not the cleanest, relaxed and comfortable way for an overnight journey. A bagful of chocolate seemed a god idea for dinner after exhausting hours in the airport watching films, doing nothing and a long starvation 'cause the Tax Free shop is the only one who accepts cards (?!!!). After being pushed around between the gates and a tiring late evening flight I finally reached Bangkok in the middle of the night. Looking for accommodation went the easy way and found myself on Khao San road since it's packed with cheap guesthouses and hostels. Maybe it was because of a tiring flight or maturity gotten from constant hanging out with over 24-year-olds, but the first impression of the backpackers Mecca was... cheap and banal. That's why I decided to go to my Thai friends hometown the next day in the East of Thailand (Isan) which is off the beaten track for most travelers in addition to unstable political situation in Bangkok.
Instead of looking around I went to the airport in Chennai 12 hours before the flight 'cause I got fed up by India for this time and needed to be in a clean and neutral place prolly because of a very depressive Chennai express in Sleeper class aka not the cleanest, relaxed and comfortable way for an overnight journey. A bagful of chocolate seemed a god idea for dinner after exhausting hours in the airport watching films, doing nothing and a long starvation 'cause the Tax Free shop is the only one who accepts cards (?!!!). After being pushed around between the gates and a tiring late evening flight I finally reached Bangkok in the middle of the night. Looking for accommodation went the easy way and found myself on Khao San road since it's packed with cheap guesthouses and hostels. Maybe it was because of a tiring flight or maturity gotten from constant hanging out with over 24-year-olds, but the first impression of the backpackers Mecca was... cheap and banal. That's why I decided to go to my Thai friends hometown the next day in the East of Thailand (Isan) which is off the beaten track for most travelers in addition to unstable political situation in Bangkok.
Sleeper klass rong. Pärast 3 kuud Indias karastatuna polegi väga hullu. Lihtsalt... su voodi haiseb nagu puhastamata WC. 15 tundi. :) / Sleeper class train. To be honest, not too bad after 3 months of roughening up in India. Just your bed smells like an uncleaned toilet. For 15 hours. :)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Indian_sleeper_coach.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2e/Indian_sleeper_coach.jpg
9-tunnine autosõit. Õnnelikud ükskõik millise puhkuse üle! / A car drive of 9 hours. Happy for a rest of any kind!
Tai moodi aiakujukesed. Tee ääred pikitud selliste äridega. / Thai style garden gnomes. Roadsides filled with businesses like this.
Teeäärne toit: grillkala, kohutavalt vürtsikas papaiasalat (aga kus papaia on?), keskel pruunis topsikeses kleepuv riis (sticky rice), "hein" ja muu salat. / Roadside food: grilled fish, extremely spicy papaya salad (but where is papya?), sticky rice in the brown basket in the middle, "grass" and another salad.
Kohalejõudes tutvusin peretütrega, kelle nimeks on Kai Dao ehk praemuna. Igal Tai nimel on tähendus. Minu nimi on Ray-Noo tähendab õietolmu. /
After getting to my friends' house met a girl named Kai Dao whose name means fried egg. Every Thai name has a meaning. My name which is similar to Ray-Noo means pollen.
After getting to my friends' house met a girl named Kai Dao whose name means fried egg. Every Thai name has a meaning. My name which is similar to Ray-Noo means pollen.
Lett kohalikul turul. / A stand in a local market.
Praetud putukad on tavapärane turu- ja tänavatoit. / Fried bugs are a regular market- and street food.
Elusad sipelgad riisiga. Tahtsin proovida, aga ei leidnud ned mujalt. Pidid hapukad olema. Paari nädala pärast siis. / Alive ants with rice. I wanted to try them, but couldn't find it anywhere afterwards. Supposed to be sourish. In a couple of weeks then.
Elusad siidiussid (?). Neid ei proovinud ja ei proovi ka hiljem. / Alive silkworms (?). Didn't try and not going to do it later.
Elusad karbid. / Muscles.
Mereannid. / Seafood.
Kalapulgad. / Fishsticks.
Sea soolestik. Taid söövad suht kõiki taimi, loomi ning looma osasid. / A pig's intestines. Thais eat basically every nonpoisonous plant, animal and parts of an animal they can find.
Tervislik õhtusöök: palju salatit, tamariinikaste ning kala küüslauguga. Kõrvale jõime mu sõbra ema tehtud värske rohu jooki (!), mis alguses maitses nagu... Värskelt niidetud rohi. Hiljem hakkas maitsema ning nüüd lausa igatsen seda! Suur kontrast rasvasele ja süsivesikurikkale India toidule. / A healthy dinner: tons of salad, tamarind sauce and fish with garlic. Had a grass drink (!) made my my friend's mom. At first it tasted like... freshly cut grass, but I started to like it afterwards and now even miss it! A big contrast to greasy Indian food full of carbs.
Söömine käib nii: võtad salatilehe, paned tükikese kala ning tamariinikastet. Voldid kokku ja pistad suhu. Nämm! / You eat like this: take a salad leave and a piece of fish. Add tamarind sauce and fold together. Yummy!