The Best Laid Plans of.......

   With three nights in Bangkok to collect my wits, Friday I headed off to Ayutthaya, where I have stayed with the same family for 7 years  (hereafter to be called either "the family" or "my family") while I teach school.   Having made the trip countless times normally it is very routine.  It's about a 4 block walk to the elevated train (Skytrain), up a long flight of stairs, through the turnstiles, up another flight of stairs to the platform, one transfer of trains with about 7 stops in all, down a flight of stairs, out through the turnstile and unto an elevated walkway perhaps a quarter of mile, down another flight of stairs to the mini-bus station where I catch a bus to Ayutthaya.  This takes less than 30 minutes and costs about a dollar.
    Normally I travel very light...a small suitcase and one carry on.  This time that small suitcase was so laden-ed with gifts that it weighed 39 pounds.  With jet lag interrupting my sleep I decided to treat myself to a taxi ride to the bus stop.  The taxi only cost $3.00 but it took longer than the train.  The mini-bust stop is by the Democracy Monument which is huge with a massive traffic circle surrounding it.  Also ringing the monument is an elevated walkway that I use when I take the Skytrain to the mini-bus.
   The taxi dropped me off purportedly by the mini-buses to Ayutthaya. WRONG.  The directions I was given to the mini-buses were wrong 5 times, each of which entailed lengthy walks often up and down the stairs to the elevated walkway.  An hour of searching and I still had not found the bus. Finally a man said "I don't know about the mini-bus but that bus is going to Ayutthaya" as he pointed to one across the street.
   By this time I was a bit desperate because my family wanted me in Ayutthaya in the morning because they "had plans".  (More about that later.) Reluctantly I boarded the bus but it quickly became apparent that this was the SLOW bus.  After driving for about 15 minutes the bus stopped at a depot and I saw my chance.  Grabbing my bags I left the bus, hurried to the taxi stand and, after a bit of bargaining, hired a taxi to Ayutthaya.
   My family was appalled that I spent $28. for the hour taxi ride but to me it felt like a good choice. Of course next time I'll just take the Skytrain because, when I do, it usually takes me about two hours from the guesthouse to Ayutthaya...not the three plus it took this time.