Saturday 15th October - Bangkok

Across town anyway will do!....... Today we’re off on another day-trip while a major tour is just around the corner. From Bang Khen we make my way to Morchit 2 (New Morchit) Bus Terminal. This is to order a ticket for Ubon Ratchathani on 19th. I use a minivan from Ramintra Road (30 baht). Now I need to get to Klong San across the Chao Phraya River. Despite quicker options I jump on city bus No.3. It’s about the most basic form of transport here but it’s FREE; sightseeing thrown in as well!
Free ticket to ride!....... A long 1 hour later we arrive at Wong Wian Yai in Klong San for a train to Mahachai. This is an independent service run by the State Railway of Thailand (SRT). The journey takes an hour. Curiously, as a foreigner, I pay 10 baht but for local people it’s FREE. I fail in my endeavour to find out why SRT needed a ticket inspector as I must be the only foreigner on board. Indeed, why is there a ticket office issuing tickets for 0 baht? Someday I may find out. The service terminates at Mahachai Station. You simply arrive near the mouth of the Prachin River. A ferry is available for the crossing: this is 2 baht for foot passenger and 3 baht for a motorbike. OK so when you arrive at the other side there is another train station with a service onto Samut Songkram.
Fish, Squid, Crabs and Shellfish........ I imagine that the railway was originally built to transport seafood to Bangkok. Mahachai is a key fishing port and has a large fish market. Arrive early morning to observe landing and processing of seafood of all kinds. The adjacent streets house the market and of course seafood fresh and preserved is most evident. Here you find many kinds of fish, crab, shellfish, and squid that appear on your seafood restaurant menu in Bangkok at inflated prices.
Seafood diner........ It is a pleasant late afternoon for a stroll along the riverbank and followed by, yes, a seafood dinner…or suan (made with hoy nang lom...oysters), boo phat pong galee (made with boo mah, estuary crab in yellow curry), bpla grapong tod (local fried sea bass) and beer of course!
It never rains but it pours........ I return by local bus 68, arriving during the usual deluge from above, at Lotus, Rama II. From here it is on to Victory Monument by minibus then back to Bang Khen by similar transport. One thing that is plainly obvious is how little money you spend around Bangkok given enough time. Outward was a mere 46 baht, back more than double that but in less than half the time.