Getting There IS the Battle

Warning: this is long!

Yesterday, I did the tourist thing which includes getting slightly sun burned and sore from walking so much. So last night, I was asleep by 10pm only to be woken up at 4 because the drunk girls across from me weren't ready for bed yet. Then when they finally passed out, somebody's alarm clock kept going off and they just kept hitting snooze. That, or the alarm just got tired of ringing so it took breaks. I finally get out of bed at 7:15 with a stiff neck and sore legs, and try to get ready quickly.

At 7:45, I take a taxi (70 baht) to the nearest metro station to start my journey. I have to go to the ATI office to pick up my NOA and signed contract, so I can then go to the Korean embassy to apply for my visa. So, via metro, I get to the nearest Sky Train station. I love the sky train. It's so peaceful and has views like this.



But then I have to get off at my stop and proceed to walk to the ATI office. I have a map they sent me, and it looked really easy and close.

Only it wasn't.

According to the map, I just had to turn left on Sukhumvit 71, and the office is on the right hand side right before Soi 22. So I'm walking, looking for the land marks on the map, when I cross Soi 3. Soi 3? That's 19 sois away from 22! But I really have no choice, so I walk, and sweat, and walk and sweat some more. I finally cross St. Andrews School and ATI is supposed to be right after it.

Except it's not.

There's random stores, no office buildings of any kind. The address is 576. I see 574 and rejoice. Then I see 576...its a lawyer's office, and its closed. My course instructor told me it was on the second floor and that there was a sign, so I decide to ask a nice old lady walking by. When I say second floor, she points to these random stairs behind this locked gate. It looks like they lead to someone's house. Some man comes out of nowhere and unlocks the gate for me. At this point, I'm so sweaty and hot, I just go. I walk up the stairs, and am greeted with a blank door with a curtain over it. It's locked, of course. I'm almost ready to just lie down and completely melt into the sidewalk. But as I'm walking down the stairs, I hear the door open. It's Et, one of the Thais from the course!!! Never before have I been so happy to see a familiar face. She gives me my package; you know, the package I've been anxiously waiting for since mid July? Yeah, THAT package.

I want to make sure there's no other sky train station around, so I ask her if walking back to Sukhumvit's BTS is the fastest way. She says, "No, no, walk too far". I look at her, sweat dripping off my face, and say, "I just did". She laughs and thankfully says she'll walk me to the bus stop and make sure I get on the right one back to the BTS station. These buses freak me out by the way. They are only in Thai and there's about, oh, a gazillion different routes. I'm happy Et is helping me, but I'm still a little apprehensive. We wait and wait, but no bus. But then, this "contraption" drives up and it has BTS on the front. She says "Oh! You take this, only 6 baht". It stops and is completely full. Yet she's telling me to hurry and get in. I want to laugh and cry, but I don't. I somehow get into this tuk tuk/song thaew vehicle thing. One cheek is on the seat, the other is hanging off the side along with my feet. Needless to say, my hands probably almost snapped the railing in half from holding on. After the much faster and cooler trip to Sukhumvit Rd, it turns left instead of right. Damnit! But an older lady saves the day by pushing a button for it to stop. I get off and trek through Bangkok's noise and pollution back to the sky train.

It's now 9:45 and I have to get to the embassy. I take the Sky Train to the next station with a Metro entrance. After I get to the MRT stop, I head out, trusting Natalie's directions. If it weren't for her help, I surely would be in a mental institution for insanely wandering down a busy Bangkok highway. So after a 10 minute walk through more pollution, heat, and humidity, I see something.



Yes! Hooray! Finally!
It's 10:35. I walk in and see a sign that says "Visa Applications accepted from 8:30-10:30". Fuck. Mini panic attack ensues. I go in hoping they operate on Thai time (luckily they do). I give her all my documents and passport, and she tells me to come back Tuesday afternoon to pick up my visa. Did I finally do it? Yes, after 3 hours of navigating my way through Bangkok and all its pollution. At the embassy's bathroom, I finally sit down to pee, when I notice my purse's strap over my back and chest has caused two massive sweat stains. The brand new pink top I was wearing now has this round stain right in between my boobs. I look up at myself in the mirror after vigorously washing my hands. What is that on my face? I get a towel and literally wipe off the pollution from my skin. I need a year's supply of Origins after today. I can't even describe my hair at this point. It's too embarrassing.

Too tired to go all the way back across Bangkok, I decided I deserved a cool afternoon in the Paragon (Bangkok's nice mall). So I walk past Dolce & Gabbana, Marc Jacobs, and the Lambourghini store with a stained shirt, sweaty skirt, and horrible hair. But there's a movie theater on the 5th floor, with a Starbucks next door. So to hell with my appearance! This is how I'm ending my eventful day.