Bangalore-Bangkok (Via Hat Yai)

Story of our backpacking trip to Thailand (part 1 of 3)

Who knew that the world would come to a grinding halt when we were all set to take-off from Bangalore to Bangkok on the night of 29^th February 2020? Visa, tickets, hotel bookings- everything done carefully. There were uncertainties about the whole plan. To go or not to go during coronavirus outbreak was the question at the back of our minds! It wasn’t termed as a pandemic yet and Thailand wasn’t under threat.  However, in the morning we received an email from Wat Marp Jan- the monastery where we were going to spend two nights saying that they were closing it for foreigners. The news of deaths in Wuhan was scary. Vinay and I kept changing our opinions and plans. I had not even packed my bags until that morning. At one point, we decided to just GO! Here is a story of the memorable journey Bangalore-Bangkok-Bangalore (Bang-Bang-Bang)!

At the Bangalore airport, we finished the formalities and waited. There were very few honeymooners and some Thai businessmen going back to Bangkok.  A newly-wed young lady was all set to do a lot of shopping in Bangkok and I was thinking about our alternate plans. We were relaxed in a way as we were not going to stay much in the city where the virus was likely to hit soon. The flight was relatively empty. This was the first time I was carrying all my stuff in a single back-pack that was not going to be checked in. Just about 6 kg overall.  This is in itself was an adventure because there was a chance that we could have been stuck or held up somewhere. We reached Don Muong airport early morning. We were welcomed by thermal screening and hand sanitizers. The immigration officers appeared a bit arrogant and worked up as their night shift was about to get over. We were unable to understand their instructions given through the tightly fitted masks. Perhaps they were upset to see jobless tourists like us who could be potential carriers of the virus.

The Thai Lion flight to Hat Yai in southern Thailand was after a couple of hours. I was a bit skeptical about eating at the airport but we were hungry as we did not eat anything on the flight. Freshly baked puffs with spinach and cheese with Cappucino was made us fresh. The stories of the outbreak were trickling on the TV screens and people appeared to be stressed. We sat quietly near the gate without much discussion.

Serenity at Stream Garden

At the Hat Yai airport, we got a cab that was pre-booked and we were on the way to Chestnut Hill Eco Resort that was formerly Stream Garden Retreat. It was started by Pook in 1996 who has been studying and living J. Krishnamurti’s teachings.  The eco-resort is situated above a stream with low-mountain ranges on either side, decorated with rubber trees. It is being managed by Pook’s daughter, Soonya and son-in-law Adam. We could not meet Pook and Soonya as they were busy at a workshop in Bangkok. Adam was a wonderful host and our interpreter. However, we had the opportunity to meet Ajan Chamras a monk and former professor of psychology.  Ajan showed us the campus with great love. 

A view from the meditation hall

This place is around 50 km from the Malaysia border and is a very quiet sleepy town with hardly any buildings taller than two floors. The resort is on a hillock and there are beautiful cottages with patios that give you breathtaking views of the mountains. There are steps to reach the stream and markings for trekkers.  The same evening, we had an opportunity to have an interview with Ajan Chamaras about his Krishnamurti’s teachings, Taoism, and awareness meditation. The dialogue with him gave me a feeling of great peace and energy that set the stage for our journey.

Ajan Chamaras showing us around

We stayed there the next two days and walked through the forest trails, went down to the stream. It used to be a bit warm and sultry in the rain forest near the stream. However, in our cottage it used to be windy. There was a magical song of the stream and calls of birds. At night there were strange sounds of frogs and owls. You can hear the frog crock in the background of the interview recording. During the day, I could just lie around on the wooden deck or in the hammock looking at the leaves and clouds. Apart from the timings for meals, there was no schedule to follow. It was a perfect retreat. The meditation room was close to our cottage. There was no idol or photograph there, it just had bright sun rays that filled it with energy.

The food consisted of Thai curries, stew, rice, and noodles made with fresh organic vegetables. The staff mainly consisted of local women who would start their day early morning. They would ride a motorcycle and move about the large campus. They wore simple white cotton tops and light brown harem pants with very little make-up. They appeared to carry out the chores cheerfully smiling and chatting among themselves. Although there were language barriers, they managed to understand our needs and served us delicious dishes.

Sitting at a bench in the veranda 

Trekking along the stream

 As mentioned before, our plans for visiting Wat Marp Jan had to be canceled. We now had to spend the 3 days somewhere else. From Hat Yai, we were supposed to go to Bangkok and from Bangkok to Wat Marp Jan. We could have stayed in Bangkok but we were not so keen to spend the rest of the week in a city. We wanted to see the city but one or two days were enough for that! If we extended the stay in Chestnut Hill, our flight ticket from Hat Yai to Bangkok would go waste. Friends had suggested Chiang Mai, however; it was not a good idea given the chances of virus spread in a touristy place such as Chiang Mai. 

In the meditation cell

After careful thought, we decided to go to Bangkok and to travel to Ayutthaya by train. There was no problem reserving a hotel called "Niwas" in Ayutthaya. It is an old city of temples and not many youngsters would go there or even if they wanted to visit, they may do a day trip from Bangkok. So, there was less likelihood of an outbreak. We weren’t sure if the places were going close down in the next few days. The number of infections was around 43 in Thailand and there had been just one death at that time.

Ayutthaya is considered to be a precursor of modern Thailand. It must have been a happening place between 14^th to 18^th century. The name has a resemblance to Ayodhya in India and the Thai people like their epic Ramakien which is a story parallel to Ramayana but unique in its own way. The stories of Ramakien form a source of literature and theatre in Thailand. 

Thailand has an interesting blend of Buddhism and idol worshiping Hinduism. On the streets, in front of buildings, you will often find statues of Ganesha, Shiva, Rama. You will see them garlanded and with offerings of soft drinks kept at the feet! I had kept such an idol in mind so that I would not miss the street.

I was interested in checking out this place rather than going to Phuket or staying back in Bangkok. Ayutthaya seemed to be a quiet destination that would be suitable for our taste.  We left Hat Yai on 3^rd March by Thai Smile flight. At Hat Yai airport, there was a noodle shop and a plump, young lady with bright red lipstick was advertising about her noodles with great passion. We could not resist the temptation to have a big bowl of noodle soup and momos. The food was delicious!

To our surprise, we got a free light dinner pack in the flight that had very tasty roasted chicken with sticky rice. This time we landed at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi airport. This was a much bigger airport than Don Muong.  We took the metro to our hotel Manhattan that was booked for that night. While going by metro, I recalled my son's solo visit to this city and his winning of a guitar competition here six years ago when he was all of 16. The stations looked familiar as I had remote-guided him on that whole journey. I called him and gave him my whereabouts! 

During our flight and metro journey, we both were watching around the situation and made a sketchy plan for the next few days but we were not really clear about the next day as we entered our posh room in Hotel Manhattan late that night. Situated in the concrete jungle of Bangkok's Sukhumvit area very close to the huge mall Terminal 21, this hotel was a complete contrast to Chestnut Hill Eco Resort. 

A landmark to the hotel street 

To be continued in Bangkok and Amazing Ayutthaya