Dec 18
Transport Contrast
by Jeb in Thailand, The Big Dad
On a recent leg of our trip we used a remarkable mode of transportation, the bus. Well, a bus is not remarkable necessarily, but one aspect of this particular ride was. The ride was about 2 ½ hours and cost 150 baht ($5). We took our seats, the stewardess brought us cookies, then coke on ice, then bottled water, then more bottled water, blankets and pillows. About 5 minutes before our stop she let us know that it was time to gather our stuff and prepare to disembark. I realize that this is not especially amazing; I just found the contrast quite stark between this and the last airplane that we were on. Asia Air (young, hip, exciting!) had almost enough room between the rows for me to put my feet on the ground and 6 nuts sealed so securely in a little bag that no being, mortal or immortal, can penetrate it without tools not allowed in the cabin of an airplane. A swallow of water to drink with them would have cost $2. Three cheers for the public bus system in Thailand!
Sometimes the airplane is a better platform for picture taking, no matter how uncomfortable. This is Koh Toa, where we went diving, taken on the way from Georgetown, Malaysia to Bangkok.