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Thailand

Mar
2004-09-14 16:16:21

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world and buy English books in the bookstore.

After 7 days we finally reach the Cambodian border. We know behind this line there will be less asphalt and more dynamic scenery. Just before the crossing we see already the signs of a country still recovering from a civil war. Just before the border signs along the road warn for land mine areas next to the road, this was to make sure that the Red Khmer army could not get into Thailand.

State Railway of Thailand

It is 6:00 in the morning and we are queuing for the ticket window of the Aranya Prathet railway station. Three tickets to Bangkok and three tickets for the bicycles. Nobody seems to be surprised by our request for bicycle tickets, so that looks promising. The bicycles are more expensive, okay, they are a bit bigger. With some one-two-three’s we push the bicycles into the train. Just as we have lifted them up and pushed them all in the train, someone points with his hands that we have to move the bicycles. We agree that one of them has to move away because it is somewhat blocking the path. The train has started moving already and we take a seat close to our luggage and bicycles. The seats in the 3rd class of the train (the only seats available) were definitely made for Asian butts. Where in Europe two persons would fit, it seems (according the Thai railways) here you can fit three. And so we are placed with three European butts in 3 Thai ‘butt-spaces’. At various times dried squid and fried rice is sold around, or freshly brought in by the tenders at the stations or from the tenders in the train.

Nearly thirty minutes later a man in a training suit tells us also that we have to move the bicycles. This time it is clear where we must move them to: to the cargo wagon all the way at the end of the train. Of course we have just taken a seat in the front wagon. First we refuse but the man is very pushy and is clear enough for us to understand ...