Our Airport-Closure Adventure
We knew that time was tight between the end of our conference in the Northern end of Thailand and our flight out of the country from the Southern end. We figured that since we would be flying there would be no problem getting home in a day and giving ourselves 2 full days before our flight to the U.S. We were scheduled to fly back to Southern Thailand on December 1st and get on our flight to the U.S. on December 4th.
We flew to Chiang Mai with no inkling that the beautiful new airport we transferred at in Bangkok would be seiged by protesters just a few days later. At our conference we realized that we were not going to be flying back.
The alternatives were train, bus, rent a car or rent a mini-van with a driver. Being economical we chose the train or bus, and in the end, due to scheduling, it had to be the bus. It would be a grueling 20+ hour trip home, but we weren't overly concerned because Thailand has beautiful VIP buses that are really nice to ride in.
Unfortunately there weren't any left when we showed up at the bus station.
In the end, we found ourselves jolting along in a dirty bus breathing unsafe amounts of exhaust and fuel fumes. In the middle of the night we tried to doze as the lady next to us vomited and our bodies and heads ached from the fumes and cramped seating. From 9 a.m. Monday December 1st until 11 a.m. Tuesday December 2nd, we were just longing for the whole ordeal to be over and be back safe at our house here in Southern Thailand.
I was so grateful to arrive home today; headachy, dazed and sore, but thankful.
Tomorrow we pack and get our house ready for our 3 1/2 month trip away, and the next day, Thursday, we fly.
Hopefully.
We flew to Chiang Mai with no inkling that the beautiful new airport we transferred at in Bangkok would be seiged by protesters just a few days later. At our conference we realized that we were not going to be flying back.
The alternatives were train, bus, rent a car or rent a mini-van with a driver. Being economical we chose the train or bus, and in the end, due to scheduling, it had to be the bus. It would be a grueling 20+ hour trip home, but we weren't overly concerned because Thailand has beautiful VIP buses that are really nice to ride in.
Unfortunately there weren't any left when we showed up at the bus station.
In the end, we found ourselves jolting along in a dirty bus breathing unsafe amounts of exhaust and fuel fumes. In the middle of the night we tried to doze as the lady next to us vomited and our bodies and heads ached from the fumes and cramped seating. From 9 a.m. Monday December 1st until 11 a.m. Tuesday December 2nd, we were just longing for the whole ordeal to be over and be back safe at our house here in Southern Thailand.
I was so grateful to arrive home today; headachy, dazed and sore, but thankful.
Tomorrow we pack and get our house ready for our 3 1/2 month trip away, and the next day, Thursday, we fly.
Hopefully.
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