I Am Back!!!

Bangkok traffic will never change

Nice view of the city with meandering Chao Praya river

After five busy days in Bangkok, a struggle to overcome my jetlag and the running nose I got due to the constant change between polar a/c temperatures and the outdoor oven set on 'high' , plus a few non-confidence inspiring meetings with the Vanguard VLS ladies at the shipping company, I find myself finally at the old downtown airport Don Mueang ready to embark on a journey to one of my favorite countries, Cambodia.

After an uneventful flight, the Air Asia flight landed safely in Phnom Penh. When I say uneventful it is with a reason. Yesterday I read in the paper that I Chinese couple travelling on an Air Asia flight was so upset about the fact that they couldn't sit together that the young lady threw a steaming hot instant soup served as an onboard meal at the young female flight attendant. The captain returned to the Bangkok airport where the couple was expected by the local authorities. I wrote about Chinese tourists before, so no real need to get back to that again.

The plane was one hour late, unusual for this flight and Air Asia, which caused some inconvenience for my friends Dave and Lisa who had to go to a birthday party at a biker friend’s house. But this is Cambodia after all, so they waited for my tuk-tuk to bring me directly from the airport to their house, and left for the party, also one hour late: We are on Cambodian time.

The ride from the airport to Dave’s house takes about 45 minutes, not much seemed to have changed in the city as I could tell so far, except that traffic went up a notch, from ‘crazy’ to ‘insane’, while the number of scooters and cars seemed to have doubled during the time I was gone.

I can’t really describe what a great feeling this is to see the BMW after more than nine month of abstinence! Here it was, still at the same spot where I left it. A family of moths had built a little home for themselves on the left cylinder head, under the motorcycle cover, and off the ground, this must have been comfortable accommodation.  The bike is very dusty but is happy to see me.

Of course the BMW YUASA battery was completely dead after such a long time. Recharging would have been an option, yet since the battery lasted  literally for six years since new (The trickle charging is the secret), I decided to try to find a new replacement, a true challenge it will be, I’m sure.