Bangkok is known as the City of Angels; after travelling there I can see how fitting this name is for their way of life. The city is covered with skyscrapers reaching up to the heavens and the only possible way to get around the city is by sky train. Trying to travel on ground level is almost a death wish; unfortunately I discovered this the hard way.
When I arrived in Bangkok I was instantly drawn to the famous tuk tuks, which were brightly coloured, motorised rickshaws. However I quickly discovered they were not for the faint-hearted. The only time I travelled by tuk tuk in Bangkok the driver decided he had better things to do than to waste time waiting in traffic. Instead he drove onto the other side of the road in order to overtake the traffic. I held on for my life as we swerved around the oncoming cars in a rickety tuk tuk with no sides! It seemed more like a rollercoaster ride than anything else!
After ruling out tuk tuk as a way of getting round the city I attempted travelling by taxi. However rush-hour in Bangkok seemed to last the whole day! The traffic was at stand-still for miles so the journey took forever and cost an absolute fortune!
I realised my safest option was to return to the old-fashioned way of walking. Yet even this had its downfalls. I had to weave between pedestrians, beggars and street sellers whilst inhaling the constant car fumes. Little did I know, motorcyclists used the pavement as a way of avoiding traffic jams. As well as weaving through the human traffic, I had to listen out for oncoming motorbikes and dart out of the way as they rushed past.
My saviour finally came in the form of the sky train, which was simple to navigate and got you from place to place with ease. It was a complete transformation from the mayhem of street-level Bangkok to the City of Angels.
What's the best way to get around your town or city? If you've visited Bangkok, do you agree with Sabrina? Why or why not?
