Thai Getaway: Pattaya Slice

We had to be picked up from our Bangkok hotel at 12:30 pm and be dropped at the bus stand from where a bus would be taking us to Pattaya. The delay of our cab was not very much. When both Biki and me went in it, we found it to be already packed with Indian tourists, save two seats for us. I didn't know then why I was disappointed at this. Later on I found it. Once we have thrown in our money to someone for a service, we act as if we have become their masters and they are the worst kind of slaves we ever had.

Constant complains that too in a high voice and with occasional disgusting racial comments. Making fun in a healthy manner is a different thing. I know this because I myself am no saint. But, taking the advantage of the fact that a person is a only driver and is not in a position to protest your complains just for the sake of his job is something that made me feel ashamed. Thank God they were not going to the bus stand with us.

Anyway, the distance to Pattaya was covered in not more than 90 minutes. The sun was letting out its last heat before it prepared to go all orange. From the very first air we inhaled in the town, we got its casual scent. Not at all crowded with high rise buildings, normal traffic and almost everyone in nothing more than shorts and short sleeve T-shirts and sandals.  Nothing here is in a hurry. It was a town to relax. And unfortunately, that is what we did most of time.

The fist evening had pure relaxation. We met our tour co-ordinator Lek at the hotel. Quite a pretty  and funny lady. She was generous enough to give us "first timers in Pattaya" a detailed feel of the kind of tourism the place offers. Pao was our cab driver in Pattaya. They call the cabs Song-Taew. Small trucks with four people sitting in the drivers cabin and many more on the carrier at the back. Covered on the top and open on the sides. We bought beers for Pao too and asked him to drive to a beach. The time was close to 9pm. The breeze and the sound of the little crashing waves with a can of beer in the most casual sea town of a foreign land is something of a fact to stay submerged in till the can lasts (or may be some minutes after that too)

Next day was our fully sponsored trip to the Pattaya beach. Our guide, Dolly, marked the back of our wrists with something in Thai using permanent marker. Probably as a mark of 'you are tourists of my group'. It kind of looked like a tattoo - a symbol of which no one has any idea about.

Before we had reached the Pattaya beach, our speed boat gave us a stop on a floating jetty. For para-sailing. Okay, here, please do not ask me any question. The answer is No, we didn't and we regret it from every corner of our hearts. And the answer to your next question will be "Its not that we were scared, but..." Rest I leave to your own imagination and your right to be judgmental. 

A boat took us from that jetty and finally sat us cruising towards the beach. The boat had people from Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and of course, Bengal. We had our little fun with some of them, made acquaintanceship with some of them  and also experienced some of the old loud constantly irritating chuckles from some of them. But I had decided not let anything ruin my day. Finally we reached the beach.

And when we reached there, we had a very honest realization that the place is probably over hyped. I have not yet been to Goa or the Andamans, but the photographs of these places which my friends have shown to me do testify the fact that the beaches of our own country deserve a lot more publicity than what it currently does. But, anyway, as I said, I was not willing to lose what I had in hand.

Biki was in the front, then was Ramya's mom, then Ramya and then I. We took a speedy ride on the Banana boat. It is a long  cylindrical balloon that is pulled by a water scooter. four or five people can sit on it at he same time and the only thing to hold on to are plastic ropes in front of every rider. Cool one but the ride was not long enough to suffice the money we paid. Bro and Ramya went into the water and I stayed ashore with my camera. [And also I got labelled as a 'kind of boring' due to this by our new acquaintance who and her mother were the ones from Pune, Maharashtra]. I didn't make any effort to show that I already was having my own fun :)

We turned back at noon. Walking a good thigh deep into the semi clear semi sandy water, we got back on our boat and sped back to the main land. Dolly's little daughter was noticing me clicking the passing land pieces, waves etc. It was she who pointed out a far-away-barely-visible land mass where there was a lighthouse or something. Thank you girl. Just like everybody on the boat, I also would have missed it.

We came back and met Pao and Lek at an Indian restaurant. But the wound on Biki's finger was taking a bad shape. We had to hurry to get the gold ring cut out from the finger and get some medicine applied on the wound.

And what a place to get the ring cut out - The Gems Factory, Pattaya. Pao took us there. The best in business of gemstones production in South East Asia. Although, I am sure the goldsmith there had never thought of doing the job that ideally should be of a first aid personnel if not of a surgeon. There is a chain shop called "7 Eleven" on every street of the town. We packed our fuel for the night and went back to our hotel.

This officially marked the end of our planned tour and we still had a day in our hands. The tiger zoo was making itself prominent in our list. But to be fully honest, the thing that we silently agreed as the best thing to do was the to have the beach in a can.

After the lunch next day, we sat out on our feet to do a little exploration of our own. And fortunately, we were able to find a shore, although muddy, to sit and enjoy. The sky was getting a bit sad and was making noise. The wind was higher than it usually used to be. For the first time, the Pattaya I was scheduled to stay in, was showing a different side of its mood. It was not the pleasant sunny place anymore. It was agreeing with my momentary thoughts. Till then, it was Biki's initiative to come to the beach and hang out. Now I decided to come there again after sun down.

And so I did. We walked up to the beach once more in the evening. The streets at this time are at their best on a different kind of sight seeing. Don't use your camera here. The city glittered far away. We finished off the last can and I personally went till the waters to thank it for those few compassionate minutes in the afternoon.

In all the hype,  publicity and anti publicity the town gets, it is a fantastic place for tourists who love the sun and also the moon. The place treats you well even though you are a stranger and the only bond is of money. In the midst of the apparent madness, it does ask you your name and gives its name in return. The place actually rocks and does every bit to make you feel that you are alive. All you need is the right spirit.

Come April 1st, we sat out for home. 6 am Pattaya, 9 am Bangkok, 1 pm Kolkata. Along with me has come some souvenirs, some photographs and a little bit of Thai accent of speaking English. And frankly, I am enjoying showing off all of them :)

Till nest time,

Cheers :)