THE ADVENTURES of ROMAN WANDERAUGH

BANGKOK'S KHAO SAN ROAD

Tourist getting dreadlocks on Bangkok's Khoa San Road

They say you can get anything you want in Bangkok, Thailand if you have the money. That surely applies to Khao San Road, the United Nations of backpackers. It has a flavor of the 1960's with many backpackers wearing Thai dyed clothing and the heavy smell of incense filling the air.

The vibrant street near the Thailand Kings Royal Palace teems with guesthouses, bars, restaurants and small travel agencies. Young tourists from around the world gather to enjoy their traveling camaraderie while sharing travel tips, information and experiences. Though many don't speak English if there is a will there is a way and the communications get done.

The street's carnival atmosphere includes vendors selling their wares in stalls dotted along the sidewalks. At the streets curbside girls do hair extensions, dreadlocks and braiding. Tourists gather in bars and seem to be drinking enough beer during the course of a night to float the Queen Mary.

You can buy anything. If you're a hundred years old you can buy a student ID card that includes your picture. Honest Injun! If you need something for your head or whatever ails you it's available.

The road is popular with Thai students seeking out westerners and Asian travelers to absorb their cultures. Many use the opportunity to practice their English. Japanese travelers are quite popular since many Thai teens emulate them.

Accommodations are cheap. A room with a fan and shared bath can be had for 80 baht [around $1.90 US]. A beer can cost more than that. Rooms with a fan and a private bath are available for 200 baht. More elaborate accommodations are obtainable in the area, which include air conditioning and cable television.

Western food can be pricy but if you eat Thai you can get by on the cheap and eat well.

Since Khao San Road functions somewhat like a hub for tourists traveling to and from their native countries, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos the travel agents get a lot of play. There are tons of them.

If you ask them they can do almost anything. Visa's can be purchased. If you need a passport photo many can do it for you. If not there are shops on the street that can. Whatever your request the reply usually is: can, have, I know, I can do for you.

I was chomping at the bit [wanted] to take a van to the Cambodian border town of Poipet, which has gambling casinos and then go on to Siem Reap the home of the famous Angkor Wat Temples. After having inquired about the cost of the trip a month earlier it had more than doubled from 200-300 baht to 400-750 baht. Hmmmm. You have to shop around and decide which agent you feel most comfortable with who is giving you a fair price.

I chose my agent because the price was right, I thought she was pretty and I and fun teasing her about why she kept applying and playing with her makeup during my half- hour visit. After she gave me her price I shopped around.

When I returned about an hour later she was angry because I had asked for a quote from one of her associates around the corner. The associate called her while I was there and gave her my description [in Thai of course] so I didn't have a clue what she was saying or what was going on. I felt by the rolling of the travel associates eyes that something was up.

When I returned my pretty little travel agent scolded me and told me what happened. She then punished me by knocking off the 50 baht discount she had quoted me earlier. I was too tired to argue so I coughed up the 50 baht and had a good laugh. I factored in the extra money as an entertainment value.

Jokingly I said I was going to tell everyone what she did, that I wasn't going to marry her [as if she cared] and that I was going to tell her mom. Mom was sitting two desks away at the time listening and laughing so it was no secret.

If you get into it, communicating with some of the vendor's and business personnel on the street can be a lot of fun. In some cases it can result in a friendship. I have heard of a marriage resulting from one such encounter.

So why did the price go up? As my little travel agent friend told me, the travel agents and the owners of the vans had a meeting and decided to raise fares and work together. To me it was like they were starting what I will warmly refer to as the "Khao San Road Travel Mafia."

After getting the bad news that I had to pay double I got down to business and swallowed the bullet, paid up and got on with my trip.

The bottom line is that all of the vans are going to the same place and leave at approximately the same time. Delays may occur when a van isn't full and they are waiting for more customers or late arrivals. You know how it goes some of that beer the night before can take its toll.

The next day at the break of dawn sleepy eyed travelers [the beer survivorsJ] gathered on the sidewalk waiting for the vans to pick them up. Departure time is 7am for the [roughly] six-hour trip to the border. The condition of the vans varies since they a privately owned.

We were lucky enough to board a shinny black van with Road Runner in bright orange letters printed on its bumper. It was equipped with polished chrome exhaust pipes stretching along its side. The Thai driver was donning spiked blonde hair. I felt like I was in a rock and roll band and had a feeling that we were going to kick some big time @$$ on the road to the border.

NEXT: On The Road to Siem Reap & Angkor Wat - "Yea Yea, Sure Sure"

Roman Wanderaugh may be contacted at: nationalradio@yahoo.com