Bathroom training

The spell checkers are awake so we're back...

After the Speed Tour of the Grand Palace we made it back to the train station with time to spare. As we were walking through the station to get our bags, Tammy asked, "are you sure there isn't something else we want to do before we pick up the luggage?"

Now this was rather rhetorical because as she said this she looked longingly at the little shop there in the station with a sign reading "Thai foot massage - 1 hour 200 baht". 200 baht is about 6 U.S. dollars and one hour is about 60 minutes. When you factor in the pleasure value it is like Denny's giving away a Grand Slam breakfast for free only more betterer.

Lucky for Suzi they had three chairs and 3 massagers (can't spell the other word). So we all sat down and found out what the next world is like if you are really, really good and always recycle. Seriously it was AMAZING worth the every one of those frequent flyer miles we used to get here.

We had planned on only doing it for 45 minutes so we would have time to get our luggage and make the train. When 45 minutes rolled around we had forgotten we had luggage and they could barely make us leave when the full hour was up.

We made a mad dash for the bags and a couple of really nice porters helped get us loaded on and into our air-conditioned sleeper car. We had two adjoining rooms which were actually very comfortable and private. First class all the way for about $35.00 each.

Our porter took our dinner order and we watched Bangkok go by our windows for the next hour or so. Dinner came and then another porter came and made up our beds. By 9 o'clock we were tucked in and sleeping. I have to admit I was a little disappointed they did not read us a bedtime story.

Okay that was all the good stuff but now the ugly under-belly of train travel... the bathroom/shower/sink... You don't sit, you stand over and try to aim. Yes folks, in a moving-rocking/swaying train. For Tammy this was not big problem as she only stand about 4 foot nothing and is only 20 inches from the target zone. For Suzi and I it required a greater degree of marksmanship.

My 1st venture in completely grossed me out and I determined I could wait 13 hours or till we were back in the States. I know, I know "the ugly American", but when I went in the first time there was wet all over the place. And, growing up with three brothers it was like my very worst nightmare was realized. I could not go through the train screaming, "Who in the name of heaven used the bathroom last?!?"

The next day, Tammy who had gotten up in the wee hours of the morning (no pun intended) had showered... At least that is what she told us with her hair all wet. Suzi and I looked at her like she was suffering from the dementia of Dengue Fever. Tammy assured us it was quite clean and most of the spray we had seen before was from the bedit. Still, not an extremely comforting thought. After the long day of travel in the heat and the sprint throught the Grand Palace... well let's face it, Suzi and Tammy were really stinky.

Tammy shamed Suzi into showering and then I followed along... for the fellowship. I felt a little better about the whole thing knowing I was following those two though I couldn't help but think over and over again, "I can't believe I am doing this. I can't believe I am doing this..."

I will spare you the details but know that it was not pretty and it did involve the use of the bedit hose as the shower-head. For those of you who know longer want to know us, we don't blame you.

Tammy has been monitoring our vitals and so far we show no signs of Hep A or B.

ox

suzi, tammy and shawna