Waitin’ on a Train

January 7, 2026

Nakhon Pathom to Bangkok

Dear little friends,

While we did have an opportunity to sleep in a little we didn’t really, because for the second morning in a row we had a buffet breakfast calling our names. And when it calls, we listen.

Up to the top floor we went and believe it or not, the wind from the north was chilling us so much we had to move to a different, less scenic table. But there was a great view from up there, even though the sky was a little brassy in the distance, perhaps the field smoke is making its way down now.

A lot of Thai food and then a whole pile of hot dogs!

Great view but we were astonished by how chilly it was.

Part of our view included this house being deconstructed.

"I kind of love stuff like this," said Bruce.

Check out was at noon, the train we hoped to take was going to be at 5:30. We burbled around our paint-smelling room until 11:59:59 and then loaded up our bikes. The option to hang out in the air-conditioned lobby was there, but after two hours of that yesterday I couldn’t bear the thought. This is because of the mind-melting loop of tinkly music, lobby music. We call it “Nartsiri Music” after our fave hotel in Ubon Ratchathani, which employed a similar tormenting soundtrack, maybe to keep the riffraff from hanging out in their lobby.

I was also anxious about this train we were taking. Riding bicycles into the heart of Bangkok, well, we’ve done it. In the dark. In the daytime. There’s no good time to do that and I simply won’t anymore. The train from Kanchanaburi stops in Thonburi, on the other side of the river from where we stay. The trains from the south stop at Krungthep Aphiwat (Bang Sue) station, several miles north of where we stay. But this little train goes to the old Hualomphong station, which is across one khlong and one street from our beloved hotel. Would they let us take our bikes on board? We didn’t know.

“Mai dai” (no can do) was the answer from one of the two ladies behind the glass ticket booth. “No cargo car. You take the train to Thonburi.”

I used my translate app. “Our hotel is at Hualomphong”, I wheedled. “Our bikes are small, we have taken them on many trains.” All true. She asked me if they fold. Oh, yes, they fold! Well, okay then. We had no intention of folding them but she didn’t need to know that. She told us to come back an hour before the train left to buy tickets. The conductor on the train would figure out the charge for the bikes, and we would pay him.

We left our hotel and on the way to the train station we took a wrong turn and went through a large university. This was a class drawing this beautiful old building.

Phra Pathom Chedi. Standing 395 feet tall it is the tallest stupa in the world, taller than the Shwedagon in Yangon, Burma.

This is the main Buddha at the giant chedi and the pose is for Monday which is the day Bruce was born.

Relieved, or sort of relieved, we took off for a nearby temple area. It was a giant chedi, Pra Prathom Chedi. Massive. With two loaded bikes, I opted for hanging with those in the shade of a giant bodhi tree on the temple grounds while Bruce walked up the chedi and explored and took photos. I love bodhi trees, the rustle of the leaves, the comfort of them. The weather was amazing, 78 degrees, lovely breeze, I was perfectly comfortable and content to hang out and people watch.

There were lots of Thai tourists and a few foreign tourists. There were people sweeping up bodhi leaves, moto drivers waiting for customers, and one very old, bent-over woman who shuffled around approaching people and trying to sell them some sort of bagged snack. In the course of two or three hours she passed near me at least five times, and I would have gladly given her money but I didn’t have any small bills on me. So there was that.

Bruce came back and told me how cool this chedi was. I’ll let his photos tell you. We had a chat in that lovely bodhi breeze and then I encouraged him to go back up because he hadn’t seen everything up there. When he returned we headed to the train station.

There were several of these ovals that allowed you to go deeper (closer) into the giant chedi.

There are a couple of concentric circles inside and in this narrow space Buddhist classes were being taught all around the entire chedi.

The classes were being conducted inside these entrances.

That's a lot of gold leaf and eventually the reclining Buddha will turn into a big glob of gold worth millions.

Is it sacrilegious to say this reminds me of the Tin Man?

Bruce loves reclining Buddhas calling them, "Recliners."

There were also two strange caves up there.

Again, worshiping jewelry and nice clothing. So perplexing.

The man at the entrance to the two caves.

The former King, King Rama IX who was most loved by the Thais. Most Thais have near godlike reverence for him.

The monks who live up there have pretty sweet little houses.

Bruce here. This samlor driver paid us the highest compliment by saying, "No.1." He knows better than anyone how hard it is to ride a bike all your life. I was quite honored. I love what he said because I could tell how sincere he was. I mean, look at his face!

Tickets in hand, we sat in the shade and watched trains coming through. Ours was running late, Bruce had some real anxiety because all of the trains we saw had very narrow doors and then another narrow door inside, which meant we (who am I kidding, HE) would have to upend the bikes to get them inside.

A railway employee came by and showed us where to put the bikes and bags, and insisted we fold them. Dang. So we folded them, sort of. When we boarded he helped chuck everything in, and we dragged them down an aisle to an area with double doors that didn’t ever open. But the entry he had told us to use was not as narrow as the other doors so we were in, and standing near our bikes for awhile until people got off.

We were on! We were moving! The sun was setting through the windows, and then the sudden darkness of a subtropical evening, and eventually the edges of the vast metropolis were upon us. It was very exciting, after all of our stress about this train trip. When we arrived at Hualomphong it felt like a real triumph. We unfolded the bikes and tightened them up, loaded them, rode out of the deserted station, around the curve, over the khlong bridge, across the street, and lifted them up onto the sidewalk in front of our hotel door.

Bruce said, "I love Bangkok," as we approached the thick of it.

Like stars in the sky, millions of lights in apartments.

Arrived at Hua Lamphong Station, Bangkok.

Yikes! As I lifted the back of my bike using the saddle, the saddle came off! The top part of the seat post simply separated from the main post, which I have never seen in a million years, I didn’t even know this was possible. I thought that part was welded on, there certainly aren’t any bolts or other tightening devices to keep them together. Not much to do in a hotel lobby but put it back on and wham it down.

The bikes got stashed in the lobby with piles of luggage, we got stashed in our fifth floor room with the city view. We were exhausted and too tired to go out and find food, and it was okay because in the morning, the next breakfast buffet would be laid out for us. We showered off the train dirt and fell into bed.

Finally in our favorite hotel in Bangkok and the view from our window of Hua Lamphong Station.

Bangkok signals the end of the northern half of our Thailand/Laos trip. We’re going to winnow out some of our stuff and leave it here until our return at the end of February. We’re going to explore some places here that we’ve never seen. And, oh yes, we’re going to eat.

Today's ride: 4 miles (6 km)
Total: 1,028 miles (1,654 km)

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Steve Miller/GrampiesHoping your bicycle seat post issue is happily resolved. Reminds me of the time we were rushing to board a train and a "helpful" employee lifted the bike by the saddle. We watched in horror as the saddle did several graceful loop de loops and fell under the train and on to the tracks. It may still be there for all we know. A new saddle a few days later and all was rosy.
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